From March 4–7, 2026, the Paris School of International Affairs at Sciences Po hosted the 2026 Annual CARE Conference in Paris. It was focused on two central themes: Adapting Cities to a 4°C World and Sufficiency as a Guide for Mitigation and Adaptation. UBC’s School of Public Policy and Global Affairs (SPPGA) sent a delegation of ten participants to Paris, including six students who took part in panels, research poster presentations, and a student-led simulation exercise during the three-day experiential conference.
The Climate Adaptation, Resilience and Empowerment (CARE) Program is an innovative partnership designed to equip the next generation of climate-conscious global leaders with the knowledge, skills, and experience needed to generate hands-on solutions to the climate crisis. The CARE consortium is made up of members from UBC’s SPPGA, Sciences Po Paris, the University of Toronto’s Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy, and the University of Guelph – all of which were present at the conference alongside leaders from public and private sectors.
UBC delegation members included: M.V. Ramana (SPPGA Faculty; SPPGA Director pro tem), Milind Kandlikar (SPPGA/IRES Faculty; UBC’s CARE Scientific Lead), Amanda Giang (IRES Faculty), Robyn Leuty (SPPGA Assistant Director), Leandro Salud (1st year MPPGA student), Raphael Choquette (1st year MPPGA student; 2025 CARE Scholarship recipient), Nilusha Rattansi (1st year MPPGA student), Sydney Herrington (1st year MPPGA student), Caroline Stampliaka (2nd year Anthropology master’s student) and Arush Gaur (1st year IRES student).
Faculty Perspectives on Policy and Climate Action
SPPGA faculty member M.V. Ramana joined other researchers, policymakers, and practitioners on a roundtable discussion on “Science and Policy Making: Between Evidence and Power.” This discussion engaged with the uneasy reality of how science and policy interact: not as a smooth transfer of knowledge, but as a contested space where evidence, interests, and ideology collide. It included robust discussions about instrumentalization of science, the politics of expertise, the conflicts of legitimacy and reclaiming the science-policy interface.
Amanda Giang, Associate Professor with UBC’s Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability (IRES), spoke as part of a panel discussion on “Setting the Vision, Making it Happen: Mobilizing Policy Resources and Stakeholders’ Engagement,” where she spoke about community-engaged modelling for climate-just mobility transitions.
Showcasing Student Climate Research
UBC students also shared their work during the conference’s research poster reception, presenting projects that address sustainability challenges from interdisciplinary perspectives.
Sydney Herrington (MPPGA student) presented research titled “Material Requirements for a Good Life.” Conducted at the UBC Department of Materials Engineering, this project analyzes large datasets of household survey data to explore relationships between material welfare, subjective well-being, and poverty assessment. The research aims to identify lifestyles that achieve high well-being with lower levels of material consumption and to develop minimum material requirement thresholds that could help guide public policy toward more sustainable and equitable futures.
Arush Gaur (IRES student) presented work from his master’s thesis on the “Impact of Green Energy Transition on Air Quality in India.” His research examines how vehicle electrification and the transition to renewable electricity, particularly solar photovoltaics, may affect air quality. The project seeks to identify the techno-economic and policy levers that could enable India’s energy transition to deliver both climate mitigation and air quality benefits, particularly in rapidly growing urban areas.
Caroline Stampliaka (Anthropology student) presented research on “Climate Risk, Adaptation and the Role of Local Environmental Knowledge in Greek Nomadic Beekeeping.” Her ethnographic study explores how Greek nomadic beekeepers navigate overlapping challenges posed by climate change, economic austerity, and global threats to bee populations. By foregrounding the voices and ecological knowledge of beekeepers, the research examines how climate disruptions intersect with broader economic and political pressures affecting this centuries-old mobile livelihood.
Tribunal for the Yet to Come
Raphael Choquette, Nilusha Rattansi, and Leandro Salud, three students from UBC’s Master of Public Policy and Global Affairs (MPPGA) program, also participated in a bold student-led initiative addressing the climate crisis through the lens of intergenerational equity and global climate justice.
Blending law, science, and advocacy, Tribunal for the Yet to Come investigated real-world climate inaction, developed evidence-based cases, and delivered public verdicts with policy recommendations. Participants took on a range of roles and were coached by Dr. Yamina Saheb (Sciences Po), Professor Laura Tozer, and Ana Diaz Vidal.
The CARE Conference provided a valuable opportunity for students and faculty to engage with international peers, share research, and explore solutions to pressing climate challenges. Through interdisciplinary dialogue and experiential learning, the program continues to foster collaboration across institutions while preparing the next generation of leaders in climate policy and sustainability.
