Coast and Ocean Risk Communication Community of Practice

#CE29 - Commission for Environmental Cooperation Council
2022-07-14 08:00 - 2022-07-15 17:00 UTC
Register Here: https://cec.vfairs.com/en/registration-form
About the Event
#CEC29, the 29th annual Session of the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) Council and Joint Public Advisory Committee (JPAC) Public Forum, will bring together the top environmental officials from Canada, Mexico and the United States, as well as youth, Indigenous groups and local communities and the public at large, in a hybrid meeting format in Mérida, Mexico, 14-15 July 2022 under the theme “Community-led Environmental Education for Sustainable Development.”
Mexico’s Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources, María Luisa Albores González, will host Canada’s Minister of Environment and Climate Change, the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, as well as United States Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael S. Regan.
This Council Session will reinforce trilateral commitments to preserve, protect and enhance the North American environment, and establish shared priorities and action for environmental cooperation in North America. The Session will also promote dialogue and knowledge sharing among a diverse and intergenerational group of stakeholders.

Blogging Your Science
2022-06-03 10:00 - 11:00 (America/Vancouver)
REGISTER HERE
Blogging Your Science (1pm EDT June 3, 2022)
Interested in blogging about your research but not sure where to start? Join ArcticNet, Science Borealis and Alice Fleerackers in this hands-on workshop that will offer key tips and tricks for communicating your work to online audiences. With a special focus on making arctic science accessible, we’ll take a deep dive into the world of web writing. We’ll cover everything from “science storytelling” to Search Engine Optimization (SEO), outlining essential best practices for each. We’ll also discuss the challenges and opportunities of writing for non-academic audiences and learn some simple tools and strategies for putting these lessons into practice. Whether you’re an established science communicator or just starting out, you’ll learn why it’s never too soon to mobilize your research knowledge online.
This webinar is hosted by ArcticNet, a Network of Centres of Excellence of Canada that brings together more than 175 Arctic researchers, engineers and managers studying human health, natural and social sciences in the Arctic.

Allyship - The good, the bad, the ugly: where to find evidence-based resources
2022-05-06 10:00 - 11:00 (America/Vancouver)
REGISTER HERE
What are the foundations of being a strong ally? How can allyship go wrong? How can we be sure we are supporting and not causing harm? Together, the group will review best practices. Webinar begins at 1:00 PM (EDT).
This webinar is hosted by ArcticNet, a Network of Centres of Excellence of Canada that brings together more than 175 Arctic researchers, engineers and managers studying human health, natural and social sciences in the Arctic.

Online Presentation: Sea Change in Marine Forecasting & Fishing Safety: Navigating Weather Resources & Relationships in Commercial Fisheries
2022-04-13 10:00 - 11:00 (America/Vancouver)
REGISTER HERE
Commercial fish harvesters are one of the primary users of marine forecasts, and rely heavily on these reports to manage weather hazards in their work at sea. Despite the intrinsic user-producer connection between forecasters and fish harvesters, direct interaction between these groups remains relatively rare; this simultaneously limits mutual user/producer understanding and opportunities for meaningful co-production of forecast materials. Drawing from a series of qualitative studies of marine forecast production and fishing safety, we explore aspects of this divide, and evaluate fisher approaches to assessing and navigating marine risk. Finally, we present three examples of public meteorological services actively working to build closer relationships with fish harvesters, either by i) developing new products targeted to specific fisheries; ii) providing greater access to guidance informing marine forecasts; or iii) operationalizing forecaster/fisher interactions.
Presenter, Dr. Joel Finnis

UN Ocean Decade Safe Oceans Lab Satellite Activity: 100% of at-risk communities recognized Tsunami Ready
2022-04-07 12:00 - 13:00 (Europe/Brussels)
Session 1: CEST 12:00-13:00 or Session 2: 19:00-20:00 CEST (same workshop is offered twice to accommodate time zone differences).
REGISTER HERE: https://oceanexpert.org/registerEvent/3420
As part of the 5th Ocean Decade Laboratory (5-7 April) you are invited to join the “100% of at-risk communities recognized as Tsunami Ready” Satellite Activity on 7 April 2022.
This side event will offer a virtual forum with local and national leaders who have successfully implemented the Tsunami Ready recognition process. The speakers will present their first-hand testimonials about the importance of tsunami preparedness to protect lives and achieving a safe ocean​​ and discover emerging experiences in implementing Tsunami Ready.
The online activity will directly engage a gender- and culturally-diverse group of stakeholders from across various ocean regions. They will share a hands-on perspective on early warning services from different angles: science, warning dissemination and communications, and disaster management.
Please note that the satellite activity consists of two sessions to be able to cover as many world regions as possible: 7 April 2022 – Session 1 (Europe/Asia/LAC): 12:00-13:00 CEST; Session 2 (Europe/LAC/South Pacific Islands): 19:00-20:00 CEST
Join us and be part of the change we need!

