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

Published: September 01, 2026

Latest stories in Sustainability & Climate Action

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

How to reduce the mismatch between food you buy and what you waste

Flooded farm land in Abbotsford, British Columbia, November 17, 2021

New research shows how forests can prevent floods of all sizes

Why healthy forests are integral to flood management.

Working with local communities is a vital part of wildfire response

Locals want to protect their communities, and the challenge is co-ordinating fire-response efforts to prioritize safety and efficiency

Why critical minerals matter: 5 things you need to know

Critical minerals are key to Canada’s clean energy transition—and your daily life

How a lottery-style refund system could boost recycling

Would you recycle more often if you had a chance to win $1,000?

Process of construction new and modern modular house from composite sip panels. Worker man in special protective uniform wear working on building development industry of energy efficient property.

How Canada can turn tariff tensions into a global affordable housing alliance

Factory-built modular and prefab housing could help build housing faster and cheaper

A boy and a girl looking at river with magnifier in the woods.

Youth are charting new freshwater futures by learning from the water

Land-based learning programs can help address ecological grief and foster community

Insects in the city: How urban trees could better support biodiversity

Why planting trees that support insects and microbes matters more than you might think

Four ways to build wildfire resiliency in BC

Getting tougher on building codes, regulating development and creating FireSmart incentives for homeowners could help, UBC experts say

A bustling fruit stand filled with a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables at the historic St. Lawrence Market in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada

What produce does Canada import? How the US, Mexico and other countries supply the Canadian market

Find out where your food comes from and what’s grown locally in Canada and BC with this interactive map

A woman is pouring leftover food from a plate into a tin tray.

How to reduce food waste this holiday season

Tips include planning meals, sharing food and making the most of leftovers

Fresh fishes in wood crates basket in a fish market.

Why the health of the ocean hinges on ‘infinity fish’

How the future of fishing and fish connects to economics and the way we value—or don’t value—nature

Is sustainable development possible? Only if we take a unified approach

There are boundaries to what our planet can provide

Fireman rescue an old couple from their flooded house with a boat. On Cousineau St., in the Ahuntsic-Cartierville borough, Montreal, the river rose and flooded the street and a dozen of houses.

Urban flooding calls for new stormwater infrastructure in Canadian cities

How we can make Canadian cities more flood-proof

Penticton, BC/Canada - August 29, 2021: Pedestrians watch from Lakeshore Drive as a forest fire flares up in the hills above the city.

How to protect your lungs from wildfire smoke

How to know when air quality is poor and how to protect yourself from the health effects of smoke

Basic income could solve global poverty and stop environmental destruction, study finds

Providing a basic income could boost global GDP while acting to curb environmental degradation

Western Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly in a garden

The mystery of the missing butterflies in Vancouver

Here’s what may have happened to all the butterflies, and what we can do to help

New construction of high-rise building in downtown Vancouver

Designing more earthquake-resistant buildings

More resilient buildings help people get back in their homes faster after an earthquake

Keep outdoor play spaces cool: the best trees, shrubs and plants for shade

How to build sun-safe and creative outdoor play environments

A fox roaming the streets in search for food left by people in garbage bags.

The COVID-19 pandemic changed our patterns and behaviours, which in turn affected wildlife

How we can promote co-existence between humans and wildlife

Indigenous data sovereignty can help save British Columbia’s wild salmon

Indigenous peoples are global leaders in environmental justice and conservation

5 tips for staying cool at home without air conditioning

How to cool down with fans and more when you don’t have AC in your home

On the ground lies a watering can, a hoe and gloves.

Top tips for gardening in a drought

Why planning ahead is key for climate-friendly gardening

Two African children in a village near Kalahari desert, the sister feeding her brother in the outdoor kitchen

Advancing the rights of girls and women promotes justice and is also effective climate action

How climate change amplifies inequities and existing vulnerabilities for women, girls and gender-diverse people

Helicopter fighting British Columbia forest fires during a hot sunny summer day.

The wildfire season has started—here’s what we need to know in 2024

What individuals, businesses and communities can do to reduce their wildfire risk

Close-up of a Xylopa (Carpenter Bee or lonely Bee) foraging sweet pea flowers

Where the wild bees are—and aren’t—impacts food supply

How the public can help protect wild bees and preserve biodiversity

Split image showing a top-down view of a farmer on a tractor in a green field on the left, and a pile of food waste including fruits and vegetables on the right.

How technology can help reduce food waste

Eco-friendly food packaging and innovative food processing can help make our food last longer

Assortment of food items including fruits, vegetables, eggs, fish, and meat displayed with directional arrows on a white background.

