Environment + Energy – Views & Research

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A woman rides a bike through an orange-hued haze along the Toronto waterfront.

How to stay safe from the triple threat of wildfires, smoke and extreme heat

Dr. Farhan M. Asrar, Toronto Metropolitan University

Canada’s proposed clean water act needs stronger protections for Indigenous communities

Kerry Black, University of Calgary; Irving Leblanc; Kathleen Padulo, and Linda Debassige

a person carries a placard reading water is a human right

Unhoused people and wildlife are increasingly coming into contact. Here’s what can be done to protect them

Sage Raymond, University of Alberta

A coyote stands on the grass near a tree in a park

a beaver entering a body of water in a snowy area

Beavers are emerging sooner in spring amid warmer weather

Glynnis Hood, University of Alberta

Fibreglass: How this emerging contaminant is polluting our coasts

Zeinab Zoveidadianpour, Simon Fraser University and Juan José Alava, Simon Fraser University

a river delta seen from a nearby hillside

New study finds clear-cut logging can dramatically increase flood risk

Spencer Pearson-Atkins, University of British Columbia; Xu Jian (Joe) Yu, University of British Columbia, and Younes Alila, University of British Columbia

a small patch of trees surrounded by a logged area

Earth’s deep memory is thawing with the Arctic permafrost, degrading records of our ancient world

Duane Froese, University of Alberta; Hendrik Poinar, McMaster University; Scott L. Cocker, Stockholm University, and Tyler J. Murchie, McMaster University

People work in reflective yellow/orange jackets at the base of a cliff, with a high-pressure jet of water spraying across

a black and white photo of people standing on the side of a flooded road lined with brick buildings.

Historical records reveal how Canada’s weather has changed over the centuries

Victoria Slonosky, McGill University

Island life changed how Brazil’s Noronha skink reproduces, but the lizard’s strategy might be failing in a rapidly evolving world

Henrique B. Braz, Instituto Butantan; Selma Maria Almeida-Santos, Instituto Butantan, and Serena Najara Migliore, Instituto Butantan

Moving forests to save them: Here are the risks and rewards of assisted tree migration

Anne Ola, Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS); Alison Munson, Université Laval, and Mariétou Diouf, Université Laval

View of a mixed forest of conifers and deciduous trees

B.C. and Alberta fall behind on fracking safety distances for residents

Margaret McGregor, University of British Columbia; Deborah Curran, University of Victoria; Élyse Caron-Beaudoin, University of Toronto; Kevin Berk, Dalhousie University, and Tim K. Takaro, Simon Fraser University

Part of a multi-well pad at a natural gas plant

Ammonia from wastewater: How we’re turning a pollutant into fertilizer and clean fuel

Navid Noor, McMaster University and Drew Higgins, McMaster University

a rendering of molecules joined together

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An aerial view shows brown runoff coloring the edges of a river running through a forest.

Your local fishing hole is getting browner, changing which fish species thrive and which ones struggle

Allison M. Roth, University of Missouri-Columbia and Irene Gregory-Eaves, McGill University

traffic moves along both sides of a multilane highway, the CN tower and tall buildings are in the background

Oil price shocks have exposed car-dependent cities. Here’s what governments can do

Christopher J. Greyson-Gaito, McMaster University

What science tells us about the algae bloom in the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool

Marguerite Xenopoulos, Trent University and Paul Frost, Trent University

A viw of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool from above, with green algae bloom down the middle of the pool.

When your local reflecting pool or pond turns green with algae, don’t reach for chemicals – nature has better solutions

Eric Palkovacs, University of California, Santa Cruz

A man using an underwater vacuum stands knee-deep in the Reflecting Pool with the Washington Monument in the background.

In case you missed it

two people walk in a woodland area near a large tree, behind can be seen the top of a stone castle

Universities have a vital role to play in tackling climate change

Sarah Elizabeth Wolfe, Royal Roads University and Philip Steenkamp, Royal Roads University

a highway near a body of water, mountains in the background

Animals are often moved to make way for infrastructure, but we don’t know what happens to them next

Megan Winand, University of British Columbia

a middle aged white man in a suit speaking at a podium in front on a red background

Canada’s AI strategy must reckon with the environmental implications of data centres

Sibo Chen, Toronto Metropolitan University

Plant-based products need to be easier to find and consistently affordable for shoppers

