A defining feature of the ongoing federal election campaign has been the of the environment and climate change as top-of-mind issues due to threats by the United States against Canadian sovereignty, security and trade.

But how Canada responds to U.S. President Donald Trump’s actions will also have profound implications for its future greenhouse gas emissions and its economy.

The current federal election is very different from those held in 2015, 2019 and 2021. In those elections, the environment and climate were central issues. , more than 60 per cent of Canadian voters chose parties (Liberal, NDP, Bloc Québécois and Green) that advocated for strong climate action, including some form of carbon pricing.

The increasing evidence of the consequences of a changing climate had placed the environment and climate change in the minds of Canadians for nearly two decades. The political landscape since then.

The role of inflation

Although Trump’s second presidency is often cited as the trigger point for a decline of the environment as a top-of-mind concern for Canadians, the a year earlier, in the fall of 2023.

Despite the record wildfire season that summer, the , triggered in large part by the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, moved economic concerns to the forefront of the public’s mind. Government stimulus programs needed to counter the impacts of the pandemic contributed to inflationary pressures, prompting the to hike interest rates in response, adding to Canadians’ economic distress.

Amid high inflation and high interest rates, the Liberal government’s climate strategies — especially consumer carbon pricing — became an easy political target, particularly for a with little apparent concern for the climate challenge.

But even though climate change is no longer top of mind for Canadians, it remains a significant and caused by human activity. And perhaps surprisingly, despite the criticism levelled at the consumer carbon tax, between of non-Conservative leaning voters (those intending to cast their ballots for Liberal, NDP, Bloc and Green candidates) continue to support the concept of carbon pricing.

Focus on fossil fuels

Despite this, many and leaders have responded to Trump’s actions by focusing on natural resource exports, especially fossil fuels and , to bolster the Canadian economy.

This has been accompanied by environmental review and approval processes for resource extraction and export projects like pipelines, and to expand their subsidization by taxpayers.

Discussions about the climate implications of these initiatives have been noticeably absent. So have conversations about the long-term economic viability and desirability of expanding Canada’s dependency on resource commodity exports to increasingly uncertain global markets.

On fossil fuels, the and others are predicting that global consumption will peak within the next decade. This will reflect the falling costs of renewable energy, improving energy productivity and the by mid-century.

The peak will likely happen before any new major export infrastructure can be built in Canada, regardless of what review and approval requirements they might be subjected to.

In a world of declining fossil fuel consumption, Canada — increasingly reliant on high-cost and high-carbon production like and fracked and liquified — seems more likely to be among the earliest producers to fall than among the last standing. Public investments in new export infrastructure look like dubious propositions in this scenario.

International markets for critical minerals are likely to remain in as the in renewable energy and energy storage accelerates to on costly and difficult-to-access materials.

Mining operations also continue to have substantial environmental impacts with significant implications

Backwards approach

All of this means there must be continued of projects in terms of their implications for climate change, environmental sustainability and reconciliation, as well as their economic viability and potential for taxpayers — not a further streamlining of review processes.

Falling back on fossil fuels in response to Trump is a fundamentally backwards approach. It ignores the implications of the climate challenge. As recently noted by at least one Canadian , it also overlooks the need to not just diversify Canada’s markets, but to diversify Canadian products as well.

Canada must design and implement strategies that transform its industries from producers of low-value raw materials into producers of higher-value products and services for a world that must decarbonize and advance sustainability.

As a recently pointed out, climate change remains a real threat to Canadians and their communities. It’s not going away regardless of what might say.

As they campaign to lead the country, the situation requires more substantive responses from Canada’s would-be prime ministers than Canadians are getting right now.

By Professor Mark Winfield, Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change, 91��ɫ

The post Canada’s federal election doesn’t seem like it’s about climate change, but it actually��is appeared first on News@91��ɫ.

Symposium on Shell’s legacy in Niger Delta and what comes next brings diverse group of scholars and activists to 91��ɫ’s Keele Campus

April 9, 2025, TORONTO – With the Shell company having finalized the sale of assets in Nigeria’s Niger Delta, questions remain for those who fought against decades of human rights and environmental abuses in the region: How do you keep Shell accountable for the damage they’ve done? Will divestment be more than a clever PR ploy for big oil and gas?

These questions bring together a diverse group of scholars, community leaders, activists, legal experts and international advocates to 91��ɫ April 10 and 11, for the two-day symposium: From the Niger Delta, Nigeria to the World - Charting a Global Just Transition Agenda.

The legacy of oil pollution and human rights abuses in the Niger Delta are one of the worst, with Shell even being accused of being complicit in the Nigerian state’s secret sentencing and killing of activists in the 1990s, says Environment and Urban Change Prof. , one of the organizers of the event. 

