C3 Climate Change Conference

Windermere Secondary School 

Dec 11, 2009 from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m 

Windermere Secondary students are inspiring their peers to take action on climate change by organizing the C3-Climate Change Conference on Dec 11, 2009.

C3 aims to connect secondary school students from across Vancouver who are passionate about making a difference in their schools. The timing of the conference deliberately coincides with the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, Denmark. International leaders will meet in Copenhagen to discuss renewing or creating a new climate deal as the deadline for the Kyoto Accord comes to an end.

The students have recruited outstanding presenters including:

• Andrew Weaver, one of Canada's leading climate scientists.  Weaver is a major contributor to the Nobel prizewinning work of the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

• Harjap Grewal of the Council of Canadians who will discuss the implications of climate change on global water supplies.

• Shannon Daub of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives who will tackle the issue of climate justice.

The organizers have also made a connection with the delegation representing Canada's youth at the UN meeting in Copenhagen. As an exciting addition to the conference, they are setting up a video conference feed direct from Copenhagen. Students registering for C3 have the opportunity to submit their questions to the delegation in Copenhagen.  

"Once all these youth gather together they'll see that they have the support of their fellow students who want change," said Emily Chan, one of the conference's organizers.

The organizers hope C3 will be a catalyst for change at Vancouver schools and beyond. They plan to form echo groups across the district where students can meet with their peers once a month to talk about initiatives they are leading at their schools.

Keeping with the conference goals, they hope to have a zero waste event. Registration is strictly online, posters are being made with recycled newspapers and there will be composting and recycling on site. Attendees are asked to do their part and bring their own utensils, bowl, water bottles and name tags.

Planning for the conference began in the summer. Recently, Windermere students received media attention when they joined a demonstration on the Cambie Bridge as part of the International Day of Climate Change on October 25.

Note: Registration deadline is extended until Monday, Nov 30, 2009.

To find out more about C3 and to register go to information at http://c3vancity.wordpress.com/

 

To learn about the issues being discussed at Copenhagen go to:

United Nations Climate Change Conference Dec 7-18, 2009

http://en.cop15.dk/