Join us on October 30 as we welcome Dr. Karena Shaw to discuss the University of Victoria’s Transformative Climate Action Programs, which include not only a for-credit certificate but also a series of three non-credit microcredentials (Climate Action Planning; Politics, Policy and Climate Action, and Climate Activism) that are open to non-traditional learners from anywhere in the world. These programs provide practical and innovative learning experiences, whether you’re aiming to develop essential planning skills, navigate complex policy frameworks, or drive systemic change. Designed for leaders and professionals from various sectors, these courses and micro-certificates empower you to make a meaningful difference in climate action, impacting communities at local, regional, and global scales.
Karena (Kara) Shaw is Professor in the School of Environmental Studies, Academic Director of the Transformative Climate Action Programs and the UVic Sustainability Scholars Program, and a member of the Institute for Integrated Energy Systems—all at the University of Victoria. A political ecologist, she researches and teaches about the social and political dynamics of environmental problems. Her current work, pursued in collaboration with students, fellow researchers, and community partners, explores how energy transitions can support communities that are more just and supportive of ecological, social, and cultural thriving.
Actions
- Enroll in a Transformative Climate Action Program or MicroCredential!
- Advocate for climate justice curricula: Email a department chair or program coordinator asking for a module or course.
- Push for equity-centered climate policy: Attend municipal meetings or write to local reps about inclusive climate planning.
- Request a follow-up workshop or teach-in: Ask Climate Commons to host a deeper dive on Shaw’s themes.
- Check out Carleton’s Environmental and Climate Humanities (EACH) minor
- Collaborate with other schools or courses for climate based curricula.
- Use speculative fiction to explore climate futures.
- Integrate a climate justice module into existing courses
- Assign reflective journaling on climate emotions.
- Support faculty development workshops on climate pedagogy.
- Propose a course or directed reading on transformative climate action.
Resource List
Websites:
- Dr. Karena Shaw’s Website
- Transformative Climate Action Program at UBC
- Climate Action Courses and Programs
Articles:
- Tuck, Eve, and K. Wayne Yang. “Decolonization is not a metaphor.” Decolonization: Indigeneity, education & society 1.1 (2012): 1-40.
- Shaw, Karena and R.B.J. Walker, “Situating Academic Practice: Pedagogy, Critique and Responsibility” Millennium: Journal of International Studies Special Section on “Activism, Academia and Education” 35,1 (2006): 155-165.
Books:
- Head, Lesley. Hope and grief in the Anthropocene: Re-conceptualising human–nature relations. Routledge, 2016.
- Davidson, Cathy N. The new education: How to revolutionize the university to prepare students for a world in flux. Basic Books, 2017.
- Ray, Sarah Jaquette, and Andrey Nasedkin. A field guide to climate anxiety: How to keep your cool on a warming planet. Oakland: University of California Press, 2020.
- Johnson, Ayana Elizabeth, and Katharine K. Wilkinson, eds. All we can save: Truth, courage, and solutions for the climate crisis. One World, 2021.
- Atkinson, Jennifer, and Sarah Jaquette Ray. The existential toolkit for climate justice educators: How to teach in a burning world. Univ of California Press, 2024.