Canada’s rate of warming is twice that of the global rate (GoC, 2023), and the goal of net-zero 2050 is looming in front of us.
This panel brings together key figures in the current political, environmental and academic landscapes, with up and coming young scholars and activists, to discuss potential policy-related shifts that can move Canada closer towards its 2050 goals.
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Canadian Science Policy Centre
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Innovation Policy encompasses all policies governing the Canadian innovation ecosystem, which includes all areas of innovation and economic development, private sector R&D, commercialization and technology policies and more. This also includes social innovation.
Science for Policy is the application and use of scientific research and knowledge to inform evidence-based decisions for public policy and regulations in all policy areas, not limited to but including public-interest policy priorities such as health, environment, national security, education, criminal justice and others.
The Policy for Science Award recognizes an individual who has pioneered policies and practices to improve the development of new technologies, capacity building and research infrastructure. Policy for Science focuses on management of science enterprises, the production of new knowledge, the development of new technology, capacity building, training highly quality personnel and research infrastructure. In general, the key targets of Policy for Science are post-secondary institutions, research funding organizations and government science-based departments and agencies.
Science Policy is inclusive of both policy for science and science for policy. Policy for Science focuses on management of science enterprises, i.e., the generation of new knowledge, the development of new technology, capacity building, training highly qualified personnel and research infrastructure. In general, the key targets of policy for science are post-secondary institutions, research funding organizations and government science-based departments and agencies. Science for policy is the application and use of scientific research and knowledge to inform evidence-based decisions for public policy and regulations in all policy areas, not limited to but including public-interest policy priorities such as health, environment, national security, education, and criminal justice and others.
Science & Society focuses on strengthening public understanding and engagement with science, including the relationship between science and society. This includes but is not limited to science communication, science journalism, public engagement, citizen scientist and more.
Janna Wale is Gitxsan from Gitanmaax First Nation, and is also Cree-Métis on her mother’s side. She currently works as a Policy Advisor with the Canadian Climate Institute, within their new Indigenous Research Stream
Where possible, Janna uses a complex human-environmental systems approach, and believes that this lens can be used when looking for ways to bridge western and Indigenous climate work. At the University of British Columbia – Okanagan, Janna’s research focused on climate resilience in Indigenous communities, using a seasonal rounds model. Janna holds a M.Sc. in IGS Sustainability, and a B. Nrs. (Hon.) in Natural Resource Sciences.
In 2023, Janna was the recipient of the Anitra Paris Memorial Award for female youth climate leadership through Clean Energy BC. She also published a report in collaboration with the Yellowhead Institute, and was named as an Indigenous Trailblazer through Diversity in Sustainability. In 2024, she was a finalist for the Community Advocate of the year award through Foresight Canada, and was selected for a Community Award – Emerging Leader through the BC Achievement foundation.
Nour has an interdisciplinary academic and career background in Arboriculture, Urban Forestry, and Architecture. Nour is an ISA-certified arborist qualified in tree risk and wildlife danger tree assessments, with versed experience in working with Protection of Tree By-laws. In addition, Nour is an ambassador for King’s Trust Canada, where she advocates for the importance of shifting economies towards more sustainable and green careers, where people, wildlife, and nature can co-exist in harmony with one another.
Swelen Andari is the Senior Manager, Climate Resilience & Youth Mental Health at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH). She works with the Youth Wellness Hubs Ontario (YWHO) networks to co-design, implement, and scale initiatives that will foster psychological and collective well-being for youth in face of the climate and ecological crises, deepen connections with the land, and create meaningful opportunities for collective action. Swelen has a decade of experience leading the implementation of system-level initiatives aimed at improving access, service design, prevention, and building leadership for youth with lived experience in the child and youth mental health system. For the last five years, they have been part of multiple local and national climate justice organizing efforts, through Climate Justice Toronto, 350’s Our Time Campaign, and co-designing Common Horizon, a social movement organization aimed at reclaiming democratic power, winning real climate solutions, and securing good work and dignified lives for all.
Joshua is a current member of the Chief Science Advisor’s Youth Council (CSA-YA) and recent PhD graduate from the University of Toronto where he used electrochemistry to upgrade CO2 into value-added chemicals and fuels. Prior to his PhD, he completed a BASc in Nanotechnology Engineering from the University of Waterloo. His undergraduate internships and graduate school research trips have taken him across Canada and around the world to China, the US, and France. He now lives in Halifax, Nova Scotia and works as a Technical Program Manager at Twelve, a CO2 transformation company working to decarbonize chemicals and aviation fuel.
Orria Nielsen is a grade 12 student who has been an avid activist since 2019 when she was inspired by Greta Thunberg in the eighth grade. That year, before the pandemic, Orria organized two climate action related protests. Since then, she has been working on planting butterfly gardens, founding the Perth Climate Circle, co-hosting workshops in elementary classes, and attending climate summits.
Batul Gulamhusein (she/they) is a campaigner, grassroots organizer and facilitator. They are a first generation settler of colour based in Tkaronto, but grew up in amiskwaciwâskahikan on Treaty 6 territory. Batul comes from a lineage of Gujarati settlers on Maasai and Kikuyu territory in East Africa. She is a Senior Digital Campaigner at Stand.earth running digital campaigns that demand that banks and pension funds stop funding fossil fuels, and put people before profit and extraction. Batul’s work sits at the intersections of climate justice, abolitionist and anti-racist movements having worked on campaigns calling for a Global Green New Deal, Housing for All and climate solutions that people and the planet first.
