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Accelerating Climate Education (ACE) for the Next Generation of Professionals

The ACE project being implemented by the Waterloo Climate Institute is supporting the integration of climate change adaptation knowledge and skills into professional degree programs at universities and colleges across Canada with a special focus on programs in accounting, architecture, engineering, landscape architecture and planning. The ACE project is being supported by Natural Resources Canada's Climate Change Adaptation Program.

Our project partners include Engineers Canada, CPA Canada, the Canadian Institute of Planners, the Canadian Society of Landscape Architects, the Royal Architecture Institute of Canada, the Canadian Council of University Schools of Architecture, SHEAC (Sustainability in Higher Education Across Canada) and the Climate Risk Institute.

Why these disciplines?

Canada’s National Climate Adaptation Strategy (2023) speaks to the need for members of professional associations (such as civil engineers, planners, accountants, landscape architects, architects, etc.) to have “the capacity to apply climate change adaptation tools and information and communicate the business case for adaptation measures to their clients or target audiences”.

Universities and colleges are responsible for ensuring students develop the competencies established by professional associations, yet these frameworks do not yet fully address climate adaptation and resilience. The ACE project helps bridge this gap by sharing resources, networking, and knowledge-sharing opportunities that support postsecondary educators in integrating climate adaptation competencies, knowledge, and tools into their programs, preparing the next generation of professionals to succeed in a changing climate.

What is the current status of climate education in these disciplines?

A national study published through the ACE project in 2025 found that while climate education is being integrated into some Canadian professional degree programs in accounting, architecture, engineering, and planning, its extent varies considerably and significant gaps remain. Faculty identified a need for teaching resources, opportunities to strengthen their climate pedagogy, and greater collaboration to learn from peers. These findings are now guiding the ACE project's ongoing activities.

Project Team

Sarah Burch - Executive Director, Waterloo Climate Institute; Professor, Geography and Environmental Management; Canada Research Chair - is an expert in transformative responses to climate change at the community scale, innovative strategies for making progress on sustainability, and the unique contributions that small businesses can make to this solving this complex challenge.

Michèle Martin is the training program specialist at the Waterloo Climate Institute. Her role is to support university-wide climate change educational programming, as well as to advance and coordinate external professional development and training opportunities. Michele has over thirty years' experience in sustainability and climate change education and capacity building in Canada and internationally and holds a PhD in Environmental Studies from York University.

Email: michelep.martin@uwaterloo.ca