In December 2004, 227,8991 people lost their lives and around US$10 billion were estimated as overall economic losses in the 14 countries affected by the 9.1-magnitude Indian Ocean earthquake. In response the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO (UNESCO/IOC) along with dozens of partners strengthened its support and catalyzed international cooperation to enable countries to assess their tsunami risk, implement Tsunami Early Warning Systems (EWS) and educate communities at risk about preparedness measures.
Since 2001, that the United States National Weather Service (US NWS) of the National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has been implementing the recognition programme TsunamiReady® in its states, territory and commonwealths. This programme was modelled after the US StormReady recognition programme. The goal was that communities recognized as TsunamiReady® would be better prepared to protect life and property through hazard assessment, mitigation, preparedness, planning and warning coordination.
Since 2015, the UNESCO/IOC started to build its Tsunami Ready Programme based on the experience of USA, first in the Caribbean, where Tsunami Ready Guidelines were developed, which were then approved by the IOC General Assembly. Subsequently, in 2016, UNESCO recognized St. Kitts and Nevis in the Caribbean as Tsunami Ready, and in 2017, the communities of Cedeño in Honduras, Ostional in Costa Rica, and Savaia in Samoa in the Pacific. The programme grew naturally towards a global Tsunami Ready programme, with communities recognized in 11 other countries, and many more to come.
This satellite session will offer a virtual get-together forum for local and national leaders that have gone through the Tsunami Ready recognition process and can proudly attest of their work to protect lives making the Ocean safer. They have not been together before.

Science Talk '22: Making Connections: The Many Arms of Science Communication
2022-03-23 08:00 - 2022-03-25 17:00 (America/Vancouver)
Have you ever struggled to explain why your science matters to someone else? Have you ever been frustrated at the way science is covered in the media or how it is “misused” in policy? SCIENCE TALK ’22 will unite science communicators, practitioners, and facilitators for two exciting days of learning best practices for how to talk science better. It will feature presentations, workshops, expert panels, and networking opportunities galore.
​Join us in Portland or online, March 23-25, 2022, to see what everyone is talking about.
More Information and Registration https://www.sciencetalk.org/science-talk-22.html

Communicating Local Climate & Hazard Risk Information to At-Risk Residents - CHERP
2022-03-02 11:00 - 12:00 (America/Vancouver)
REGISTER HERE
The Coast and Ocean Risk Communication Community of Practice (CORC CoP) sponsored by the Marine Environmental Observation, Prediction, and Response Network (MEOPAR) cordially invite you to attend a one-hour presentation entitled, Communicating Local Climate & Hazard Risk Information to At-Risk Residents with presenter Dr. Ryan Reynolds, the lead researcher and developer of CHERP (Canadian Hazards Emergency Response and Preparedness Application). The presentation will be followed by a Q&A session facilitated by Dr. Joel Finnis, a Co-Lead of CORC CoP and Associate Professor, Memorial University of Newfoundland. There is no charge for the presentation but please register here to obtain your Zoom Meeting link. We look forward to having you join us!

Canadian communities are increasingly seeking new ways to communicate information about climactic environmental hazards to their residents. At the same time, their residents are asking for more detailed information from community and regional officials than the static websites and 10-item checklist PDFs of yesteryear. Our team set out to help communities make it quicker and easier for their residents to learn about local hazards, take steps to prepare, and take informed response actions should the need arise.
The Canadian Hazards Emergency Response & Preparedness (CHERP) mobile app is the first tool resulting from a partnership between our research team at UBC and several communities on Vancouver Island. The goal of the CHERP app is to help educate community residents about hazards in their communities and assist them to create emergency plans that incorporate local hazard, planning, and emergency response information while also adapting to the unique needs of household members and pets. In this talk, Dr. Reynolds will describe some of the motivations, challenges, and goals behind the development of the CHERP app along with our plans for Phase II of the project.
PRESENTER
Dr. Ryan P. Reynolds, Postdoctoral Research Fellow
School of Community and Regional Planning
University of British Columbia
Dr. Reynolds’s research aims to help Canadian communities and households to better understand, prepare for, and respond to local hazard risk. His work combines elements from geospatial modelling, risk communication, and application development to assess and communicate hazard risk and vulnerability at the community, neighbourhood, and household scales. His research focuses primarily on tsunamis and related coastal hazards in Canada, with special attention to communities on Vancouver Island. Ryan joined the Resilient-C research group in SCARP as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in September 2017 and is the lead researcher and developer for the CHERP research initiative.

