1. The City’s Symphony: Linking Nature’s Fading Notes, Rising Urban Noise, and Connection to Nature
2. Renewable Energy Politics in Fossil Fuel Producing Jurisdictions: A Comparative Study of Norway and Alberta
Time: 12:30pm to 1:20pm
Location: Beaty Museum Allan Yap Theatre
No food or drinks allowed in the Beaty Museum. Only water in sealable containers are allowed.
Talk summary:
Urban soundscapes are shifting as human-made noise increasingly drowns out natural sounds like birdsong. This transformation has wide-reaching implications, not only for biodiversity, but also for how people connect with nature, experience well-being, and engage with the environment.
My research explores the impacts of urban noise on human perception, psychological well-being, and environmental relationality. Using experimental soundscapes, surveys, and literature review, I investigate how changes in everyday sound shape people’s experience of urban nature and may contribute to declining kinship with nature (or, foster it!).
Findings reveal inequities in exposure to restorative soundscapes and connect noise pollution to stress, cognitive strain, and environmental injustice. I propose strategies to restore acoustic biodiversity through urban design (from lower speed limits to sound-conscious green spaces) as a pathway to healthier, more equitable, and ecologically vibrant cities.
Bio:
Clare is a MA student in the Connected Human and Natural Systems (CHANS) Lab at UBC’s Institute for Resources, Environment, and Sustainability, studying urban soundscapes. Her research explores the relationships between birdsong, anthropogenic
noise, and perceptions of nature. She aims to understand how our sonic and built environments interact, shaping our sense of kinship with nature and more-than-human others.
Talk summary:
Effective climate change mitigation demands a transition from fossil fuels to renewable sources of energy. Yet, the global energy mix remains heavily dominated by fossil fuels, and producers show little willingness to phase out their respective industries.
This talk explores the emergence and divergence of renewable electricity policy in two-fossil fuel producing jurisdictions. Norway and Alberta are united by their dominant fossil fuel industry and commitment to maintaining production in the face of increasing decarbonization pressures. However, while Norway has pursued a government subsidized offshore wind strategy amidst high costs and poor profitability outlooks, Alberta has introduced restrictive regulations for wind/solar development despite the sector bringing investments, jobs and economic growth to the province. Through comparing these two jurisdictions, this talks sheds light on the decision-making processes that underpin renewable electricity policymaking in jurisdictions with vested interests in fossil fuels.
Bio:
I am an MA Student at UBCs Institute of Resources, Environment and Sustainability, working at the intersection of energy and climate policy. Supervised by Professor in Political Science, Kathryn Harrison, my research investigates renewable energy politics in fossil fuel producing and exporting jurisdictions.
My academic interests in climate, and environmental matters are grounded in my own affection for the outdoors, which I often enjoy on foot, on skis or tied into a rope on a cliff face.