After a successful launch event the organization makes bold steps to realize the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Canada.
In May 2018, the Faculty of Environment at the University of Waterloo was publicly named home for Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) Canada. Since then it has been working hard to help Canadians realize the UN SDGs as part of a global SDSN movement to build a network of universities, colleges, research centres, and knowledge institutions to promote practical solutions for sustainable development.
With over 800 participating institutions worldwide, SDSN members work together to support action-oriented research to address some of the world’s most pressing problems, including the implementation of the UN SDGs and the Paris Climate Agreement.
Since the launch, a new indicator shows Canada ranks 20th among countries participating in the UN’s ambitious global effort to address the world’s 17 toughest social and environmental problems, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In many ways it galvanized the importance of the SDSN Canada. Responding to the news, Faculty of Environment dean, Jean Andrey said,
While we are doing well in some areas (health, education, affordable and clean energy, and peace, justice and strong institutions), there is much yet to do on other goals, and we need to significantly accelerate progress toward climate action, protecting biodiversity on land and below water, and supporting sustainable production and consumption...
SDSN Canada is currently working on a tool to measure how Canadian cities are doing in their efforts to realize the SDGs.
The SDSN Canada has also been busy building capacity. In collaboration with SDSN Youth, it is recruiting SDG Campus Coordinator positions. The SDG Coordinators will help students on SDSN Canada member campuses be aware of the SDGs, understand their importance to the wider community, and have opportunities to act toward their implementation during their studies, and after they graduate. The SDG Coordinators will engage with university leadership, senior faculty members, and teaching staff to promote the integration of the SDGs into campus activities, and will work to organize ‘solutions labs,’ where the community can come together in small groups to discuss Canada’s performance on the SDGs, identify key gaps in implementation, and generate ideas for accelerating local and national progress.
SDSN Canada also recently recruited Chris Bell as SDSN Canada’s first Youth Network Coordinator. The Youth Network Coordinator is a position initiated by SDSN Youth, SDSN’s official youth division working to empower youth globally to create sustainable development solutions.
As the Youth Network Coordinator, Chris will develop and implement a strategy for young people across Canada to engage with the UN SDGs and make an impact in their communities.
The University of Waterloo is a natural host for the network, as it is home to the country’s largest Faculty of Environment. A key component of Waterloo’s involvement in the SDSN comes from cross-Canada collaboration. The SDSN invites all institutions interested in helping realize the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals to reach out and join the network.
If you would like to stay connected to the SDSN, and stay on top of any upcoming opportunities, please subscribe to the SDSN Canada Newsletter.
