Waterloo professor examines effect of climate change on cities

WATERLOO, Ont. (Friday, September 27, 2013) – A professor from the Faculty of Environment at the University of Waterloo has joined an international effort by top climate scientists to help cities around the world address the causes and consequences of climate change.

Professor Sarah Burch is part of an expert team working on the Second Assessment Report on Climate Change and Cities (ARC3-2) that will produce a comprehensive analysis of urban climate change governance and policy. The work is part of a larger effort by the Urban Climate Change Research Network (UCCRN) to produce a resource for guiding cities in their response to climate change.

“The risks associated with climate change are some of the gravest facing our cities,” said André Roy, dean of the Faculty of Environment at Waterloo. “The Faculty takes great pride in supporting researchers like Professor Burch who are eager to take on these major challenges that significantly impact people around the world.”

More than half of the global population now lives in urban centres, many of them located in coastal or delta areas. Because of topography and population density, cities are disproportionately vulnerable to weather extremes such as heat waves and flooding from storm surges.

Cities are important economic engines, promoting economic development and providing jobs that support their own residents as well as large numbers of families outside city boundaries. They are also a source of some of the most groundbreaking efforts to reduce greenhouse gases.

“Innovative approaches to managing climate change are springing up in cities around the world,” said Professor Burch. “ARC3-2 holds the potential to accelerate urban sustainability by drawing together scholars, practitioners, and decision-makers who can provide new ideas and insights. I look forward to participating in this action-oriented exchange, and producing tools that will be useful to cities in Canada and around the world.”

ARC3-2 will be released in 2015, and will cover a range of issues from urban health to food, water and energy systems, transportation, economics and private finance, and governance.

About the University of Waterloo​

In just half a century, the University of Waterloo, located at the heart of Canada’s technology hub, has become one of Canada’s leading comprehensive universities with 35,000 full- and part-time students in undergraduate and graduate programs. Waterloo, as home to the world’s largest post-secondary co-operative education program, embraces its connections to the world and encourages enterprising partnerships in learning, research and discovery. In the next decade, the university is committed to building a better future for Canada and the world by championing innovation and collaboration to create solutions relevant to the needs of today and tomorrow. For more information about Waterloo, please visit www.uwaterloo.ca.

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The University of Waterloo will be an exhibitor at the GLOBE  2014 Trade Fair. Discover and explore the very latest in clean technologies and advanced environmental solutions presented by over 400 exhibitors from North America, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. Take in specialty showcases, product launches, workshops, and special presentations. Visit International Pavilions where you’ll meet exhibitors from around the world and learn about business opportunities abroad. Everywhere you turn, you’ll see cutting-edge technologies, learn about new sustainable business practices, and interact with influential leaders of today’s diverse business community.

The trade fair will highlight the most advanced environmental solutions in three critical areas: Energy, Green Building and Sustainable Cities, and Water.

Trade Show Hours:
Wednesday   March 26     10am – 6pm
Thursday       March 27     10am – 6pm
Friday            March 28     10am – 5pm

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