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!
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
Join the Movement and Pledge to Be a Climate Hero Today
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.
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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Buggy about Bats
Protégeons les chauves-souris
Disturbances to forests can affect everything living in them. A major disturbance to British Columbia forests in the past twenty-three years has been bark beetles. One animal that scientists believed stood to, in fact, benefit from the bark beetle’s presence was the federally endangered Little Brown Myotis, or Little Brown Bat. This is because areas of forest more affected by the bark beetle provide better habitat for the bats in the form of less canopy cover. The little brown bat is a tiny bat that calls much of Canada home. Little brown bats eat all kinds of insects, such as moths, flies, mosquitoes, beetles, or other bugs that are available.
Les perturbations que subissent les forêts peuvent affecter tout ce qui vit en leur sein. Les scolytes ont infligé de sérieuses perturbations aux forêts de la Colombie-Britannique (C.-B.) au cours des vingt-trois dernières années. D’après les scientifiques, un animal a, en fait, bénéficié de la présence des scolytes : le vespertilion brun, désigné comme une espèce en péril par le gouvernement fédéral, et aussi connu sous le nom de petite chauve-souris brune. C’est parce que des zones de la forêt davantage affectées par les scolytes offrent un meilleur habitat aux chauves-souris, parce que le couvert forestier y est moins important. La petite chauve-souris brune, comme l’indique son nom, est une chauve-souris de petite taille que l’on retrouve pratiquement partout au Canada. Les petites chauves-souris brunes mangent toutes sortes d’insectes, comme les papillons nocturnes, les mouches, les moustiques, les coléoptères, ou autres « bibittes » disponibles.
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Forestry, Part of Our Carbon Friendly Future
La foresterie, une composante de notre avenir avec un meilleur bilan carbone
Together the trees and the soil in forests store a lot of carbon. The carbon in forests in Canada is crucial for a lot of reasons. Importantly it provides “fuel” that healthy ecosystems need. Carbon absorbed from the air by trees and plants moves from them to animals and microorganisms (like fungi) in a complicated web of connections.
Canada’s forests are also essential because the carbon they take out of the atmosphere helps limit climate change. Climate change, which is caused mainly by burning coal, oil, and gas to make energy, is a threat to many plants and animals and to the health of humans. Making sure that Canada’s forests are healthy is one of the ways that we can do our part to reduce the impacts of climate change.
Canada’s forests are also essential because the carbon they take out of the atmosphere helps limit climate change. Climate change, which is caused mainly by burning coal, oil, and gas to make energy, is a threat to many plants and animals and to the health of humans. Making sure that Canada’s forests are healthy is one of the ways that we can do our part to reduce the impacts of climate change.
Ensemble, les arbres et le sol des forêts emmagasinent beaucoup de carbone. Le carbone des forêts du Canada est crucial pour beaucoup de raisons. Il fournit le « carburant » dont les écosystèmes sains ont besoin. Le carbone absorbé de l’air par les arbres et les plantes passe de ceux-ci aux animaux et aux microorganismes (comme les champignons) dans un réseau compliqué de connexions.
Les forêts du Canada sont également essentielles parce que le carbone qu’elles retirent de l’atmosphère aide à limiter le changement climatique. Le changement climatique, qui est principalement causé par le charbon, le pétrole et le gaz que l’on fait brûler pour générer de l’énergie, représente une menace pour de nombreuses plantes et de nombreux animaux, ainsi que pour la santé des êtres humains. S’assurer de la bonne santé des forêts du Canada est l’une des façons dont nous pouvons faire notre part pour réduire les effets du changement climatique.
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Potato Perils
Les pommes de terre en danger
Recently, local P.E.I farmers have been more and more concerned about the unpredictable changes that are occurring due to climate change and wanted to find ways to predict how these changes would affect their potato harvesting in the future.
Récemment, des agriculteur.trice.s locaux.ales de l’Î.-P.-É. ont commencé à s’inquiéter de plus en plus des changements imprévisibles qui se produisent en raison du changement climatique, et ils/elles ont voulu trouver des façons de prévoir comment ces changements affecteraient leurs récoltes de pommes de terre à l’avenir.
Member Organizations
Meet the 30 science centers participating in GenAction and find local climate action programs in your region.
