News

The Waterloo Climate Institute is pleased to announce that Dr. Juan Moreno-Cruz has been appointed Acting Executive Director for a 1-year term. Juan is Associate Professor at the School of Environment, Enterprise and Development (SEED) and the Canada Research Chair in Energy Transitions. He is also a CESifo Research Affiliate.

After attending COP 28 in December, Shahan Salim, a PhD candidate in Public Health shares his opinion piece on the role of observers and the need for advocacy of voices less heard at the annual global climate change conference. Salim was invited to give a statement at the closing plenary on behalf of research and non-governmental organizations. In his reflection, he explains the thinking behind the words shared on this global stage.

Amy Hall, a Masters of Climate Change Student interested in nature-based solutions for climate change problems reflects on her experience attending COP 28 virtually. She explores themes of biodiversity and regenerative agriculture as key efforts needed to progress on global climate action goals.

Jose DiBella, Adjunct Assistant Professor in Geography and Environmental Management and Waterloo Climate Institute delegate attended COP28 in Dubai in-person and shares his reflections regarding the success of the proceedings. A sprawling venue and over-subscribed pass system presented barriers for delegates to collaborate, however, Jose DiBella shares that COP28 remains a key element in a transition to low-carbon future 

The first Tourism and Climate Change Stocktake report has been released by the Tourism Panel on Climate Change (TPCC) timed with the UN COP-28 Climate Conference. Its 24 key findings aim to support policymakers and the tourism industry in accelerating planning and investment toward low-carbon and climate-resilient global tourism.

University of Waterloo climate change and sustainable tourism expert Professor Daniel Scott was the co-lead, along with Professor Susanne Becken of Griffith University in Australia. The TPCC is a network of over 60 leading international tourism and climate experts from over 30 countries.

Shahan Salim, a PhD a PhD candidate in the School of Public Health Sciences and a member of the Waterloo Climate Institute’s COP 28 delegation, has designed a platform to use data from low-cost air quality sensors to monitor and predict adverse outcomes related to air pollution exposure in low-income countries.

Waterloo researchers and Waterloo Climate Institute members test what it takes to convert forests to productive farmland and explore how to make that transition equitable.

Yimin Wu, Waterloo Climate Institute member, is the Tang Family Chair in New Energy Materials and Sustainability at the University of Waterloo. His latest research has found a way to capture carbon and turn it into sustainable, clean fuel at a lower cost than previous methods. He says being more economically viable will make the technology more attractive to industry.

Nandita Basu, Waterloo Climate Institute member and professor in the departments of Civil & Environmental Engineering and Earth and Environmental Sciences, is the recipient of a prestigious award recognizing her contributions to international water research.

Waterloo researchers, including Climate Institute members Olaf Weber, Horatiu Rus and Jason Thistlethwaite, publish new paper that reveals half of our watersheds have a moderate to high potential for water risk