“Arguably, attention to injustice in the region spurred corporate social responsibility as an industrial movement and was central to creating the environmental justice movement globally. This symposium is an opportunity to take a hard look at this legacy of corporate abuse, resistance, and what comes next,” says Zalik. 

From the earliest days of colonization in Nigeria, the British identified Niger Delta as economically useful for resource extraction, and, for the last 60 years, Shell has been involved in oil and gas extraction in the region. 

Informed by a report put together by the Bayelsa State Oil and Environmental Commission, which declares Shell’s legacy in the region as an environmental genocide, the symposium examines the prospects for a global just transition. 

“When the word divestment is used — Shell for example dumping toxic assets on so-called local companies and shirking their historic responsibility to clean up— what does it really mean? There are questions regarding the limitations of the whole idea of just transition,” says 91��ɫ PhD alum Isaac Asume Osuoka, a former Vanier scholar and one of the authors of the Bayelsa Report who will chair the discussion on the report at the symposium.

“This 91��ɫ conference is an opportunity to address those gaps in terms of how this conversation has been framed in dominant discourses.” 

The symposium will be held this Thursday and Friday at 91��ɫ at 519  at 91��ɫ’s Keele Campus, with global environmental justice activist, author, architect, think-tank director and 91��ɫ Honorary Doctorate Nnimmo Bassey giving the keynote speech on Thursday at 3 p.m.  can attend virtually for those unable to make it in person. 

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91��ɫ is a modern, multi-campus, urban university located in Toronto, Ontario. Backed by a diverse group of students, faculty, staff, alumni and partners, we bring a uniquely global perspective to help solve societal challenges, drive positive change, and prepare our students for success. 91��ɫ's fully bilingual Glendon Campus is home to Southern Ontario's Centre of Excellence for French Language and Bilingual Postsecondary Education. 91��ɫ’s campuses in Costa Rica and India offer students exceptional transnational learning opportunities and innovative programs. Together, we can make things right for our communities, our planet, and our future. 

Media Contact: 

Emina Gamulin, 91��ɫ Media Relations, 437-217-6362, egamulin@yorku.ca

The post When big oil pulls out appeared first on News@91��ɫ.

91��ɫ experts are available to comment on the upcoming Canadian federal election from party strategies and polling to campaign issues, including immigration, border security and trade relations.

Electoral strategy, polling and voter sentiment

, a professor of political science and Chair of the Department of Politics in the Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies (LA&PS), is focused on issues of democratization and democratic reform in Western countries. In 2007 he published The Politics of Voting: Reforming Canada’s Electoral System, in 2009 he co-edited British Columbia Politics and Government, and in 2013 he published Wrestling with Democracy: Voting Systems as Politics in the Twentieth Century West. Pilon has acted as a consultant on election issues for legal firms, political parties, trade unions, community groups, and the Auditor General of Canada. He is a member of the National Advisory Board of Fair Vote Canada, a citizens’ group focused on gaining more proportional methods of voting for Canadian elections, and sits on the editorial board of Canadian Dimension magazine.

Pilon is available to comment on:

• election administration
• electoral strategy
• political parties, including party branding and strategies
• voter reactions
• ��DZ������Բ���
• election results from the perspective of voters

Public policy proposals and Canada-U.S. relations

is a professor in the School of Public Policy and Administration in LA&PS. His research interests are public administration and public policy, including bad policy and digital public administration as well as financial services sector policy. He previously worked on anti-money laundering and terrorism financing policy, and foresight in government. He is the co-editor of the forthcoming book at Bristol University Press (April 2025), as well as the recently released .

Roberge is available for interviews in both English and French. He can offer political analysis and comment on:

• federal politics
• federal-provincial relations
• the federal election campaign
• Canada-U.S. relations

National identity and regional tensions in the election

, professor of Canadian Studies at 91��ɫ’s Glendon College, is an expert on the history of nationalism in Canada. He received the Governor General's International Award for Canadian Studies from the International Council for Canadian Studies (ICCS) in recognition of his work in the field, as well as a Certificate of Merit from the ICCS. He has researched the trade of dairy products between Canada and the United Kingdom in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, when American tariffs restricted Canadian access to southern markets. 