Lessons from COP26 and where next for climate communications?
2022-02-08 10:00 - 11:00 (Europe/London)
Register Here
Feb 8, 2022 10am-11am GMT – Note: Event Time Zone
About this event
The recent COP26 summit saw a surge in both media coverage and public concern for climate change across all demographics. What did it teach us about the tools and tactics for effective public engagement? With the coming year being so important for driving action on the climate agenda, what opportunities are there for charity communicators?
In this online session, Climate Outreach, ITV and the Natural History Consortium will be sharing some of the communications and media highlights from COP26, and discussing what lies ahead for charities looking to engage audiences on the climate agenda this year.
Attendees will take away tangible learnings and sector insights to apply within their own organisations.
Sessions and Speakers
Communications breakthroughs from COP26 – Savita Willmott, Chief Executive, Natural History Consortium
Insights from ITV’s Climate Action Week – Amrit Dhadwal, Social Purpose Executive, ITV
Looking ahead: Challenges and opportunities for climate communicators in 2022 – Toby Smith, Climate Visuals Programme Lead, Climate Outreach
Attendance Eligibility
This session is aimed at communications professionals at climate and environmental charities, as well as charities working intersectionally on the environment and other issues.

On Updating Climate Extremes Related Engineering Design Values in a Warming Climate
2022-01-27 15:30 - 16:00 (America/Vancouver)
Hosted by the Pacific Climate Impacts Consortium
Presenter: Dr. Mohamed Ali Ben Alaya
When: January 27, 2022 – 3:00pm to 4:00pm
Where: This talk will be held over Zoom Meetings.
Please register here: https://pacificclimate.org/news-and-events/seminars/updating-climate-extremes-related-engineering-design-values-warming-climate
The recurring devastation caused by climate extremes highlights the need for reliable estimates of their intensity and frequency. In this talk, we describe our attempts to address two recent challenges related to updating engineering design values in a warming climate. The first challenge deals with probable maximum precipitation (PMP), a parameter often used for dam safety and civil engineering; we aim to conceive an appropriate way to use regional climate models (RCMs) allowing a more physically based estimation of the PMP in a warming climate. The second is related to the uniform risk engineering practices that are increasingly being adopted for structural design. In such a case, estimates of extreme precipitation or wind loads with very low annual probabilities of exceedance, corresponding to return periods of up to 2000-years are required. We will sketch how such design practices, that aim to meet mandated structural reliability criteria, take into account the sampling uncertainty of long period estimates, and discuss how reliability could be compromised if estimates are also biased. Finally, I will express my genuine appreciation for the need to address climate change from a holistic and interdisciplinary perspective through a distinct formulation of the problem.

Webinar: Release of the Atlantic Provinces: Changing Climate: Regional Perspectives Report | Atlantic Canada’s new Climate Services Hub
2021-12-17 10:00 - 12:00 (America/Halifax)
Register HERE
More Info Here
Join COINAtlantic for a webinar releasing the Atlantic Provinces chapter of the Regional Perspectives Report. Led by Natural Resources Canada, the report is part of Canada in a Changing Climate: Advancing our Knowledge for Action, the national assessment of how and why Canada’s climate is changing; the impacts of these changes on our communities, environment, and economy; and how we are adapting.
This webinar will also introduce CLIMAtlantic, part of the regional climate-expert network being created by Environment and Climate Change Canada’s Canadian Centre for Climate Services. CLIMAtlantic will increase access to locally-relevant data and information to enhance adaptation to climate change in Atlantic Canada through collaboration, networking, and partnerships.
Speakers will include Dr. Sabine Dietz, lead author of the Atlantic Provinces chapter and Executive Director of CLIMAtlantic, and Stephanie Arnold, chapter lead author and researcher at UPEI’s Climate Research Lab. Additional speakers to be confirmed include chapter contributing authors speaking on the five key messages.

CatIQ Connect Catastrophe Model & Technology Updates - Webinar
2021-12-02 10:00 - 16:00 (America/Toronto)
Bringing Together Industry, Academia and Government
to Discuss Canadian Natural and Human-Made Catastrophes
Next Webinar: Dec 2, 2021 Register Here:
Webinar Theme: Catastrophe Model & Technology Updates
This webinar is accredited by RIBO for 5 hours (Technical) Continuing Education credits.
CatIQ Connect is a content-driven discussion to foster collaboration before, during and after catastrophic events. This quarterly webinar series, in place of the conference during COVID-19, provides a detailed overview of catastrophes, discusses strategies in catastrophe management and explores sector perspectives. Overall themes are on preparedness and resiliency, available tools, and impacted stakeholders and policy makers working together for the greater good of all Canadians.

