Climate change impacts us all, and we are all responsible for taking action. This symposium aims to engage citizens, students and scientists in taking action to advance food, health and biodiversity.
It is important to provide knowledge, scope for reflection and opportunities for action on the topic of nutrition and climate change in addition to the known facts.
Through conversations with experts, interactive formats and practical group work, the participants will learn about global connections as well as local options for action. What does sustainable nutrition mean today – and how can we change the world of tomorrow together?
Date: Thursday, October 2, 2025 Time: 9:00am to 4:00pm Location: UBC Botanical Garden, Reception Centre, 6804 SW Marine Drive, Vancouver, BC Canada V6T 1Z4 Cost: $5.00, lunch and refreshments will be provided
Program Overview
9:00 amWelcome Welcome by the Consulates General Germany and France, UBC Botanical Garden (K. Höntsch, G. Dantelle, T. Moreau)
9:25 am“Art Links Cause and Effect” Art can explain science. Photographs of the Artist and Activist J Henry Fair J. Henry Fair, - Artist/Activist, New York
9:55 am“From Seafloor to Mountaintop: How the climate crisis is hitting BC” Climate Conditions in Vancouver, BC and beyond in the past, present, future Darius Mahdavi – Science Specialist, CBC News Network & CBC British Columbia
10:25 am “Can we grow and eat our way to sustainability?” Sustainable Food Systems Dr. Navin Ramankutty – UBC Professor and Canada Research Chair (CRC) Tier 1 in Data Science for Sustainable Global Food Systems at the School of Public Policy and Global Affairs and IRES
10:55 amCoffee break
11:20 am“Biodiversity & Ecosystems. Insects: Small but Crucial” The role of insects and ecosystem services in climate adaptation Dr. Steffen Pauls – Professor for Entomology, Senckenberg-Leibniz Institution for Biodiversity and Earth System Research
11:50 am“Prescribing Nature and Food for Community and Planetary Health” Connections between human health and environmental wellbeing Dr. Melissa Lem – Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment
12:20 pm“Climate Change and microbial biodiversity” Possible impacts on our food and gut microbiota Dr. Emmanuelle Helloin (INRAE, France) - Research Engineer specializing in bacteriology at INRAE, the French National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment
12:40 pmLunch break and optional garden tour Refreshing vegetarian climate friendly buffet | Optional tour to the garden
1:45 pm“Horizon Europe: Your Gateway to Global Research Collaboration” Program and the support UBC can provide for a successful application Paola Baca – Senior Manager, Engagement, Office of the Vice-President, Research and Innovation
2:00 pm“How to cut carbon emissions and get happier?” Summary about the morning session and finding new perspectives Dr. Jiaying Zhao – Associate Professor, Institute for Resources, Environment & Sustainability, Department of Psychology, UBC
2:15 pmDialog Rounds organized as World Café Moderated discussion rounds with experts as hosts
Registration is closed now - the event is sold out
Step into these breathtaking images of nature — so vivid and inviting, they seem like the perfect holiday escape … until …
J Henry Fair’s photographs dazzle with color and beauty — until you learn what they truly depict. Through his images, he challenges us to consider whether art can convey the urgency of biodiversity loss more powerfully than words ever could.
J Henry Fair is an American photographer and environmental activist, internationally recognized for his hauntingly beautiful aerial images of environmental destruction. His acclaimed series Industrial Scars has been exhibited worldwide and earned him honors such as Environmental Photographer of the Year (2019). Fair’s work appears in The New York Times, National Geographic, and Die Zeit, among others. He divides his time between New York and Berlin.
Splendor sine occasu. “Splendour without diminishment.” For over a century, British Columbia's official motto has promised the enduring beauty of our province. But in the era of the climate crisis, can that promise still hold? Darius Mahdavi will take the audience on a journey across BC, from seafloor to mountaintop, to explore how the climate crisis is reshaping our home – and the efforts underway to protect it.
Darius Mahdavi is the science communicator for CBC News Network, where he brings audiences clear and engaging insights on everything from quirky discoveries to urgent climate issues and extreme weather events. He holds a degree in conservation biology and immunology from the University of Toronto and shares his expertise through daily radio segments and nightly television appearances on Hanomansing Tonight and CBC Vancouver News. Based in Vancouver, he connects the global climate picture to the local impacts you can see in your own backyard.
What if the way we farm and the choices we make at the dinner table could help solve global environmental problems? Can we change our food system to protect the planet while still feeding everyone? Navin Ramankutty will guide audiences through the scientific evidence on sustainable farming and eating practices, exploring what’s possible and what works.
Navin Ramankutty is Professor and Canada Research Chair in Data Science for Sustainable Global Food Systems at the University of British Columbia. Originally trained as an engineer, he now focuses on climate science, ecosystem science, and global food systems, using Earth observations and ecosystem models to evaluate humanity’s impact on the land. He has contributed to the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, the IPCC Fourth Assessment, and the IPBES. Ramankutty is a recipient of the 2020 Wihuri International Prize for his work on sustainable food systems.
