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The University of Waterloo’s Inclusive Resilience Project, led by Partners for Action (P4A), focuses on equitable community resilience against climate risks. Collaborating with the Canadian Red Cross and funded by Public Safety Canada, the project developed a Social Vulnerability Index (SoVI) to map socio-economic vulnerabilities and inform targeted flood risk reduction efforts. This initiative highlights the importance of integrating social vulnerability into disaster management to protect Canada’s most at-risk populations.

The University of Waterloo, in collaboration with the Waterloo Climate Institute, hosted a community lecture addressing climate misinformation. The event highlighted how false information hampers climate action and explored strategies to build public trust in science. Panellists emphasized the importance of accurate information and community engagement in combating climate change.

As the cost of flood damage rises, property insurance becomes more costly for Canadians. Currently, over 10% of Canadians cannot get flood insurance. Research suggests that sharing data on flood-risk management between insurers and local governments could lead to more affordable insurance. A Climate Institute member calls attention to the benefits of sharing data and highlights that ignoring this gap will worsen the situation following one of the worst years for insured losses in Canadian history.  

“Nature-based solutions, like increasing vegetation and tree canopies, are crucial in urban settings for cooling,” Crank explains. “It's essential to tailor these solutions to local climates, as what's effective in one region may not work in another. Additionally, engineered shade structures, such as bus stop shelters and fabric shade sails, also play a significant role in mitigating heat impacts.”

A School of Public Health Sciences research team, co-directed by Drs. Craig Janes and Warren Dodd, is to receive more than $1.5 million through the federal government’s New Frontiers in Research Fund, which supports interdisciplinary and transformative research led by Canadians working with international partners. 

Three reports share a snapshot of climate action and opinion at the global, national and local level. The People's Climate Vote 2024, shares insight into global opinions on climate action, while the Pembina Institute's report 'All Together Now' details climate action in Canada, and the GHG Inventory for Waterloo Region shows reductions across GHG contribuint categories.

University of Waterloo researchers, in partnership with universities and key stakeholders in Mauritius, Maldives and Fiji, are co-creators of the Resilience to Climate Vulnerability and Environmental Risk (RECOVER) project, recipients of $1.2 million in funding. Together, they will identify each island’s exposure and risk to climate change and determine scalable strategies to address challenges that impede the availability of resources, materials and critical services, such as food, water, energy and health care. 

Researchers, faculty, students, and staff gathered on May 29th to hear about the transformational changes that have been taking place at the City of Waterloo. Ena Ristic, Senior Sustainability Officer and Sandy Little, Director of Strategy at the City of Waterloo shared how the Corporate Climate Action plan has reshaped how the municipality approaches sustainability and climate action.

Waterloo Climate Institute researchers to receive more than $3.4 million. The funding will help to advance several transformative interdisciplinary projects at Waterloo

PRESS RELEASE - originally posted by Federation of Canadian Municipalities

Municipalities are responsible for over half of Canada's greenhouse gas emissions, making them crucial players in the fight against climate change. But existing gaps in critical climate planning and reporting data can make it challenging to keep the public informed on progress toward net zero by 2050.