Students from the Climate Studies & Action Certificate host Youth Climate Corps Town Hall

Students from UBC Geography’s Climate Studies & Action Certificate Capstone class held a Town Hall event ahead of the federal election to empower youth to share their concerns and questions directly with candidates on the pressing issues of climate change and green jobs. The conversation was co-sponsored by Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions, the UBC Centre for Climate Justice, and Ritmos Climáticos. The event featured a panel discussion from youth leaders throughout the climate and community organizing community, as well as a Q&A with federal election candidate hopefuls across various parties. The focus of the discussion was around candidates’ support for a Youth Climate Corps (YCC), an initiative aimed at tackling the intersections of youth employment, the cost-of-living crisis, and the climate emergency.

The YCC proposes to provide Canadian youth with two years of paid training and employment in climate related fields. This effort would tackle both the issues of youth unemployment and climate crisis solutions. Community groups in attendance at the event like Climate Recentered, Worker Solidarity Network, Common Horizon, and Dogwood BC, emphasized the need to link climate justice with labor rights and social equity. Federal candidates from the Green Party, Liberal Party, and NDP engaged in open dialogue, signaling cross-party interest in youth-driven solutions.

The event also featured live music, art, and communal meals, fostering a vibrant, hopeful atmosphere where young people not only demanded action but demonstrated their readiness to lead.

Lead organizer and Climate Studies and Action Certificate student Lukas Troni reflected on the role the certificate played in shaping this impactful event.

“The Certificate has overall been a great experience, and I have learned so much from fellow organizers and students doing great work. This town hall covered the ‘panel’ portion of our capstone class, and we had extraordinary support throughout the term which ensured the event would be a great success.”

Taking climate action beyond the classroom and into the real world is the cornerstone of the certificate program. Empowering today’s youth with effective organizing skills and facilitating connections to decision makers in government is essential to moving climate justice solutions forward. The students organizing the Town Hall did an exemplary job of promoting this crucial agenda. Congratulations to the 2025 Capstone class for this successful event.