Cameron McRae, Simon Fraser University and Laurette Dube, McGill University

meat alternative food products on a display shelf in a supermarket

Seaweed farming offers benefits, but regulatory gaps pose ecological risks

John Driscoll, University of British Columbia and Edward Gregr, University of British Columbia

carrots and other fresh produce in a bin

4 steps you can take to avoid ‘perceived scarcity’ and prevent food waste

Bonnie Simpson, Western University; Katherine White, University of British Columbia, and Rhiannon M. Mesler, University of Lethbridge

Green crops grow between large vertical solar panels against a blue sky

‘Agrivoltaics’ can both power AI data centres and increase food production — new study

Joshua M. Pearce, Western University

The world agreed to protect 30% of the ocean by 2030 – but marine protection can’t be judged by area alone

Kirsten Grorud-Colvert, Oregon State University and Ana K. Spalding, Smithsonian Institution

The giant viruses that orchestrate life in the polar regions

Thomas M. Pitot, Université du Québec à Chicoutimi (UQAC) and Catherine Girard, Université Laval

Snow covered mountains between a blue sky and frozen blue water

How woodchips can help keep ticks off trails

Katarina Ost, L’Université d’Ottawa/University of Ottawa and Manisha A. Kulkarni, L’Université d’Ottawa/University of Ottawa

Image of blacklegged ticks collected during field work.

a city skyline with tall glass buildings at sunset

How Taiwan is balancing between American and Chinese visions of energy dominance

Philippe Le Billon, University of British Columbia

Mining companies may soon bypass UN rules and mine the deep sea

Cara B. G. James, University of British Columbia

crab with a coral on its back walks across a field of rocks on the sea floor

Greater international co-operation is needed to achieve the UN’s global forest goals

Terry Sunderland, University of British Columbia and Peter Wood

Researchers ask us to rethink the ways we see and study the Arctic

Candis Callison, University of British Columbia; Adrian Howkins, University of Bristol; Élise Devoie, Queen's University, Ontario, and Megan Bailey, Dalhousie University

What happens to microplastics when swallowed? In earthworms, they do not leave the digestive tract

Ryan Prosser, University of Guelph and Nicholas Letwin, University of Guelph

an orange cat walking across the top of a wooden garden fence

How you can stop your cat from bringing home unwelcome pathogens

Amy Wilson, University of British Columbia; Peter Marra, Georgetown University, and Scott Wilson, University of British Columbia

Ocean conservation needs strong relationships, not just targets

Derek Armitage, University of Waterloo and Ella-Kari Muhl, Stellenbosch University

a sandy beach near some tall buildings and a green mountain

What happens when the world’s breadbaskets start failing simultaneously?

Ekamjot Dhillon, Balsillie School of International Affairs

A player in a black uniform and orange shoes walks through sprinklers on a soccer field

Should FIFA be doing more to protect soccer players from the World Cup heat?

Toby Mündel, Brock University and Samuel Penna Wanner, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG)

Canada’s aerial wildfire-fighting plan is a start — but it is not yet a strategy

John Gradek, McGill University

A water bomber drops water on a smoking forest

Canada’s ‘major projects’ should not come at the cost of the environment

Julia K. Baum, University of Victoria; Marc Johnson, University of Toronto, and Sarah Otto, University of British Columbia

Canada must rethink how it contributes to international climate finance

Christina Frendo, Queen's University, Ontario and Dan Cohen, Queen's University, Ontario

Power transmission lines and wind turbines with snowcapped mountains in the background

New DNA analysis identifies more members of the ill-fated Franklin expedition

Douglas Stenton, University of Waterloo

a man wearing a blue jacket kneels down on the ground inspecting a human skull

People walk along a city street wearing masks

Climate change could significantly worsen summer air quality in future decades

Rebecca Kaarina Saari, University of Waterloo

Centuries-old logbooks reveal how bowhead whales are recovering from near-extinction

Nicholas Freymueller, Adelaide University and Damien Fordham, Adelaide University

An aerial view of a bowhead whale swimming near sea ice

Canada should ban fossil fuel ads ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup

Madeleine Orr, University of Toronto; Samira Hussein, University of Toronto, and Sara Durante, University of Toronto

a screen displaying the fifa world cup with the word toronto undernear with a multicolour background

a vast area of rubble and destroyed buildings.

Wars destroy lives and the climate. Why aren’t we counting military emissions?

Tamara Krawchenko, University of Victoria

Close up of a cricket against a background of leaves.

