News and Events

The University of British Columbia has unveiled a bold new climate action plan to accelerate emissions reductions and achieve net-zero emissions by 2035 at its Vancouver campus—15 years ahead of the previous target date.

UBC has reduced its greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 30 per cent since 2007. The new plan aims to get to net zero faster through a combination of measures.

Engagement and outreach activities to the UBC community will accelerate next year to support the changes needed to reach CAP 2030 goals – particularly those involving emissions from business air travel, commuting, food and waste.

The recent climate conference in Glasgow, Scotland, shows that climate change deniers have shifted their tactics to thwart the efforts of countries to phase out fossil fuel use.

This article by David Tindall, Professor, Department of Sociology, UBC, originally appeared in The Conversation on November 18, 2021.

We are now in a climate crisis, as has been declared in a number of political jurisdictions — such as the City of Vancouver — and organizations including the University of British Columbia.

The role of capitalism in addressing the problem is relevant because struggles over how to address climate change are based on differing evaluations of capitalism. There are many social justice issues important in this debate, but I will focus mostly on some environmental, and political considerations.

This article by David Tindall, Professor, Department of Sociology, UBC, originally appeared in the National Observer on November 11, 2021.

According to a research group, steel production is responsible for about 7% of global greenhouse gas emissions. The calls from COP26 have been clear: the world must stop burning coal if it hopes to avoid catastrophic global temperature rise. Dr. John Steen, a professor of mining engineering at UBC’s faculty of applied science, gave comments about clean hydrogen.

This article originally appeared in the CBC on November 12, 2021.

Canada has 384 billion tonnes carbon stored in peatland and other soils according to a new study. UBC forestry professor Dr. Suzanne Simard commented on a study that puts a spotlight on large soil carbon storage in terrestrial ecosystems of Canada. She said soil carbon faces several threats and this would, in turn, accelerate climate change.

This article by Inayat Singh, Alice Hopton originally appeared in the CBC on November 10, 2021.

Dr. Rashid Sumaila, a professor at the Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries and the school of public policy and global affairs at UBC, was quoted about the importance of healthy fisheries.

This article originally appeared in the UnderCurrent on November 10, 2021.

Dr. William Rees, a professor emeritus at UBC's faculty of applied science's school of community and regional planning, is among the signatories to an open letter urging communities to lead their own emergency response to slash dangerous greenhouse gas emissions.

Hundreds of scholars sign open letter urging communities to lead their own ‘emergency response’ after ‘failure’ of Cop26 to slash dangerous greenhouse gas emissions.

This article originally appeared in the Independent on November 11, 2021.

Forty-five governments led by the U.K. pledged Saturday at a global climate change conference in Glasgow, Scotland, to spend billions on transforming the world's farms, fisheries and forests in an effort to make our food more sustainable.

This article by Marc Fawcett-Atkinson originally appeared in the National Observer on November 8, 2021.

A youth-focused climate strike march and rally drew at least 25,000 people to the streets of Glasgow on Nov. 5. Hundreds of events in other cities were also held that day. Fridays for Future states the strikes occurred in 81 countries, spread across 379 cities and involved more than 270,000 participants. Greta Thunberg, who is now 18 and arguably the highest-profile climate activist in the world, “headlined” the Glasgow event.

This article by David Tindall, Professor, Department of Sociology, UBC, originally appeared in the National Observer on November 9, 2021.

Climate justice is a rights-based approach to addressing the problems of increased warming temperatures, droughts, floods, more extreme storms, increased disease, crop failures, climate migration, and increased climate change-related social conflict.