ClimAction is a new citizen science educational project that assesses the impacts of climate change on small watercourses using the Adopt a River program’s tools. Students and their communities will develop possible climate change adaptation solutions using the pedagogical strategy of design thinking.
Through several workshops, from observation to prototyping, high school students from eight Canadian communities will determine an action to implement to help their watercourse adapt to the current and future climate context.
Don't miss a thing about the project
What is design thinking?
It is an approach centered on people, including their behaviors and needs, which makes it possible to solve a multitude of problems, including environmental ones. This approach will be a key element in the new ClimAction project.
Here is an outline of the steps in this approach:
- Observation and inspiration: Scientific field trip (Adopt a River tools) and ethnographic survey (individual interviews with citizens).
- Synthesis and definition: Synthesis of data and definition of the conceptual challenge.
- Ideation: Formulation of numerous active or proactive adaptive actions.
- Prototyping: Rapid construction of prototypes illustrating the solutions.
- Action: Planning, carrying out and communicating an action.
Why use design thinking?
Climate change (CC) is a complex issue that affects and will continue to negatively affect watercourse. This approach will allow participating students to take this complex problem and divide it into sub-problems on which they can act concretely.
Quick view of the ClimAction project
Climate change and its impact on rivers…
Climate change, water and territory
In order to have English subtitles (generated automatically), you must watch the videos on the YouTube platform.
Conversation with Antoine Verville
Director of ROBVQ
Conversation with Céline Hudon
Laboratory technician
Conversation with Frédéric Lecompte
Scientific advisor
Conversation with Lyne Pelletier
Biologist
G3E’s network participants and collaborators
Regional coordinators
Each participating educational institution is supported by a regional coordinator, an environmental organization trained by G3E. The coordinator guides the teacher and students during the problem-solving workshops and the field trip.
- Association de gestion halieutique autochtone Mi’gmaq et Malécite (AGHAMM)
- Comité ZIP des Seigneuries
- Division scolaire franco-manitobaine (DSFM)
- Organisme de bassin versant de la Yamaska (OBVY)
- Organisme de bassin versant Matapédia-Restigouche (OBVMR)
- Vision H2O
Educational institutions
In phase I of the project, eight educational institutions participate in data acquisition while developing knowledge about issues affecting rivers and finding solutions to protect these fragile ecosystems.
- École des Deux-Rivières
- École Donat-Robichaud
- École La Source
- École secondaire de la Rive
- École secondaire Jean-Jacques-Bertrand
- École secondaire Louis-Joseph Papineau
- New Richmond High School
- Polyvalente Ancienne Lorette
Youth committee
The committee is formed of one student ambassador from each participating educational institution. The goals of the committee are for students to share their experiences, discuss and promote regional efforts and, implement additional actions to protect rivers.
Partner