Webinar: Public Trust in Changed Forecasts: Evidence from Atlantic Canada and Hurricane Dorian
2021-11-16 10:00 - 11:00 (America/Vancouver)
REGISTER HERE
Public Trust in Changed Forecasts: Evidence from Atlantic Canada and Hurricane Dorian
Amber Silver, Joel Finnis, Brandon Behlendorf, and Emily Reid-Mussond
Hurricane Dorian affected large swaths of the Caribbean and the eastern coast of the United States, before making landfall in Atlantic Canada—first in Nova Scotia, and then again in Newfoundland. Although this storm was well forecasted, by both the National Hurricane Center (USA) and the Canadian Hurricane Center (Canada), it was not without its controversies. In the United States, the storm’s track was incorrectly extended into Alabama by then-President Donald J. Trump during a White House press briefing. This ignited a flurry of discussion about the effect of forecast accuracy and/or inconsistency on public trust. It also raised the question: How would end-users in Atlantic Canada perceive storm-related information as the hurricane moved towards the region? To understand the forecasting process within Canada, including the (often-times) subjective decisions that forecasters make when developing their products, and how Hurricane Dorian information was perceived and acted upon by members of the general public, we conducted semi-structured interviews with Environment and Climate Change Canada forecasters and disseminated a large sample questionnaire to residents of Atlantic Canada. The research results and their implications will be discussed in the context of public safety and probabilistic forecast potential.
Presenter: Dr. Amber Silver, Assistant Professor at the College of Emergency Preparedness, Homeland Security and Cybersecurity, at the University at Albany, New York.

Pacific Climate Seminar Series: Weather and Climate Extremes in a Changing Climate
2021-09-29 13:00 - 14:00 (America/Vancouver)
Register Here: https://uvic.zoom.us/j/87613291363?pwd=[REDACTED]
PCIC is pleased to announce an upcoming talk on Wednesday, September 29th, titled, Weather and climate extremes in a changing climate: main findings from the IPCC AR6 WG1 assessment, as part of our Pacific Climate Seminar Series.
This talk will be delivered by Dr. Xuebin Zhang, Senior Research Scientist at the Climate Research Division of Environment and Climate Change Canada and will be held between 1 p.m. and 2 p.m., Pacific Time, via Zoom meetings. For more on this talk, including registration information, an abstract and speaker bio, see the talk’s page on our site.

Disaster & Resilience International Summit
2021-06-16 - 2021-06-18
In the current context related to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Disaster & Resilience international summit will take the form of a virtual event. It appears more important than ever to come together and share around the issue of disaster resilience. Therefore, a variety of activities on this theme will be available online from June 14 to 18, 2021.
Visit the conference website for more information: https://dr2021.ca/

Communicating and Collaborating to Mitigate Loss to Catastrophes and Climate Change
2021-06-10 10:00 - 17:00 (America/Toronto)
Click here for the June 10 Agenda and to register for the event.
June 10 Agenda & Speakers
How to connect risk information, decisions… and consequences?

Janot Mendler de Suarez, Visiting Research Fellow, Boston University – Frederick S. Pardee Center for the Study of the Longer-range Future
Pablo Suarez, Visiting Research Fellow, Boston University – Frederick S. Pardee Center for the Study of the Longer-range Future

Success Stories and Novel Approaches from Real-World Projects

Glenn McGillivray, Managing Director, Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction
Marjorie Brans, Director of Ecosystem Impact, School for Social Entrepreneurs Canada
Simon J. Mitchell, Vice President, Resilient Habitats, World Wildlife Fund Canada
Sheila Murray, Co Founder, CREW Toronto

High-Risk Flood Insurance Pool Updates for Canada

Dr. Matthew Godsoe, Director, Resilience and Economics Integration Division, Public Safety Canada

Decision Science & Risk Systems: How people think about & react to risk

Dipika Deol, Head UW Canada & English Caribbean, Swiss Re
Dr. Jen Henderson, Assistant Professor, Dept. of Geosciences, Texas Tech University
Erin Kelly, President & CEO, Advanced Symbolics Inc.
Dr. Howard Kunreuther, Professor and Co-Director, Risk Management and Decision Processes Center, Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania

Insights from New Zealand’s Earthquake Commission

Darryl Pidcock, Head of PERILS Asia-Pacific, PERILS AG
Dr. Jo Horrocks, Chief Resilience and Research Officer, Earthquake Commission

Enhancing Connections Across Climate Change Adaptation Platforms
2021-05-20 07:00 - 09:30 (America/Vancouver)
Date and time: Thu, May 20, 2021, 7:00 AM – 9:30 AM Pacific / 10 AM – 11:30 AM Eastern
Register Here: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/enhancing-connections-across-climate-adaptation-platforms-session-4-tickets-148971223941
About this Event: Engage and answer questions around the importance of user needs considerations in platform offerings to support the ‘knowledge-to–action’ transfer in adaptation decision-making and discuss the possible approaches for how to integrate identified users needs into platform offerings.
Target Audience: Climate adaptation platform providers in Canada and abroad; climate adaptation action enablers; climate communication and education professionals; individuals with interest and experience working with climate vulnerable communities.
Hosts: Government of Canada (ECCC and NRCan)

