Canada’s higher education institutions have a significant role to play in mitigating the impacts of climate change and enabling the transition to a low-carbon economy through their institutional operating practices, community engagement, and the research and education that take place on their campuses, all while striving to manage and adapt to the climate risks affecting their institutions.
In 2020, CAUBO initiated its Climate Change Mitigation Strategies project, which aims to support members’ efforts to mitigate and adapt to the impacts of climate change. We have released several resources to support members in these efforts. CAUBO member surveys issued in 2020 and 2021 demonstrated that member institutions clearly understand the urgency of addressing climate change and are actively engaged in mitigating its impacts within their own operations.
In 2023, to better understand the sector’s climate mitigation commitments and progress in recent years, CAUBO partnered with Universities Canada to conduct a follow-up survey on university and college members’ greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions measurement and reporting practices, institutional reduction targets, and infrastructure needs. Though the survey found that institutions face significant challenges in their mitigation efforts due to resource and technical constraints, they have demonstrated their commitment to climate action and to reducing their climate footprints. The findings from that survey are summarized in a report that is now available for members.