Climate Change: Global Problem, Local Action November 3, 2007

TORONTO. Global climate change is an environmental challenge that will not be solved through international, national, or even provincial action alone. Action will be required at local and institutional levels, and from all of us. As part of Hart House’s ECO-ECO initiative, the Climate Change: Global Problem, Local Action (free!) student conference aims to get the campus and surrounding communities thinking and talking about we can do. On November 3rd at Hart House from 9am to 1pm, we will explore some pieces of the local action puzzle.

One panel will focus on the role of the City of Toronto (The City: Between the Promise of Global Impact and the Challenge of Local Action). Under Mayor David Miller’s leadership, the City has been an active participant in the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group, seeking to show how coordinated action at local levels can make a significant difference. We will discuss the contributions our city can make, but also the challenges that arise in the nitty-gritty of implementing the big picture. A second panel will examine the role of universities (The University: Institutional Power and Individual Action). Like cities, universities can be incubators and multipliers of sustainable practices. We will explore the opportunities and challenges that arise both at the institutional level, and for individual students and staff.

This conference is a companion event to the “A globally integrated climate for Canada: Policy for Canada” conference, organised by the Faculty of Law et al (Hart House, November 1 and 2). Whereas this event contemplates the role of domestic and international government initiatives in combating climate change, the November 3 panels look closer to home for local action options (the city, the university, the student).

Saturday, November 3rd ~ 9am to 1pm

Great Hall ~ Hart House

Free! Light Lunch Served!

Reserve your spot today at www.uofttix.ca or 416-978-8849

Interact with experts from the city and the University

City Panel:

Prof. Doug MacDonald – UofT Centre for the Environment

Lawson Oates – Director, Toronto Environment Office

Gord Perks – Toronto City Councillor, Parkdale-High Park

Leah Stokes – UofT Student



UofT Panel:

Allen Gelberg – Events Facilitator, MaRS

David Godri – Student

Anne MacDonald – Director, Ancillary Services

Matto Mildenberger – Graduate Student

Ron Swail – Director, Facilities & Services

Ashley Taylor – Coordinator, Sustainability Office

Moderator: Prof. Phillip Byer – Acting Director, UofT Centre for Environment



Join the facebook group EcoEco for more info on this and other events



Or contact:

Jenifer Newcombe, 416-976-8391, jenifer.newcombe@utoronto.ca

Dray Perenic, 416-976-7325, dray.perenic@utoronto.ca

Official Website: http://www.harthouse.ca