Climate Change

About our Exchange

We invite you to join us for a new Research and Knowledge Exchange dedicated to Climate Change and Health. If you are interested in participating, email Rochellebaker@mun.ca to be added to the list.

WHY THIS TOPIC? Newfoundlanders and Labradorians are well aware of the impacts of climate change, from Hurricane Fiona, to wildfires, to the loss of stable ice conditions along our coasts. We are concerned about how climate change affects our physical, mental, and community health. The health system itself is learning about its own climate change contributions and how it will need to adapt to climate change. We want to establish a forum where we can share research and knowledge, and learn about different perspectives and ways of knowing. We want to bring together health and social care workers from across professions, patients and caregivers, community organizations, health system partners, government partners, and researchers and learners from multiple disciplines.  We know we need to break down silos and collaborate. We need to better understand how we can mitigate the impacts of climate change on our health by building capacity for research and the exchange of knowledge. All voices are welcome.

CONVENERS |The group is convened by Dr. Stephanie Atkinson, an orthopedic surgeon and member of the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment, Newfoundland and Labrador Chapter (CAPE-NL), Yasamin Atabaki, a graduate student in Population Health and Applied Health Sciences at Memorial University, and Pablo Navarro, Research Officer at the NL Centre for Applied Health Research.

YOUR ROLE |Participation in a Research and Knowledge Exchange is a low-pressure proposition.  You determine your own level of involvement based on your interest and availability.  Joining this group means that your email will be added to a membership listing and you will be invited to presentations and events. You will have regular opportunities to network with people who share your interest in this topic. You will be kept up-to-date about the activities of the group, which will be determined collaboratively by the co-conveners and by you, as a participant.

2024 Meetings and Events

November 15, 2024 at 12:30PM NT | Is Outdoor Recreation Associated with Greater Climate Change Concern in the United States? | There has been extensive research on the association between environmental attitudes and outdoor recreation (or nature-based leisure activities) since the 1970s. There is now considerable evidence to support the claim that spending time in nature leads to greater connectedness to nature and thereby greater pro-environmental attitudes and behavior. However, there is an absence of research focused specifically on the association between outdoor recreation and concern for climate change, which is arguably the most pressing environmental problem facing the world today. For this research, Dr. Kyle Knight and Dr. Feng Hao built on previous research by using the 2021 General Social Survey and structural equation modeling to analyze the association between frequency of engaging in outdoor recreation and concern for climate change among adults in the United States, with special attention to the role of enjoying being in nature. Controlling for other factors, the authors found that frequency of outdoor recreation has a positive, significant effect on climate change concern, but only indirectly via enjoyment of nature. Individuals who more frequently engage in outdoor recreation activities tend to report a greater sense of enjoyment of being outside in nature, and this enjoyment of nature is associated with a higher level of concern for climate change. Presenters: Dr. Feng Hao, Ph.D. Associate Professor, Department of Sociology, University of South Florida, Florida and Dr. Kyle Knight, Ph.D. Professor and Department Head, Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, South Dakota.

October 18, 2024 at 12:30PM |Making Climate Conscious Decisions for Our Common Future |  Ashley Smith is the  Owner and Managing Director of Fundamental Inc., a socially-focused firm providing consulting for climate-based action. Her company facilitates emissions reductions, energy efficiency, and strategic climate adaptations by taking a science-based approach using climate-conscious decision metrics. Fundamental Inc. supports clients to create opportunities and programs that successfully achieve financial and sustainability goals and they work in all private and public sectors: commercial, residential, governmental and institutional. Ashley’s focus is on creating opportunities and developing solutions which address climate change – both mitigation (emissions reductions and energy efficiency) and adaptation (infrastructure resiliency and eco-asset management). Ashley has a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science and Chemistry from McGill University and a Master’s degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Toronto. Ashley is LEED® Accredited, trained in ISO 14064 for GHG emissions quantification, and has over 18 years’ experience in building design, community planning, construction project management, and renewable energy. Her combination of education and professional experience gives her a comprehensive approach to generating innovative solutions and implementing valuable outcomes.  In 2023, Ashley obtained the Photovoltaic Associate (PVA) credential from the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP), demonstrating her knowledge of solar energy system design, installation, and maintenance

FIRST MEETING |September 20 2024 at 12:30PM - 2:00PM via Zoom. Contact rochellebaker@mun.ca to register. The agenda will include welcoming and introducing members and conveners, an overview of the program, a disucsson of goals and objectives and the style and frequency of future meetings for this new exchange.  It is important to note from the outset that we are not just about research, and we welcome all kinds of knowledge! We hope you will share your experiences to help develop aspects of knowledge exchange that are not strictly research based.  We welcome a variety of approaches based on community knowledge and lived experience. Climate Change RKE First Meeting Notes

 

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