Minister McKenna holds town hall with youth on climate change issues

VANCOUVER, May 18, 2016 /CNW/ - On May 17, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, the Honourable Catherine McKenna, hosted a town hall discussion on clean growth and climate change with students at Magee Secondary School in Vancouver.

More than 400 secondary students held a brainstorming discussion on ways to reduce our individual and collective carbon footprint. The feedback will be posted to Canada's climate change interactive website. This website is an open and transparent space for all Canadians, including Indigenous peoples, to submit their ideas on how to address climate change and read what others are saying.

Among the many interesting ideas discussed at the town hall were:

• Look at ways to protect wildlife from the effects of climate change
• Encourage Canadians to adopt more environmentally sustainable diets
• Protect our forests and establish more natural reserves
• Research ways to reduce emissions from the agricultural and aviation sectors

Quote

"Young people are our future; they recognize that we must act now to protect our planet and that we must be thinking outside the box. I appreciated the many ideas put forward by students at Magee Secondary and I encourage schools across Canada to host their own town hall events to discuss climate solutions. All Canadians, including Indigenous peoples, are invited to post their ideas on our interactive website."
– The Honourable Catherine McKenna, Minister of Environment and Climate Change

Quick facts

• The Earth's climate changes naturally, but since the industrial revolution, human activities have largely been the cause of climate change.
• Research has shown that young Canadians are among the most concerned about climate change.
• Over 4,000 ideas and comments have already been posted to the climate change interactive website.

Associated links

Government of Canada launches interactive website on clean growth and climate change

Joint communiqué of Canada's First Ministers

Environment and Climate Change Canada's Twitter page

Environment and Natural Resources in Canada's Facebook page

SOURCE Environment and Climate Change Canada

Image with caption: "On May 17, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, the Honourable Catherine McKenna, hosted a town hall discussion on clean growth and climate change with students at Magee Secondary School in Vancouver. (CNW Group/Environment and Climate Change Canada)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20160517_C6953_PHOTO_EN_693264.jpg

Caitlin Workman, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, 819-938-9436; Media Relations, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 819-938-3338 or 1-844-836-7799 (toll free)