Coates is available for interviews in English and French. He can comment on:

• the role national identity is playing in the election campaign
• how regional identities and tensions could influence the federal election
• the history of Canadian attempts to expand into other markets when Americans have raised tariffs in the past

Employment and labour policies, retirement, pensions and income insecurity

is a professor in the School of Public Policy and Administration in LA&PS. His focus is on Canadian social and labour policy, including employment, and income security (unemployment insurance and pensions). A particular area of expertise is labour market policy, including the transition from school to work and the role of training and education.��

He is available to speak on:

• employment and labour in Canada, including labour market and income security policies
• retirement and pensions
• dynamics of the upcoming federal election
• Canada-U.S. relations

Energy, environment and climate change: policy and Canada-U.S. relations

is a professor in the Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change, co-chair of the Faculty's Sustainable Energy Initiative, and coordinator of the Joint Master of Environmental Studies/Juris Doctor program offered in conjunction with Osgoode Hall Law School. He has published articles, book chapters and reports on a range of topics from climate change and environment to energy law and policy in Canada and North America. He is a co-editor of the book . He has taught U.S. Government and Politics in the past, and is currently co-editing a volume on carbon federalism in Canada, the U.S., Australia and the European Union.

Key areas of expertise:

• energy and climate change policy
• environment and natural resources policy
• critical minerals and impact assessment
• Canada-U.S. energy trade and relations
• electricity, nuclear energy and Ontario politics

Patriotism and immigration, and changes in U.S. policy

is an assistant professor in the Department of Equity Studies in LA&PS and the director of the Centre for Refugee Studies at 91��ɫ. Su is a specialist in forced migration, climate change-induced displacement and queer migration. She has worked extensively with vulnerable communities in Southeast Asia and Latin America and the Caribbean, including refugees, asylum seekers, undocumented migrants, trans sex workers, indigenous communities, and 2SLGBTQIA+ folks. She has published 26 peer-reviewed works in journals like Third World Quarterly, Journal of Gender Studies, and International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction as well as more than 40 opinion pieces, newspaper articles and academic blogs in The Washington Post, The Conversation, and The National Observer.

Su is available to comment on:

• Canadian patriotism and immigration issues
• the Canada-U.S. border
• immigration, temporary migration and refugees
• politics related to international students, and the issues facing them
• changes in U.S. policy, including mass deportations

Border security and surveillance, and migration

is a lawyer and anthropologist specializing in border technologies. She is the associate director of the Refugee Law Lab at 91��ɫ and is a faculty associate at Harvard’s Berkman Klein Center for Internet and Society. She is the author of , which was a finalist for the 2024 Governor General’s Literary Awards in Nonfiction.

Molnar is available for interviews in both English and French. She can comment on:

• border security and surveillance
• the role of private companies
• migration issues in general

For experts available to comment on trade, tariffs and the economy, see: /news/2025/03/13/york-experts-trump-tariffs-trade-agreements/

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TORONTO, Dec. 10, 2024 – 91��ɫ excels in sustainability, holding its position in the top 120 in the world in the latest , despite stiffer competition from some 300 additional universities.

Coming in at 119 this year out of more than 1,700 universities across 107 countries and territories, and moving up two spots to 14th in Canada, the ranking demonstrates 91��ɫ’s commitment to a greener, more sustainable and equitable community and world.

The University also moved to 19th spot for equality on campus globally, proof its commitment to treating everyone fairly and equitably with respect and dignity is making a difference. Through its Division of Equity, People and Culture it also recently developed a Decolonization, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy.

Earlier this year, the University launched its newly revised Sustainability Strategy 2030, Positive Change: Connecting People, Planet and Purpose with a goal to reduce its direct and indirect emissions by 45 per cent by 2030 and phase out carbon emissions to reach net zero by 2040 for scope one and two emissions, and to significantly reduce scope three emissions.

“It is becoming increasingly important for post-secondary institutions to do our part not only in teaching and research about sustainability but in leading practices on our campuses and engaging our community for an enduring and greener planet,” says Rhonda Lenton, 91��ɫ president and vice-chancellor. “91��ɫ has centred a commitment to advancing the UN Sustainable Development Goals in our academic plans including providing seed funds for projects that enhance programs on sustainability, experiential education activities for students, research grants and international collaboration culminating in our achievement in the QS World University Rankings: Sustainability 2025.”

The QS Sustainability Ranking encompasses measures of environmental impact, including environmental sustainability, environmental education and environmental research, and highlights universities around the globe that not only demonstrate a commitment to a better planet, but are acting on that commitment.

91��ɫ has been an international leader in sustainability since its earliest days. In 1968, it established the country’s first Faculty of Environmental Studies, now the , along with the first major post-secondary recycling program. In 2020, it opened a dedicated Office of Sustainability to guide its efforts toward becoming one of the most sustainable universities in the world.

The University strives to achieve its values of equity, social justice and sustainability in everything it does. In June, 91��ɫ moved up five places to rank 35th in the world in the 2024 Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings, which assess universities around the world against the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in research, stewardship, outreach and teaching. It also shot up 19 spots for zero poverty (SDG 1) to number two in the world and number one in Canada, while also taking the top spot in Canada for reduced inequalities (SDG 10) and 13th for sustainable cities and communities (SDG 11).

