Climate Disaster Project

July 14, 2025

A metal bird d ecoration sits on a fence in front of charred ruins, with green hills and mountains in the background — Climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of weather - related disasters, such as the 2021 Lytton Creek fire that destroyed 90 percent of the buildings in Lytton, Canada

Climate professor receives $2.5 million grant to document stories globally

Fires rage, floods devastate, storms surge: every day we hear about the impacts of climate change, with ever-increasing casualty counts and infrastructure damage tipping into the billions. But all too often, climate politics and media reporting favour the voices of experts over victims, resulting in a lost opportunity to act on the first-person experiences of climate-change survivors.

Now, a new initiative led by the University of Victoria (UVic) will close that critical gap in narrative and knowledge, thanks to a six-year, $2.5-million Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council Partnership Grant announced last week.

From Catastrophe to Community: A People’s History of Climate Change will train 500 post-secondary students and professional journalists to document the experience of 1,000 survivors around the world and share their wisdom. 

“Climate change isn’t a threat tomorrow. It’s a trauma today. And when someone lives through that kind of trauma, they need a different climate story where they feel seen in their experiences and know the harm caused to them will be repaired—both now and in the future.” 
~ Sean Holman, UVic writing professor and director of From Catastrophe to Community.

"This is a critical and timely project to be part of as we collectively envision how to build community in the aftermath of climate catastrophes. Based in the School of Public Administration, my contributions to the project will include co-designing pathways for policy justice. This means drawing upon tools of design justice, and seeking to connect the stories of those with lived-experience of extreme weather events or “climate disasters” to decision-making processes." ~ Sarah Marie Wiebe, co-applicant, Climate Disaster Project and professor in UVic's School of Public Administration.