McGill University has been honoured by the International Sustainable Campus Network (ISCN) for its continuing efforts to increase its climate resilience.
ISCN’s Whole Systems Approach award recognizes institutions undertaking campus projects that successfully integrate sustainability into governance, operations, learning, research and community. McGill received the award Nov. 20.
Increasing climate resilience is one of five long-term targets included in McGill’s Climate & Sustainability Strategy (2025-2030); the University aims to address 100 per cent of its critical climate risks by 2030.
The University completed a climate risk assessment that highlighted potential vulnerabilities to heatwaves and intense rainstorms associated with climate change, which enabled the University to identify risk management and adaptation strategies. McGill partnered with eight Montreal institutions of higher education to assess shared climate vulnerabilities and develop respective adaptation plans. The assessment was co-led by the Office of Sustainability and Internal Audit unit.
McGill has already begun implementing adaptation measures, such as upgrading infrastructure to improve water retention capacity, designating cooling centres and hosting eco-anxiety workshops.
“Conducting a climate risk assessment was a key first step in increasing McGill’s climate resilience, and this ISCN award recognizes our success,” said Divya Sharma, Climate and Biodiversity Officer, McGill Office of Sustainability.
“By breaking down departmental siloes and working collaboratively across the University, we not only embedded adaptation into our Climate & Sustainability Strategy 2025-2030 but also created a replicable model for other institutions.”
The Quebec partnership has already proven to be valuable to its members.
“Thanks to the collaboration of McGill University’s Office of Sustainability, we were able to structure the work plan to establish UQAM’s first climate change adaptation strategy,” said Guylaine Landry, Vice-Rector of Human and Organizational Development at UQAM. “This synergy, made possible by the Réseau universitaire québécois en développement durable (RUQDD), illustrates the strength of collective action in addressing shared challenges.”
In early 2026, the Office of Sustainability is expected to release an annual report detailing the progress of the Climate & Sustainability Strategy’s initiatives.
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