Cricket nuggets? Caterpillar cookies? Canadians would consider eating insects if they can’t see them

Rassim Khelifa, Concordia University

New research highlights how wildfires are harming fish

Philip N. Owens, University of Northern British Columbia; Ellen Petticrew, University of Northern British Columbia; Jason Raine, University of Northern British Columbia, and Kristen Kieta, University of Northern British Columbia

After the flames, wildfires pollute drinking water for years

Qingshi Tu, University of British Columbia; Loretta Li, University of British Columbia, and Raul de Leon Rabago, University of British Columbia

Summers are getting longer each year, and it isn’t all fun and games

Ted Scott, University of British Columbia

People enjoying a cooling mist on a hot summer day

two women on a stage hug as a third claps, behind them is a large screen with the words: 1st conference transitioning away from fossil fuels

Countries must back commitments to transition from fossil fuels with action

Philippe Le Billon, University of British Columbia and Pierre Wokuri, Sciences Po Rennes

Extreme heat is a growing threat to health, jobs and food security in southern Africa – study looks for practical solutions

Jerome Amir Singh, University of Toronto and Caradee Yael Wright, South African Medical Research Council

A person kneels on parched dry ground, surrounded by withered crops, with her head in her hands

Bottom trawling is scraping oceans of wildlife

Sarah Foster, University of British Columbia and Amanda Vincent, University of British Columbia

New Ontario water and sanitation law could pave the way for the financialization of public water

Meera Karunananthan, Carleton University

A tour boat heads toward massive waterfalls.

colorful corals underwater with small fish swimming around

Heat-resistant corals could help reefs adapt to climate change

Whitney Isenhower, University of Toronto

How wildlife conservancies perpetuate green colonialism in Kenya

Kariũki Kĩrigia, University of Toronto

We found a way to turn Canada goose poop into chicken feed and crop fertilizer

Rassim Khelifa, Concordia University and Carlos Antonio Lopez Manzano, Concordia University

Why do polar bears approach human infrastructure? The answer is more complex than we thought

Douglas Clark, University of Saskatchewan

A lizard touches a glass barrier with one hand and looking out through the barrier.

Why your pet reptile ‘surfs’ the glass or rubs against the barriers of their enclosure

Melanie Denomme, Brock University

Climate policy isn’t partisan — research suggests more on the right support it than oppose it

Emily Huddart, University of British Columbia and Tony Silva, University of British Columbia

A rendered image of red and blue pieces shaped like boasts with sails, on opposing sides of a surface, half of which is red, the other blue.

Proposed high-speed rail will not make a big dent in Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions

Ryan M. Katz-Rosene, L’Université d’Ottawa/University of Ottawa

We developed a biodegradable wash that can remove pesticides and keep fruit fresh longer

Tianxi Yang, University of British Columbia; Ling Guo, University of British Columbia, and Tzu-Cheng (Ivy) Chiu, University of British Columbia

A person on a snowmobile bearing a Canadian flag.

Canada’s Arctic security depends on more than defence — here’s how immigration could help

Hamed Kazemzadeh, University of Calgary; L’Université d’Ottawa/University of Ottawa

As Arctic waters open up, Canada must prepare for oil spills

Chunjiang An, Concordia University

A red and white ship with a red maple leaf passes icebergs

Here’s what to expect from the first Conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels

Kyla Tienhaara, Queen's University, Ontario and Christina Frendo, Queen's University, Ontario

smoke stacks at an industrial plant silhouetted by an orange sky at sunset

Global supply chains cause environmental harm, but they can help repair it too

Minelle Silva, University of Manitoba; Jia Yen Lai, Monash University, and Lee Matthews, University of Nottingham

Hurdles to a hobby: How climate change and ‘runfluencer’ culture impact our daily jog

Madeleine Orr, University of Toronto and Caitlin Felteau-McInnis, University of Toronto

Legal categories for animals still divide — and limit — animal rights

Daphnée B. Ménard, L’Université d’Ottawa/University of Ottawa

Predators and prey: What studying animals teaches us about toxic work environments

Jean Poitras, HEC Montréal

A man holds his head in his hands as he sits in front of his computer screen, while someone else tells him off.

Paris has successfully cut noise pollution, but urban birds still can’t sing at their natural pitch

Dan Mennill, University of Windsor

A great tit with a black head and yellow belly, against a pink-orange backdrop.

