Pacific Museum of Earth Joins National $6 Million Climate Change Project

April 27, 2022

As part of a $37.8 million Climate Action and Awareness Fund, the Government of Canada is investing $6 million toward a youth-focused climate change project, coined GenAction, led by science centres and museums across Canada.

The Pacific Museum of Earth has joined 28 Canadian Association of Science Centres’ (CASC) members including GenAction project leaders, the Discovery Centre in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Science North in Sudbury, Ontario, and The Exploration Place in Prince George, British Columbia. The collective goal is to use the funds to create and deliver GenAction climate change engagement programs, targeting youth in every province and territory in Canada.

GenAction climate change programming, such as school programs, camps, outreach, and other hands-on locally relevant activities, aims to help youth understand current and credible climate change science, transform their thinking, and inspire them to take action. The goal of GenAction programming is to reach 200,000 kindergarten to grade 12 youth and more than 5,000 Indigenous youth in their communities, with a focus on affecting daily actions that will collectively contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

In addition, the Pacific Museum of Earth has partnered with Steamlabs.ca and ECOSchools Canada to create a Virtual Climate Escape Room.

With a reach of over 10 million visitors annually, CASC member science centres and museums play an important role in teaching youth to be critical thinkers and change makers on important issues like climate change.  This contemporary immersive game format will synthesize the knowledge learned throughout the climate program and task groups to “escape” from climate change. Students will use critical-thinking and collaboration skills to solve a series of puzzles encoded in the room’s artifacts that communicate basic concepts of climate change/action in order to escape within a set period of time (45 - 60 minutes). Upon escaping from the game students will make a climate pledge for what climate action they will adopt in their daily life.

“we are thrilled to be a part of this national climate education movement" says the Museum's Director, Dr. Kirsten Hodge, "Our program will fill a critical piece in B.C’s K-12 science curriculum and will allow students to interact directly with climate scientists at UBC.”