Encouragement boosts people’s likelihood to take climate action
☺️🌍 The fight against climate change is often framed as a sacrifice, Jade Radke's study finds presenting environmental action in a proactive light makes people more likely to act. "Clear, actionable alternatives make it easier for people to engage," Radke explains. Bicycle rush hour in Copenhagen, Denmark. Image by Mikael Colville-Andersen via Flickr (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 ).
Dropping EV mandate for emissions standard ‘a mistake’ in Carney’s auto strategy: Climate scientist
🚗⚡Simon Donner shares his viewpoint about Mark Carney's new automotive plan, which he believes is 'hamstrung by the fact that we work with the North American automakers who are influenced by the U.S. government - and who are frankly behind on electric vehicles.' Photo by Michael Fousert via Unsplash
Silvopasture Gains Momentum in the Amazon, but Can It Shrink Beef’s Footprint?
“Farmers may seem like the main decisionmakers, but actually macro-scale factors like policies and market conditions are what drive adoption" explains Tatiana Chamorro-Vargas who is featured in the Good Men Project for her research on silvopastoral systems, which combine trees and pasture.
Your dinner may be heating up the planet: study shows that almost half the world’s population needs to change their diet.
🌍🍔 IRES student Dr. Juan Diego Martinez's study shows that food systems account for more than a third of global greenhouse gas emissions caused by human activity and encourages people to "vote with their forks."
EV Policy and Practice in Canada | Jan 28, 2026, 3:30-5pm
Join moderator Milind Kandlikar (Professor, School of Public Policy and Global Affairs, and IRES) and panelists Megan Lohmann (CEO at Community Energy Association) and Werner Antweiler (Associate Professor in the Sauder School of Business) as they discuss EV Policy and Practice in Canada. The panel will explore how the uptake of EVs in Canada is impacted by policy controls and other considerations, as well as explore the position of the industry at a national scale.
Why most Americans misjudge which personal decisions contribute most to climate change
🌍 While most Americans misjudge which personal decisions contribute to climate change, Dr. Jiaying Zhao explains how more readily available information can help people more accurately estimate which actions are most effective. Photo credit: David Preston via unsplash
March 19, 2026: IRES Faculty Seminar with Dr. David McMillon
This talk will discuss a framework for systemic discrimination that has applications ranging from reparations and the racial wealth gap, health disparities, and environmental racism.
March 5, 2026: IRES Professional Development Seminar with Helen Brown
The session will adapt to the questions and interests of the group but might include an intro to services and resources available at UBC Library and tips for managing the research process.
January 29, 2026: IRES Faculty Seminar with Dr. Aisling Rayne
This talk explores the multiple meanings and effects of new nonhuman neighbours, and how to support more inclusive and transparent environmental decision-making
March 12, 2026: IRES Faculty Seminar with Dr. Emily Yeh
Join Dr. Emily Yeh for her seminar on the political economy of geothermal development in Indonesia
April 2, 2026: IRES Professional Development Seminar with Rich Francis
This session offers a broad overview of the history and implementation of the US federal Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), also known as Superfund, that governs the cleanup of historical hazardous material waste sites.
February 26, 2026: IRES Faculty Seminar with Dr. Sally Pusede
Join Dr. Sally Pusede for her talk on coal dust pollution and environmental justice.
April 16, 2026: IRES Student Symposium with Samantha Blackwell, Anaïs Pronovost-Morgan, Renata Rovelo and Valerie Zimmermann (Last seminar in Term 2)
Join us for our student symposium, given by four IRES grad students! Talk titles: 1. “Birding is like a gateway drug”: The role of bird observation in urban human-nature relationships 2. Exploring Non-Indigenous City Employees' Emotions and Responsibilities in the Implementation of Vancouver's UNDRIP Strategy 3. Listening to the River: Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Relationships with Water 4. Assessing the Impacts of Organic Farming Practices on Farm Economics and Climate Resilience in British Columbia
April 9, 2026: IRES Faculty Seminar with Dr. Kaitlyn Gaynor
This talk explores how human disturbance shapes risks and resources for wild animals, and how responses of animals can have implications for ecological dynamics and human societies. This can help inform more effective biodiversity conservation and human-wildlife coexistence on an increasingly crowded planet.
New book from Stephanie Chang: Legacy in the Landscape
Discover how urban growth drives disaster risk. This accessible book links tech, economy, and landscape with hazards, using a new Urban Risk Dynamics framework and six global cities to guide better planning.
January 15, 2026: IRES Student Seminar with Neha Sharma-Mascarenhas and Jessica Mukiri (First seminar in Term 2)
Join us for the first seminar of term two, given by our IRES PhD students! Topics: Electronics at the End-of-Life: Repair Ecosystems, Consumer Decisions, and Policy Barriers and Consumption of Alt-Proteins to Mitigate Food Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Canada
February 12, 2026: IRES Student Seminar with Chloë Chang and Aloy Kouzak Campos da Paz
Join us for our upcoming seminar, given by two IRES grad students! Topics: Can profit maps trigger win-win management solutions for the environment and farmers? and Socio-Economic Wellbeing in B.C.'s Energy Transition
February 19, 2026: No Seminar This Week
There is no IRES Seminar on February 19 due to the Midterm Break (Feb 16 - 20, 2026).
February 5, 2026: IRES Faculty Seminar with Dr. Karthik Akkiraju
By integrating perspectives from positive psychology and public policy, this talk explores an approach to reimagine how societies can secure a high quality of life for everyone, beyond the limits of efficiency or consumption-driven paradigms.
January 22, 2026: IRES Professional Development Seminar with Rebecca Dirnfeld
This session offers a practical overview of interviewing tips and techniques, emphasizing how strategic career planning during graduate school can set the foundation for interview success.