Current students

Flooding is already Canada’s most costly natural hazard, and the threat is only growing. Climate change, aging infrastructure and unrestrained development in flood-prone areas have left millions of Canadians vulnerable. 

Marking its final chapter, the global research network TRANSFORM celebrates partnerships, research and a lasting legacy. 

Nancy Tapias Torrado, the newest member of the Waterloo Climate Institute, is part of a team of researchers that contributed to the “Advisory Opinion on Climate Emergency and Human Rights” of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights – a landmark decision on the obligations of States in the face of the climate emergency.

As wildfires grow more frequent and severe across Canada, University of Waterloo researchers and students are stepping up with innovative, data-driven solutions.  

Environment and Arts student, Eloise Fan, reflects on how studying her twin passions led not only to a BES, but also to academic distinction. For Eloise Fan, studying at the University of Waterloo was never about choosing a single path — it was about creating one that merged her passions for theatre and climate change.  

A new technical brief from the Waterloo Climate Institute explores Direct Air Capture (DAC) as an innovative engineering approach to directly removing carbon dioxide (CO₂) from the atmosphere. Contributing to the overall reduction of atmospheric CO₂ levels, DAC has the potential to effectively mitigate climate change, when used in combination with permanent storage solutions. Authors Monica Ho, Vahid Barahimi and Climate Institute member Eric Croiset outline the current readiness of DAC technologies and acknowledge their limitations the latest brief.

In what could represent a milestone in ecological restoration, researchers have implemented a method capable of restoring peatlands at tens of thousands of oil and gas exploration sites in Western Canada. Researchers from the University of Waterloo led the project that involves lowering the surface of these decommissioned sites, known as well pads, and transplanting native moss onto them to effectively recreate peatlands.

Researchers at the University of Waterloo are using cutting-edge Canadian technology to detect and reduce methane emissions, a potent greenhouse gas. The interdisciplinary team combines infrared imaging, soil microbiology, and advanced algorithms to measure emissions from landfills and oil sites. Their work supports Canada’s net-zero goals by improving methane detection accuracy, guiding mitigation strategies, and protecting communities from climate change impacts through innovative, science-driven solutions.