Niagara College’s sustainability advocates were among those blazing a new trail towards a sustainable future at Niagara’s first-ever Climate Change Summit.
On Tuesday, June 28, NC’s Al Unwin, Dean of Business, Tourism and Environment, Taryn Wilkinson, Sustainability Manager in the Office of Sustainability, and Pam Skinner, Senior Vice-President, College Operations, took part in the inaugural summit on behalf of NC. The Summit was hosted by the Niagara Region in partnership with Brock University and the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority.
Skinner took a meaningful step on behalf of the College and in alignment with our 2022-2027 Strategic Plan, signing the Niagara Region Climate Change Call to Action and joining local organizations in a shared commitment to accelerate climate change action in the Region.
“As an educational institution it is even more imperative for us to take action as our graduates will be the individuals faced with the greatest impact and burden when it comes to mitigating and adapting to climate change,” said Unwin, who hopes this is the first step for Niagara to become a leading region for action on climate change. “We simply must act now.”
Al Unwin, Dean of Business, Tourism and Environment, speaks on a panel.
NC codified our commitment to Social Inclusion and Environmental Sustainability as a key area of focus in the years ahead. The College is committed to a culture of sustainability through the continuous improvement of our operational processes and standards for our buildings and facilities.
Summer student Lindsay Taylor (left) with the Office of Sustainability, facilitated a roundtable discussion on sustainable transportation. EMA alumnus Sean Parkinson (right) signed the Climate Change Call to Action on behalf of the St. Catharines Downtown Association.
The Niagara Region Climate Change Call to Action acknowledges the work of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change which aligns with the goal of 50 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. Summit attendees were given an overview of climate change action taking place in Niagara, with expert speakers and industry leaders from across Ontario sharing success stories and best practices.
Unwin participated in a panel on ‘Leading environmental and climate change action in communities,’ and Wilkinson and Lindsay Taylor, a summer student with the Office of Sustainability, facilitated roundtable discussions on agriculture, food and wine, as well as sustainable transportation.
Taylor and alumnus Sean Parkinson (Environmental Management and Assessment Program 2022) also signed the Climate Change Call to Action on behalf of the St. Catharines Downtown Association.
Climate change is a local, national, and global issue affecting individuals and systems around the world, and the responsibility to make change is collective. Acknowledging that municipalities play a significant role in minimizing their carbon footprint and making their communities more resilient, the Niagara Region declared a climate emergency to accelerate action on climate change in the community in September 2021.
A video recording of the summit is available on the Region’s website: www.youtube.com/watch?v=rV6B41XNmWI
Inaugural Niagara Climate Change Summit successfully hosted by Niagara Region, where attendees signed a pledge for a call to action to accelerate climate change action in #Niagara.
Read more: t.co/VZaLfrnZws pic.twitter.com/CGQEHVnzRo
— Niagara Region (@NiagaraRegion) June 29, 2022
