Sustainability & Climate Action

Latest stories in Sustainability & Climate Action

How technology can help reduce food waste

Eco-friendly food packaging and innovative food processing can help make our food last longer

How the supply chain impacts the cost of food

The reasons behind rising food prices and grocery prices might surprise you—and what impacts the cost of food

Balancing sustainable agriculture with the need to feed the world

These sustainable farming practices can help us produce more food while fighting climate change

Testing new ways to reduce the environmental impacts of food

Everyday choices can help to reduce emissions in our food systems

How Indigenous food sovereignty can improve food security

Indigenous food sovereignty can help heal both the land and its people as we face the challenges of climate change

Farming our way to a future more resilient to climate change

Farmers do more than produce food—sustainable farming practices can help fight climate change

A man is smiling and holding a spoon full of bugs.

Bug protein powder smoothies? Cricket flour muffins? Why it’s time to consider eating more insects

Insects could be the meat of the future and a sustainable alternative protein

An image of homeless people in Chinatown, Vancouver

Extreme heat, extreme inequality: Addressing climate justice in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside

Researchers must work with the most vulnerable populations to build a more resilient city

A photo of Professor Karen Bakker on the TED stage with an orca on the LCD screen behind her.

How AI could transform our relationship with the natural world

Technology could help us decode the sounds of nature and non-human communication

A photo of steam rising from smokestacks in a rural sunset sky.

Tips for how to cope with climate anxiety

These steps can help you move from eco-anxiety to positive action

Easy ways to conserve water this summer

Tips for conserving water in British Columbia

Three killer whales at Vancouver island, British Columbia, Canada

With only low-fat Chinook on the menu, southern resident killer whales are going hungry

Food quality, not just quantity, matters when it comes to the health and survival of southern resident killer whales

Photo of writer Naomi Klein looking into the camera

Naomi Klein on the future of climate justice

Climate activist Naomi Klein shares insights on tackling climate injustice in BC, Canada and beyond

Aerial shot of amazon deforestation

How the COP27 climate conference could confront colonialism by centring Indigenous rights

Many “green” solutions represent more violations of Indigenous rights and territories, without consultation or consent

Photo of Dr. Simon Donner on stage at Tedx

Why our imaginations are the key to solving climate change

Envisioning a different future can help us overcome inaction on climate change, says Dr. Simon Donner in his TEDx talk

Next-generation batteries power a more sustainable future

UBC researchers are developing better batteries for electric cars, solar panels and more

Harnessing the power of forests to fight climate change

Dr. Suzanne Simard’s Mother Tree Project at UBC could transform how we manage forests.

A collage showing a family cleaning up at the beach, a plate of sushi, sockeye salmon spawning

5 things you can do to help BC’s marine ecosystems

From reducing your plastic use to choosing sustainable seafood, every action counts

A Grizzly bear sitting on the banks of a river.

BC is facing a steep decline in sockeye salmon

As BC coastal waters warm, sockeye salmon are moving north to Alaska. Here’s what’s moving up to BC

An illustration of an electric car plugged into a charger and surrounded by plants.

How climate storytelling helps people navigate complexity and find solutions

Despite learning that climate change is hitting the planet faster than scientists predicted, society has been slow to decrease the use of fossil fuels and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Climate storytelling can help us navigate the complexity and find solutions.

Sockeye salmon in river

Learning from Indigenous knowledge holders on the state and future of wild Pacific salmon

Elders expressed great concern about the role of greed in management choices

A photo of fried calamari with the ocean and sun in the background

Climate change is now on the menu at seafood restaurants

As ocean temperatures rise, you’ll see more squid and sardines on menus and less sockeye salmon

Building community resilience to wildfires in BC

Why we need to address the inequities that communities face in dealing with wildfires

A person's hand holding rice grains to show world hunger

‘Too many people, not enough food’ isn’t the cause of world hunger and food insecurity

Inequity and armed conflict play a large role in world hunger

Photo of smoke from a forest fire near Pearchland British Columbia Canada

Why protecting air quality in BC matters to your health — not just during wildfire season

Vancouver has some of the best air quality in the world. Here’s why we need to fight for it.

A collection of images depicting what effects affect air quality

What exactly is air quality, and what affects it in BC?

Learn about air pollution sources and how weather and location affect air quality in BC

Half the world is facing water scarcity, floods and dirty water — large investments are needed for effective solutions

Water needs to be at the centre of climate change strategies with a better understanding of the costs and benefits of solutions

BC heat waves threaten survival of bee colonies

Insulated bee hives could protect bees from heat stress

A group of people at a climate change protest. In the centre of the photo is a young woman with a child on her shoulders

The climate crisis demands courage, not optimism

Here’s why citizen action matters for climate change, despite uncertain outcomes

Second-hand gifts, new experiences: shaking up holiday gift giving

More sustainable gift options can help beat inflation while reducing holiday landfill waste

An illustration showing items that can be a part of a circular economy.

