Blue Ecology and Climate Change: Dealing with uncertainty and managing risk
Municipal Water Supply Governance
In May 2008, the University of British Columbia hosted the second workshop in a series about Municipal Water Supply Infrastructure Governance in Canada.
Kim Stephens, Program Coordinator for the Water Sustainability Action Plan for British Columbia, was invited to make a keynote presentation built around the theme of climate change adaptation.
Blue Ecology
Blue Ecology is a water first ecological philosophy which emerged from interweaving First Nations and Western Science perspectives. Water has a spirit and a central functional role in human society and in the ecosystem.
“The UBC workshop provided a timely opportunity to introduce a pan-Canadian audience to the work of Michael Blackstock, in particular his paper on Blue Ecology and climate change,” states Kim Stephens.
“When I read the paper, it really resonated with me. A key message is the need to focus attention on the spiritual role of water in our world.”
“Michael Blackstock urges us to apply both respect and science-based understanding as we develop collaborative climate change mitigation strategies and instil this respect and understanding in younger generations.”
Build a Vision & Create a Legacy
“Acknowledging water’s central functional and spiritual roles is an important first step in building a vision that will ultimately manifest itself as a legacy,” concludes Kim Stephens.
To read the complete story, click on Program on Water Governance Workshop Series: Sustainable Water Infrastructure Management in Canada.
