The most urgent cross-cutting issue of our times is the global climate crisis, and the failure to fully address it. Massively reducing fossil fuel use, greening our cities, restorative agriculture, rewilding, enshrining rights for nature, and correcting “ecological overshoot” globally and locally must happen quickly to avoid increasingly terrible consequences.
We know that engagement is key to addressing collective challenges like the climate crisis. Why? Because it taps into collective intelligence across cultures, organizations, and scales. Most critically, it supports the rapid emergence of collective solutions.
We have extensive experience weaving action on climate into projects, strategies, policies and organizational culture. For example, 12 years ago Vince Verlaan facilitated discussions with 16 gov’t ministries setting clear pathways to climate neutral operations. The Comox Valley Sustainability Strategy addressing seven climate-related trends was another of our dozens of climate action projects.
We will write and post more here on climate, offer free training to activists, look for partners and projects to support, and amend our own behaviour to help address this crisis. Get in touch to create your climate action strategy. Let’s make this happen.
CLIMATE-FOCUSED INFO RESOURCES:
Goal 13 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
https://www.globalgoals.org/goals/13-climate-action/
BC Govt Carbon-Neutral Operations
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/environment/climate-change/public-sector
Your Personal Carbon Foootprint Calculator
https://www.carbonfootprint.com/calculator.aspx
The Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty
https://fossilfueltreaty.org/
Guidebook on Radical Collaboration to Accelerate Climate Action
https://radicalclimatecollaboration.reospartners.com/
Design Guidance for Green and Thriving Public Space
https://www.c40knowledgehub.org/s/article/Design-guidance-for-public-spaces?language=en_US
Fridays for the Future (Greta Thunberg)
https://fridaysforfuture.org/
David Suzuki foundation – Future Ground Network
https://davidsuzuki.org/take-action/act-locally/future-ground-network/
Canadian Climate Crisis
https://climateinstitute.ca/beyond-the-brink-making-sense-of-canadas-year-of-climate-chaos/
BC’s Climate Action Network
https://westcoastclimateaction.ca/
Ecological Overshoot
https://overshoot.footprintnetwork.org/about-earth-overshoot-day/
Low Carbon Lifestyle tool
https://wearefuterra.com/thinks/the-low-carbon-lifestyle-wheel
The Green New Deal
https://www.investopedia.com/the-green-new-deal-explained-4588463
Testimonials
It has been a pleasure to work with Vince Verlaan on two important initiatives for us. He was highly effective in establishing objectives for two workshops, understanding the issues and the people, and using just the right tools and format to maximize reflection, sharing and learning among our BC Chapter Leadership Board members and our National Industry Advisory Group. Focused, personable and able to work with a wide range of organizational dynamics, I would not hesitate to recommend Vince for other facilitation work, even if the topics and content are complex.
Carla Giles, VP, Regional Operations, Canada Green Buildings CouncilIn the various sustainability-focused projects we have done projects, I’ve seen that Vince has an amazing ability to bring diverse participants together, often from competing perspectives, to focus on critical issues, discuss them deeply, and reach concrete and meaningful outcomes supported by all. Vince is a consummate professional and his skills in designing and facilitating meetings and large events while keeping everyone on-topic is second to none. And the results later and “on the ground” are astounding!
Dr. Michael Jackson, ED, Pender Harbour Ocean Discovery Centre, BC, Canada