Lessons Learned from Community-Engaged Research and Capacity Enhancement: North-South Collaborations...
2021-05-07 09:30 - 11:00 (America/Vancouver)
REGISTER HERE
Interactive Webinar: Lessons Learned from Community-Engaged Research and Capacity Enhancement: North-South Collaborations to support Low-Impact Arctic Shipping Corridors Decision-Making
This webinar is the second of two webinars exploring topics related to community-driven research carried out under the University of Ottawa-led Arctic Corridors and Northern Voices research project (https://www.arcticcorridors.ca).
This virtual, interactive session focuses on the ‘lessons learned’ from the project from the perspectives of the academic research community, community partners, and youth community researchers, with potential lessons for industry and government representatives who are interested in collaborating with Northern communities.
The Arctic Corridors and Northern Voices research project involved 14 communities across Arctic Canada, including 59 Inuit and Northern youth as community researchers, and resulted in a series of locally-informed community-specific maps to inform Arctic waters users about the significant socio-cultural, archaeological and ecological areas, and local travel routes, for integration into the Low Impact Shipping Corridors.
Dr. Natalie Carter of the University of Ottawa, the project Community Research Lead, will present on the benefits, challenges, and lessons learned. Shirley Tagalik, of the Arviat Aqqiumavvik Society will discuss the unexpected outcomes from the research project for her community relevant to safety issues with shipping and travel, ice monitoring and mapping, and infrastructure location. Natasha Simonee, a community researcher and partner in Mittimatalik (Pond Inlet, Nunavut) will share insights from her involvement with the project including suggestions for communicating and working with community partners. Dr. Amber Silver, Assistant Professor, College of Emergency Preparedness, Homeland Security and Cybersecurity of the University at Albany, New York and Coast and Ocean Risk Communication Community of Practice Co-Lead, will moderate the session.
Session Hosts
This webinar is jointly hosted by the Canadian Marine Shipping Risk Forum (CMSRF), and the Coast and Ocean Risk Communication Community of Practice (CORC CoP), two communities of practice supported by MEOPAR (the Marine Environmental Observation, Prediction, and Response) Network, a federally-funded Network of Centres of Excellence (NCE).
Presenters’ Biographies
Natalie Carter. Natalie Carter is a Research Associate in the Environment, Society and Policy Group in the Department of Geography, Environment, and Geomatics at University of Ottawa and the Straight Up North Research Team in the School of Earth, Environment and Society at McMaster University. She is the Community Research Lead of the Arctic Corridors and Northern Voices research project. In this role, she actively engages Inuit and Northerners in the development of potential management strategies related to national marine policy initiatives (shipping). Natalie spends about ¼ of her time in Canadian Arctic communities working closely with community organizations, youth, adults, and Elders. This includes youth capacity enhancement, co-constructing projects, documenting local knowledge, conducting analyses, and results validation and sharing.
Website links: www.espg.ca; https://straightupnorth.ca; https://www.arcticcorridors.ca
Natasha Simonee. Natasha Simonee is a mother, a hunter, researcher, and a teacher by profession. She spends much of the spring and summer with her family collecting data for community research projects. Before becoming a teacher, she held many positions that allowed her to explore and find her interest in research, and her role in community research that benefits her community and its people. Natasha lives in Mittimatalik (Pond Inlet), Nunavut
Shirley Tagalik. Shirley Tagalik is a retired educator living in Arviat, Nunavut. She has worked at all levels in the early childcare and school system and led the curriculum division of Early Childhood and School Services for 10 years. She is an active researcher in the areas of education, child development, language development, youth engagement, youth suicide prevention, determinants of health, healing and cultural revitalization. For the past 20 years she has been actively working with Inuit Elders to document their cultural knowledge, Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit. Shirley serves as a volunteer director of the Arviat Aqqiumavvik Society, a community group dedicated to addressing concerns through community-driven research and innovative programming.
Website links: www.aqqiumavvik.com

ScienceTalk '21
2021-03-24 08:00 - 2021-03-26 17:00 UTC
The challenges of 2020 have shown more than ever how important science communication is to the functioning of society. But, beyond that, it has highlighted our resilience as communicators, and the passion that we share to educate, inform, and entertain. Connect with your community of professional science communicators at SCIENCE TALK ’21 over three days of workshops, panel discussions, presentations, and networking opportunities. Learn, explore, and share with other Science Talkers! To register, visit this link: https://www.sciencetalk.org/science-talk-21.html

Fathom: Industry insights into flood hazard modelling methods
2021-03-22 12:00 - 13:00 (America/Toronto)
Register for Webinar Here: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_EDtx78wnT2S6-CfWCTC3wQ
Fathom was formed out of the University of Bristol Hydrology Research Group, a world-leading authority in modelling flood risk. Since then, the company has grown significantly and now works with insurers, international development agencies, conservation agencies, academics, emergency responders and multi-national corporations on a global basis. In the face of the increasing challenges posed by climate change, this commitment ensures they are providing their customers and partners with market-leading flood models based on the latest science. Fathom has recently launched Fathom-US 2.0, a comprehensive national scale model that combines inland, fluvial, pluvial and coastal flooding under a 2020 climate scenario rather than solely relying on historical records. The complex data analytics and model coverage enables a variety of stakeholders to confidently forecast flood risk and implement the appropriate mitigation measure.