How the supply chain impacts the cost of food

The reasons behind rising food prices and grocery prices might surprise you—and what impacts the cost of food

A digitally edited image juxtaposing a ripe tomato against a detailed globe representing earth, emphasizing contrast and scale, set against a vibrant red background.

Balancing sustainable agriculture with the need to feed the world

These sustainable farming practices can help us produce more food while fighting climate change

A scientist in a lab coat examines a plant sample outdoors, with a backdrop of a lush university campus and mountains at sunset. fresh vegetables are visible in the foreground.

Testing new ways to reduce the environmental impacts of food

Everyday choices can help to reduce emissions in our food systems

Aerial view of large apples with an "organic" label, overlaying an image of tiny agricultural vehicles on a field.

Building sustainable food systems

As the climate changes, there’s plenty we can do to help ensure both global and local food security

A surreal composite image featuring a landscape with a reflective lake, forested mountains, and cloudberry and bluebell flowers superimposed over the scene, creating a vivid, dreamlike atmosphere.

How Indigenous food sovereignty can improve food security

Indigenous food sovereignty can help heal both the land and its people as we face the challenges of climate change

Farming our way to a future more resilient to climate change

Farmers do more than produce food—sustainable farming practices can help fight climate change

A man is smiling and holding a spoon full of bugs.

Bug protein powder smoothies? Cricket flour muffins? Why it’s time to consider eating more insects

Insects could be the meat of the future and a sustainable alternative protein

An image of homeless people in Chinatown, Vancouver

Extreme heat, extreme inequality: Addressing climate justice in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside

Researchers must work with the most vulnerable populations to build a more resilient city

A photo of Professor Karen Bakker on the TED stage with an orca on the LCD screen behind her.

How AI could transform our relationship with the natural world

Technology could help us decode the sounds of nature and non-human communication

A photo of steam rising from smokestacks in a rural sunset sky.

Tips for how to cope with climate anxiety

These steps can help you move from eco-anxiety to positive action

Easy ways to conserve water this summer

Tips for conserving water in British Columbia

Three killer whales at Vancouver island, British Columbia, Canada

With only low-fat Chinook on the menu, southern resident killer whales are going hungry

Food quality, not just quantity, matters when it comes to the health and survival of southern resident killer whales

Photo of writer Naomi Klein looking into the camera

Naomi Klein on the future of climate justice

Climate activist Naomi Klein shares insights on tackling climate injustice in BC, Canada and beyond

How the COP27 climate conference could confront colonialism by centring Indigenous rights

Many “green” solutions represent more violations of Indigenous rights and territories, without consultation or consent

Photo of Dr. Simon Donner on stage at Tedx

Why our imaginations are the key to solving climate change

Envisioning a different future can help us overcome inaction on climate change, says Dr. Simon Donner in his TEDx talk

A collage showing a family cleaning up at the beach, a plate of sushi, sockeye salmon spawning

5 things you can do to help BC’s marine ecosystems

From reducing your plastic use to choosing sustainable seafood, every action counts

A Grizzly bear sitting on the banks of a river.

BC is facing a steep decline in sockeye salmon

As BC coastal waters warm, sockeye salmon are moving north to Alaska. Here’s what’s moving up to BC

An illustration of an electric car plugged into a charger and surrounded by plants.

How climate storytelling helps people navigate complexity and find solutions

Despite learning that climate change is hitting the planet faster than scientists predicted, society has been slow to decrease the use of fossil fuels and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Climate storytelling can help us navigate the complexity and find solutions.

Learning from Indigenous knowledge holders on the state and future of wild Pacific salmon

Elders expressed great concern about the role of greed in management choices

A photo of fried calamari with the ocean and sun in the background

Climate change is now on the menu at seafood restaurants

As ocean temperatures rise, you’ll see more squid and sardines on menus and less sockeye salmon

Building community resilience to wildfires in BC

Why we need to address the inequities that communities face in dealing with wildfires

A person's hand holding rice grains to show world hunger

‘Too many people, not enough food’ isn’t the cause of world hunger and food insecurity

Inequity and armed conflict play a large role in world hunger

Photo of smoke from a forest fire near Pearchland British Columbia Canada

Why protecting air quality in BC matters to your health — not just during wildfire season

Vancouver has some of the best air quality in the world. Here’s why we need to fight for it.

A collection of images depicting what effects affect air quality

What exactly is air quality, and what affects it in BC?

