Ecology North is hosting a youth summit Aug. 17 to 21 dedicated to young leaders who want to do more about climate change.
As the application deadline was July 25, those who signed up for the summit will learn more about environmental changes from researchers, Elders and leaders in various fields.
One such mentor highlighted by Ecology North is Daniel T’seleie, who’s excited for the upcoming event — this being his first in quite a while.
“It has been years since I participated in a summit,” said T’seleie. “I see it as a good place for people to learn about climate science and Northern impacts; climate policy at the national and domestic levels; specific human rights impacts climate change has on Indigenous peoples; and creative tactics for taking action on climate change.”
Asked about his role as mentor, T’seleie said he’s glad to share his knowledge and experience with the youth who will be attending.
“I’m lucky to have had a lot of opportunities to learn about these issues and work with excellent people from all over the world on strategies and tactics for raising awareness and spurring action on climate change,” said T’seleie. “I feel like there’s an obligation on me to share that experience with other impacted peoples.”
As for the summit itself, T’seleie hopes that participants will come away from it feeling empowered.
“It’s easy to feel powerless when facing a global issue like climate change,” said T’seleie. “Knowledge helps people feel like they are in control and pushes back against the idea that we are helpless and can’t do anything about this crisis.”
T’seleie also feels that the event will underscore the severity of climate change, helping to keep the conversation going.
“The difficulty now is not inspiring people to do something,” said T’seleie. “The difficult part is answering the question ‘What do we do?’ Our role as mentors is to share tools and knowledge so that they feel equipped to do something about climate change.”