91��ɫ also developed a Sustainability Toolkit to help infuse teaching and learning about the 17 SDGs into classrooms across the University.

This fall, 91��ɫ was the first post-secondary institution in Ontario to run all electric shuttle buses between its local campuses, joining the University’s existing green fleet. It’s another example of its increasingly strong reputation as a leader in sustainability and how it’s making strides towards achieving net-zero emissions by 2040.

91��ɫ was also recognized this year as Canada’s Best Diversity and Canada’s Greenest Employers, which acknowledges the University's work with its as a proof of its commitment. A first this year, was the World Wildlife Fund-Canada Living Campus designation, which recognizes the work of post-secondary institutions for their leadership in engaging communities in conservation action and education.

In addition to its newly launched Sustainability Strategy, 91��ɫ also has a Well-being Strategy that helps ensure the health and well-being of its communities across all campuses.

As a multi-campus university with three Toronto campuses – Keele, Glendon and Markham – along with its in Costa Rica (an example of living the values of sustainability and community partnership and engagement) and another in Hyderabad, India, 91��ɫ takes sustainability and the well-being of its communities seriously.

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A large percentage of PFAS are not being accounted for in the air, while PFAAs have accumulated in sometimes surprising amounts over 50 years in the high Arctic.

TORONTO, Oct. 9, 2024 – For decades, scientists knew there was a huge swath of undetected and unaccounted for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the atmosphere, often referred to as PFAS dark matter, but no one knew how much was missing or how to measure them. Now, a 91��ɫ atmospheric chemistry research team has devised a way to test for one of the most ubiquitous elements of these potent greenhouse gases.

By measuring for gaseous fluorine, one of the most prevalent and overlooked contaminants, scientists can better understand the extent of previously unaccounted for PFAS, comprised of thousands of organofluorine compounds. These compounds, used in a wide range of products from food, paint, paper packaging and dental floss to cosmetics and agrochemicals, can off gas fluorine.

The researchers measured how much fluorine was released into the air both in the lab and outside using chemicals, such as fluorosurfactant liquids, and found 65 to 99 per cent of the fluorine in the air inside the lab was not normally unaccounted for, while outside that number was about 50 per cent.

“I expected missing fluorine, but I didn’t expect it to be so much. This new technique can measure all fluorinated things in the atmosphere, which has never been done before and shows the majority cannot be accounted for using our usual measurements,” says senior author of the study Professor , an atmospheric chemist and Guy Warwick Rogers Chair in 91��ɫ’s Faculty of Science.

“It’s important as missing gaseous fluorine accounts for a huge part of airborne PFAS compared to what we actually measure at the moment, which means a lot of the PFAS aren’t being detected.”

Most PFAS, known as forever chemicals, include fluorine bonded with carbon, a bond that doesn’t naturally break down in the environment. Testing for fluorine is an easier way to assess how many PFAS are present in the air rather than measuring all 4,700 or so PFAS contaminants individually.

The high quantities of previously unknown PFAS points to a gap, not only in measuring them, but also in understanding their sources and the impact on the environment. Gaseous fluorine is a byproduct of chemicals used in a wide range of products from food, paint, paper packaging and dental floss to cosmetics and agrichemicals.

“Our lack of focus on this has been mostly because we didn't have the techniques to look at it properly. It's not that people hadn't thought that this might be important, it's that we didn't know how to do it, but now we do,” says lead author RenXi Ye, a PhD student in .

While there are techniques to measure total fluorine in soil and water, there wasn’t one to capture it in its gas state in the atmosphere. The researchers used a method that they previously developed to test for total gaseous chlorine and adapted it to measure gaseous fluorine.

“Much of the focus of research on PFAS was on what's happening in the water in the soil, not as much on what happens in the air, despite the fact that these fluorinated compounds, by the nature of their chemical properties and that they are in so many commercial products, are more likely to go into the air,” says Young.

The question of how much gaseous fluorine is going unaccounted for piqued the interest of 91��ɫ researchers last year while they were working on their .

Should we worry?

Most people are highly concerned about PFAS exposure, but Young says it’s too early to know what the effects are of from the off gassing of fluorine into the environment, either human or on the environment.

“Any fluorinated gas is a potent greenhouse gas, but the impact of that depends on how long it lasts in the atmosphere, but what is the impact of breathing this? When it comes to outdoor air and human exposure, we don't know a lot about how much we breath in,” she says, adding she doesn’t think anyone should panic, but it is an area that needs more research and could certainly have important implications.

The research – – published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology Letters points out that unknown fluorinated chemicals emitted into the atmospherecould not only contribute to the transport of PFAS around the globe but also impact climate change.

