Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability

Problem Focused. Curiosity Driven.
CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19): By order of the PHO, all events and social gatherings are suspended to significantly reduce COVID-19 transmission related to social interactions and travel. The order is in effect until Feb 5, 2021 at midnight.

COVID-19 information: Faculty, staff, students – anyone – entering the AERL building are required to confirm to their supervisor that they have completed a daily self-assessment for symptoms of COVID-19 on arrival at their workplace. There is a QR code posted at the entrance to AERL to take you directly to the survey for reporting or you can click here. Please review links to UBC’s general information and FAQs and G+PS’s graduate student-specific information. Please also note: AERL’s COVID-19 Building Safety Plan for Resumption of On-Campus Research | Awards, Loans, and Tuition FAQ | Immigration & Health Insurance FAQ

WE ARE...

a problem-focused and curiosity-driven interdisciplinary research institute and graduate program, with interest and expertise in a wide range of topics under the realm of environment and sustainability.

Graduate Program

Research Themes

Ecosystems, People & Resilience

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Perceptions, Culture, Values & Behaviour

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Land, Food, Water & Waste

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Energy, Pollution & Climate Change

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Infrastructure, Emerging Technology & Development

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Governance, Policy, Law & Justice

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News and Events

Featured Events

The Time is Now: Canadian and Global Recognition of the Right to a Healthy Environment

When: 26th Jan 2021 5:00:pm
Where: Virtual
Virtual Lecture: Join Dr. David Boyd’s discussion of the human right to a healthy environment, which is currently not recognized by national law in Canada. Introductory comments by Dr. David Suzuki & Canadian Greens leader Annamie Paul!

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February 4, 2021: Second Annual Water Research Roundup

When: 4th Feb 2021 9:30:am
Where: Virtual
Virtual Webinar: The webinar will feature a panel of student researchers working on topics related to freshwater governance, including stewardship, protection, and Indigenous laws and ways of knowing. This is the second annual “Water Research Roundup” offered as part of POLIS’ Creating a Blue Dialogue webinar series.

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News See all

News

ADAM STIRLING HOUR 3 Marginalized groups are exposed to higher cumulative air pollution

Posted on January 15, 2021 by nivretta thatra

Dec 23, 2020: Dr. Amanda Giang joined the program to discuss the details of her & co-author Kaitlin Castellani’s recent study published in Environmental Research Letters.

Giving people money turns out to be an incredibly effective tool in ending homelessness

Posted on January 14, 2021 by nivretta thatra

Jan 13, 2021 Fast Company highlighted the New Leaf project, a research initiative by Dr. Jiaying Zhao and Foundations for Social Change that evaluated the impact of giving direct cash transfers to homeless individuals.

Seminar Series

January 14, 2021: IRES Student Seminar with Sandeep Pai and Ian Theaker (First Seminar in Term 2)

January 21, 2021: IRES Faculty Seminar with Fausto Sarmiento

As archetypes of the meta-geography of the vertical dimension, mountain metaphors remain at the core of animistic belief systems, religious cults, military strategies, economic potential and scientific innovation. Dr. Sarmiento argue that transdisciplinary science and geocritical tropes, incorporating physical, human, and technical geography with humanities and arts, are the best approaches to understand the complexity of mountain systems.