What is the circular economy?

Tied to reducing, reusing and recycling, this concept could be the key to a more sustainable future

Smoke stack

COP26: Strong carbon-trading rules could help the world avoid dangerous levels of global warming

An international emissions-trading system being discussed at COP26 could bring an end to the production of coal-fired electricity

Getting to the HART of affordable housing

A new tool co-developed by UBC experts helps to estimate how much affordable housing a city needs

Speculative rendering of False Creek in 2050, illustrating the incorporation of nature-based solutions through the restoration of wetlands and coastal ecosystems. It shows a higher sea level that is mitigated by the planting and caretaking of coastal wetlands.

It’s time to accept, not resist, rising sea levels

UBC landscape architecture professor Kees Lokman explains how nature-based solutions could help coastal communities adapt

Mona Behrouzian

Connecting employers with UBC talent

By Julia Waring Change starts locally. Here’s how UBC students doing on-the-job training are contributing to a diverse workforce across Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley. Like many UBC students, Mona Behrouzian—in her fourth year at the UBC School of Biomedical Engineering—commuted over an hour each way for her recent co-op work term. Behrouzian was […]

Photo illustration of an aerial view of cars that are powered by green hydrogen on a highway.

Why green hydrogen — but not grey — could help solve climate change

Green hydrogen could allow us to drive for 1,000 kilometres on a single tank of fuel without any emissions

Zhaohua Cheng

Fighting climate change through our urban forests

UBC researcher Zhaohua (Cindy) Cheng is empowering Metro Vancouver communities to combat our region’s rising temperatures.

Dr. Zac Hudson

Surrey-based UBC partnership highlights the power of regional connections

The NEXE pod exemplifies the innovation that happens when industry partners are closely connected to an anchor research institution like UBC

Photo illustration of fire coming out of a wine glass to illustrate smoky tasting wine

How wildfires are tainting grapes with smoke and threatening the wine industry

A chemistry professor at UBC Okanagan explains why wildfire smoke poses a massive threat to BC’s wine industry

Aerial photo of a fishing trawler in the ocean with its nets cast out into the water to catch fish with

Putting an end to billions in fishing subsidies could improve fish stocks and ocean health

UBC’s Dr. Daniel Skerritt explains how fishing subsidies limit our ability to sustainably manage our fisheries

Smoke from wildfires descends on Vancouver

10 tips for coping with wildfire smoke, from a public health expert

Protect yourself from the risks of hazardous wildfire smoke

A photo illustration depicting a bird about to fly into a window

Three easy ways to reduce bird collisions at home

Windows crashes are much more common than you might think, but there is plenty you can do to help

A trail between large trees in Pacific Spirt Park, an urban forest in Vancouver

How cities can avoid “green gentrification” and make urban forests accessible

UBC’s Dr. Lorien Nesbitt explains how urban trees and parks are unfairly distributed, and the nature experience is not equal for everyone

A river and mountain in Banff National Park, Canada, a place protected by conservation measures

How to meet the ambitious target of conserving 30 per cent of Earth by 2030

Canada’s new conservation goal, 30 by 30, requires innovative action to protect natural areas

Three people measure a tree in their neighbourhood

How to climate-proof your neighbourhood, one step at a time

The Citizen’s Coolkit offers ideas for action to help cool your neighbourhood

An illustration showing how insect biodiversity affects the foods we eat

With biodiversity under siege, even blueberries and chocolate could be at risk

When pollinators like native bees are threatened, so is the abundance and diversity of foods we eat

Woman cutting peppers

5 ways to cut food waste at home

Wasting food wastes money and the resources used to grow and distribute it. Here’s how Canadians can reduce household food waste

Environmental human rights illustration showing a young girl among leaves

Why all human rights depend on a healthy environment

Environmental degradation threatens our human rights, including the rights to life, health and food

Illustration of activities that affect your carbon footprint, like flying or recycling

Top ways to reduce your carbon footprint

Well-meaning individuals often make poor choices when it comes to reducing their carbon footprint

Youth climate movements connected through social networks

What lies ahead for Fridays for Future and the youth climate movement

The pandemic interrupted climate justice protests, but the youth climate movement is adapting

Honeybees fly around a hive

Saving the humble honeybee

UBC researchers are looking at ways to improve bee health