PFAS in the Arctic in sometimes surprising quantities found in 50-year-old ice cores

PFAS is the atmosphere are even finding their way into pristine environments like the Arctic. In a recent study led by 91��ɫ PhD student Daniel Persaud with Young and team looked at perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) in ice cores in the Arctic, from 1967 to 2016, on Ellesmere Island in Nunavut.

“The measurement covers the longest time period and so you're seeing that it has been accumulating for a very long time,” says Young. The surprising part? “In the early part of the ice core, there was more than I thought there would be. I expected it to be accumulating since the 1990s, maybe the 1980s, but in the early part of the core, I thought there would be less”

As the longest deposition record in the Arctic for perfluoroalkylcarboxylic acids (PFCAs) and the longest record globally for perfluoroalkylsulfonic acids (PFSAs), it allowed for observations not previously possible.

Before the 1990s, the ice core showed some variable pulses of accumulation, which the researchers at first weren’t sure about, but now think it may be linked to Arctic military activities of the time. Starting in the 1990s, however, the ice core shows a steadier accumulation of the chemicals up to the present.

The study shows that most PFAAs are present in the ice at Mt. Oxford icefield on Ellesmere Island and that over 50 years, there is a steady increase of PFCA deposits, but it also highlighted how ice cores are helpful in understanding how PFAS are transported long-range.

“We were able to confirm that the PFCAs we found in the ice cores are formed primarily through long-range atmospheric transport and oxidation of volatile precursors in the atmosphere,” says Persaud.

The issue now, says Young, is that as the permafrost melts, this resource is disappearing which creates an urgent need to collect more ice cores to further illuminate temporal trends and possible sources of PFAAs.

The paper, , was published in the journal Environmental Science: Processes and Impact.

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91��ɫ is a modern, multi-campus, urban university located in Toronto, Ontario. Backed by a diverse group of students, faculty, staff, alumni and partners, we bring a uniquely global perspective to help solve societal challenges, drive positive change and prepare our students for success. 91��ɫ's fully bilingual Glendon Campus is home to Southern Ontario's Centre of Excellence for French Language and Bilingual Postsecondary Education. 91��ɫ’s campuses in Costa Rica and India offer students exceptional transnational learning opportunities and innovative programs. Together, we can make things right for our communities, our planet, and our future. 

Media Contact: 

Sandra McLean, 91��ɫ Media Relations, 416-272-6317, sandramc@yorku.ca 

The post 91��ɫ U researchers develop new technique to measure previously undetected airborne PFAS appeared first on News@91��ɫ.

Lake Superior is known for its pristine waters, but a combination of nutrient additions from increasing human activity (including farming and development), warming temperatures and stormy conditions have resulted in more frequent blooms of potentially harmful algae.

 thrive in freshwater systems with warmer water temperatures and elevated nutrient inputs, typical of highly urbanized and agricultural landscapes.

Cyanobacterial blooms have the potential to produce toxins, such as  and other , that can .

These toxins can create an unpleasant taste and odor in water, interfere with water treatment, cause gastrointestinal issues and liver damage in humans and have even .

Unfortunately, as the planet warms, more and more parts of Canada are experiencing harmful algal blooms. Our team has set out to try and understand the extent of the problem in Lake Superior, and what can be done about it.

Blooms in the Great Lakes

Cyanobacterial blooms are no stranger to the Laurentian Great Lakes. Each summer, Lake Erie, the smallest and warmest Great Lake, is .

These blooms happen when hot temperatures occur in areas of fresh water where nutrient runoff drains. For example, Lake Erie is ringed with rich agricultural fields and urban development, the runoff from which often results in summer algal blooms. In 2014, a harmful algal bloom formed within the drinking water supply of Toledo, Ohio, affecting more than .

Until recently, cyanobacterial blooms were never recorded in Lake Superior.

Lake Superior is the largest, coldest and arguably the healthiest of the Great Lakes, owing to its . Cold water temperatures and low nutrient concentrations have historically inhibited the growth of algae.

At the same time, Lake Superior is one of the  on the planet. In the past 150 years, Lake Superior has . During the winter of 2024, only 12 per cent of Lake Superior’s surface was covered in ice, one-fifth of a typical winter.

Less ice cover has led to a , resulting in  during the summer. Longer and warmer summers provide optimal conditions for algae to proliferate and for cyanobacteria to bloom.

 along the southern shores of Lake Superior for the past decade.  were first documented in 2012 and every year since 2016. In 2018, the largest bloom stretched over 100 kilometres, with reports that the waters turned an opaque green.

