News

Climate Con 2025 brought together over 100 changemakers to tackle climate anxiety and foster community. Keynote talks, workshops, and a student poster showcase encouraged hope, resilience, and collective action. The event emphasized personal empowerment, creative climate solutions, and building lasting connections to inspire ongoing efforts for a sustainable future.

The Waterloo Climate Institute received funding from FCM’s Green Municipal Fund to launch a training program for municipal employees focused on climate adaptation. The program, set to begin in 2026, will offer a certificate combining online and in-person learning. It includes climate risk assessment, adaptation strategies, and equity-driven approaches. The program aims to equip municipal workers with the skills and knowledge needed to implement climate resilience plans and build stronger, more resilient communities in response to climate change.

Several University of Waterloo community members have been awarded the King Charles III Coronation Medal for their significant contributions to Canada and beyond. This prestigious medal, granted to 30,000 individuals, recognizes excellence in education, public health, climate adaptation, Indigenous knowledge, and freshwater sustainability. Recipients include Dr. Vivek Goel, Dr. Blair Feltmate, Dr. Geoffrey T. Fong, Myeengun Henry, and Dr. Philippe Van Cappellen, all of whom have made lasting impacts in their respective fields.

The University of Waterloo has achieved its first Gold rating in the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment, and Rating System (STARS). This milestone reflects Waterloo's commitment to environmental innovation and sustainable practices. The university has made significant strides in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and water intensity, and continues to invest in sustainability initiatives, including energy efficiency and curriculum integration.

The Waterloo Climate Institute's Associate Directors, Monica Emelko, Juan Moreno-Cruz, and Francis Poulin, have significantly advanced the institute's mission over three years. They guided strategic initiatives in deep decarbonization, climate resilience, and climate science innovation. Juan led events on climate hope and geoengineering, and developed the climate change game, Illuminate. Monica enhanced climate risks and resilience research, securing major grants. Francis connected Mathematics research with climate action and contributed to a new graduate diploma. Their efforts fostered interdisciplinary collaboration, secured funding, and strengthened the institute's impact on climate challenges.

In honor of Black History Month, the University of Waterloo celebrates Black researchers making significant contributions across various fields. Despite being underrepresented, scholars like Dr. Trevor Charles, Dr. Tizazu Mekonnen, Dr. Naila Keleta-Mae, Dr. Yverick Pascal Rangom, and Dr. Leah Jones-Crank are driving innovation and fostering inclusion, impacting areas from microbial research to sustainable polymers and race studies.

The Waterloo Climate Institute is launching a $1 million project to integrate climate change adaptation knowledge into professional degree programs across Canada. By addressing educational gaps in fields like Engineering, Accounting, Architecture, and Planning, this initiative aims to prepare future professionals to tackle climate challenges and build resilient communities. Supported by Natural Resources Canada, the project will align curriculum with real-world needs through national reviews, new program development, and collaboration with professional associations.

A new project led by the Waterloo Climate Institute, supported by $300,000 from Natural Resources Canada, aims to build climate resilience in Canadian and international supply chains. By developing multi-hazard adaptation tools, engaging businesses and global partners, and creating training curricula, the initiative will enhance capacity to anticipate risks, plan for climate adaptation, and foster long-term sustainability.

Effective knowledge mobilization is essential for turning research into real-world solutions, and university centers and institutes play a pivotal role in making this happen. By fostering co-creation with end-users, nurturing long-term relationships with key stakeholders, and translating complex ideas into accessible formats, these hubs bridge the gap between academia and application. 

As we step into 2025, the Waterloo Climate Institute reflects on a year of meaningful achievements that have advanced climate action through research, collaboration, and education. These milestones were made possible by the collective efforts of world-class research members, dedicated partners, and an engaged community. With the University of Waterloo’s unparalleled network of climate experts—the highest concentration of climate researchers at any Canadian university—2024 has been a year of progress and impact.