Climate Change University
Playing a Role in Preserving the World for Future Generations
Canada's first National Adaptation Strategy - join the conversation!
Share your ideas on short-term actions needed to build a Canadian blueprint for climate preparedness
Trent University Takes Another Step toward Socially, Ecologically Responsible Investments
Building on a history of environmental leadership: Trent News, November 9, 2021
New Green Tech Hub Announced: EaRTH District
News release, October 28, 2021: Five Ontario post-secondary institutions unite to establish Environmental and Related Technologies Hub (EaRTH) to advance climate action solutions
Specialization in Climate Change Science and Policy
As one of Canada’s leading environmental universities, Trent now offers students the opportunity to specialize in Climate Change Science and Policy – one of only two climate change-focused programs in Canada.
Climate change is the greatest environmental challenge of our time. Mitigating and preparing for this challenge requires scientific knowledge, strong communication skills and political awareness.
"Climate change isn't just a scientific issue, it's also deeply tied to cultural norms and the media by which we learn and communicate about this problem and each other. This means that we need to think creatively and socially about what's holding us back and what could move us forward." - Dr Anne Pasek, Canada Research Chair in Media, Culture and the Environment
“Climate change is more than just an environmental issue – it intersects with every part of society. As a university, it is our obligation to be leaders in the climate change conversation,” says Dr Stephen Hill, Associate Director, Trent School of the Environment. “There are so many activities happening around the topic of climate change, and most organizations now have someone responsible for climate change mitigation or reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
The climate change challenge is complex and spans various disciplines beyond just the natural environment, including law and policy development, social justice and the economy. Trent has remarkable faculty members doing some fantastic work on the subject of climate change and students benefit from hands-on learning and research opportunities with experts in the field.”
The Climate Change Science and Policy specialization gives students in the Geography and Environmental Science/ Studies programs, a deeper understanding of the scientific principles underlying this complex problem.
Environmental Geoscience Research Group
The EGRG studies the impacts of changes in climate, land-use and pollutant inputs on terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Pollutants include acid rain, excess nutrients, ozone, microplastics and heavy metals. Information from our studies is used in steady-state and dynamic models to predict 'acceptable levels' of pollutants that will not cause adverse biological effects according to present knowledge. Output from these model runs may be used as a guide for policy makers to establish pollutant emission targets.
Low Carbon Research Methods Group
The Low-Carbon Research Methods Group is a loosely affiliated network of scholars interested in examining how climate change not only stands to alter what we study, but how we do so. Its founding hypothesis is that an energy transition for academic methods—like energy transitions everywhere—offers opportunities to re-examine long-held assumptions and to redistribute benefits and harms (for both good and for ill). Working across different methodological traditions, as well as discursive and nondiscursive forms of inquiry, the research group seeks to explore the social and institutional prospects of decarbonizing academia, as well as the equity and epistemological gains that might be won thereby.
The research group is founded and coordinated by Anne Pasek of Trent University.
Bachelor of Science in Climate Science and Policy
Pending Approval for September 2022
Building upon existing strengths and expertise in the School of the Environment across a range of science and policy areas, the Climate Science and Policy BSc degree couples a biophysical and chemical understanding of climate change with the social, political and technological aspects of climate policy. Students will be provided with an educational foundation to become climate change specialists within the government, corporate, non-profit, and education sectors. This BSc program (pending approval) takes a unique approach to the intersection of climate science and climate policy in an interdisciplinary environment.