CEDAR officially launched on Thursday, Oct. 12, 2023 at 10am at St. Thomas University. The media release is below. The launch archive page with a photo, short video and news article is HERE.
The CEDAR project, St. Thomas University, Fredericton
Media Advisory: Researchers, educators, Indigenous and community leaders and activists will launch and comment on new research into contrasting energy transition pathways for New Brunswick
WHEN: 10 to 11am, Thursday, October 12, 2023
WHO:
· Miigam’agan, Elder-in-Residence, St. Thomas University
· Dr. Nauman Farooqi, President, St. Thomas University
· Jenica Atwin, Member of Parliament for Fredericton
· David Coon, Member of the Legislative Assembly for Fredericton South
· Gretchen Fitzgerald, National Programs Coordinator, Sierra Club Canada
· Dr. Gordon Edwards, President, Canadian Coalition for Nuclear Responsibility
· Dr. M.V. Ramana, Professor, University of British Columbia
· Dr. Susan O’Donnell, Lead Investigator, CEDAR project, St. Thomas University
WHERE: St. Thomas University, Sir James Dunn student lounge (Dawn Russell Lounge), Sir James Dunn Hall, 67 Dineen Drive, Fredericton.
WHAT: Contesting Energy Discourses through Action Research (CEDAR) is a new five-year project funded by a $376,000 grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC).
WHY: Most people agree we need to transition how we use energy if we are to mitigate climate change. There is, however, a big debate over what to transition to.
The media in New Brunswick often promote voices and institutions wanting continued use of fossil fuels combined with a switch to biomass and speculative small modular nuclear reactors in the somewhat distant future.
The alternative is to focus on energy conservation, reductions in energy use, decentralized renewable energy generation, and ending social and environmental injustices related to energy production and consumption.
CEDAR is studying the organizations promoting the dominant discourses and the alternative pathways, and how action research can contribute to a more democratic media environment.
On October 13, A Day of Dialogue about Decolonization, Degrowth and Energy Transitions will open up discussions about alternative paths: energy conservation, reductions in aggregate energy use, and ending social and environmental injustices related to colonization. More information HERE.
The evening of October 12, Professor M.V. Ramana will deliver a public talk: “Nuclear Energy and the Bomb.” When thinking about energy transitions, the issue of nuclear weapons rarely comes to mind. Yet the connections between generating nuclear energy and the ability to make nuclear weapons have been evident since Hiroshima and Nagasaki were bombed. More information HERE.
The CEDAR Team: Investigators are Dr. Susan O’Donnell (lead), Dr. Janice Harvey, Dr. Andrew Secord, and Dr. Clive Baldwin at St. Thomas University; Dr. J.P. Sapinski at the Université de Moncton; and Professor M.V. Ramana at the University of British Columbia. Research assistants include students at all three universities. Research partners are: Chief Ron Tremblay, Wolastoq Grand Council; Chief Hugh Akagi, Peskotomukati Nation at Skutik; Gretchen Fitzgerald, Sierra Club Canada; Dr. Sophie Lavoie, NB Media Co-op; Dr. Gordon Edwards, Canadian Coalition for Nuclear Responsibility; and Sabrina Bowman, Toronto Metropolitan University.