Few issues facing Canada are as nationally divisive as climate change and the future of energy. But in Alberta, often referred to as ground zero for climate change as the home of Canada’s oil sands, people are calling for more respectful and constructive conversation.
The Alberta Narratives Project aims to replace a combative and acrimonious debate with a constructive conversation based on shared values and respect for people’s different ways of seeing the world. What language works well and – crucially – what language poses an obstacle to a productive conversation?
Despite its local scale, this work will be of interest to anyone outside Alberta working for a just transition and wanting to better understand how to meaningfully and respectfully engage with communities who depend on fossil fuels for employment.