Goal 13: Climate Action
Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts
Research
Solar Energy & Community Design Lab
This lab, located in the School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape, is a cross-disciplinary research group focusing on the holistic design of energy-efficient, resilient, solar neighbourhoods. This research group aims to not only minimize negative environmental impacts in the built urban environment, but also improve the quality of life for residents.
Exploring the Energy of Tomorrow
Researchers examining energy and the environment at UCalgary explore a diverse range of topics to combat climate such as: Evolving ecosystems and the biology of climate change; Can we power our lives sustainably?; What can we learn from the Arctic?; and, How do we protect our natural resources for future generations?
Novel Microbial Carbon Capture and Conversion System
Researchers in the Faculty of Science and Schulich School of Engineering are using cyanobacteria from Canadian lakes to capture CO2 from the air as a route to producing low carbon energy as well as valuable chemicals.
Teaching, Learning and Student Experience
FutureU
The FutureU program is part of Innovation@UCalgary and strives to help students build a sustainable and healthy life for themselves, working on challenges they care about. The theme for the 2019-20 year was Innovation in Climate Action. Through a series of networking sessions, experiential workshops and ‘ideathons,’ students had the opportunity to get curious and test out innovative solutions to challenges related to climate change. Learn more here and here.
Municipalities Tackling Climate Change Research-a-thon
Law students and faculty members participated in a nationwide research-a-thon examining measures being taken by provincial and federal governments to mitigate climate change. Participants worked together to discover how Calgary is tackling climate issues through city bylaws, policies and other plans. Learn more.
Canadian Institute for Climate Choices
Several UCalgary scholars are among the dozens of academics and policy experts from across the country that launched the Canadian Institute for Climate Choices in 2020, a new independent national research consortium. Taking a multidisciplinary approach, the institute will undertake rigorous, evidence-based research, analysis and engagement to inform climate policy development by all levels of government.
Campus and Community Impact
Campus
Building on a 30 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) based on the 2010 Climate Action Plan (CAP), UCalgary released a renewed CAP in 2019 that provides an operational roadmap to be a carbon-neutral campus by 2050, sparking innovation and accelerating the transition to a clean growth economy. As of the end of 2019-20, the university has reduced annual emissions by over 80,000 tonnes of GHGs emissions.
Local
UCalgary and Mount Royal University students formed a society called Students on Sustainability that educates grade school students on sustainability topics linked to climate change and supports relevant student action projects. The society engages with students across all levels within Alberta grade schools.
International
UCalgary researchers set sail on the Multidisciplinary Observatory for the Study of Arctic Climate Change (MOSAIC) Expedition in September 2019, the largest polar expedition in history. MOSAIC is an international consortium of scientists who revolutionize climate change research. The data gathered will be used by scientists around the globe to take climate research to an entirely new level.