OTTAWA, Aug. 8, 2017 /CNW/ - Today the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Catherine McKenna, is launching the Students on Ice Arctic expedition, at the Canadian Museum of Nature. She will address over 100 youth who will arrive in Ottawa from around the world and discuss how climate change is impacting Canada's north—and the relationships between the people, wildlife, marine ecosystems, and the delicate arctic flora and fauna.
After the opening launch, Minister McKenna will then depart for Resolute Bay, with Students on Ice participants and climate scientists from both Parks Canada and Environment and Climate Change Canada. In Resolute Bay, the Students on Ice youth will witness first-hand the effects of climate change in the Arctic, and Minister McKenna and government scientists will help facilitate discussions on the history and science behind them. Together, they will share with participants the work the Government of Canada is doing to mitigate climate change and empower them to take action in their own communities.
The science of climate change is clear: Human activities are driving unprecedented changes in the earth's climate, and these changes pose significant risks to human health, security, and economic growth. In the Arctic, these impacts are only magnified, and Indigenous Peoples are among the most vulnerable.
Expeditions such as Students on Ice help youth understand the challenges we face by giving them first-hand knowledge and by inspiring them to share this knowledge with others and take action when their voyage is completed.
Quote
"The consequences of climate change are already being felt. Northern regions are experiencing changes sooner and more severely. I am thrilled to embark on the Students on Ice expedition as a guest speaker with scientists to empower and help explain the very real effects of climate change to an inspiring group of youth."
– Catherine McKenna, Minister of Environment and Climate Change
Quick facts
- The Students on Ice Foundation is an award-winning organization offering unique educational expeditions to the Antarctic and the Arctic. Since 2000, Students on Ice has taken more than 2500 youth from 52 countries to the polar regions.
- The expedition team will be made up of more than 120 international secondary and post-secondary students, along with a team of over 80 staff who are polar experts, scientists, Inuit elders, artists, musicians, educators, business and industry leaders, politicians, and innovators.
- Engaging youth in the national dialogue about climate change is an important element of the Government of Canada's strategy on climate change.
Associated link
Students on Ice – 2017 Arctic Expedition
Environment and Climate Change Canada's Twitter page
Environment and Natural Resources in Canada's Facebook page
SOURCE Environment and Climate Change Canada
Marie-Pascale Des Rosiers, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, 613-462-5473, [email protected]; Media Relations, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 819-938-3338 or 1-844-836-7799 (toll free)
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