Western University has launched a new Climate and Sustainability Strategy, laying the foundation to help shape a healthy, just and regenerative future on campus and beyond.
The plan builds on Western’s Strategic Plan, Towards Western at 150, transforming the university’s commitment to planetary health into practical action, with clear priorities, timelines and accountability measures.
Developed by the President’s Advisory Committee on the Environment and Sustainability (PACES) and led by Florentine Strzelczyk, provost and vice-president (academic), and Lynn Logan, vice-president (operations and finance), the plan shifts Western’s focus beyond conserving energy and protecting resources toward a regenerative approach that emphasizes restoration and renewal.
Students, staff and faculty were consulted throughout each stage of the process, from a campus-input survey in late 2024, to a visioning session, focus groups and town halls throughout 2025.
“Together, we’ve shaped a plan that will help us equip future leaders with the essential skills and knowledge to address critical climate and sustainability challenges,” Strzelczyk said. “We’re proud of how our community collaborated to rethink and enhance our vision for nurturing the next generation of changemakers. With a renewed commitment to planetary health and an eye on a regenerative future, this new strategy calls for a behavioural shift in how we think and act as a community – embedding sustainability across education, research and campus operations.”
According to the QS World University Rankings: Sustainability 2026, Western ranks among the top one per cent of universities worldwide for sustainability, offering more than 2,700 courses related to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and supporting experiential learning and research through initiatives like the Campus as a Living Lab program.
The university has also made significant investments to improve energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions, from constructing low carbon infrastructure to installing two new electric boilers and implementing a Deep Energy Retrofit Program.
“Western has already made major strides in reducing our environmental impact,” Logan said. “We’re at a pivotal moment, where we can build on that momentum and do even more. This plan will help us strengthen local ecosystems, decarbonize campus operations and promote a more circular economy.”
Key priorities of Western’s Climate and Sustainability Strategy
Guided by principles that include planetary health, stewardship and collaboration, the new strategy defines three interconnected priorities to drive opportunities and actionable solutions: education and research, regenerative campus and healthy and connected community.
Heather Hyde, director of sustainability, said these priorities will continue to shape the work of her team, working closely with academic and operational units to embed environmental responsibility into core practices.
“These priorities reflect our greatest opportunities to build a regenerative future – one that supports the health and well-being of the planet, its natural systems and our community,” Hyde said.
Each priority has specific goals and targets:
Education and research
-Increase sustainability-related programs and interdisciplinary offerings, working with industry and community partners to identify and integrate in-demand skills into sustainability curricula
-Further integrate Indigenous and Western knowledge across curricula and expand land-based, experiential and work-integrated learning opportunities
-Drive expertise in sustainability research and innovation towards establishing a Western Institute for Sustainability
Regenerative campus
-Strengthen long-term climate adaptation and resilience across campus by enhancing ecological health and supporting diversity (i.e. pollinator pathways, bird-friendly building and landscape design)
-Continue energy-efficiency retrofits and transition of energy systems toward net-zero by 2050 or sooner, and measure and reduce greenhouse gas emissions through more sustainable operations (i.e. procurement, travel and waste)
-Expand programming to phase out single-use plastics and increase composting across campus
Healthy and connected community
-Integrate Indigenous land-based learning, collaborating with Elders and Knowledge Keepers to deepen understanding and connection to place
-Promote mental, emotional and physical well-being through nature-based experiences and expand mental health resources to address eco-distress and climate anxiety
-Broaden awareness about Western’s climate and sustainability initiatives to increase engagement
In a Western’s Campus as a Living Lab project, a live staking event took place on the banks of Medway Creek, where 200 native shrubs and 100 tree cuttings were planted to resist erosion and minimize flooding. (Steven Anderson/Western Communications)
Governance and accountability
To support the implementation of the new strategy, PACES will continue to play a key role in guiding the university’s sustainability practices.
Students from diverse disciplines and programs will help boost campus-wide participation in PACES’ plan of action through a new Student Engagement Working Group, overseen by Western’s Office of Sustainability.
The office will also publish annual reports highlighting progress, milestones and updates on key performance metrics.
Hyde said the new plan is “dynamic by design.”
“This strategy will keep evolving as we fine‑tune our priorities, set clear goals and respond to new knowledge and challenges, but at its core, it’s meant to inspire the campus community to take action and help advance sustainability at Western and beyond,” she said.
Western is all in on building a better future for Canada and the world. Learn more.