A statue of open hands holding a cube in front of a large metallic dome structure

Forty years after the Chernobyl disaster, its legacy still resonates

David Roger Marples, University of Alberta

Do beaver dams really make flooding worse? Research casts doubt on beavers as flood culprits

Pascale Biron, Concordia University; Maxime Boivin, Université du Québec à Chicoutimi (UQAC), and Thomas Buffin-Bélanger, Université du Québec à Rimouski (UQAR)

We designed the turf for soccer’s biggest World Cup ever – here’s how we created the same playing experience across 3 countries

John N. Trey Rogers, Michigan State University; Jackie Lyn A. Guevara, Michigan State University; John Sorochan, University of Tennessee, and Ryan Bearss, Michigan State University

France's goalkeeper Hugo Lloris dives but cannot stop a goal on a free kick by Switzerland's Blerim Dzemaili during a World Cup soccer match between Switzerland and France in 2014.

Netflix’s The Dinosaurs rehashes a very old story of empire and conquest

Frederick Oliver Beeby Maglaque, University of British Columbia and Kirsten F. Hodge, University of British Columbia

A large dinosaur emerges form the ocean.

An orange and black monarch butterfly standing on a sunflower

A global butterfly index could advance insect conservation worldwide

Federico Riva, Carleton University

New research shows how forests can prevent floods of all sizes

Samadhee Kaluarachchi, University of British Columbia and Younes Alila, University of British Columbia

flood waters cover part of a highway and the surrounding area

From ‘sustainable’ to ‘regenerative’ agriculture: What’s in a name?

Kate Congreves, University of Saskatchewan

Queen bumblebees can breathe underwater — for days. We discovered how

Sabrina Rondeau, L’Université d’Ottawa/University of Ottawa; Charles-Antoine Darveau, L’Université d’Ottawa/University of Ottawa, and Nigel Raine, University of Guelph

A Queen bumblebee is seen on a plant with pink flowers.

Importing queen bees won’t solve Canada’s beekeeping problems

Brendan Daisley, University of Guelph and Elizabeth Mallory, University of Guelph

a man holding up part of an artificial beehive with bees moving across honeycomb

An aerial photo of a beach with trees and inlets and mountains in the background.

The Cascadia Subduction zone isn’t shutting down – but it’s more complicated than we thought

Alexander Lewis Peace, McMaster University

New research finds few improvements for British Columbia’s endangered wildlife

Peter R. Thompson, Simon Fraser University

canadian mexican and US flags drapped over a wall

Critical minerals and energy will be integral to the CUSMA review

John P. Hayes, University of Calgary

World Water Day: Three steps towards gender equity in water governance

Sadaf Mehrabi, Iowa State University and Lauren Keira Marie Smith, Royal Roads University

Why saving power makes economic sense in the transition era

Michel Denault, HEC Montréal

A power station with a dry spillway leading to it.

Canada’s migratory caribou are under threat. Will we act before it’s too late?

Benjamin Larue, University of Montana; Allen Niptanatiak, and Amanda Dumond

Migratory tundra caribou on the move on their calving grounds in Nunavut

Understanding how plants pause and restart growth can help develop climate-resilient crops

Arif Ashraf, University of British Columbia and Olivia Hazelwood, University of British Columbia

Effective storytelling can encourage climate action from policymakers and the public

Snigdhodeb Dutta, Concordia University

Water flow in prairie watersheds is increasingly unpredictable — but AI could help

Ali Ameli, University of British Columbia

an aerial view of a green landscape with bodies of water throughout

Why forest loss is making our watersheds leak rain

Adam Wei, University of British Columbia and Ming Qiu, University of British Columbia

A deforested area in a forest, a tree stump is in the foreground

Neighbourhoods are changing as cities prioritize diversity, connectivity and livability

Christina Bouchard, L’Université d’Ottawa/University of Ottawa

Aerial view of a densely populated neighborhood

What does China’s host bid mean for the High Seas Treaty?

Philippe Le Billon, University of British Columbia and Zelda Ladefoged, University of British Columbia

smal blue fish swim near coral in the sea

Israeli strikes on Tehran oil depot highlight gaps in international law

Alexandra R. Harrington, McGill University

A thick plume of black smoke rises in the background, in the foreground is a destroyed car

The West has long characterized Iran’s oil as a prize to be claimed

Ian Wereley, Carleton University

A black and white photo of a man using a telescope to survey an area while another stands beside him

The raccoon raiding your garbage bin might just be solving a puzzle — for the fun of it

Hannah Griebling, University of British Columbia and Sarah Benson-Amram, University of British Columbia

Birutė Galdikas: The last of ‘Leakey’s Angels’ in primatology’s most extraordinary chapter

Mireya Mayor, Florida International University

A woman with an orangutan on her shoulders.