Panel Discussion on Implementing Climate Change Adaptation Plans
2021-03-11 11:00 - 12:00 (America/Toronto)
For more information about the event, or to attend, visit: https://brocku.ca/esrc/2021/03/03/panel-discussion-on-implementing-climate-change-adaptation-plans/
The Environmental Sustainability Research Centre’s (ESRC) Sustainability Seminar Series will continue on Thursday, March 11th, 2021 at 11am EST with a panel about implementing climate change adaptation plans. We will be joined by three experienced professionals who have been an integral part of making their local communities more resilient to the effects of climate change. This event is in partnership with Niagara Adapts, one of the ESRC’s innovative partnerships that is focused on leveraging resources and expertise to support collaborative climate change adaptation, planning, and implementation within seven municipalities in the Niagara Region. The Niagara Adapts partnership is led by Dr. Jessica Blythe, who will be the moderator for this exciting event.
The panelists include Katie Thompson from the City of Barrie, Jacob Porter from the City of Thunder Bay, and Joanna Eyquem from the Intact Centre.

International Crisis and Risk Communication Conference 2021
2021-03-08 - 2021-03-10
The International Crisis and Risk Communication Conference (ICRCC) affords attendees the rare opportunity to network with prominent crisis communication practitioners, leaders and researchers in a relaxed setting. You can expect to initiate and develop strong, inspiring professional relationships that may benefit you and your organization. Open participation and feedback are encouraged, within interactive sessions with like-minded peers, professionals and researchers in attendance.
Each year the International Crisis and Risk Communication Conference brings together an exciting agenda of anticipated sessions and speakers, and attendees receive high value for their education and travel dollars. Our general and breakout sessions bring you a firsthand look at the most current topics in the field. We continue to bring in leading professionals and researchers to share their expertise in interactive case studies, in-depth panel discussions and useful, new and noteworthy sessions. In the year of COVID-19, our 2020-2021 conference will be hosted virtually between March 8-10, 2021.
Register at Event Webpage: https://communication.ucf.edu/icrcc/registration/

Coast 2 Coast 2 Coast Trivia Challenge
2021-02-24 10:00 - 11:00 (America/Vancouver)
The Canadian Coastal Resilience Forum (CCRF) and the Coast and Ocean Risk Communication (CORC) Community of Practice are pleased to present our inaugural virtual Coast 2 Coast 2 Coast Trivia Challenge. Join us for a fun filled hour of trivia, knowledge sharing and networking on Wednesday, February 24th, 2021 at 10am PT/ 1pm ET/ 2pm AT.
From MEOPAR history to coastal science to pop culture, we promise there will be a topic for everyone! The rules are straightforward, we will have a handful of rounds – each with different themes. Collaborate with others to answer a series of questions and the team with the most correct answers wins!
This event is free. MEOPAR, CCRF and CORC CoP members and interested public are welcome to participate!
Register Here
If you have any questions regarding the event, please email scottar@waterloo.ca for more information.