Nature prescriptions—including prescriptions for food gardening—are being written by healthcare professionals across the planet, from Scotland to Japan to the United States. And rightly so: from improved blood pressure and immune function to reduced stress and ADHD symptoms, evidence is growing about the health benefits of access to nature and biodiversity. In November 2020, PaRx, Canada's national nature prescription program, was launched within British Columbia. Less than two years later it had spread to all ten provinces. Dr. Lem will discuss research highlights from the wide-ranging body of knowledge on nature, health and food, present an overview of PaRx, including its significant national and international influence, and reveal how prescribing nature can improve both patient and planetary health.
Melissa Lem is a Vancouver-based family physician who also serves rural and northern communities across Canada. She is Co-Founder of PaRx, Canada’s national nature prescription program, and President of the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment. A recognized leader in the field of nature and health, she is a clinical assistant professor at the University of British Columbia, a widely published writer, and a regular climate and health commentator on CBC. Dr. Lem has received multiple awards, including the 2024 Canadian Eco-Hero Award and the 2024 YWCA Women of Distinction Award.
What can insects tell us about the health of our rivers, forests, and cities? How is environmental change reshaping the diversity of life from genes to communities? Steffen Pauls will explore how studying insects can help us understand—and monitor—the hidden impacts of human activity on ecosystems.
Steffen Pauls is a leading ecologist specializing in freshwater systems and insect biodiversity. He earned his doctorate from the University of Duisburg-Essen and completed postdoctoral work in Frankfurt, Chicago, and St. Paul. Pauls currently leads the Department of Terrestrial Zoology at the Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre in Frankfurt, overseeing a collection of roughly 1.3 million specimens. Since 2019, he has also been Professor of General Entomology at Justus Liebig University in Giessen, Germany.
Can cutting carbon emissions actually make us happier? Why do doom-and-gloom climate narratives often fail to inspire action? Jiaying Zhao presents a radical shift: combining happiness science with climate science to identify actions that reduce emissions while boosting well-being. Her talk explores how joy can become a powerful driver of collective climate action.
Jiaying Zhao (JZ) is an associate professor in the Department of Psychology and the Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability at UBC. She directs the Behavioral Sustainability Lab, designing innovative, high-impact solutions to tackle environmental and social challenges. JZ is co-author of the forthcoming book Leave the Lights On: How Joyful Decisions Can Save Our Species and has advised governments, NGOs, and businesses worldwide. She has received the King Charles III Coronation Medal, Killam Research Prize, and holds a Canada Research Chair in Behavioural Sustainability.
How can Canadian researchers tap into Europe’s largest research and innovation program? What opportunities does Horizon Europe offer for global partnerships, and how can scholars make the most of Canada’s new associated country status? Paola Baca will guide audiences through strategies, best practices, and lessons learned from Canada’s first year of engagement with Horizon Europe.
Paola Baca is Senior Manager, Engagement for Horizon Europe at UBC’s Office of the Vice-President, Research & Innovation. She provides strategic leadership to help scholars create and expand international research partnerships through Horizon Europe, the European Commission’s €93.5 billion research and innovation program. Since Canada became an Associated Country in 2024, she has been guiding Canadian researchers to leverage the program for global impact across health, climate, and social inclusion projects.
Climate Change and Microbial Biodiversity: Possible Impacts on Our Food and Gut Microbiota
While climate change threatens iconic animal species, its impact on microbes—invisible to the naked eye—is just as critical, especially for our food and our health. Climate change isn't just about rising temperatures; it's a cascade of environmental perturbations that are disrupting ecosystems. This cascade of effects emphasizes the importance of protecting the microbial biodiversity of our environment as a way to preserve our own health.
Dr. Emmanuelle Helloin is a research engineer specializing in bacteriology at INRAE, the French National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment. Her academic background includes a Master's degree in Microbial Ecology with a focus on the biological treatment of wastewater, and doctoral research on the impact of environmental factors on Listeria monocytogenes in cheese production. She furthered her research with a post-doctoral fellowship focused on identifying virulence factors of extraintestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli. Currently, she is responsible for organizing and developing the CIRM-BP, a culture collection of animal and human pathogenic bacteria at INRAE (Tours). Dr. Helloin's current objectives involve expanding the CIRM-BP collection to include commensal bacteria and a microbiota biobank, aiming to make these resources accessible to the international scientific community. She actively participates in European and national research projects focused on characterizing bacterial biodiversity and evaluating potential new antimicrobial agents.
Photo Consent Disclaimer: Photos will be taken at this event. Photo consent will be obtained from participants on the day of the event, during registration.
Cancellation Policies: We do not have the capacity to change tickets for a different time or refund tickets. If the event is cancelled due to circumstances beyond our control, ticket holders will receive a gift card for the value of their tickets that can be redeemed for UBC Botanical Garden and Nitobe Memorial Garden admission and in The Shop in the Garden.
