Youth Climate Action Summit

Tuesday, November 12, 2024
Kingston Frontenac Public Library
Kingston ON
Register in September, 2024

Tired of just hearing about climate change? Ready to do something about it?
Welcome to the Youth Climate Action Summit, or YCAS for short. An inspiring one-day summit exploring climate change and local climate action for youth, by youth! 

 

Stay tuned for updates on YCAS 2025!

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Connect, Discover, Create

Discover climate change facts from the experts. Explore climate action in hands-on workshops (you choose which ones are most interesting to you). Work to build a Climate Action Plan for your school or community. Share your successes and challenges with the YCAS community.

What you can expect at our
Youth Climate Action Summit:

Connect

Meet like-minded youth from secondary schools, community groups and homeschools from across eastern Ontario – and beyond!

See the interactive map of November 2023 attendees HERE

Photo credit: Aquatarium

Discover

Learn about climate change and climate action during the keynote address, then choose 2 interactive workshops that interest you.

Create

Collaborate with your team to identify climate change related issues in your school or community. Be inspired by other youth and workshop speakers. Consider your own skills and interests. Choose a climate change related issue and create at Climate Action Plan to address it! Reach out to the YCAS community for support as you put your Plan into action!

Check out some Climate Action Plans that became Climate Action Realities →

2024 Speakers

Keynote

Dan Hendry

Hope Through Action: The presentation culminates in a high-energy, solutions-based segment, spotlighting a wide range of strategies and innovations aimed at reducing greenhouse gases and paving the way for a sustainable future. "Hope Through Action" is more than a presentation— it's a call to action, encouraging our youth to harness their learning and creativity to make a tangible difference in the world around them.

Workshops

Hands-on learning opportunities with your fellow cliamte activists.

Jessica Kocur | Sustainable Kingston

Measuring Redefining "Success" Energy-efficiency expert Jessica will explore what it means to be successful in the context of climate change. This workshop ends with a Jeopardy-style game!

Deborah D'Amico | Senior Development Lead, FABN

Fun ways to fundraise: tips & tools for getting your eco-projects from idea to success Does your Eco-Club need $$$? Find out how to plan and design your fundraiser, and promote it to your school, friends and community. Bring your thinking cap!

Claire Beach | Certified Nature Therapy Guide and Mentor

How Nature Therapy fosters healthier, happier people + a more sustainable future Got a little eco-grief or climate anxiety going on? In this workshop you will practice spending mindful time in Nature to de-stress, and feel positive and connected.

Becky Lamb | Communications & Outreach Coordinator, FABN

Memes with a Message Silly joke or effective climate engagement tool? Make your own memes and explore how comedy and other tricks of the communications trade can help you boost your message.

Aric McBay | Author, Farmer, Organizer

This is the talk that I wish I had heard as a high-school activist: How to make a career in ecology and climate action as a farmer, author, organizer and video game developer.

Cathy Christie | Kingston Seed System Initiative (KASSI)

Be Local Hero: Learn How to Grow, Save and Share Local Seeds Join us for an interactive hands-on session to learn how you can help build local climate-resilient, sustainable food and seed systems by growing, saving and sharing local seeds. Bring your own seeds to share and swap. Seeds from the KASSI Living Seed Commons will be available.

Hal Cain | Cycle Kingston

Ready to Ride? Your Bike and You? It’s not “just like riding a bike” when it come to cycling safety. This talk will cover basic bicycle safety inspection and repairs, as well as things you need to know and do, for yourself as the rider, before you start pedaling. A roadworthy bicycle along with rider knowledge and skills helps keep cyclists safer and makes it more likely they continue using a bicycle as a sustainable form of transportation.

Joyce Hostyn & Joanne Whitfield | Little Forests Kingston

A City in a Forest- Building Connection and Relationship One Forest at a Time Climate change is a symptom of a larger problem, the disconnect between people and the Land. People long for connection. Reconnection arises out of being on and caring for the land. Planting Little Forests, Pocket Forests and Pocket Meadows is reconnection. Our vision is to transform Kingston into a nature-positive, equitable, City in a Forest. Using the Mik'maw concept of Etuaptmumk (Two-Eyed Seeing), we’ll see how we might make this possible. And together we’ll learn about some of our keystone species and discover the vital world of which they are the foundation.

Panelists

What does climate action look like after secondary school? Ask our panelists your questions about careers, volunteer opportunities and activism!

Sarah Beech | Assessment Biologist, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry

What is it like working for the provincial government? What does the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry actually do? What does an intern do?

Abbie Miolée

Artist, activist, poet - perspectives on taking a gap year after secondary school. Abbie is involved with the Community-Supported Youth Organizing, Kingston Seed System Initiative and more!

Michael Dakin | Supervisor and Development Reviewer, Cataraqui Region Conservation Authority

What does a Conservation Authority do? What is it like to work there? Michael has over a decade of experience in a variety of different roles.

Dr. Kyla Tienhaara | Seniors for Climate Action Now

Find out more about what this busy climate action group does, and how to get involved. From a person who has spent her life working on climate action as a professor, researcher and activist!

Anne Fu | Sustainability Coordinator, AMS Queen's University

What does the Alma Mater Society at Queen's University do? What does climate action look like at Queen's?

The Youth Climate Action Summit takes place annually, across the FAB Region. We hope to see you in Kingston this fall, or Cornwall 2025.

Climate Action Plans

Read through the Climate Action Plans completed to date and get inspiration for your own!

2021 Plans

2022 Plans

2023 Plans

Interested in Volunteering?

YCAS is run BY youth FOR youth. Interested in volunteering (and racking up some volunteer hours)?

Support the Youth Climate Action Summit!

When you buy Tru Earth products, 20-30% of your total sale will go to the Youth Climate Action Summit!
Tru Earth's products are lightweight, plastic-free, eco-friendly essentials like laundry strips and dishwasher tabs.
Check it out, and remember to use the link below to place your order!

Thank you 2024 Sponsors

Show your support for youth and the environment as a sponsor of the next Youth Climate Action Summit. Contact Victoria Renner for sponsorship opportunities.

Wild Center & The Youth Climate Summit

This Youth Climate Summit is based on a model started by The Wild Center’s Youth Climate Program. The Wild Center’s Youth Climate Program works globally to convene and empower young people to implement climate action plans in their schools and communities through Youth Climate Summits.

For more information on The Wild Center’s Youth Climate Program, visit

To learn more about the Youth Climate Action Summit and how to get involved, contact:

Victoria Renner, YCAS Program Manager

victoria@fabn.ca