From the Provost’s Desk (May 2025)

Sustainability at U of T

Among the many things to be proud of at U of T is our action on sustainability. Under President Gertler’s leadership, we have made incredible gains in positioning the University of Toronto as a pioneer of sustainability, resulting in the recent announcement of a $60 million gift from Brian and Joannah Lawson to establish the Lawson Climate Institute (more about that later). We lead the QS sustainability rankings as the most sustainable university in the world.

Last year we completed the ambitious Landmark Project, which aside from beautifying St. George’s front campus, resulted in the installation of Canada’s largest urban geoexchange field. Effectively a giant thermal battery, the system will help heat and cool the buildings that surround it – pushing U of T towards its goal of achieving a climate positive St. George campus by 2050.

Sustainability at U of T is more than energy goals and emissions, however. Along with our commitments to climate positivity and our divestment from fossil fuels, we are dedicated to furthering sustainability in teaching and research – areas where you, as faculty members, can be crucially involved.

In 2017, President Gertler established the President’s Advisory Committee on the Environment, Climate Change, and Sustainability (CECCS). The CECCS’s work has been transformative, leading to significant tri-campus action towards sustainability.

Among the programs that the CECCS has championed is the Campus as a Living Lab (CLL) initiative. A direct and impactful way for students, faculty members, librarians, and staff to get involved in furthering sustainability at U of T, CLL projects allow students to participate in research and experiential learning through projects that address real-world sustainability concerns on our campuses. Students and faculty members can also work with external partners in developing projects that develop sustainability in organizational operations. CLL initiatives are an amazing opportunity for us to be leaders in implementing homegrown innovative and research-based sustainable solutions that are developed on our campuses, rather than importing other people’s products and services.

One of CECCS’s flagship initiatives is the campus-wide Sustainability Pathways Program that encourages students to add sustainability content to their studies, and gain exposure and expertise in sustainability across a range of disciplines. In support of this, the CECCS also maintains inventories of undergraduate courses and graduate programs that focus on one or more of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), several of which fall within the School of the Environment. As summer is on our minds these days, I want to also mention the Sustainability Catalyst internships that offer graduate students paid summer internships working on real-world sustainability solutions with partners across the GTA.

On the research side, we have invested in several Institutional Strategic Initiatives (ISIs) whose research and activities generate progress on sustainability at U of T and beyond. Among these is the interdisciplinary SDGs@UofT ISI, which is the home of a Scholars Academy of fellows and associates from across the faculties, student awards and training programs, a community of practice, and the Catalyst and Synthesis grant program that funds research projects that address sustainable development challenges across the SDGs. The Climate Positive Energy (CPE) ISI is a hub for interdisciplinary research on clean energy that is developing social, scientific, technical, economic, and policy solutions to transform energy systems, access, and production in Canada. The CPE engages across the University to facilitate collaborative research, build partnerships, promote knowledge translation, and provide training and funding opportunities for students and faculty. Other very successful ISIs, such as the Mobility Network, the Data Sciences Institute, and the School of Cities, bring sustainability to the fore in their respective areas, bringing a depth and breadth to our research approach.

U of T’s demonstrated commitment to sustainability has led to significant philanthropic investment to support advances in this critical work. The newly announced Lawson Climate Institute, which I mentioned earlier, will greatly accelerate climate and sustainability research and expertise here at U of T and internationally. The force of this new Institute will supercharge U of T’s existing initiatives, such as the Climate Positive Energy ISI’s Grid Modernization and Testing Centre, which is working to speed the integration of clean technologies into the energy grid to ensure Canada’s smooth transition to green energy.

The Lawson Climate Institute gift will also integrate with the new Lawson Centre for Sustainability at Trinity College by providing new opportunities for students and scholars. One point of intersection will be the planned rooftop farm for food production and education. Additionally, the Lawson Climate Institute will contribute to ongoing cross-disciplinary research through its support of three new Chairs in policy innovation, sustainable energy, and sustainable food systems, and its funding for a scholars’ program to build climate change capacity across a variety of industries.

At a time when climate science is under threat in other jurisdictions, we are extremely proud of our sustained commitment to deepening understanding about climate change and developing strategies for sustainability. In establishing the CECCS and prioritizing its activities, President Gertler signalled a clear direction for U of T and set us on a course to tackle head-on one of the defining issues of our time. The Lawson Climate Institute and the groundbreaking research that U of T contributes through the work of so many brilliant faculty and students, as well as our multifaceted sustainability initiatives, are just one legacy of his leadership that will have an impact long after he leaves his role as President next month. I am extremely proud to continue this work on sustainability and look forward to updating you on our successes in this and other areas in the months and years to come. I urge you to learn more about U of T’s commitment to sustainability on each of our campuses through the Sustainability Offices at the St. George, UTM, and UTSC campuses, and through our institutional sustainability website.

All the best,
Trevor