| Overall Rating | Silver |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 53.92 |
| Liaison | Mat Thijssen |
| Submission Date | Oct. 26, 2021 |
University of Waterloo
EN-14: Participation in Public Policy
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.00 / 2.00 |
Mat
Thijssen Sustainability Manager Sustainability Office |
"---"
indicates that no data was submitted for this field
Local advocacy
Yes
A brief description of how the institution engages in public policy advocacy for sustainability at the municipal/local level:
Yes, the University has had representation on and committed input into several local public policy decisions, including having employees serve on sector committees within the ClimateActionWR initiative and the development of the local TransformWR community climate action plan, having hosted a local multi-sectoral decarbonization forum, and providing input on behalf of the University on the Regional Official Plan, which includes sections and policy statements specific to climate change.
Regional advocacy
Yes
A brief description of how the institution engages in public policy advocacy for sustainability at the state/provincial/regional level:
In 2009, University of Waterloo President David Johnston signed onto the Council of Ontario Universities Going Greener Pledge. This established Waterloo’s commitment to create and disseminate solutions to sustainability challenges, mobilize them beyond campus, and operate the campus sustainably, and in 2017 it updated this with a commitment to develop roadmaps to low-carbon campuses, as well as an encouragement for public investments into public higher education infrastructure. The commitment can be found online at: https://cou.ca/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/COU-Going-Greener-Report-2009.pdf and https://cou.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/COU-Going-Greener-2017.pdf
In addition, Waterloo is a member of the Ontario Association of Physical Plant Administrators (OAPPA), which often provides input on regulatory changes that would influence the university sector. For example, Waterloo participated in drafting feedback for the provincial government in 2019 support of an effective organics waste reduction framework and policy statement.
In addition, Waterloo is a member of the Ontario Association of Physical Plant Administrators (OAPPA), which often provides input on regulatory changes that would influence the university sector. For example, Waterloo participated in drafting feedback for the provincial government in 2019 support of an effective organics waste reduction framework and policy statement.
National advocacy
Yes
A brief description of how the institution engages in public policy advocacy for sustainability at the national level:
Waterloo is the host institution for SDSN Canada, mobilizing Canada-wide collaborations between universities, civil society, and government to advance the UN SDGs, including at both the local and national levels.
For example, in 2020, SDSN Canada, the University of Waterloo, and Laval University hosted the first national Together | Ensemble conference, bringing together academia, civil society, the private sector, and all levels of government. The conference aimed to catalyze an all-of-society approach to addressing Canada’s toughest sustainable development challenges and to track progress nationally on the UN SDGs. Sessions advocated thought leadership on Canada’s collective approach to the SDGs, with partnership between the hosts and the Government of Canada’s Sustainable Development Goals program. https://togetherensemble.ca/
For example, in 2020, SDSN Canada, the University of Waterloo, and Laval University hosted the first national Together | Ensemble conference, bringing together academia, civil society, the private sector, and all levels of government. The conference aimed to catalyze an all-of-society approach to addressing Canada’s toughest sustainable development challenges and to track progress nationally on the UN SDGs. Sessions advocated thought leadership on Canada’s collective approach to the SDGs, with partnership between the hosts and the Government of Canada’s Sustainable Development Goals program. https://togetherensemble.ca/
International advocacy
Yes
A brief description of how the institution engages in public policy advocacy for sustainability at the international level:
In 2021, Waterloo became a signatory to the UNFCCC Race to Zero campaign, explicitly established to encourage leadership and policy ambition ahead of the annual COP in Glasgow.
Optional Fields
---
None
A brief description of political donations the institution made during the previous three years (if applicable):
---
Website URL where information about the institution’s sustainability advocacy efforts is available:
---
Additional documentation to support the submission:
---
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
---
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.