How we can prepare for future years of climate disaster
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- Published on Sunday, 29 November -0001 16:00
- Written by editor





Dear Paov,
Resilience: the capacity to bounce back from adversity and adapt well to changing circumstances.
The concept of resilience has been front and centre for British Columbians given that BC was the poster child for climate change in 2021. And if business proceeds as usual, we can expect more turbulence ahead.
What happens when we change how we think about resilience? Rather than simply “rolling with the punches” and dealing with the aftermath, resilience can mean taking bold steps forward and choosing to rebuild differently, on a foundational level, coming back stronger and better positioned to thrive in a changing environment.
A new year could be our opportunity to do just that, and our team explains what this could look like below.

On our road to recovery, Staff Lawyer Andrew Gage highlights key climate change lessons for the new year and how climate scenarios laid out in BC’s 2019 Risk Assessment could have helped the province better prepare for climate disasters, like the ones that hit BC in 2021. In 2022, what can we expect from the federal government for ocean protection and management?

From aquaculture and fisheries to cruise ships, plastics, and more – our Marine team breaks down the government’s latest ocean commitments to see if they rise to the challenge of our climate and biodiversity crises. Protecting Vancouver from climate change is costly – and Big Oil should help pay

In their op-ed for the Georgia Straight, West Coast’s Andrew Gage and Julia Kidder explain how cities could sue Big Oil and shift the financial burden so that top polluters pay their fair share. Check it out here. West Coast’s 2021 Year in Review

West Coast is excited to share our 2021 Year in Review, with a huge thank you to everyone who made these achievements possible! In 2022 and for years to come, we know that, together, our work on legal solutions will continue to make a difference for nature and communities. New Faces at West Coast

Alex comes from an exciting background in the labour movement and community organizing. They’ll be working closely with our Executive Director & Senior Counsel to support the organizational governance and operations of West Coast.
Carol is bringing her many years of experience in the non-profit sector into her new role steering our A2J Program, helping communities defend the people, species, and places they love from environmental harm.
Attention environmental & Indigenous rights lawyers – we're hiring!
West Coast is seeking two lawyers to join our RELAW (Revitalizing Indigenous Law for Land, Air & Water) team. If you're passionate about using your legal skills to achieve environmental sustainability, social justice, and Indigenous self-determination,
check out the full job posting or share this opportunity with someone you think would be a great fit. Deadline to apply is January 31st, 2022.
In this New Year, we hope you will consider West Coast Environmental Law as part of your resolution to protect the environment through the law. Our Research Foundation depends on donations to continue our work into 2022 and beyond. Please consider making a tax-deductible gift today.