Learn about air pollution sources and how weather and location affect air quality in BC

Half the world is facing water scarcity, floods and dirty water — large investments are needed for effective solutions

Water needs to be at the centre of climate change strategies with a better understanding of the costs and benefits of solutions

BC heat waves threaten survival of bee colonies

Insulated bee hives could protect bees from heat stress

A group of people at a climate change protest. In the centre of the photo is a young woman with a child on her shoulders

The climate crisis demands courage, not optimism

Here’s why citizen action matters for climate change, despite uncertain outcomes

Second-hand gifts, new experiences: shaking up holiday gift giving

More sustainable gift options can help beat inflation while reducing holiday landfill waste

An illustration showing items that can be a part of a circular economy.

What is the circular economy?

Tied to reducing, reusing and recycling, this concept could be the key to a more sustainable future

Sea turtle swimming next to tiger with plastic bag caught in its shell

Instead of shopping this Black Friday, consider curbing your consumption

With plastic in everything from computers to clothing, UBC researchers connect what we’re buying to what’s harming our oceans

COP26: Strong carbon-trading rules could help the world avoid dangerous levels of global warming

An international emissions-trading system being discussed at COP26 could bring an end to the production of coal-fired electricity

Getting to the HART of affordable housing

A new tool co-developed by UBC experts helps to estimate how much affordable housing a city needs

Speculative rendering of False Creek in 2050, illustrating the incorporation of nature-based solutions through the restoration of wetlands and coastal ecosystems. It shows a higher sea level that is mitigated by the planting and caretaking of coastal wetlands.

It’s time to accept, not resist, rising sea levels

UBC landscape architecture professor Kees Lokman explains how nature-based solutions could help coastal communities adapt

Connecting employers with UBC talent

By Julia Waring Change starts locally. Here’s how UBC students doing on-the-job training are contributing to a diverse workforce across Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley. Like many UBC students, Mona Behrouzian—in her fourth year at the UBC School of Biomedical Engineering—commuted over an hour each way for her recent co-op work term. Behrouzian was […]

Photo illustration of an aerial view of cars that are powered by green hydrogen on a highway.

Why green hydrogen — but not grey — could help solve climate change

Green hydrogen could allow us to drive for 1,000 kilometres on a single tank of fuel without any emissions

Fighting climate change through our urban forests

UBC researcher Zhaohua (Cindy) Cheng is empowering Metro Vancouver communities to combat our region’s rising temperatures.

Surrey-based UBC partnership highlights the power of regional connections

The NEXE pod exemplifies the innovation that happens when industry partners are closely connected to an anchor research institution like UBC

Photo illustration of fire coming out of a wine glass to illustrate smoky tasting wine

How wildfires are tainting grapes with smoke and threatening the wine industry

A chemistry professor at UBC Okanagan explains why wildfire smoke poses a massive threat to BC’s wine industry

Aerial photo of a fishing trawler in the ocean with its nets cast out into the water to catch fish with

Putting an end to billions in fishing subsidies could improve fish stocks and ocean health

UBC’s Dr. Daniel Skerritt explains how fishing subsidies limit our ability to sustainably manage our fisheries

Smoke from wildfires descends on Vancouver

10 tips for coping with wildfire smoke, from a public health expert

Protect yourself from the risks of hazardous wildfire smoke

A photo illustration depicting a bird about to fly into a window

How to prevent birds from hitting windows

Windows crashes are much more common than you might think, but there is plenty you can do to help

A trail between large trees in Pacific Spirt Park, an urban forest in Vancouver

How cities can avoid “green gentrification” and make urban forests accessible

UBC’s Dr. Lorien Nesbitt explains how urban trees and parks are unfairly distributed, and the nature experience is not equal for everyone

A river and mountain in Banff National Park, Canada, a place protected by conservation measures

How to meet the ambitious target of conserving 30 per cent of Earth by 2030

Canada’s new conservation goal, 30 by 30, requires innovative action to protect natural areas

Three people measure a tree in their neighbourhood

How to climate-proof your neighbourhood, one step at a time

The Citizen’s Coolkit offers ideas for action to help cool your neighbourhood

An illustration showing how insect biodiversity affects the foods we eat

With biodiversity under siege, even blueberries and chocolate could be at risk

When pollinators like native bees are threatened, so is the abundance and diversity of foods we eat

5 ways to cut food waste at home

Wasting food wastes money and the resources used to grow and distribute it. Here’s how Canadians can reduce household food waste

Environmental human rights illustration showing a young girl among leaves

Why all human rights depend on a healthy environment

Environmental degradation threatens our human rights, including the rights to life, health and food

Illustration of activities that affect your carbon footprint, like flying or recycling

Top ways to reduce your carbon footprint

Well-meaning individuals often make poor choices when it comes to reducing their carbon footprint

Youth climate movements connected through social networks

What lies ahead for Fridays for Future and the youth climate movement

The pandemic interrupted climate justice protests, but the youth climate movement is adapting

Saving the humble honeybee

UBC researchers are looking at ways to improve bee health