
New UCalgary e-course aims to equip Albertans with climate knowledge
By Vama Saini, February 2 2024—
A new free online course from the University of Calgary aims to help Albertans cut through climate misinformation and better understand the impacts of climate change on their daily lives. Preparing Albertans for Climate Change is part of Mobilizing Alberta, an initiative out of UCalgary’s Office of Sustainability, and was developed in partnership with the Prairie Climate Centre at the University of Winnipeg and Re.Climate, housed at Carleton University.
Rachelle Haddock, project lead for Mobilizing Alberta, explained that the motivation for the course stems from widespread concern about climate change among Albertans.
“The majority of Albertans are concerned about climate change,” Haddock said. “According to a recent survey, 64 per cent of Albertans are very concerned or concerned about climate change. And given that there’s so much misinformation out there, this free course is our response to our community’s need for trusted information on climate change in our province.”
“We wanted to make a one-stop shop for anyone hoping to learn more about how climate change affects Albertans and how we can take action,” Haddock continued.
The course was developed in collaboration with multiple institutions, each bringing its own area of expertise. The Prairie Climate Centre is known for its Canadian Climate Atlas, which provides data and visualizations on climate impacts, while Re.Climate focuses on climate communication strategies.
“Both of those teams bring a real depth and breadth of experience in generating awareness about climate change and how it affects Canada and how Canadians can take action,” said Haddock.
Haddock highlighted how these partnerships helped make the course both engaging and relevant to Albertans.
“The Prairie Climate Centre has real expertise in generating audiovisual content, and Re.Climate has incredible knowledge and experience around how to talk about climate change. That’s a really challenging topic for a lot of people — I’m sure many folks can relate to having awkward conversations at different holiday family meals,” she said. “We were also able to tap into subject matter experts from here at the U of C who can speak to how climate change is affecting Alberta, what’s underway right now and how people like ourselves can take action.”
Designed for ease of access, the course consists of several 45-minute modules that participants can complete at their own pace, with the entire course taking approximately four to five hours. Upon completion, participants receive a certificate that can be added to resumes or LinkedIn profiles.
“We know people are busy. They have lots of things going on in their lives. We wanted to make the course as easy as possible, as barrier-free as possible, for folks to access,” Haddock explained. “People have the flexibility to go at their own pace.”
One key component of the course is the Talking Climate Toolkit, which provides practical resources to help people navigate conversations about climate change — often a contentious topic in Alberta. The module, created by Re.Climate and featuring Executive Director Amber Bennett, is designed to help participants communicate effectively about climate issues with their communities.
“Talking about climate change is a really important and easy action that any of us can take,” Haddock said. “The toolkit lays out a number of topics that Albertans share in common and provides a framework for having these conversations. What’s really at the heart of it is being curious, discovering what commonalities we share with other Albertans, asking questions, listening and enjoying the process.”
The course takes a localized approach, covering topics such as Alberta’s emissions, energy transition and sustainable transportation. Haddock emphasized that the goal is to inform and empower Albertans to take meaningful action.
“The course itself, through the different modules, looks at climate change issues and how they impact our region,” she said. “Climate change affects all facets of our lives — how we work, how we live, our economy and our communities. We also know many Albertans are experiencing climate anxiety. But taking action, even small steps, can be motivating.”
The course will continue to evolve as new climate information emerges, with updates planned over the next year and a half.
“The project runs for about another year and a half, so we will be updating information as governmental policies change and new data emerges,” Haddock said. “It’s currently set to wrap up in May 2026, unless we are able to raise additional funding.”
She also noted that the initiative aligns with UCalgary’s broader sustainability efforts.
“This course is part of the university’s Institutional Sustainability Strategy, which aims to integrate sustainability across academic, administrative and operational practices. UCalgary has already made progress in reducing its climate change emissions, and this course fits into that larger commitment.”
Beyond being an educational tool, Haddock hopes the course serves as a stepping stone for individuals looking to engage with climate action in their own communities.
“Climate change has real mental health impacts, especially for young people,” she said, referencing a recent study that surveyed 15,000 adolescents in the United States.
“Forty per cent of respondents said climate change affects their mental health — that’s a staggering statistic. Hopefully, students and Albertans who resonate with that can take this course and learn how to take action right here in our province,” Haddock continued.
Those interested can access the course by visiting the UCalgary Sustainability website.