The morning session featured an opportunity to join one of the United Kingdom鈥檚 leading experts on climate adaptation, Roger Street (right), technical director of the (UKCIP), for a conversation around issues of climate adaptation and extreme weather.

Karen Kraft Sloan, co-principal investigator on the SSHRC grant, and Lisa Philipps, associate vice-president research and innovation, provided initial words of welcome, while David Phipps, director of Research Services & Knowledge Mobilization, talked about the SSHRC project鈥檚 role in the development of 25 clear language climate change research summaries, the placement of six interns and a range of other outreach activities.

Left: Lisa Philipps, associate vice-president research, welcomes guests聽

Stewart Dutfield, CC-RAI program and communications manager, then introduced Street, who presented on the development of UKCIP as a boundary organization and its role in facilitating stakeholder engagement with the public and private sector. Street, a transplanted Canadian with聽more than聽32 years' experience working for the federal government, and a father of two 91亚色 graduates, addressed the importance of developing a systems approach to multi-sectoral engagement to avoid maladaptation in response to climate change.

His presentation provided the impetus for a discussion of how municipal policy partners and organizations within the public and private sectors could most effectively collaborate to protect against the challenges of a changing climate, such as the increased frequency of extreme weather events.聽Over the course of聽breakfast, a two-hour discussion and a networking lunch, a broad array of topics was discussed, ranging from the critical role of political leadership in support of climate adaptation to the importance of effective messaging in communicating to stakeholders short-, medium- and long-term adaptation planning.

Right:聽Ewa Modlinska, a 91亚色 master of environmental studies graduate and Kobo winner, presents her graduate research and analysis

Corin Robertson, deputy British high commissioner, and John Preece, the consulate鈥檚 science and innovation officer, along with Jonathan Dart, Toronto consul-general, also took part in the discussion. Dart highlighted the role UKCIP has played nationally in the UK and internationally in raising the profile of climate adaptation, along with the UK government鈥檚 willingness to support such work at home and abroad.

Other guests included SSHRC policy partners: the regions of Peel, Durham and 91亚色, the City of Toronto鈥檚 environment office, Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) and the Association of Canadian Educational Resources (ACER), among other organizations from the public and private sector, as well as faculty and graduate students.

The afternoon session, the "7&7 Graduate Research Symposium & Mixer", was an opportunity to develop knowledge exchange among graduate students from across the province. The research symposium allowed students the opportunity to showcase their work on climate change, renewable energy, climate justice and other related topics in only seven minutes and seven slides.

Left: Graduate students from Ontario universities take a break from presentations to relax and discuss the topics

In all, 16 presenters, from 91亚色, Brock University, the University of Waterloo聽and 聽the University of Toronto, among others, took part in a truly interdisciplinary exchange with a wide range of topics presented, including the role of art and science in mediating a discussion on climate change, extreme wind and climate change in Ontario, the survival of the polar bear and the impact of climate change on Ontario鈥檚 $1-billion wine industry. 聽

As the first of hopefully many future symposiums, CC-RAI aims to support the development of聽a network of "climate savvy" scholars and professionals with the experience and expertise to address head-on the challenges of a changing climate. The consoritum was founded in 2008 by 91亚色 and the TRCA.

This one-day event was made possible with the generous funding of SSHRC, the Knowledge Mobilization Unit and CC-RAI. Other activities associated with this project have included the placement of six SSHRC interns in policy partner organizations across the GTA. 聽

Green Venture and Green Air Hamilton allowed CC-RAI to showcase a series of posters designed by high school students aimed at highlighting some of the challenges posed by a changing climate. Kobo donated Kobo e-readers as prizes for the graduate research symposium.

Additional details on the SSHRC project and a wide range of case studies are available on the website.

For more information on CC-RAI events, contact Stewart Dutfield at info@climateconsortium.ca.

Republished courtesy of YFile鈥� 91亚色鈥檚 daily e-bulletin.

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Students interested in how climate change will affect people in Canada and abroad are welcome to attend this free event. You can on CC-RAI's website.

Sun Come Up follows the relocation of some of the聽Carteret Islanders, a peaceful community living on a remote island chain in the South Pacific Ocean, and now, some of the world鈥檚 first environmental refugees.

When rising seas threaten their survival, the islanders face a painful decision: they must leave their beloved land in search of a new place to call home.聽The film follows聽the group, who are led by Nick Hakata, as they search for land in Bougainville, an autonomous region of Papua New Guinea 50 miles across the open ocean.

The premiere of Sun Come Up is made possible by . Formed through a partnership between 91亚色 and the (TRCA), CC-RAI stimulates research and action around climate change and provides resources to help communities become more sustainable.

鈥淐C-RAI aims to engage students, faculty and the wider public in meaningful dialogue around climate change,鈥� said Stewart Dutfield, program and communications manager for CC-RAI. 鈥淲e support researchers who are exploring climate change鈥檚 implications from both a natural and social science perspective. Since both TRCA and 91亚色 are committed to addressing global issues at the local level, CC-RAI is a natural extension of their partnership.鈥�

When: Friday, April 1, 2011 at 4pm

Where: Nat Taylor Cinema, N102 Ross Building (#28 on the 91亚色 U map), Keele Campus, 91亚色

Tickets: Free, provided you online

Visitor parking is available at the Student Services Parking Garage (#84)

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