The Year of Climate ActionRising-Up, Transitioning, Regenerating, and Sustaining Together

  • a beautiful sunset along a lakeshore
  • A Lakehead student holding a large chunk of ice infront of their face
  • A chipmunk eating a nut
  • Beautiful foliage and a walking path
  • Students planting new trees and shrubs

What is YOCA?


Science demands a dramatic reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in each year of this decade if we are to avoid the worst of human-caused climate change. Lakehead University's commitments to social responsibility and sustainability demand that we take action to create a healthy, just, and sustainable future. The question is not whether we can do this, but how will we do this?

What we do today sets our path for tomorrow.

On November 26th, 2020, Lakehead confirmed its leadership on climate change by announcing it is divesting its endowment of fossil fuel stocks, the sixth Canadian university to do so. Building on this accomplishment and recognizing the need for more bold steps to tackle climate change, Lakehead University is declaring 2021/2022 (academic year) the Year of Climate Action (YOCA).

YOCA is about...

  • recognizing the causes and consequences of climate change, and the steps that we need to take to restore our relationships with each other and the land. This is an opportunity to reflect on the 94 Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and how our actions should advance on social, environmental and climate justice, including intergenerational inequity.
  • rising up, regenerating, transitioning, and sustaining.
  • creating the possibility for change that is amplified when we work together.

YOCA is an invitation, a call to action, and an opportunity for faculty, staff, administration, students, and our larger community to collectively join together to listen, learn, share, and most importantly act on climate change.

Will you join us?

Get Involved Become a member of Lakehead's climate caucus

A beautiful display of ice in deep snow

What is Climate Action?


Action aimed at reducing GHGs (mitigation), adaptation, resilience building, and activism.

Learn More
Students learning about the effects of climate change near a river

#36ClimateActions


#36ClimateActions is the social media campaign of the Year of Climate Action. It is our invitation to you to listen, learn, engage, and act on climate change.

Take Action

A butterfly landing on some sunflowers

About YOCA


Learn about how YOCA was created and the steps we plan to take to restore our relationship with eachother and the land.

About our Background
A fire on a beach in North-western Ontario

Learning Resources


We’ve compiled several resources so that we can all become educated in the fight against Climate Change.

View our Resources

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