by Julie Servant, Executive Director, Frontenac Arch Biosphere Network
The Frontenac Arch Biosphere Network will present the second annual Youth Climate Action Summit (YCAS) on May 9-10, 2022. The YCAS at its core aims to empower youth to take concrete action towards climate change adaptation in their community. Featuring 11 experts in climate change and climate solutions. The two-day summit seeks to improve the climate literacy of the younger generation and prepare them to be future leaders in a more sustainable world.
Frontenac Arch Biosphere Network (FABN) is a non-political organization that strives to bring global convention to a local level, offering tangible actions that can increase everyday local sustainability. The programs and events offered by the FABN seek to conserve biodiversity, contribute to building sustainable communities, facilitate biodiversity and sustainability science, as well as educate and support mitigation and adaptation to climate change. The Frontenac Arch Biosphere Region covers an area between Brockville and Kingston and north to the Rideau World Heritage site and Frontenac Provincial Park. www.frontenacarchbiosphere.ca.
Youth teams from the greater Frontenac Arch Region will gather virtually to learn from experts and to work towards developing their own climate action plans. Teams will include students, educators, administrators, and facilities staff. Each team will be able to take their climate action plan back to their school or community for implementation. The summit presents a unique opportunity for youth to connect with youth from other schools, collaborate and grow their networks.
Session topics include sustainable agriculture, composting, Indigenous climate action, reflections on COP26, and more. Speakers at the summit include Dr. Andrew Weaver, Professor in the School of Earth and Ocean Sciences at the University of Victoria and Dr. Christopher Burn, Professor of Geography at Carleton University. Other speakers include Troy Dunlop, Kevin Matthew Wong, Matthew Graveline, Christian Artuso, Riley-Ann Schmidt, Emma Vernarde, Jayce Chiblow, Craig Johnson, and Peter Soroye.
Read more about the speakers here: https://youthclimateactionsummit.ca/speakers.
Teams of five youth from grades 9 to 12 can register until April 31. More info, including the Summit schedule and registration form, is available at https://youthclimateactionsummit.ca.