A close-up image of a yellow charging cord plugged into a blue electric car.

Will your electric car burst into flames? A solid-state battery would reduce the risk

Taiana Lucia Emmanuel Pereira, McMaster University

Ontario’s proposed nuclear waste repository must obtain consent from all affected First Nations

Larissa Speak, Lakehead University; John Sinclair, University of Manitoba, and Warren Bernauer, University of Manitoba

Indigenous-led renewable energy projects offer benefits that reach far beyond reducing carbon emissions

Ian Munroe, University of Toronto; Anna Berka, Griffith University, and Christina E. Hoicka, University of Victoria

Solar panels on a roof are seen at the bottom of the photo, with mountains, forest and sky in the background above.

How plant populations keep a genetic memory of the past

Daniel J Schoen, McGill University

A plant with yellow flowers and green leaves

What happens to your brain in nature? The neuroscience explained

Mar Estarellas, McGill University

Two women standing outdoors with thick black plumes of smoke in the sky

What is the ‘acid rain’ in the wake of US bombings in Iran? An atmospheric scientist explains

Gabriel da Silva, The University of Melbourne

‘Life is a Miracle,’ but learning from disasters isn’t: Lessons from Japan’s 2011 earthquake and tsunami

Fatma Ozdogan, Université de Montréal; Elizabeth Maly, Tohoku University, and Julia Gerster, Tohoku University

Budget cuts at Environment and Climate Change Canada threaten Arctic science

Roxana Suehring, Toronto Metropolitan University and Patricia Hania, Toronto Metropolitan University

Three women in colourful clothes are carrying water canisters on their backs

The myth of meritocracy: why universal water access is a prerequisite for a fair society

Gonzalo Delacámara, IE University

A dinosaur biting the head of another dinosaur

What bite marks on a dinosaur fossil tell us about the T. rex’s eating habits

Taia Wyenberg-Henzler, University of Alberta

How governments can help Indigenous communities disproportionately impacted by wildfires

Tara McGee, University of Alberta and Amy Cardinal Christianson, University of Alberta

Tall flames and black smoke rise above trees in a forest

Tracking wildlife using DNA: A scientific breakthrough made with an Indigenous community

Valérie S. Langlois, Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS) and Annie Claude Bélisle, Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue (UQAT)

A white-tailed deer spotted in Chelsea, Quebec

What a gaping hole on a bridge reveals about aging infrastructure in Canada

Amirreza Torabizadeh, Concordia University and Emre Erkmen, Concordia University

How we turned plastic waste into vinegar: A sunlight-powered breakthrough

Yimin Wu, University of Waterloo

overhead view of large bins filled with plastic bottles

three kittens in front of an orange background

What pet cats can tell us about human cancer

Geoffrey Wood, University of Guelph

Persian Gulf desalination plants could become military targets in regional war

Michael Christopher Low, University of Utah

Two people stand on a large concrete platform overlooking a wide swath of flowing water.

Warming winters are reshaping Canada’s snowpack

Ali Nazemi, Concordia University

Vancouver built up fast — but now its older towers face an earthquake reckoning

Preetish Kakoty, UCL and Carlos Molina Hutt, University of British Columbia

people on a beach play fetch with dogs, residential towers can be seen in the background

Why the U.S. is unlikely to curtail China’s critical minerals dominance

Craig Anthony Johnson, University of Guelph

Strong opinions matter: Why some birds refuse to follow the flock

Lauren Guillette, University of Alberta and Julia Self, University of Alberta

Human activity is making the Arctic’s waters louder

Philippe Blondel, University of Bath

Tahoe avalanche: What causes snow slopes to collapse? A physicist and skier explains, with tips for surviving

Nathalie Vriend, University of Colorado Boulder

Deadly avalanches: Why skiers underestimate the risks, despite warnings

Frédéric Dimanche, Toronto Metropolitan University

Off-piste skiers head down a slope with snow-capped mountains in the background

The world’s largest climate finance deal was built to flounder: why funding fails to reach the front-line

Nikita Sud, University of Oxford

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