Climate, water and energy are highly interdependent. The use of fossil fuels is an important driver behind climate change, the impacts of which most notably manifest themselves through changing hydrological and meteorological processes, such as droughts, floods and heatwaves. These in turn impact our water and energy needs, for example air conditioners or access to clean and safe drinking water. Access to water is impossible without energy, and water itself is a source of energy. The transition to cleaner, renewable energy sources is a crucial step to curb future climate change and at the same time help alleviate the global water crisis.
Addressing this complex interconnectivity requires a new generation of skilled talent and the incorporation of expertise across various disciplines. Presented as part of the Sustainable Futures Initiative, the University of Waterloo’s Water Institute (WI), Waterloo Climate Institute (WCI) and the Waterloo Institute for Sustainable Energy (WISE) have partnered to advance these efforts by hosting a uniquely designed, three-week virtual summer school, “Water and Energy Security in a Changing Climate.”
The summer school, open to students and professionals, offers daily, one-hour online sessions, from June 5 to June 23, 2023, showcasing leading-edge thinking and understanding from a wide array of University of Waterloo professors focusing on the intersection between climate, water, and energy.
“This condensed, virtual program offers unique access to learn from the leading-edge research programs of our water, climate and energy experts,” says Roy Brouwer, Executive Director of the Water Institute.
Lectures will include a wide range of topics, including climate-proof grey and green infrastructure for sustainable cities, climate change risk management, clean energy solutions and circular economy, water and food security in Indigenous communities, and many more.
Develop a solid understanding of the current water and energy resource management challenges under climate change, gain interdisciplinary perspectives, grow your network of like-minded professionals and obtain a certificate of completion.
– 2022 summer school participant