virtual event
Climate Literacy 101
Exclusively for public servants and policymakers
Tuesday, Jul 16, 2024
Time is displayed in your local time zone
Speakers
What to do next:
- Watch the 6-minute highlights video above
- Dig in deeper and view the full recording of the event here
- Join the How to Use AI to Speed Up Your Work in Government event on 1 August
Join the Net Zero Community for Government
The Net Zero Community for Government is the space for public servants working on or interested in reaching net zero to connect with one another.
What is your key takeaway from the event on Climate Literacy 101 with Sarah Burch and Peter Binfield? Share your thoughts in the comments section on our community post.
Resources
- Dr. Sarah Burch's Presentation
- Peter Binfield's Presentation
- The UN IPCC Report on Climate Change Mitigation
- The Yale Climate Communication Program
- Eighteen countries showing the way to carbon zero
- Katharine Hayhoe on communicating climate change
Event Description
Imagine a world in which all public servants are well-versed in climate concepts, terms, impacts and policies. It’s one in which the health of societies comes first, and governments worldwide are pulling together to help them thrive.
As the atmosphere gets hotter and the weather gets more erratic, climate literacy is more crucial than ever before. Knowing which lever to pull to get the climate initiative you’re thinking about on the table is vital. So too is being able to talk about climate with your stakeholders. Whether it’s your job to plan the development of a city or deliver a digital service, basic climate knowledge is important.
So watch our expert speakers as they cover fundamental climate concepts and provide practical steps for applying your understanding of climate to your role.
Picture credit: Adobe Stock
Speakers
Peter Binfield-Smith
Priority Project Lead, Department for Transport
UK
Dr. Sarah Burch
Canada Research Chair in Sustainability Governance and Innovation, University of Waterloo
Canada
Peter Binfield-Smith, a Priority Project Lead at the UK’s Department for Transport. He has experience across diverse policy fields including major infrastructure, nature and water, and is currently specialising in fast-paced delivery of departmental priorities. Peter has led work in capability building across the civil service and is passionate about encouraging colleagues to develop skills, share knowledge and drive positive change.
Dr. Sarah Burch, a Professor in the Department of Geography and Environmental Management. Sarah holds a Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Sustainability Governance and Innovation. She is the Executive Director of the Waterloo Climate Institute, a Lead Author of the United Nations’ Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, and helped to lead expert input into the development of Canada’s first National Adaptation Strategy. Her research uncovers transformative responses to climate change at the community scale, the political and justice dimensions of energy transitions, and the unique contributions that small businesses can make to this solving these complex challenges. She was named to the Royal Society of Canada’s College of New Scholars in 2017, one of Canada’s Top 40 Under 40TM in 2018, and one of Canada’s Clean 50 in 2021. Her most recent book is entitled ‘Understanding Climate Change: Science, Policy and Practice,’ and she taught the first Massive Open Online Course on climate change, which reached thousands of students in over 130 countries.
