Creating a healthier planet through positive change

Environmental change is one of the most pressing issues facing the world today. As a community of changemakers, York University is championing initiatives and funding research that is making a positive impact on our environment.

York has led the way in Canada, introducing the first environmental studies faculty in the nation.  Now called the Faculty of Environmental and Urban change, researchers are working on a diverse range of projects with local and global partners, including the Ecological Footprint Initiative, which tracks human consumption of renewable resources around the world; The Waste Wiki, that houses data to inform waste management decisions; and a global database project that tracks water quality in more than 12,000 freshwater lakes.

Our students can take part in any of the 500+ sustainability-related courses on our Toronto campuses or study for a semester at York’s EcoCampus in Costa Rica, the only one of its kind at a Canadian university.  In addition, York’s signature Disaster & Emergency Management Program helps to plan for and mitigate risks associated with climate change and other natural and human-induced disasters and emergencies.

As a testament to the work York is doing, the University was recently named a global leader in this year’s Times Higher Education Impact Rankings, excelling in several areas related to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) including Clean Water and Sanitation (#1 In Canada), and Sustainable Cities and Communities (#3 in Canada).