Evidence of cyanobacterial blooms along the northern shores of Lake Superior have been . Confirmed reports to the Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks , northeast of Thunder Bay. Subsequent blooms were noted in July 2021 in Black Bay, a less developed area of western Lake Superior, again in July and September 2023 and , in the municipality of Shuniah.

While there is no evidence of toxicity in the blooms on the northern side of Lake Superior, sampling revealed that nearly all cyanobacteria species identified can generate toxins. However, it is not yet known under which environmental conditions cyanobacteria “switch” to become .

Changing conditions

Reports of  and rivers suggest that climate change plays an important role in the . Cyanobacteria are more tolerant of  and can make themselves more buoyant, allowing them to out-compete other algae for light.

In the , climate change is also contributing to more frequent and intense storms. Strong precipitation events lead to high rates of water runoff that mix nutrients from the watershed into local water bodies. For example, the  in 2018 stemmed from .

The public health risks from cyanotoxins underscore the importance of addressing global environmental degradation to prevent the proliferation of these species. These occasional blooms highlight the need for continued monitoring and public awareness to protect the health of Lake Superior’s northern nearshore regions.

Limiting the amount of nutrients delivered to water bodies is critical to .  could include reducing the use of fertilizer, changing the timing of fertilizer application to limit the amount of nutrients entering lakes and tributaries, promoting infrastructure in urban environments to reduce storm-water runoff and conserving wetlands and riparian vegetation.

This article is part of The Conversation's series��.��This summer, The Conversation and����invite you to take a fascinating dip in our lakes. With magnifying glasses, microscopes and diving goggles, our scientists scrutinize the biodiversity of our lakes and the processes that unfold in them, and tell us about the challenges they face. Don’t miss our articles on these incredibly rich bodies of water!

By Professor, 91��ɫ Research Chair in Global Change Biology and director of the United Nations Institute for Training and Research Global Water Academy, and , a postdoctoral researcher in 91��ɫ's Department of Biology

This article is republished from��.��

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Data generated by researchers at shows 2023 to be a record-breaking year for humanity’s Ecological Footprint, which is predicted to exceed what the Earth can regenerate this year by tomorrow (August 1) – . 

All components of the Ecological Footprint – cropland, grazing land, fish harvests, built-up land, forest products, and carbon emissions – were larger than ever before.

The annual Overshoot Day prediction, based on data produced out of 91��ɫ’s Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change, continues to worsen.

“Earth Overshoot Day highlights excess consumption that needs to be reduced. It can also measure the significance of actions such as carbon pricing and reducing food waste,” says Eric Miller, director of the Ecological Footprint Initiative in 91��ɫ’s Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change. “Humanity needs to reduce its Ecological Footprint by 2.1 per cent annually, every year from now until 2050 to end overshoot. Ending overshoot is necessary to reach net zero emissions.”

The Ecological Footprint is calculated as the area occupied by settlements, plus the land used for agriculture, the waters used for capturing or culturing fish, the area of harvested forests, and the area of unharvested forests that would be needed to absorb humanity’s carbon emissions. Researchers also measured the biocapacity of lands and waters within all countries. Calculations integrated tens of millions of data points from international data sources.

Humanity needs to reduce its Ecological Footprint by 2.1 per cent annually, every year from now until 2050 to end overshoot.

Eric Miller

Canada is one of . More than 9,000 companies, 1,000 cities, 1,000 educational institutions, and 600 financial institutions have joined the  to reduce emissions.

Net zero emissions can be achieved by reducing greenhouse gasses to the point at which their annual total can be sequestered by ecosystems within the same year. Ecosystems can only do this if they are not being used for other purposes, such as housing people, supporting infrastructure or being harvested. A comprehensive accounting of these different uses and capacities of lands and waters is provided by National Ecological Footprint and Biocapacity Accounts. This accounting is necessary for effective policy and legislation around the world.

“Our dataset is the most comprehensive and recent measure of what’s necessary for sustainability,” says Miller, who leads a team of researchers and graduate students to produce the����for the��, a Canadian not-for-profit organization.

Quick facts

Mississauga and Toronto:

• 56 times the area of Mississauga was needed to support Mississauga’s Ecological Footprint.
• Toronto’s average per-person Ecological Footprint was lower than the Ontario average.

Ontario compared to the Canadian average:

• Ontario’s Ecological Footprint and biocapacity were measured in 2020 from 2005-2015.
• Ontario’s Ecological Footprint declined between 2005 to 2015, resulting from the end of coal-fired generation and changing diets in Ontario. The province’s Ecological Footprint declined to 11 per cent below the Canadian average, from a prior high of 14 per cent more than the average.
• Cropland in Ontario yielded almost twice as much than average cropland in Canada, and with yields above the world-average in 2015.

