Climate action for youth

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Through CleanBC and the Roadmap to 2030, the Province is working to support technological innovation and make policy changes needed to reduce emissions and meet our climate goals. We’re also working with Indigenous and local governments and making investments that will help B.C. adapt to a changing climate through the draft Climate Preparedness and Adaptation Strategy.

Explore this page to find ways you can support the move to a cleaner B.C. by reducing your use of fossil fuels, preparing for climate change and sharing your ideas.

On this page:

Climate actions you can take

We can work together to move away from using fossil fuels and prepare for the effects of climate change that are already impacting B.C. Governments, industry, communities and individuals are all part of the solution. Check out some of the actions you can take below.

• Visit your community’s website or check in with local leaders to see what's underway to address climate change
• Get involved in a community garden to become more food secure
• Learn how the climate is expected to change in your community
• Plant trees in your neighbourhood and community to create shade and keep things cooler during heatwaves. The BC Hydro Community ReGreening Program helps fund tree planting
• Get in touch with community and provincial leaders about climate issues
• Check out Co-Creating a Sustainable BC to see how youth from around the province are working together to create community climate projects, or Be the Change Earth Alliance’s Youth for Climate Action project in Vancouver

What you can do at school or work

• Talk to others about why addressing climate change is important to you, how it is affecting you and what you are doing about it
• Organize a sustainability group or green team with friends to tackle climate change together
• Check in on how you can support emissions reductions efforts at your school or workplace. Did you know that all school districts, universities and colleges in B.C. are required to report annually on how they’re achieving carbon neutrality?

What you can do at home

• Carpool, bike or take public transit to work or school
• Reduce food waste and compost more
• Eat more local food and plant-based proteins
• Close curtains and blinds in hot months to keep your house cool
• Make an emergency plan to prepare your household for severe weather, flooding and wildfires

What you can do for yourself

Climate change and its impacts can cause anxiety and grief, as well as chronic mental health problems. If you or someone you know needs help, use the resources below:

• Crisis lines:
  • 310Mental Health Support: Call 310-6789 (no area code needed) for emotional support, information and resources specific to mental health 
  • Kid’s Help Phone: Call 1-800-668-6868 to speak to a professional counsellor 24 hours a day
  • Or use The Crisis Line Association of B.C.’s map  to find local supports
     
• Addressing and Coping with Climate Grief: A toolkit for group and individual use
• WeMatter: Toolkit for Indigenous Youth

Young people across British Columbia and the world are speaking up for further climate action. You can share your knowledge, ideas and stories with the Government of B.C. through upcoming engagement opportunities outlined below:

Current opportunities

• Visit govTogetherBC and use the drop-down menus to find CleanBC engagement opportunities and share your thoughts on climate-related topics
• Provide us input and feedback on policies and programs at any time by emailing CleanBC@gov.bc.ca
• Contact your local leaders to share your thoughts on climate-related topics

Training and work in climate

Demand for low-carbon products and services is growing around the world, and B.C. is no exception. At the same time, we also need to prepare and adapt for the effects of our already-changing climate.

A climate-related career might involve designing buildings that can withstand climate impacts, maintaining electric vehicles, or bringing sustainable practices to a resource industry like forestry or farming. Explore the links below to find options that might fit you.

• Learn more about educational and career opportunities in renewable energy, green building and energy efficiency at WorkBC
• Find internships in science, technology and natural resources through the Government of Canada’s Green Jobs program
• Four B.C. colleges now offer EV maintenance training programs that provide the skills and training needed to support more electric vehicles on the road
• StrongerBC Future Leaders Program provides youth and young adults opportunities in careers in natural resources, shoreline protection, parks planning and other environmental fields
• Check out the BC Sustainable Energy Association comprehensive list of green building training and education opportunities in B.C.
• The Adaptation Learning Network offers training and education that focuses on preparing for the impacts of climate change

Other climate resources

Learn more

Take a deeper look at how and why climate change occurs, and its impacts.

• Climate Atlas of Canada: Climate science

Know your impact

Assess your biggest areas of resource consumption.

• Calculate your carbon footprint

Climate change and equity

The impacts of climate change that we are seeing, such as heatwaves, droughts, wildfires and flooding, are not felt evenly across our society. People with higher incomes and more privileged backgrounds typically have more resources and a greater capacity to protect themselves from the impacts of climate change.

As the effects of climate change increase in B.C., so does the urgency of addressing this equity challenge.

• Climate Change, Intersectionality, and Gender-based Analysis Plus in British Columbia
• Women and climate change
• Gender and climate adaptation
• Climate and racial justice
• Metis Nation Environment and Climate Change Portal  

B.C.'s climate change strategies and you

CleanBC is the Province’s plan to reduce carbon pollution and take care of the environment, while creating more jobs and economic opportunities. It focuses on ways to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by looking at B.C.’s top three sources of GHGs: industry, transportation and buildings and communities.

The Roadmap to 2030 is our plan to scale up our climate actions and speed up the shift away from fossil fuels in order to meet our emissions reduction targets and set the course to fulfill our net-zero commitment by 2050.

Because elevated levels of greenhouse gases are already in the atmosphere, B.C. is already experiencing impacts of climate change, like hotter summers, increased wildfires and flooding. This will continue to for many years to come. B.C.’s draft Climate Preparedness and Adaptation Strategy ensures we stay safe and respond effectively to this changing climate. 

CleanBC supports for youth:

• U-Pass programs from TransLink and BC Transit, provide post-secondary students with lower-cost public transit through their school fees. Youth U-Passes are also available through participating high schools and local or Indigenous governments
• Starting in September 2021, transit in B.C. is free to kids under 12
• The StrongerBC Future Leaders program funds youth training and work experience opportunities caring for B.C.’s natural resources
• CleanBC grant programs have provided $240.5 million to date for better ventilation and increased energy efficiency in schools and the purchase of electric buses, supporting Kindergarten to Grade 12 students