Three experts advancing climate change at the highest level
ݮƵ researchersare helping shape the next global scientific assessment that will guide world leaders from climate promises to action
The world has converged onBelém,Brazil’s gateway to the Amazon, tosharpen climate commitments and move from promises to implementation.It’sall happening at the 30th Conference of the Parties (COP30)tothe United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
But setting prioritieslike thisisn’tclear-cut.Leaders are faced with political andfinancialtradeoffs toconsider, but must also weighthemultiple,feasibleand effective options to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.This is where decision-makers turn to the most up-to-date scientific assessment on climate change available:. Itsummarizesthe state of knowledge onclimate change, its widespread impacts and risksanddetailsclimate change mitigation and adaptationsolutions.
With the latest report now two years old, the global scientific community isonce againhard at work evaluating the current state of climate change and preparing to equip leaders with fresh evidenceand tools.Three of those experts are from the University of ݮƵ’s Faculty of Environmentand members of the ݮƵ Climate Institute: Dr. Sarah Burch,Dr. Vanessa Schweizerand Dr. Andrew Trant. We caught up with them to learn their roles in producingthe upcomingSeventh Assessmentreport, how it relates to their work at ݮƵ and what keeps them motivated.
At ݮƵ,Burch’s research explores how communities can drive meaningful change in the face of climate and sustainability challenges. Beyondsustainability scholarship, she works directly with communities,businessesand governments at all scales to understand their needs and co-create practical solutions for sustainability. On a national scale,Burch’s role as co-chair of theStrong and Resilient Economy Advisory Table for the National Adaptation Strategy led to new action plans and funding opportunities for improving the climate resilience of Canada’s economy and communities.
On theinternational stage,Burch, a lead author of the IPCC’s Sixth Assessment Report, is contributing herexpertisetothe upcomingIPCC Special Report on Climate Change and Cities,scheduled for release in 2027. In this role, she collaborates with a global team of experts examining the most significant climate impacts on urban areas.
“During an authors’ meeting, what struck me most was the incredible variety of challenges that cities face,and alsothe creative solutions that they bring to the table. Sharing, replicating, and scaling up these solutions will be essential as we moveforward”she explains.
This report will provide a comprehensive scientific assessment of the impacts and risks of climate change on cities, with a strong focus onidentifyingand enabling practical solutions.
“The IPCC reports are truly a remarkable illustration of scientific collaboration, bringing together experts from across the globe to deepen our understanding of both the science and the solutions”Burchsays. “The Cities Report stands out for its focus on solutions, underscoring the urgency to accelerate progress on the climate crisis—a key call to action at COP30.”
“It’sa privilege to see upclosewhat’sworking and what needs to move faster. The more I work in this space, the more I realize how much we can learn from each other, and how powerful collaboration across borders can be in addressing climate change”
AtݮƵ,Schweizer’sresearch focuses on collective decision-making in the context of climate change, exploring how communities and governments articulate aspirations, exercise foresight, and negotiate tradeoffsbetween pursuing different climate actions. Her work spans the practical implications of economic activities, including how the technologies we use andourbehaviours– forexample, eating more meat or imported foods—impactthe climate. One of her core projects examines direct air capture. As an emerging technology that removes carbon dioxide from the air, it raises complex questions about energy use, cost, andplanning fora net-zero future which she is exploring.
Schweizer is contributing herexpertiseto the upcoming IPCC report as part of Working Group III on Mitigation, focusing on the chapterProjected Futures in the Context of Sustainable Development and Climate Change.As a review editor,she’llexaminethe connections between economic activities, sustainability, and climate impacts. “No single country has sustainable developmenttotally figured out,” she explains. “For this chapter, I am looking at all the recent scientific studies on our economic activities, how sustainable they are,and how they relate to climate change.”
“ThisIPCCwork connects directly to my research at ݮƵ,” she says. “We’reall trying to decarbonize and stop greenhouse gas pollution as quickly as possible, but we also need to consider how to clean up the pollution that already exists. Technologies like direct aircapture could play a rolein shapingnew sectors forwhat sustainable development looks likein the future, which is exactly the kind of real-world challenge I study.”
“To the extent that I love the natural world, I feelit’simportant to take care of it.I care about having a peaceful, cooperative world and a healthy planet.The climate change problem is so big that countries will need to cooperate to achieve the best outcomes.”
Trant’s research examines how climate change and human activity interact to shape ecosystems over time. His fieldwork spans Nunatsiavut in northern Labrador and the Heiltsuk and Wuikinuxv Territories in the Great Bear Rainforest on British Columbia’s Central Coast. Through close collaboration with Indigenous communities, his work explores how ecosystems are adapting to environmental change and how traditional knowledge can inform more resilient, place-based approaches to biodiversity conservation.
Trantis lending hisexpertisein biodiversity to the latest IPCC report as part of Working Group II on Impacts and Adaptations.As a review editor onthe chapterOcean,Coastal andCryosphericBiodiversityEcosystems and theirServices,he willfocus specifically on assessing the accuracy of indicators, methodsand methodologies used to measure climate impacts and responses.
“I really do think that it is the most important document that we have on this planet.I think that the solutionwe are working towardsruns through this documentandit'scritical foraidinggovernanceonthis issue ata global scale.”
“What fuels my commitment to working on bigger projects like the IPCC are the people,friends, colleagues, and collaborators,I’vehad over the years and continue to work with today.They’rethe reason I love what I do.”