Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 54.78
Liaison Luc Surprenant
Submission Date Dec. 20, 2019

STARS v2.2

Université de Montréal
AC-6: Sustainability Literacy Assessment

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 1.00 / 4.00 Luc Surprenant
Consultant, Sustainable Development
Vice rector's office, Finances and Infrastructures
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Does the institution conduct an assessment of the sustainability literacy of its students?:
Yes

Which of the following best describes the literacy assessment? The assessment is administered to::
A subset of students or a sample that may not be representative of the predominant student body

Which of the following best describes the structure of the assessment? The assessment is administered as a::
Standalone evaluation without a follow-up assessment of the same cohort or representative samples

A copy of the questions included in the sustainability literacy assessment(s):
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A list or sample of the questions included in the sustainability literacy assessment or the website URL where the assessment tool may be found:

SUSTAINABILITY LITERACY ASSESSMENT 2019 –Questions 1-13

Q1 What are the three traditional pillars of sustainable development?

Governance of the company

Economy

Culture

Environment

Social


Q2 What is the most important factor contributing to climate change since the beginning of the industrial era?

Changes in solar radiation during the last geological era

The release of carbon into the atmosphere due to the combustion of fossil fuels

The massive use of ozone-depleting gases

The increase in the presence of water vapour in the atmosphere

I don't know

Q3 What is the main greenhouse gas emission sector in Quebec?

The residential sector

is the transportation sector of passengers and freight

The agriculture and livestock sector

The industrial sector

The commercial and institutional sector

I don't know


Q4 Have you ever heard of the concept of ecosystem service?

Yes

No

Q5 What does the notion of ecosystem service represent?

An industrial process whose functioning is inspired by ecosystems

The benefits that humans gain from nature

The benefits of a comprehensive economic approach

I don't know


Q6 Honey bees, like other pollinating insects, are subject to many stresses. For example, in 2018, Quebec recorded a winter mortality rate of honey bee colonies (Apis mellifera), ranging from 70 to 80%. In your opinion, what would be the sustainable measures to reduce the pressure on our pollinators?

Implement more hives in urban areas

Planting gardens for urban agriculture

Increase the presence of grassy green spaces

Creating honey meadows

I don't know


Q7 Which of these elements represent threats to biodiversity?

Water pollution

Overexploitation of species

Global warming

Biological invasions (invasive species)

Habitat loss

I don't know


Q8 Which of the following statements about energy sources consumed in Quebec is correct?

Thanks to its hydroelectric production, more than 50% of Québec's energy needs are met

Despite being one of the highest hydroelectric production rates in the world, Québec imports more than 50% of its energy needs.

I don't know


Q9 Fair trade improves the working and living conditions of producers by :

Guaranteeing a minimum price covering production costs

Guaranteeing the minimum price set on international markets

Increasing the number of intermediaries between the production of the product and its consumption

Promoting intensive agricultural techniques

I don't know

Q10 Which of these statements about agriculture are accurate?

Intensive agriculture is more productive in the long term

The production of one kilo of beef requires much more water than the production of one kilo of fruit

Small scale agriculture is less diversified

One third of world food production is wasted or lost

To date, genetically modified organisms are used to fight hunger in the world

I don't know

Q11 What are the environmental costs included in the purchase price of a car, its registration and gasoline taxes ?

Impacts related to the manufacture of the vehicle

Air pollution, mainly volatile organic compounds and nitrogen oxides

The impacts of global warming

Human health costs

None of the above

I don't know

Q12 Have you ever heard of circular economy?

Yes

No

Q13 Which of these processes are strategies related to the circular economy?

Maintenance and repair

Reuse and redistribution of consumer products

Refurbishment and remanufacturing

Trade in materials, water and energy between industries

Industrial symbioses

I don't know


A brief description of how the literacy assessment was developed and/or when it was adopted:

The questionnaire was developed by Olga Fliaguine, an intern at the Sustainable Development Unit of the Université de Montréal and a master's student in environment and sustainable development.
This writing was preceded by a literature review, an analysis of existing questionnaires and research on different survey methods. It was written on the Survey Monkey platform in the absence of another platform available at the time at the Université de Montréal.


A brief description of how a representative sample was reached (if applicable) and how the assessment(s) were administered :

The pilot project was launched at the Faculty of Urban Planning of the Université de Montréal on August 29, 2017. This launch was made possible thanks to the collaboration of the dean's office team of the Faculty of Urban Planning. The questionnaire was sent to all new students in the faculty by the faculty's academic records management technicians. A reminder was also sent on September 11, 2017, in order to ensure greater participation.
In 2018, the questionnaire was sent to students in the Faculty of Urban Planning, the Faculty of Law and the Faculty of Arts and Science, representing nearly 50% of students across the University.


A brief summary of results from the literacy assessment(s):

SUMMARY OF RESULTS FROM THE LITERACY ASSESSMENT(S) QUESTIONS 1-13 –
Autumn 2018

Total of respondents 1304.

54% of the respondents recognized the three traditional pillars of sustainable development with an average score of 2.5/3.

67% of the respondents recognize that the most important factor contributing to climate change since the beginning of the industrial era.

25% of the respondents recognized that the main greenhouse gas emission sector in Quebec.

21% of the respondents have heard of the concept of ecosystem service.

24% of the respondents recognized the notion of ecosystem service.

21% of the respondents recognized as sustainable measures to reduce the pressure on the pollinators insects.

41% of the respondents were capable of recognizing all of the 5 threats to biodiversity.

37% of the respondents acknowledge the issue in Québec's energy sector.

50% of the respondents can identify what fair trade is.

67% of the respondents acknowledge the issue related to food consumption.

22% of the respondents acknowledge the issue about owning an automobile.

40% of the respondents heard about circular economy.


Website URL where information about the sustainability literacy assessment is available:
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Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.