Webinar: Building a shared perspective on Arctic waters through community-engaged research
2021-02-17 11:00 - 12:15 (America/Vancouver)
Register Here (https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_twi1S0qHRo6rqjT-r59u7g)
You are cordially invited to join us for a live webinar presentation, jointly hosted by CORC CoP and MEOPAR’s Canadian Marine Shipping Risk Forum on February 17.
This webinar will present perspectives by a panel of 3 different rights holder and stakeholder groups around their shared interests in the use and protection of Arctic waters as both shipping corridors to assist development and facilitate transportation, and as cultural sites which represent Inuit places of significance.
Research carried out under the University of Ottawa-led Arctic Corridors and Northern Voices research project (https://www.arcticcorridors.ca) in 14 communities across Arctic Canada resulted in a series of community-specific maps to inform users of Arctic waters about significant socio-cultural, archaeological and ecological areas, and local travel routes, for integration into the Low Impact Shipping Corridors. The research also created an opportunity for stakeholders, including Inuit community members, to discuss the risks of increased shipping in these waters and possible management strategies to be considered to address those risks.
Dr. Natalie Carter will present key findings of this research initiative. Shirley Tagalik will present on the impacts of partnering in this research for a local community, the on-going work being done in the Arviat coastal region and on how engaging youth in research can build sustainable practices for a community. Keenan “Nooks” Lindell will present on the impacts of youth engagement in community-based projects, including ocean-related research and initiatives.
Natalie Carter
Research Associate @University of Ottawa
Natalie Carter is a Research Associate in the Environment, Society and Policy Group in the Department of Geography, Environment, and Geomatics at University of Ottawa and the Straight Up North Research Team in the School of Earth, Environment and Society at McMaster University. She is the Community Research Lead of the Arctic Corridors and Northern Voices research project. In this role, she actively engages Inuit and Northerners in the development of potential management strategies related to national marine policy initiatives (shipping). Natalie spends about ¼ of her time in Canadian Arctic communities working closely with community organizations, youth, adults, and Elders. This includes youth capacity enhancement, co-constructing projects, documenting local knowledge, conducting analyses, and results validation and sharing.
Keenan “Nooks” Lindell
Ujjiqsuinniq Coordinator @Aqqiumavvik Society
Keenan Lindell is an Inuk from Arviat, NU currently working as Ujjiqsuinniq Coodinator for Aqqiumavvik Society. Keenan has 2 years of Nunavut Sivuniksavut where he studied and researched Inuit History, Nunavut, Nunavik and Nunatsiavut Land claims agreements and negotiations, Inuktitut, interviewing and history of arctic research. At Nunavut Arctic College Keenan earned a certificate in the Environmental Technology Program (ETP). During ETP Keenan studied Wildlife Biology, Geometry, water and ice monitoring as well as on the land skills and field research. Keenan has spent 6 years working in research between his job as Wildlife Technician for the Government of Nunavut and in his current role with Aqqiumavvik. He has gained skills, knowledge and experience in field research, interviewing elders, managing research data, facilitating meetings and consultations, working with Inuit organizations and southern researchers, coordinating staff, working with youth and writing reports.
Shirley Tagalik
Retired Educator and Active Researcher @Arviat Aqqiumavvik Society
Shirley Tagalik is a retired educator living in Arviat, Nunavut. She has worked at all levels in the early childcare and school system and lead the curriculum division of Early Childhood and School Services for 10 years. She is an active researcher in the areas of education, child development, language development, youth engagement, youth suicide prevention, determinants of health, healing and cultural revitalization. For the past 20 years she has been actively working with Inuit Elders to document their cultural knowledge, Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit. Shirley serves as a volunteer director on the Arviat Aqqiumavvik Society, a community group dedicated to addressing concerns through community-driven research and innovative programming.

What’s That Sound? Tsunami Evacuation on Vancouver Island
2021-01-15 10:00 - 23:00 (America/Vancouver)
It’s 3am on an early Tuesday morning, and you wake to the sound of a warning siren. You realize it’s your community’s tsunami warning system, and listen as it broadcasts instructions to evacuate the tsunami inundation zone and seek shelter on higher ground. You aren’t sure if you live in the inundation zone or not. What do you do?
We conducted parallel door-to-door and online surveys to better understand how Port Alberni residents responded to this exact scenario on an early January morning in 2018. We wanted to learn how and when residents learned about the tsunami warning, what actions they took to respond, and where evacuees sought safety. We also wanted to explore residents’ views on how the evacuation was conducted by emergency officials and how the event may have changed their perceptions of tsunami risk in the community. Join us as we discuss some of our findings from over 450 public surveys and interviews with 11 community and regional emergency officials in the Alberni Valley and highlight some best practices to improve future evacuations.
Please visit this link to register: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_mzAyBYAdTG6XCK-Z2AjcUg
Dr. Ryan Reynolds (Post-Doctoral Fellow, University of British Columbia, School of Community and Regional Planning)

2020 UNDERSTANDING RISK FORUM
2020-12-01 08:00 - 2020-12-03 17:00 UTC
The Understanding Risk (UR) Global Forum is a biennial conference that convenes experts and practitioners from all around the world to showcase the best practices and latest innovations in the field of disaster risk identification as well as to facilitate non-traditional interactions and partnerships.
Register Here: https://understandrisk.org/event/ur2020_forum/

Webinar: Life at the Arctic’s Edge: Looking for long-term environmental change in a subarctic landscape
2020-11-19 16:00 - 17:00 (America/Vancouver)
Life at the Arctic’s Edge: Looking for long-term environmental change in a subarctic landscape
Hosted by the ArcticNet Students Association
Dr. LeeAnn Fishback is a Research Associate at the Churchill Northern Studies Centre in Churchill, Manitoba. Her research focuses on environmental freshwater geochemistry investigating the impacts of environmental change in the Churchill region. Much of this research is conducted with citizen science volunteers as part of the Earthwatch project called “Climate Change at the Arctic’s Edge”. For 15+ years, she has conducted long-term monitoring on key environmental variables along the western coast of Hudson Bay to explore the impacts of change while communicating scientific findings with local community members and citizen scientists. LeeAnn has spent more than 25 years working throughout the Canadian Arctic including living and working in Churchill for the last 18 years.
REGISTER HERE: http://bit.ly/2UAO8XO