Ontario’s greenbelt:

• Ontario’s greenbelt provided an average of twice the level of biocapacity per hectare as other lands in Ontario. Most of this biocapacity was provided by cropland in the greenbelt.
• Ontario’s greenbelt yielded crops that could satisfy the total needs of 2.2 million Ontarians.

Canada compared to the rest of the world:

• An average consumer in Canada had an Ecological Footprint of 7.4 global hectare (gha). This was about the same as the United States average, higher than the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development country average of 5.6gha, and much higher than the global human average of 2.6gha. More than half of Canada’s Ecological Footprint comes from burning fuels, followed by high consumption of forest products.
• More than four per cent of global biocapacity existed within Canada, ranked fifth highest in the world.
• Each dollar of Canadian exports required twice as much Ecological Footprint for its production than each dollar of imports. Canada exported footprint-intensive timber products, grains and edible oils, fuels and minerals.

91��ɫ:

• 91��ɫ measures its Ecological Footprint and biocapacity and greenhouse gas emissions. Data published in 2023 shows that 91��ɫ’s campuses in Toronto and Costa Rica provide one per cent of the land area needed to support its Ecological Footprint.
• 91��ɫ’s emissions have trended below the Canadian university sectoral average.
• 91��ɫ aims to achieve net-zero emissions by 2040.

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TORONTO, Feb. 20, 2024 – Some 500 Ontario high school students from more than 25 high schools are coming to 91��ɫ next week to learn how they can change the world through understanding the risks of fast fashion, the importance of wetlands, the dangers of storm water runoff and much more.

The annual Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change student conference, Change Your World, is partnering with environmental and youth organizations to offer students hands-on workshops to inspire and learn how they can make a sustainable and equitable difference. Included in the day’s line up is a workshop on how to build resiliency in the face of anxiety about the future.

Media are invited to the event and its workshops on Thursday, Feb. 22.

The workshops will run in both the morning and afternoon sessions and include:

• The Cost of Fast Fashion by 91��ɫ’s Environmental Arts and Justice
• Shaping Sustainable Cities for a Resilient Future
• Exploring the World of Wetlands by Ontario Nature
• The Game of Nations: Power, Peace, and the Planet, a giant immersive board game, by ALPHA Education
• Climate Change and Renewables by Relay Education, students are hands on with wind turbine models and solar panels in second half of workshop
• Rain to Runoff: A Stormwater Story by Toronto and Region Conservation Authority
• Ready, Set, Build: Green Infrastructure and Climate Futurism by Toronto Youth Environmental Council
• Nature in the City: Understanding Toronto's Urban Forest by City of Toronto – Urban Forestry which includes a tree identification walk (weather permitting)

For a full list of workshops, visit the website.

There will also be a special guest performance by award-winning musician and climate activist Brighid Fry, who has released five EPs on her own and with bands Kingdom of Birds and Housewife (formerly Moscow Apartment).

Keynote speakers for the event:

• Mike Layton, 91��ɫ’s chief sustainability officer in the Office of Sustainability, a former Toronto city councillor, 91��ɫ alumus and long-time champion of sustainability.

• Alicia Richins, a sustainable impact strategist director of strategy and governance for Leading Change Canada, an organization focused on activating youth sustainability leadership for the transition to a low carbon economy within a generation.
• Joanne Huy, a community engagement professional with a passion for transforming lives and communities through transformative learning experiences and meaningful engagement.

WHAT: Change Your World conference

WHEN: Opening Ceremonies from 9:45 to 10:45 a.m.; morning workshops from 11 a.m. to noon; performance by Brighid Fry from 12:30 to 1 p.m.; afternoon workshops from 1 to 2 p.m.

WHERE: Vari Hall and various classrooms, Keele Campus, 91��ɫ

The post Some 500 high school students to learn how to change their world at 91��ɫ appeared first on News@91��ɫ.

New goals and actions announced today demonstrate continued momentum

TORONTO, Nov. 23, 2023 – In 10 years, some trees can grow anywhere from 10 to 25 feet tall, so when 91��ɫ announces its goal to reach net zero emissions a decade sooner, it’s a target that can lead to a significant and positive impact on the environment – enough time for a forest to grow.

Today, 91��ɫ announced its new objective to reach net zero emissions by 2040, 10 years sooner than its original commitment. It’s a goal the whole University community is pitching in to meet through individual actions, research and innovative solutions and is one of the most ambitious net zero targets in the Canadian post-secondary sector. With a demonstrated history of sustainable efforts, the University is ahead even of some municipalities, and it already has a huge head start.

