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A Guide to Understanding & Acting on Climate Change
What is Climate Change?
Climate change refers to long-term, significant shifts in the Earth's average temperatures and weather patterns. These changes can occur naturally due to things like solar cycles or volcanic eruptions. But today, the rapid pace of warming is driven almost entirely by human activity, particularly the burning of fossil fuels, large-scale deforestation, and industrial processes. These actions release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, trapping heat and warming the planet at
a rate never seen before.
Five Major Causes of Climate Change
Burning Fossil Fuels
Coal, oil, and natural gas are used for electricity, transportation, and industry. When burned, they release large amounts of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases that trap heat and warm the planet. In 2024, global temperatures passed the critical 1.5C milestone for the first time. Fossil fuels are responsible for approximately 68% of global greenhouse gas emissions and about 90% of all carbon emissions, according to the United Nations. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has confirmed that fossil fuels are the primary driver of climate change.
Deforestation
Forests absorb CO₂ and store carbon in their trees and soil. When forests are cut down or burned for agriculture, development, or logging, that stored carbon is released back into the atmosphere—while also eliminating one of our most important natural carbon sinks.
Industrialization
Factories release a variety of greenhouse gases, including CO₂, methane (CH₄), and fluorinated gases, many of which are extremely powerful heat-trapping chemicals. These emissions occur during the production of cement, plastics, steel, chemicals, and everyday goods.
Agriculture & Livestock
Cattle release methane, a greenhouse gas far more powerful than CO₂. Fertilizers emit nitrous oxide, and rice paddies generate methane, all contributing significantly to global warming.
Landfills
Landfills release methane when organic materials break down, and the creation and disposal of many products, especially plastics, add further greenhouse gases to the atmosphere.
Why Does Climate Change Matter?
Climate change matters because it touches every part of our lives; our health, our safety, our food, our homes, and our future. At the WIL, we believe in Healing Ourselves, Healing Each Other, and Healing the Planet, and climate change sits at the center of all three. As the planet warms, the impacts we face become more severe and more interconnected. Climate change is often called a “threat-multiplier” because it intensifies existing challenges. Communities with limited resources, weaker infrastructure, or existing health burdens are hit first and hardest. Low-income regions, Indigenous nations, and people living in climate-sensitive environments face disproportionate risks, from extreme weather to food shortages to economic instability.
How Does Climate Change Affect Us?
Climate change has direct affects on our health, safety, and daily lives. Rising temperatures and more frequent extreme heatwaves increase heat stress, hospitalizations, and deaths, and even threaten infrastructure and labour productivity globally. According to the World Health Organization, shifting weather patterns and extreme events like floods, droughts, and wildfires degrade clean air, water, and food systems — all essential drivers of human health and well-being. In Canada, these impacts are already visible through more intense summer heat, air quality issues from wildfire smoke, and increased costs to public health systems and the economy. If warming reaches 2 °C by 2050, studies suggest the number of people exposed to extreme heat could nearly double worldwide.
From Climate Distress to Climate Action
Ways to Take Action
Start conversations
Many people care deeply about the climate but feel alone in their concern. Talking openly about climate change helps break that silence, builds connection, and reminds us that we’re not facing this alone.
Connect through shared values
We don’t have to agree on everything to work together. Many of us share common hopes: a livable future for our children, a love for nature, and a desire for fairness, health, and community. When we begin from what we have in common, collaboration becomes possible.
Find your people
Change doesn’t happen in isolation. Joining a group or initiative that aligns with your values can offer support, purpose, and momentum. Community helps transform overwhelm into collective strength.
Use your voice
Reach out to elected officials, community leaders, and media to share what matters to you. Even when decision-makers already agree, public support strengthens their ability and courage to act.
Support the work financially, if you’re able
Donations to organizations working on climate, justice, and community initiatives help sustain long-term, systemic change.
Show up and participate
Collective action can take many forms — from attending events and demonstrations to making thoughtful choices about where you bank, invest, or spend your money. Supporting divestment from fossil fuels and advocating for renewable energy and just policies are powerful ways to challenge harmful systems and build better ones.
Student-Led Initiatives at the Wellness Impact Lab
Two interconnected, student-led initiatives have emerged from the Wellness Impact Lab, reflecting our commitment to the idea that personal, community, and planetary wellbeing are deeply intertwined. Together, these initiatives create complementary spaces for healing, reflection, and action, meeting students where they are and supporting them in moving from climate distress toward meaningful engagement with climate change.
The Nest Initiative
The Nest is a student-led climate wellness and collective action initiative developed through York University’s Agents of Change program. It offers dedicated, peer-led spaces where students can explore and process climate emotions, build resilience, and move toward meaningful climate action together.Nest Circles integrate evidence-informed wellness practices, such as meditation and gentle movement, with artistic expression and community dialogue. Through partnerships with community organizations across Canada and expanding collaborations with universities, The Nest is growing into a supportive network that strengthens climate wellness and student resilience. At its core, The Nest is a safe and affirming space for students seeking connection, care, and a pathway from overwhelm to empowerment through collective action.
The Climate Collective (TCC)
The Climate Collective at York is a student-led initiative that serves as a hub for students passionate about climate change, while fostering inclusive, reflective, and research-connected engagement. TCC focuses on the intersections of climate justice, mental health, and identity, with a particular emphasis on reimagining masculinity in the face of ecological crisis.TCC also serves as a gateway into the Gentlemen’s Climate Café (GCC), creating spaces for dialogue, critical reflection, and community-building around climate, care, and responsibility.
Want to learn more and take action? Click here for resources and ways to get involved in climate initiatives.
