Musqueam, Squamish, Tsleil Waututh Territories / Vancouver, Canada - March 31, 2022 —
Today, the Climate Displacement Planning Initiative’s Managing Director, George P.R. Benson was appointed to the British Columbia Climate Solutions Council (CSC). The Climate Solutions Council is an advisory group with a legislated mandate to provide advice to the BC Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy on matters respecting climate change.
The full mandate can be found here, but the Council specifically focuses on delivering advice to the Minister regarding:
i. Plans and action to achieve climate targets and reduce emissions.
ii. Plans and action to mitigate and manage climate risks.
iii. Opportunities for sustainable economic development and job creation while the Province transitions to a low-carbon economy.
iv. The effects on individuals and businesses that result from actions to address climate change, including actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and manage climate change risks.
vi. Any other matters specified by the Minister respecting climate change.
As one of the twenty members of the Council, representing British Columbians from all walks of life, George will contribute to the Council’s mission to guide further action to address the climate crisis through updates to and additional actions for the CleanBC Roadmap to 2030, the Climate Preparedness and Adaptation Strategy, and other climate and environment initiatives across the province.
George joins the Council as one of the two representatives of young British Columbians and in recognition of the almost decade of work he has done to raise awareness of climate change issues and help build solutions.
In particular, over the several years, through CDPI and in other roles, George has:
Engaged with the BC Government on the development of the Climate Preparedness and Adaptation Strategy (CPAS). Along with CDPI Board Member Nicole Bates-Eamer, he helped ensure that climate displacement was identified as a focus area in the plan;
Led a multi-part engagement campaign for BC youth after the devastating fires in Lytton, BC that helped contribute to the increase in the number of youth representatives on the BC Climate Solutions Council;
Helped mobilize youth to engage with the Government of Canada’s development of the Net Zero Emissions Accountability Act, where he supported the submission developed on behalf of Canadian youth by national climate law leader, Christie McLeod;
Led an engagement with other Canadian youth and a submission to the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI) on a consultation about climate finance;
Developed a national appraisal of Canadian youth’s climate action readiness with fellow Global Shaper, Puninda Thind;
Supported the Youth Climate Lab team’s development of guidelines for young people looking to understand how to advocate and push local governments to take greater climate action;
Contributed to the Global Commission on BiodiverCities by 2030, an initiative of the World Economic Forum and the President of Colombia.
Served as a global youth coordinator on climate and environment issues through the Global Shapers Community.
ABOUT CDPI
The Climate Displacement Planning Initiative (CDPI) is a Canadian non-profit that helps governments, particularly cities and local governments, address climate change displacement and help those who have lost their homes, livelihoods, and ancestral territories due to climate change. Based in Vancouver, BC, CDPI works to develop research, resources, and communities of practice to serve at-risk people moving within and to Canada because of climate change.
Most recently, CDPI has released two hallmark reports:
Out of Harm’s Way, a scan of global best practices in displacement planning by UBC Researcher Sarah Kamal;
Climate Change Displacement: Mapping the issue in BC, by University of Victoria PICS-funded researcher Nicole Bates-Eamer.
Other work and resources are available at: www.climate-displacement.org
CONTACT
For more information, please reach out to: info@climatedisplacement.org