Did you know that the number one solution to global warming is educating girls and family planning combined?

Drawdown Toronto, a project of Unify Toronto, held this Summit to spark a conversation on the nexus between climate and gender. 

About 65 participants attended this dynamic evening to:

• learn more about Project Drawdown’s comprehensive model to reverse global warming, and particularly the three solutions Project Drawdown has grouped into the “Women and Girls” sector: girls’ education, family planning and women smallholders; 
• hear from Ontario-based International Cooperation organizations and institutions about their programming related to the three Drawdown Women and Girls solutions;
• expand and share insights on how to contribute to climate change action in Toronto, Ontario and Canada, and move forward Women and Girls-related solutions globally;
• meet local and global organizations working in Climate Action and Gender Equality and learn how to get involved.
  
  

​Speakers:

• Dr. Katharine Wilkinson, Vice-President of Communication & Engagement, Project Drawdown (pre-recorded), on how empowering women and girls can help stop global warming
• Kristiana Bruneau, International Policy Specialist, UNICEF Canada, on UNICEF's girls' education programming and the links to climate change 
• Jessica Ferne, Director of Global Health Impact, Canadian Partnership for Women and Children's Health (CanWaCH), on sexual and reproductive health and rights and climate change
• Janine Hodgson, Manager of Program Development and Quality, Canadian Feed the Children, on Canadian support to smallholder farmers and the links between climate change, migration and child protection and sexual and gender-based violence (cancelled)
• Ana González Guerrero, Co-Founder and Managing Director, Youth Climate Lab, on Canadian youth perspectives on the intersection between climate and gender

Presentations by each speaker were followed by a panel discussion and Q&A moderated by Eugenia Ochoa, Public Engagement Coordinator at the Ontario Council for International Cooperation.

This was the last of seven Drawdown sector summits organized by Unify Toronto’s Drawdown program.
See event invitation here (click on "here" and then on "view details" in the upper right corner of your screen).

For a captivating overview of Project Drawdown's take on the links between gender and climate, check out Dr. Katharine Wilkinson's TED talk, "How Empowering Women and Girls can Help Stop Global Warming."

To download the consolidated slide deck with the slides of each of the three live speakers, click here.

A full video record of the event, including a two-minute video of highlights, is available here. 

J. Wallace Skelton captured highlights of the event in this graphic record:

This was a collective effort! Deep thanks to the presenters; moderator; Eugenia Ochoa at OCIC for helping to curate the panel; graphic recorder; our hosts at Friends House; our sponsors, The Quaker Peace and Social Action Committee, videographers Andre Forsythe of Climate Challenge and Leila Mireskandari of Drawdown Toronto, and the many Drawdown Toronto volunteers who stepped up to make the event possible: Charlene Day, book sales and registration; Paul Overy, room set-up and registration; Julie Saunders, refreshments; Karina Dadybayeva, live-streaming; David Burman, administration; Jon Love, Satya Robinson, event visioning; Mia Astudillo, event coordination and registration; Natalie Zend, overall coordination. 

​Join us to find out how you can get involved in Drawdown. Hosted by Charlene Day and David Burman of DrawdownTO.

Are you feeling overwhelmed by the constant stream of stories about Climate Change (aka Global Warming) that imply there's little we can do about it, or that it’s not really happening? Are you feeling despair that the proposed solutions are too little and too late? Having pangs of guilt that you aren’t doing more? 

Well there is a research-based project underway to actually reverse global warming - to pull carbon out of the atmosphere, as opposed to merely slowing down the rate of emissions. It is not only possible, but feasible and eminently practical. The graphic record above, from the first introduction session on January 31st 2018, gives you an idea of the energy and enthusiasm of the 140 participants, and offers a sense of the possibilities for effective action. 

Come and find out what you can do to help reverse global warming!
​
This very interactive program will present an inspiring, uplifting and empowering approach to the issue, based on the latest research from a team of over 200 scientists and researchers from around the world.

What kind of world are you passing onto your children?

What hope do they have for the future of the planet?

What are you doing now to create a better future?

Together in this symposium, we will explore the above questions by looking at: Where we are now, how did we get here, the new story, what is possible now and where do we go from here?

Saturday, June 8, 2019
11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. 

Location: 23 Diana Dr. (Keele/Sheppard)
Sliding scale: $20-40 (to cover materials)

​RSVP to charlene@charleneday.com
RSVP required! You're welcome to invite friends.

The AWAKENING THE DREAMER, CHANGING THE DREAM SYMPOSIUM is part of a rapidly expanding global initiative of the Pachamama Alliance, in more than 80 countries in 16 languages.

It's a totally unique workshop -- live facilitation and participant interaction are combined with a tapestry of video interviews, drawing upon leading edge information and the wisdom of our time, with some of our most respected global elders, luminaries and leaders. 

What you will get from this process:

• An experience that will change the way you see the world
• Reflection time away from your busy life 
• A mindset shift
• Access to a strong community of passionate people
  ​

Seating is limited, and on a first-come basis (15 seats currently available).

What kind of world are you passing onto your children?

What hope do they have for the future of the planet?

What are you doing now to create a better future?

Together in this symposium, we will explore the above questions by looking at: Where we are now, how did we get here, the new story, what is possible now and where do we go from here?

Saturday, May 11, 2019
11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. 
Location: 23 Diana Dr. (Keele/Sheppard)
Sliding scale: $20-40 (to cover materials)
RSVP to charlene@charleneday.com
RSVP required! You're welcome to invite friends.

The AWAKENING THE DREAMER, CHANGING THE DREAM SYMPOSIUM is part of a rapidly expanding global initiative of the Pachamama Alliance, in more than 80 countries in 16 languages.

It's a totally unique workshop -- live facilitation and participant interaction are combined with a tapestry of video interviews, drawing upon leading edge information and the wisdom of our time, with some of our most respected global elders, luminaries and leaders. 

What you will get from this process:

• An experience that will change the way you see the world
• Reflection time away from your busy life 
• A mindset shift
• Access to a strong community of passionate people
  ​
  

Seating is limited, and on a first-come basis (15 seats currently available).

Project Drawdown has partnered with the NorthWest Earth Institute to offer this great on-line vehicle for engagement which will run again this April 3-April 24. The NWEI offers resources and opportunities in a fun & social framework and their Eco Challenge was designed specifically to engage "behaviour change for sustainability" (see link: https://ecochallenge.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Behavior-Change-for-Sustainability_NWEI.pdf 
 
A message from Project Drawdown director Paul Hawken:
"All of life is comprised of self-organizing systems and the Drawdown Eco Challenge is exactly that - people coming together to share, learn, support, imagine, and innovate for a better world. We are honoured to be part of this significant and brilliant initiative."
 
To Learn More & To Join Us!
Please visit https://drawdown.ecochallenge.org/ and follow the steps below:
 
1) Register as a participant, then create your own team or join us at team DrawdownTO!
 
2) Once on board watch the "How-To-Video" located on the left-hand side black column,
as the third button below your name, under Edit Profile & Edit Challenges.
 
3) Next go to "Edit Profile" to create your own personal profile, with banner, avatar
& mission statement - really easy and can be updated or changed at anytime! 
 
4) Then choose your Challenges - give yourself a bit of time for this. Go to "Edit Challenges"
and take some time to read through all the sectors & possibilities - note that some are daily challenges and some are one-time. To start the system encourages you to choose only 4-5
(you can add more once you get going!)

Come share in the experience of collective action to create positive change!
We're here to answer any questions & to offer support throughout the challenge.
Please feel free to contact us at mail@drawdowntoronto.ca 
​
Game On!