What if there was a way for diverse actors within a local community to come together in a collaborative space to deepen their climate leadership and accelerate impact on the ground?
With the support of the Government of Canada and Definity Insurance Foundation, the Community Climate Transitions team at Tamarack is launching the third edition of the Climate Transitions Cohort – and you're invited to apply!
Contact Laura Schnurr
Applications for 2024 are now closed
We know that local leaders and community members have a crucial role to play when it comes to addressing the climate crisis. We also know that they often lack access to proven methodologies and the support they need in order to implement their vision effectively.
The Climate Transitions Cohort is a unique opportunity for communities across Canada to learn from some of the most promising emerging solutions and collaborative governance innovations to build and/or advance a whole-of-community climate action plan that is unique to their local needs.
Keep reading to learn more about what the program is about and how to apply! The deadline for applications is December 15, 2023.
Communities are on the frontlines of the climate crisis. As a systemic issue, the climate crisis is further complicated by challenges such as growing inequality, accelerating environmental degradation, and the rise of global risk events such as the Covid-19 pandemic––all of which continue to take place in a context of unequal power dynamics, rising social isolation, and extractive economic systems.
As interactive and interconnected issues, these factors make local communities more vulnerable to adverse climate impacts, ultimately affecting their capacity to respond swiftly to their intersectional dimensions. For this and many other reasons, the time is now for bold and ambitious collective action. We must accelerate our efforts to tackle the climate crisis and ensure dignity for all so that no one is left behind.
Community Climate Transitions at Tamarack is premised on a deceptively simple question: How can we support local efforts to develop bold and equitable climate transition plans and learn from one another in the process?
The Climate Transitions Cohort is the beginning of your learning and action journey with Tamarack, designed for changemakers inside and outside of local governments who are looking to develop and implement community plans for a just and equitable climate transition.
With the support of the Government of Canada and Definity Insurance Foundation, the Community Climate Transitions team at Tamarack is launching the third edition of the Climate Transitions Cohort.
Over the course of communities' first year with the network, they will join a group of trailblazing communities from across Canada to take part in a cohort learning journey to develop and implement community plans for a just and equitable climate transition. The cohort is intended to be communities' first phase of engagement with the Community Climate Transitions network; we hope they will continue their learning and action journeys with us as returning members over the years to come.
Community changemakers from inside and outside of local governments are invited to come together, learn how to develop a shared vision for local climate action, and set a common agenda with local stakeholders through a process called Collective Impact: an innovative, whole-community approach that prioritizes multi-sectoral leadership and deep civic engagement in complex decision-making processes such as equitable climate transitions.
In addition to capacity-building and networking opportunities, the Cohort doubles as a community of practice for rapid experimentation and prototyping of solutions aimed at advancing the development (and implementation) of a successful climate transition plan.
Membership to the Cohort grants access to a program unique in its scope and reach in Canada. In your first year, the ambitious program will guide participants through a learning journey that includes:
For a full list of membership benefits, see our Membership Package for 2024.
The cohort is open to communities across Canada (municipal governments, multistakeholder coalitions, resident-led groups, nonprofits, and others) that are interested in developing a transition plan or updating an existing one, and that meet the following criteria:
Communities must be Tamarack members in order to be eligible. Consult CCT's Membership Package for more information
If your community/group identifies as low-income and/or equity-deserving, you may qualify for CCT’s Community Fund and benefit from a reduced or waived membership fee. Contact us at kieran@tamarackcommunity.ca to know more about CCT's Community Fund.
If you are a francophone community in Canada, we invite you to join the 2024 French-speaking cohort. More information can be found on this dedicated page.
Here is an overview of the curriculum for the 2024 Cohort:
The following timeline provides an overview of important dates prior to the launch of the 2024 Cohort in early February.
We are inviting communities to submit a short application explaining their interest in participating in the 2024 cohort. The application process will be open until December 15, 2023.
Laura, Kieran and Astrid will be the core team supporting communities throughout this journey, in collaboration with colleagues from across Tamarack and our Community Climate Transitions network. We are also guided by an Advisory Group of 11 climate and equity leaders who are CCT members and partner organizations.
Email Laura Schnurr: Laura@tamarackcommunity.ca
In 2022 we had 19 communities in our Cohort and in 2023 we had 30 communities participate in the Cohort between our English- and French-language initiatives. Read the linked blog posts to learn more about the communities and their work.
Check out this media coverage of past Cohorts and stories from participating communities.
Curious to learn more about the Community Climate Transitions world? Here are more resources to get you started on your learning journey!
In the spirit of respect, reciprocity, and truth we honour and acknowledge that our work occurs across Turtle Island (North America), which has been home since time immemorial to the ancestors of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Peoples.
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