Seven Best Practices for Risk Communication (Online)
2020-11-19 14:00 - 15:30 (America/Toronto)
Course Description – NOAA Office for Coastal Management
Understanding risk is a key component for initiatives focused on helping communities prepare for and respond to weather and climate hazards. This interactive webinar introduces participants to seven best practices, numerous techniques, and examples for communicating about coastal hazards. Whether beginning a new effort or trying to keep people motivated to better prepare for future hazards, applying risk communication principles will lead to more effective results. Please note that this training focuses on improving risk communication skills for coastal hazards planning and preparedness, not crisis communication.
You Will Learn How To

Apply seven risk communication best practices and techniques
Use the fundamentals of behavior change to improve communication
Adapt successful strategies from case studies of peers who have applied these best practices and techniques

Participant Requirements

Internet and speakers
Adobe Connect (connection and user instructions provided in advance)

https://coast.noaa.gov/digitalcoast/training/risk-communication.html

Building Equity Using Nature-based Solutions
2020-11-10 11:00 - 12:00 (America/Vancouver)
Overview
Green infrastructure and nature-based solutions provide low-emissions urban planning approaches to climate impacts such as flooding, heatwaves and air quality, improved habitat for biodiversity, and benefits for mental and physical health, with the latter becoming even more important during the pandemic. However, access to green space is not always equitable, and without strategic planning these solutions can lead to gentrification and displacement. As interest in nature-based solutions accelerates across Canada, it is essential that we embed equity considerations in their design.
On November 10 from 11am-12pm PT, join ACT (the Adaptation to Climate Change Team), SFU and special guests Grant Fahlgren, Chair of the Canadian Society of Landscape Architects’ Reconciliation Advisory Committee, and Katherine Howard, Project Manager for the City of Vancouver’s Parks and Recreation Services Master Plan, for a webinar on the intersections between equity, green infrastructure, climate action, and human health and well-being and ways to incorporate equity into climate and community planning.
Presenters

Grant Fahlgren, Project Designer at PFS Studio and Chair of the Reconciliation Advisory Committee of the Canadian Society of Landscape Architects.
Katherine Howard, Project Manager, VanPlay, the City of Vancouver’s Parks and Recreation Services Master Plan.
Paige Hunter, ACT research assistant; student, Simon Fraser University’s School of Resource and Environmental Management.
Deborah Harford, Executive Director, ACT (the Adaptation to Climate Change Team), Faculty of Environment, Simon Fraser University.

The Role of the BC DRR Hub in Enhancing Use of Risk Information in Disaster and Climate Risk Reduction
2020-10-20 13:00 - 15:00 (America/Vancouver)
ONLINE: October 20, 2020, 1 pm – 3 pm (interactive session)
Convened by Sahar Safaie (Sage Consulting and DRR Pathways Project)
Explore the proposed design for “BC DRR Hub” as a mechanism to strengthen the governance of disaster and climate risk management. Participants will share insights and suggestions on the challenges, expectations, and good approaches to enhancing use of risk information in designing resilience policies and plans.

Canadian Ocean Literacy Coalition: Virtual Workshop
2020-06-22 08:00 - 2020-06-23 17:00 UTC
Register Here
The Canadian Ocean Literacy Coalition (COLC) is an alliance of organizations, networks, institutions, and communities working together to better understand and advance ocean literacy in Canada. Widely accepted internationally, ocean literacy is defined as understanding our impact on the ocean and the ocean’s impact on us.
The Canadian Ocean Literacy Coalition’s (COLC) primary project since our inception in 2018 has been to lead a Canada-wide research initiative to better understand Canadians’ varying relationships with the ocean and to examine how ocean literacy (OL) is understood and practiced across different regions and sectors. The aim of this work is to establish a baseline seascape of OL in Canada, and in so doing, to co-develop an evidence-based national OL strategy and implementation plan.
Regional and National Findings to be shared June 22-23!
The virtual workshop will take place over two days, June 22 and 23, with 6 one-hour sessions offered (3 sessions / day) as an opportunity to discuss, validate, and advance findings and recommendations to have emerged through the regional consultation and engagement phase. Outcomes of the virtual workshop will guide the final phase of drafting the national ocean literacy strategy and implementation plan.
Monday June 22nd
10:30 – 11:30am EDT: Atlantic
12:00 – 1:00pm EDT: St. Lawrence
1:30 – 2:30pm EDT: Pacific
Tuesday June 23rd
10:30 – 11:30am EDT: Inuit Nunangat
12:00 – 1:00pm EDT: Inland Canada
1:30 – 2:30pm EDT: National
Participation is open to anyone who is already a member of the COLC network, has participated in the study, or is more broadly interested in Canadian ocean literacy. Participants are welcome to join multiple sessions!
