This keynote delivered by Prof. Sharon Stein invites an inquiry about the fractured relations at the root of the climate crisis, and how we might begin to repair them. Grounded in the work of the Gesturing Towards Decolonial Futures Collective, it asks: What would it take for us to compost the inherited separations between human and more-than-human worlds that have led us to breach the Earth’s biophysical boundaries – and to threaten our own futures in the process? How might we move away from top-down, technical climate “solutions” and instead learn to coordinate responses informed by multiple forms of intelligence – human, more-than-human, and machine? And what meta-relational dispositions and capacities could enable us to meet the complexities and uncertainties of the climate crisis in ways that fulfil our intergenerational and interspecies responsibilities?

Annual General Meeting (Bilingual)* ESAC Members are invited to attend this year's Annual General Meeting. The AGM will be hybrid (Zoom and in person). We will report on ESAC’s activities in the past year and look forward to hearing from members! You must be an active ESAC member to attend the AGM.

Assemblée générale annuelle (Bilingue)* Les membres de l’ACÉE sont invités à participer à l'assemblée générale annuelle de cette année. L'AGA se déroulera de manière hybride (Zoom et en personne). Nous présenterons un rapport sur les activités de l'ESAC au cours de l'année écoulée et nous attendons avec impatience les commentaires des membres ! Vous devez être un membre actif de l’ACÉE pour assister à l‘AGA.

A Climate Circle provides a safe virtual space for individuals taking action to address climate change and environmental degradation. It gives a chance to offload some of the emotional weight we may take on during our daily activities, and cannot talk about in the workplace or with our friends and relatives. It provides an opportunity to share openly about injustice, exhaustion, frustration, grief, but also joy, hope and critical experiences, within a supportive community of purpose. Circles gather climate-conscious citizens, climate workers (e.g. students, professionals, activists) from various generations, any parts of the world and from fields as diverse as arts, science, education, tech, industry, finance, community organizing, as well as social and humanitarian work.

Prof. Patricia E. Perkins, a leading ecological economist and climate justice scholar, will address Canada’s significant carbon footprint and the urgent need for a just transition to sustainability. Her keynote will highlight the diverse roles played by Canadian academics and grassroots movements in advancing climate action. Prof. Perkins will explore how Canadian efforts—within and beyond academia—are laying the groundwork for a more equitable, post-fossil fuel future, and discuss the symbiotic relationship between research, policy, and grassroots mobilization in confronting the climate crisis

We are unequivocally in tumultuous times due to the many complex systems that are breaking down. Our ecological, economic, social and political systems are each failing -  and exacerbating the strain on one another. When dealing with this kind of complexity there is very little certainty about how to most effectively intervene. One thing we do know for certain is that we must work together and try to solve multiple problems at once. Join us for this interactive workshop on how to identify areas of high leverage and the allies you will need to start multisolving - regardless of what problems you are tackling. Olivia is an Ontario Certified Teacher and holds an MEd in Curriculum and Pedagogy with an Emphasis in Wellbeing. She is also a Course Development and Facilitator at Common Earth. 

Participatory research has been at the forefront of equitable and ethical research. This session brings forward the experiences of three scholars and practitioners in Indigenous participatory research: Prof. Smiles, University of Victoria, Dr. Ducharme, Centre for First Nations Governance, and Dr. De Wildt, Queen’s University. From planning research projects to establishing meaningful partnerships, the discussions will delve into the intricacies of the academic world in shaping the future of collaborative research. 

Climate change is a human problem - from creation to solution. The Society, Environment, and Emotions Lab (SEE Lab) researchers examine the important role emotions play in environmental behaviours and our responses to climate crises. As a collective “lab”, we cultivate a culture that engages all members in mentor and mentee roles, providing diverse collaboration opportunities, a ‘pay-it-forward’ mindset, and space for a lot of fun along the way. In this conversation, we discuss our climate-emotion research, lab experiences from different career and lifestyle perspectives, and the benefits (and challenges!) of maintaining this remote workspace and mentorship.

What does it mean to do impactful work in an era of climate change?

To explore this timely inquiry, ESAC is proud to partner with Zach Weismann, Founder of The Impactful. Together we will discuss how a virtual ecosystem of engaged people can co-create innovative responses to the climate emergency. Join us for a powerful conversation exploring how purpose, resilience, and trust are reshaping leadership in a rapidly changing world and what impactful work means in an age of disruption. 

Keynote Ashoke Mohanraj, Author

In a time of deep division, how do we bring people back together? Ashoke Mohanraj, environmental storyteller and advocate, explores how we can tackle polarization not by arguing harder, but by connecting deeper. Through universal themes like friendship, courage, and caring, and using accessible mediums like animation, film, and children’s books, Ashoke shows how we can reach across generations, cultures, and ideologies. His work, including the upcoming animated series, Dolphin Dude, reminds us that everyone, from kids to policymakers, can find common ground when we speak to what makes us human. This keynote is a call to reframe togetherness as something joyful, creative, and powerfully unifying.

Join us for a unique opportunity to participate in a Digital Collage at Congress!

Join Sarah Patterson, President of Common Earth, as she outlines a more holistic explanation of the climate crisis.

The Environmental Studies Association of Canada and York University's Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change are proud to welcome Dr. Nate Hagens, Director of The Institute for the Study of Energy & Our Future (ISEOF) and host of the Great Simplification Podcast.

Join us for our 2024 Annual General Meeting, where we’ll discuss the future of ESAC. All ESAC members are welcome to attend.

This session explores the nature of double binds in relation to entwined social and environmental crises.

Join us for our Climate Circle Event featuring Autumn Trainor from One Resilient Earth. The Climate Circle session will serve as an opportunity to share ‘openly about injustice, exhaustion, frustration, grief, but also joy, hope and critical experiences, within a supportive community of purpose.’