“The United Nations has stated that climate change is the defining issue of our time, and the world is at a pivotal moment requiring urgent action,” says 91��ɫ President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda Lenton. “As an internationally recognized leader in sustainability, 91��ɫ has a responsibility to act on global challenges facing humanity, including ecological degradation, climate change and growing socio-economic inequality. The bold actions we are taking on our campuses, and in our local and global communities will build on the strong foundation we have created and move us closer to our goal of becoming one of the most sustainable institutions in Canada.”

Sustainability is embedded in all facets of university life and every new initiative will help drive it forward. Even before today’s announcement, 91��ɫ was a leader in sustainability. The University is on track to meet its goal of reducing emissions by 45 per cent by 2030, three years early, and recently opened applications for its new $1 million Sustainability Innovation Fund to support community-led projects toward a more sustainable future.

“The urgency for action to advance sustainability and climate initiatives has never been greater. Today’s announcement sets 91��ɫ on a course to build on an already strong reputation for advancing sustainability initiatives on campus, in our community and around the world,” says 91��ɫ Chief Sustainability Officer Mike Layton. “I look forward to working with faculty, staff and students to develop plans to help 91��ɫ achieve its gold and have impact in our world.”

It’s also transparent about its achievements. 91��ɫ is the first Canadian institution to compile and release data on its ecological footprint and emissions. The report by the provides the University more information than ever to identify new opportunities to reduce emissions and develop innovative solutions to support a more sustainable future.

Today’s event included a panel – The shrinking act: How 91��ɫ is using data and innovative solutions to shrink its footprint – moderated by Layton with , director, 91��ɫ’s Ecological Footprint Initiative in the Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change; Lassonde School of Engineering Associate Professor , Canada Research Chair in Reliable and Secure Power Grid Systems; Lassonde School of Engineering ; and Steve Prince, director, Utilities and Energy Management at 91��ɫ. There was also short play featuring two students from the theatre department of the School of the Arts, Media, Performance and Design and a brief video about sustainable travel – – from former Provostial Fellow, Schulich School of Business Professor .

More than $2 million from the federal government through its Decarbonization and Incentive Program will help 91��ɫ upgrade its Energy Management Information System. This will allow the University to integrate campus operations system data into an analytics platform that uses artificial intelligence to improve energy efficiency for heating and cooling and create student experiential learning opportunities to support its Campus as a Living Lab.

Earlier this year the University launched its Microlecture Series in Sustainable Living, an innovative, open access program that gives participants (more than 800 so far) the opportunity to learn from six of 91��ɫ’s world-renowned academic experts on a diverse range of topics related to sustainability. The series tasks participants with making tangible sustainability-focused changes in their daily lives based on tips from each professor towards earning a first-of-its-kind Digital Badge in Sustainable Living.

In addition, 91��ɫ has more than 1.2 million square feet of green buildings, has diverted 77 per cent of all waste generated from landfills and has the highest recycling rate of any post-secondary institution in Ontario. Through waste diversion, the University has prevented more than 26,000 metric tons of carbon from reaching the atmosphere – equivalent to planting more than 1.2 million trees or eliminating 61,800 barrels of oil. 

Through operational improvements, the University has avoided 35,500 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year since 2020 – equivalent to removing 7,900 gasoline powered cars from the road for a year. 

This is just the beginning.

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Environmental experts invite the public to learn and commit to be more eco-friendly, and earn a digital badge, all for free

TORONTO, April 21, 2023 — There’s a good chance that you may have eaten some plastic today. It is also possible you did not realize disasters like wildfires, hurricanes and ice storms aren’t very “natural” at all. To create awareness about such issues and to bring to public attention the effects of our actions on the environment, 91��ɫ has produced a free microlecture series. What better time than Earth Month to learn about the environment and make a commitment to lead a more sustainable life?

The innovative and interdisciplinary open-access program, Microlecture Series in Sustainable Living, gives participants the opportunity to learn from six of 91��ɫ’s world-renowned academic experts including engineering ; environmental studies civil engineering ; disaster and emergency management ; and biology ; and equity studies have covered the following topics that relate to our everyday impact on the environment:

• how microplastics journey through and impact our ecosystems
• the relationship between energy and economic growth
• why the most vulnerable amongst us often face the highest flooding risks
• the difference between a hazard and a disaster in context of emergency management
• how colonialism has impacted the way disasters impact Indigenous communities
• why our lakes are rapidly warming

After completing the Microlecture Series, correctly answering knowledge-check questions, and committing to putting these learnings into practice, participants will be recognized with a first-of-its-kind Digital Badge in Sustainable Living – becoming ‘Sustainable Living Ambassadors.’ Offered by 91��ɫ’s Research and Innovation Division, the digital badge can be added to LinkedIn or other social media to serve as a powerful tool for challenging others to do their part.

The post What on Earth are you doing? Become a sustainable living ambassador, urge 91��ɫ U experts appeared first on News@91��ɫ.