ACT is a state-of-the-art research-to-practice hub for climate change and sustainability solutions. We work across sectors to mobilize relevant knowledge to practice. Our work is anchored in:
Co-creating New Practice Within and Across Sectors
Climate action is not an isolated, compartmentalized endeavor—more than ever, it needs to become part and parcel of everyday business. All sectors, institutions and organizations must now overhaul their practices and investment decisions to reduce climate risk and emissions. There are many business reasons for doing so. Implementing climate action also helps to address equity and advance many other sustainability goals. Co-creating comprehensive and systemic climate and sustainability solutions with key sectoral partners and decisionmakers is the core capability of ACT at SFU. Our goal is to build partnerships and collaborate to co-design the best, most sustainable solutions and pathways forward within and across all sectors.
Advancing LCR – Climate Actions that Multi-Task
Integrated climate action, or low carbon resilience (LCR), minimizes climate risk, reduces emissions, and advances multiple social, environmental and economic sustainability goals—including across all 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). By using an LCR approach we aim to advance systemic sustainable development opportunities such as equity, biodiversity, clean economic development and healthy and sustainable communities. On the flipside, by applying a climate lens—reduction of climate risks and emissions—across each of the SDGs, we are able to build more effective, resilient and sustainable solutions. We know better, so let’s do better.
ACT will continue its leading-edge work in this area, helping governments, practitioners, businesses and funding organizations adopt and integrate the LCR approach in their strategies and practices. ACT is also thrilled to help mobilize SFU as a leader on mainstreaming climate action. As a signatory of the UN-led Race To Zero global campaign and as a leading higher education institution in many areas of the UN’s SDGs, we are thrilled to be a part of the university’s efforts in redesigning and scaling up SFU’s climate change and sustainability initiatives, strategies and resources. Part of the redesign is examining how climate action taken now can advance the effectiveness of the work being done across the wider framework of the SDGs. Learn more at www.sfu.ca/sdgs.
Mobilizing Equity in all Decisions and Solutions
Not everyone feels climate impacts equally—some populations and communities are more vulnerable than others. That is why choosing and implementing climate and sustainability policies, investments, and actions, decision makers must prioritize the needs of those most at risk and least capable to adapt. All potential climate solutions must address questions: Who benefits from a given policy, investment and action? Who does not?
ACT will continue to advocate on behalf of Indigenous Peoples, elders, the poor, those with compromised immune systems, and residents of northern and remote communities. We understand that the most vulnerable, and those with the least capacity to adapt, are at highest risk to climate impacts and must be a priority in a just, resilient and sustainable transition in our communities and organizations.
Springing Forward to a Safer, Resilient and Sustainable Future
Now is the time to act. Every Canadian sector can and must lead. Whether avoiding projected climate risks and costs, saving money on energy and priced carbon, seizing a competitive advantage or nurturing a moral imperative—taking transformative action now just makes sense. The time for waiting for others to act has passed.
ACT aims to help communities, organizations and institutions learn, adjust and spring forward. We will work with research and sectoral partners on policy, technology and streamlining solutions to generate high-impact, measurable outcomes. We will continue to encourage influential professional groups and communities of practice, funding agencies and governments to incentivize opportunities that accelerate the transformations needed for a low carbon, resilient and sustainable future.
Download our LCR and NSI snapshot to learn more
