News

After a six-year process, the leading world body for the assessment of climate change, the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), has released their final Synthesis Report that summarizes what we know about climate change and how to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The key takeaway – we must act now to secure a livable future for all.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) releases the Synthesis Report (SYR) of the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report (AR6) summarizing the state of knowledge of climate change, its widespread impacts and risks, and climate change mitigation and adaptation.

The Waterloo Climate Institute is hiring a Training Programs Specialist to help shape the evolution of UWaterloo’s climate change educational programming.

In the first case study of its kind in Canada, researchers from the University of Waterloo, including Waterloo Climate Institute member Paul Parker, analyze data-driven improvements in Canada’s first zero-carbon, net-positive energy building showing how they play a vital role in that building generating more energy than it consumes.

Small isolated wetlands that are full for only part of the year are often the first to be removed for development or agriculture, but a new study, led by researchers at the University of Waterloo, including Waterloo Climate Insitute member Nandita Basu, shows that they can be twice as effective in protecting downstream lake or river ecosystems than if they were connected to them. 

Researchers from the University of Waterloo and Seneca College, including Olaf Weber environment professor and Waterloo Climate Institute member, have developed a new grading system for waste that could divert a billion pounds of clothes and other fabric items from landfills. The new method will evaluate an item’s quality from A to F and whether it can be resold, recycled or tossed. In testing this method, they found that more than half of textile waste in Canada could be reused and almost a quarter could be recycled. 

Recent studies suggest that flares in oil and gas fields are considerably less efficient than previously thought, a discrepancy that could be responsible for additional annual emissions equivalent to those produced by up to 8.8 million cars in the United States alone. To help tackle this urgent problem, a research team led by Dr. Kyle Daun, an engineering professor at the University of Waterloo and Waterloo Climate Institute member, is working with a sophisticated infrared camera to more accurately measure how well flares convert methane into CO2. In the future, he and the team hope to include other institute members like Dr. Maria Strack and Dr. Laura Hug to use the technology for measuring methane emissions in wetlands and landfills.

Recently returned from Egypt, Dr. Zahid Butt, shares his experience attending COP27 for the first time and how observing the conference aided his understanding of the complexity and collaboration required to address climate change.

PhD candidate Isra Saeed and master’s student Alexandra Ho share their experiences as part of Waterloo’s delegation at the United Nations climate change conference, COP27. 

Isra Saeed, Waterloo COP27 delegate, has returned from Egypt and shares what it means to uphold climate justice, how the conference did/did not deliver the commitments needed, and reflects on what continues to bring her hope.