News
U of T advisory committee embarks on next phase in advancing sustainability
With continuing status, CECCS will move forward on its goal to embed sustainability across all facets of U of T
By Corey Allen | November 7, 2024
Ambition, optimism and a forward-looking vision for sustainability at the University of Toronto topped the agenda at the inaugural meeting of the 2024-2025 cohort of the President’s Advisory Committee on the Environment, Climate Change, and Sustainability (CECCS).
The meeting, held on October 24, officially launched the beginning of CECCS’ continuing status. Established in 2017, CECCS will move forward on its goal to embed sustainability into all aspects of the university – from research and innovation to teaching and learning to partnerships to operations.
“U of T’s success and impact in sustainability initiatives, both nationally and internationally, would not have been possible without the vision, creativity and persistence of this committee,” said President Meric Gertler, who delivered opening remarks. “If the last seven years are any indication, this committee’s next phase as an enduring part of the university holds great promise.”
The committee, co-chaired by U of T Professor John Robinson and Chief Operating Officer Ron Saporta, is organized around two overarching principles: regenerative sustainability – to simultaneously increase human and environmental well-being – and the integration of academic and operational sustainability.
Late last year, the committee’s work to deliver on its mandate and make sustainability a fundamental part of the university’s identity contributed to U of T being named the world’s most sustainable university in 2024 by the QS World University Rankings.
Part of the next phase for CECCS also includes the launch of a new subcommittee focused on student leadership. The aim is to increase student involvement and boost student-led sustainability initiatives.
“I want our members to inspire students across all three campuses to engage deeply with the interdisciplinary nature of sustainability and to foster a genuine connection not only to our environment but also to our people and community,” said Kelechi Nwokeocha, a fifth-year environmental science and biology student at UTSC and the subcommittee’s co-chair. “This new subcommittee offers a powerful platform to empower my peers and demonstrate that student voices have the ability to drive meaningful change.”
Over the last seven years, CECCS has played a pivotal role in moving many of the university’s sustainability efforts forward. Notably, supporting a fully costed plan for the St. George campus to become climate positive by 2050 (facilitating similar commitments for the Mississauga and Scarborough campuses) and championing the transformation of the university’s three campuses into living labs for climate solutions.
Under the committee’s guidance, the university-wide Sustainability Pathways Program has also grown significantly. Its Scholar tier, where a student can earn a certificate or minor in sustainability as part of their degree, now offers 86 per cent of undergraduate students access to sustainability education.
The committee’s current formation of 21 members with faculty, staff, students and alumni representatives marks the largest group of new members since its creation in 2017.