Canada is a highly urbanized country with ambitious climate mitigation targets, and yet an ever-growing population will require increased housing – typically through urban infill land intensification or expansion into greenfields for residential developments that results in the loss of green infrastructure.
Urban greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions make up 42% of Canada’s total emissions. What is poorly understood, however, are the contributions from urban green infrastructure – trees, vegetation, wetlands, water bodies and aquatic systems – to mitigating the impacts of climate change.
The RISE project aims to better understand the longer-term impacts of urban residential developments on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and seeks to measure the effectiveness of GHG mitigation efforts of green infrastructure.
Working with our partners, including municipalities and land developers, our hope is to create positive change within the residential planning and development sector that will lead to increased green infrastructure for more sustainable urban development.
News
Thinking about swimming or fishing in your local stormwater pond? You may want to think again
Co-Principal Investigator Rebecca Rooney’s latest research shows how contaminated biofilms affect freshwater invertebrates in urban stormwater ponds.
Co-Principal Investigator Rebecca Rooney featured on CBC as wetlands expert
Rebecca speaks to the importance of wetlands amidst changes to the designation of provincially significant wetlands.
RISE M.A. student Nurudeen Issifu receives SMART Healthy Cities Training Platform scholarship
Nurudeen’s research will look at the inclusion of edible landscaping and community gardens in new residential developments to support sustainable development in cities.