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Origin Story

GenAction unites 30 science centres across the nation to deliver climate action programming inspiring our next generation of climate heroes – like you!

Its mission is to engage over 200,000 youth by 2024. Collectively, participating science centres are connecting educators and youth with Science Spotlights, accessible peer-reviewed climate research articles, raising awareness of climate change science AND delivering programming to educate citizens on climate actions they can take to make a difference.

Did you know that human activity is the number one cause of climate change?

Climate change is a long-term change in weather conditions identified by temperature, precipitation, or winds, from the increase of heat in the atmosphere. If our Earth becomes too hot from emissions caused by humans, it can lead to more conditions like droughts, floods, or dangerous winds. If climate actions are neglected, the more negative impacts of climate change will be evident. It’s time for GenAction!

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You Can Be a Climate Hero

Here are examples of daily climate actions you can take to make a difference:

  • Unplug devices that are not in use
  • Make homegrown compost as fertilizer for your gardens
  • Eat a more seasonal, plant-rich diet
  • Ride a bike to school or travel with a friend
  • Donate unwanted toys and clothes
  • Plan or participate in a community cleanup at school
  • Read our Science Spotlights and spread the word about climate change science and actions
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Join the Movement and Pledge to Be a Climate Hero Today

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Our Mission Impact

Interact with the map below to discover climate action commitments happening in your region and the collective impact youth have on the future of our planet.

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Science Spotlight

Discover local climate research from science heroes in your region and climate actions that you can do at home, in your classroom or in your community. They are available in French and English, to read online or download.

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salmon

ᗥᐁᘅᔆᙄᐣ /T'eoonesz̲in (I came to know)

ᗥᐁᘅᔆᙄᐣ /T'eoonesz̲in (J’ai découvert)

As Dakelh people, the rivers that run through their territory are just as important to them as the blood that runs through their veins. They knew exactly when to fish, hunt, and harvest berries and building materials based on the changing seasons. One of the most important times for the Dakelh people to know was when the salmon would arrive, as they are an essential food source to survive the long and harsh winter months.

Pour le peuple Dakelh, les rivières qui coulent sur son territoire sont aussi importantes pour lui que le sang qui coule dans ses veines. Ce peuple savait exactement quand pêcher, chasser, ou récolter les baies, et aussi construire des choses, en fonction des saisons. Une des choses les plus importantes que le peuple Dakelh devait savoir, c’était le moment où le saumon arriverait, car il constituait une source essentielle de nourriture pour survivre durant les longs et difficiles mois d’hiver.

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Canadian lake

Food Chain Reactions: How Climate Change Is Impacting Canada’s Lakes

Chaînes alimentaires et réactions en chaîne, ou comment le changement climatique est en train d’impacter les lacs du Canada

A team of researchers has been studying native lake trout in lakes across Canada. They knew that climate change could change Canadian ecosystems drastically. To support the study, the scientists looked for data on lake geography, their physical characteristics, and even the fish communities living within them. Eventually, they assembled a dataset of almost twenty-two thousand Canadian lakes and could draw conclusions about how the lakes are impacted by climate change.

Une équipe de chercheur.euse.s a étudié les touladis indigènes de lacs situés un peu partout au Canada. Ils/elles savaient que le changement climatique pouvait modifier les écosystèmes canadiens de manière spectaculaire. Pour appuyer leur étude, les scientifiques se sont intéressé.e.s aux données sur la géographie des lacs, leurs caractéristiques physiques, et même les communautés de poissons qui y vivent. Ils/elles ont fini par constituer un ensemble de données sur presque vingt-deux mille lacs canadiens, et ont pu tirer des conclusions sur la manière dont les lacs sont affectés par le changement climatique.

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Ice core

Getting to the Core of Climate Change: A Look at How Refrigerants Are Affecting Our Environment through Ice Cores

Au cœur du changement climatique : Grâce aux carottes de glace, voyons comment les réfrigérants affectent notre environnement

Ice cores are long cylinders of ice that are drilled from ice sheets and glaciers. Some ice does not melt, even in the summer, so the snow that falls on it buries snow from past years. That snow eventually turns into ice that has captured the chemicals that were in the air and on the snow when it formed, including pollutants. Ice cores can reveal atmospheric particles or aerosols (which are tiny invisible pieces of solids or liquids that float in the air and even in our atmosphere!) from thousands of years ago and tell us a lot about what the world used to be like.

Les carottes de glace, aussi appelées carottes glaciaires, sont de longs cylindres de glace que l’on fore dans les inlandsis (calottes glaciaires) et les glaciers. Il y a de la glace qui ne fond pas, même en été, alors la neige qui tombe dessus enterre la neige des années passées. Cette neige finit par se transformer en glace, une glace qui a capturé les produits chimiques qui étaient dans l’air et sur la neige quand elle s’est formée, incluant des polluants. Les carottes de glace peuvent révéler des particules atmosphériques ou aérosols (qui sont de toutes petites parcelles invisibles de solides ou de liquides flottant dans l’air et même dans notre atmosphère !) vieilles de milliers d’années, et nous en dire ainsi beaucoup sur comment était le monde autrefois.

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Member Organizations

Meet the 30 science centers participating in GenAction and find local climate action programs in your region.

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