Popular Netflix movie Don’t Look Up is seen as a metaphorical story about a lack of meaningful action by power brokers, corporations and the media, among others, on climate change. It’s a provocative (and darkly funny) look at how challenging it can be to first understand, then take meaningful individual and collective action against, a problem that threatens the entire planet.
But in real life, DO look up with hope because there is action on many fronts.
Among them is Pearson College UWC’s new Climate Action Leadership Diploma (CALD) program – perhaps one of the first programs of its kind for this age level – which will nurture and support motivated and talented young people to tackle the climate catastrophe in a variety of ways. Exciting progress is being made to establish this program for students beginning in August for the 2022-23 academic year.
With the program aiming for the late summer launch, Experiential Education Coordinator, and a principal architect of Pearson’s CALD initiative, Marija Uzunova Dang continues to draw together leading climate and education experts to shape and refine the CALD curriculum.
“It has been great welcoming everyone involved with the curriculum design and instruction in the Climate Action Leadership Diploma,” said Uzunova Dang who added that, should health protocols and personal comfort levels allow, they hoped to meet in person in the coming days and weeks.
Among those joining climate action champions College Head Craig Davis, Pearson Director of Learning Emily Coolidge, and a number of College faculty (to be named shortly) who have stepped forward, Uzunova Dang welcomed from Vancouver Island University (VIU) Xwulmuxw Studies, Dr. Laurie Drees who is adapting and teaching Indigenous Perspectives on the Environment.
As well, Royal Roads University’s Master of Arts in Climate Action Leadership Program (MACAL), Program Head Dr. Robin Cox and faculty member Dr. Deb L. Morrison, working at the intersection of climate science-action-justice-adaptation and leadership in practice, are part of the curriculum development group.
Uzunova Dang said a planned major curriculum mapping exercise involving all participants will help ensure coherence, meaningful overlaps and intersections throughout the curriculum offerings and to make sure all the competencies of our assessment model for this program are covered.
As Davis said to students and the entire Pearson campus and alumni community earlier, “The climate crisis is the most critical global threat facing humanity. “More than ever, we urgently need thinkers and leaders who can navigate the complexity of this global challenge and help forge both large-scale and local solutions.”
Learn more about CALD at our program webpage.