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UCalgary

Institutional Sustainability Action Plan (2025–2028)

Review the updated Action Plan of the Institutional Sustainability Strategy (ISS) and join this call to action!

UCalgary campus cyclist

The results are in!

Between Fall 2023 and Winter 2024, a robust consultation reached more than 3,600 students, postdoctoral scholars, faculty, and staff through over 70 events and a campus-wide sustainability survey. The survey was sponsored by the Sustainability Working Committee and the Office of Sustainability. Focus groups and house calls were conducted to build on findings and provide a space for the campus community to explore thoughts and ideas on how UCalgary can continue to improve sustainability action.Ìý

Read on to learn what we heard and what we will do to continue to advance sustainability action.

Overall Sustainability Data

The goal of the survey was to gain a current understanding of what sustainability means to members of our campus community here in this specific region of Canada. The results helped inform a comprehensive campus consultation process (i.e., Focus Groups, Townhalls, etc.). Consultation data informed development of the updated ISS Action Plan for the Institutional Sustainability Strategy.Ìý

External Review

Academic leaders from Canada, the United States, and Australia reviewed background documentation and interviewed a broad range of stakeholders in an external review of the Institutional Sustainability Strategy (ISS). A report was prepared providing high level recommendations for the updated Action Plan for the ISS.Ìý

Campus Consultations

We conducted a survey and follow-up focus groups to explore sustainability perspectives and ideas from students, postdoctoral scholars, faculty, and staff and help us continue to advance sustainability action.Ìý

Best Practice Reviews

A review of internal data, external best practices, and emerging trends in sustainability across education, research, engagement and campus operations identified opportunities for the updated Action Plan. This included comparing UCalgary's campus sustainability performance trends to its targets and Canadian U15 peer institutions.Ìý

Indigenous Dialogue Circles

The Elders’ Circle for Sustainability, including Elders from the Treaty 7 territories, and the Sustainability Dialogue Circle including Indigenous students, faculty and staff, have provided guidance for sustainability at UCalgary. Through ongoing conversations, we are listening and learning to grow our understanding of sustainability from the diverse peoples who have cared for these lands for over 10,000 years.

Who participated in the sustainability survey?

TOTAL RESPONSES 1,701

*Note: the figure does not add up to 100% due to rounding

Undergraduate student

628

FacultyÌý

147

Graduate student

189

StaffÌý

594

Postdoctoral scholarÌý

65

Other (e.g alumni, cont. education, prospective students. etc)

78

What does Sustainability mean to the Survey Participants?Ìý

" 'Sustainability Literacy' is the knowledge, skills and mindsets that allow individuals to become deeply committed to building a sustainable future and assisting in making informed and effective decisions to this end" ()Ìý Ìý

Environmental SustainabilityÌý

Interconnection

Sustainability Research & InnovationÌý

Social SustainabilityÌý

Economic SustainabilityÌý

Nearly, 1/3 of the responses reflected awareness of the interconnection between a sustainable environment and healthy communities and economies and that decisions made today affect future generations (29%).

What we heard

Climate Change Action

We heard that climate change action is the top sustainability priority for survey participants. They want more focus and innovation on carbon neutrality, renewable energy, green buildings and sustainable transportation options. There is interest to continue delivering strong progress on UCalgary's climate action and built environment goals, education, research, and engagement.

Responsible Consumption

We heard that prioritizing responsibility consumption goals are important, including reducing or removing single use items, implementing reuse initiatives, fostering circular economy, waste reduction, and ethical procurement education, research, engagement and sustainable campus (operational) practices.

EcoHealth

The following education, research, engagement and sustainable campus (operations) priorities were identified: food security and nutrition, water protection, campus green spaces, biodiversity, opportunities to connect with nature, and the inclusion of western and Indigenous perspectives and knowledges on ecosystem and community health.

Good Sustainability Education

The participants expressed interest in experiential and work integrated learning, trans-disciplinary learning, more and diverse sustainability programs, certificates, and courses, key competencies, professional development opportunities, and activation of more sustainability leaders.

Resources to Take Action

The sustainability survey identified that the top enabler for taking action on sustainability is having resources to help people to take action, such as information, toolkits, checklists, funding opportunities, access to open-sourced sustainability data, and flexible guides or frameworks.

Ways of Connecting

Consultation participants expressed an interest in having more ways to connect with peers and the campus community on sustainability through collective action initiatives, more groups and communities or practices for sustainability, and events that recognize contributions to sustainability action.Ìý

Learn more about UCalgary's Institutional Sustainability Action Plan (2025–2028) —