The following images appear in the Canadian Geographic Jan/Feb 2010 issue. The article features University of Ottawa geography student Robert Way participating in the CryoEX program, an international exchange program established by the University of Ottawa and the University of Oslo in Norway. Click for the full story by Scott Messenger.

Photography in the most recent Canadian Geographic includes a feature story on the Canadian student, Robert Way and the Cryosphere project in the mountains of Norway. While photographing this assignment, I was blown away by not only the winds, but also the consistent rainbows that illuminated the Norwegian landscape.

The Cryopshere project allows Canadian students to come to Norway and work on climate studies and geographic studies. The writer, Scott Messenger, and myself spent days following the team into the harsh landscape of Norway, where the glaciers are receding and the landscape is shifting. Norway is a phenomenal place and I would return there in a heartbeat to create more images.

Images ©Robert vanWaarden

I am in Copenhagen, anticipating and preparing for the United Nations Conference of Parties, ie COP15. This is basically the most important meeting ever in our human history as the world leaders and ministers descend on this rainy city to try and come to an agreement that will put the world on a path to a safe, equitable and fair future.
Not something to laugh at. Not only will the heavy hitters be in town, but the city is expected to fill up with activists, everyone from indigenous activists to anti – capitalists are expected to converge here. Many sharing strong messages, many without a good idea how to message, and just many.

If you are a youth climate activist, if you have been to a Powershift conference, and/or if you read this blog, you have seen some of these amazing images that are on display, right now, in front of delegates at the Barcelona intercessional meetings –only one month before Copenhagen.

I wanted to take a moment and share this work, and also a message from my amazing co-worker, Robert van Waarden:

“Youth have been documenting the movement on the front lines of the global climate crisis and now, we are bringing our message to negotiators at Barcelona.

For years now, the global youth climate movement has been organizing, building momentum and strength, and influencing the debate through our actions, documentation, and networking from the front lines of the climate crisis. Actions by individuals have inspired groups and movements across Earth to fight for a dependable, stable climate. It is the issue that defines our generation.

I have had the pleasure of documenting and photographing this movement across the globe. From the halls of Powershifts to the high level segments of the Conference of Parties, from the G20 to the High Arctic, I have been honored to lend my skills as a photographer, and help give the international youth movement a voice and image. Now, we at Fired UP! Media and Project Survival Media are seizing the opportunity to place large, professional, compelling images directly in front of the negotiators and delegates in Barcelona RIGHT NOW.

This last intercessional meeting will be instrumental in crafting the outcome of Copenhagen and it is absolutely essential, and wonderful that our story is being shown. But we need your help to support the display. All of this photographic coverage has been undertaken on a volunteer basis and because of this, we need to seek financial support to cover the shipment of these images to Barcelona. If you feel that displaying your voice at the UN is important, then please consider donating to Project Survival Media so we can continue to sound our voices loud and clear at the meeting before the most important meeting in the world. Survival is Not Negotiable. The youth of the world are here.” – Robert van Waarden

Help us support the photographers that so greatly amplify our voice, and influence our decision makers.

Thank you for your inspiration and dedication.

1. An exhibit of my images of youth action around the world for climate change is displayed on the wall here at the center.
   

   One of the greatest challenges of communicating climate change is putting a human face on an intangible issue. This photography exhibit re-examines the methods of communication by highlighting the inspirational work that young people are undertaking across the globe in the face of the growing climate crisis. 

2. To cover the amazing youth that are here once again. The story continues and we will be pushing for an agreement in Copenhagen that pushes for the Survival of All Nations and Peoples.

The International League of Conservation Photographers is an incredible organization of the top environmental and conservation photographers in the world. Its’ ranks include National Geographic photographers Paul Nicklen and Michael ‘Nick’ Nichols, Dutch photographer Frans Lanting, Gary Braasch, etc. etc. The list goes on.

It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that this organization is a great idea. Combine the power and skills of the top photographers in the world to focus on conservation and the environment. Our mission is to further environmental and cultural conservation through ethical photography.

I am pleased to announce that I have accepted into this League as an Emerging Photographer. This organization is one that I admire and whose photographers are people that I look to for their hardwork, passion, dedication and skill. It will be a pleasure to learn from them, work with them and together contribute to conserving and improving our planet.

Across the blogosphere today, over 7000 blogs will be writing about Climate Change. It is called the Blog Action Day and has set out to mobilize the entire blog world around the single most important issue of our time and generation, climate change.

The whole climate world is entering the final stretch of the race for a climate just world and it is going to be a hectic 6 weeks. My path begins next weekend in Amsterdam on October 24th with 350.org. There are over 2000 actions happening in 150 countries and in Amsterdam we will have 350 swing dancers dancing for the climate. In attendance will be James Hansen, chief NASA scientist and hundreds of climate activists. Sign up to join us if you are in Amsterdam. Or for more information on the event, go here

A week later I will be in Barcelona to cover the last stage of negotiations before Copenhagen. We will also be displaying the same show that I displayed in Bonn.

In November, I will be working with Project Survival Media to draw attention to climate change in Europe and then we are into Copenhagen. Copenhagen will be the most important meeting ever and we need everyone across the globe to hold their leaders accountable for a strong and just agreement. The only thing that is missing is the political will and it is time to change that. You can help by getting involved next weekend with 350.org