The Climate Equity Lab (Labo Équité Climat), a C3V partner, arises from the need to address a context in which climate change adaptation solutions are likely to generate or exacerbate social inequalities. These inequalities are particularly evident within the distributive and procedural dimensions of adaptation measures, in the insufficient recognition of the diversity of knowledge and the intersection of multiple forms of discrimination. Participatory approaches offer significant potential for integrating equity issues at the heart of adaptation processes.

The primary goal of the Climate Equity Lab is to co-produce a Climate Change Adaptation Toolkit to guide decision-makers in designing fair and inclusive adaptation solutions. This will be achieved by sharing the experiences of affected groups, improving understanding of the issues through the co-production of public-facing outreach materials, and creating tools for raising awareness and empowerment. Central to the project is the documentation and dissemination of stories and testimonials of people affected by climate change, to be recorded and produced with the C3V.

The team is co-led by Sophie L. Van Neste and Nathan McClintock (INRS) and Olivier Riffon (UQAC).

The team is organized into research clusters, with the aim of mobilizing a diversity of expertise, networks and territories: INRS co-researchers Stéphane Guimont-Marceau and Marie-Eve Drouin-Gagné bring expertise in participatory approaches, decolonial methodologies and the experiences of indigenous communities; from Université Laval, Geneviève Cloutier on local adaptation to climate change and citizen participation, and Jean-François Bissonnette on governance in the forestry and agricultural sectors; from UQAC, Marie Fall on intersectionality and adaptation in rural communities; and from the Centre de transfert du Cégep de Rivière du Loup, the LLio lab on innovation and co-creation processes.