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Energy and the environment

Explore the energy of tomorrow.


Can we power our lives sustainably?

What can we learn from the Arctic? Can we extract hydrocarbons more responsibly and efficiently? How do we protect our natural resources for future generations? These are the questions we explore in our quest to strike a balance between energy generation and environmental stewardship.


Articles for this theme

A hand stoppers a jar that contains a factory

The future of carbon

How is cutting carbon like winning a world war?

During World War II, defeating the threat of enemy nuclear weapons required government, scientists and citizens to work together decisively on an unprecedented scale. Some scientists say climate change is a comparable threat, and comparable efforts are needed to overcome it.

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Changes in the Arctic

Is the future of the world at the top of the world?

When we view how climate change affects the Arctic and the far north, we get a glimpse of what may be in store for the rest of the globe. 

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An illustration of a factory with stacks of coins in the foreground

Acting on climate change

Who on Earth will pay for climate change?

Carbon pricing is a hot-button issue across the country, yet experts seem to agree that some form of levies or taxes is inevitable as the world moves toward climate action. The question then becomes what policies Canada can adopt in order to avoid being left behind on the global stage.

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MOSAiC expedition

Drifting ship trapped in Arctic ice to explore climate change

An international consortium of scientists is planning a massive Arctic expedition to gather as much data as possible related to climate change in the region.

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Evolving ecosystems

The biology of climate change

A changing climate has broad, often unexpected effects on the Earth’s vast biological systems. Some species can adapt, while others face extinction. 

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Regulating development

Energy, environment and the law

As energy development reaches more and more unconventional locations and we explore more ways to get product to market, it can be challenging for the law to keep up. 

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Energy innovations

Making more with less

As worldwide petroleum supplies dwindle, it's crucial to ensure we get the most out of the reserves that remain.

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Arctic climate

Carbon and the North

The effects of climate change can be seen clearly in the Canadian Arctic, earlier and more intensely than in other places. What can we learn?

Read more »

All media for this theme

a light bulb and a dollar sign on a seesaw

Podcast — Why do we hate carbon taxes?

Listen to podcast

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Webinar — Energy and the environment: Are our laws keeping up?

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Video — How many batteries would it take to power the whole world?

Watch video

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Video — Do the laws of the land actually protect the land?

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picture of the aureola boreal in the winter

Webinar — Climate change in Canada's Arctic: Impacts on Inuit communities and marine ecosystems

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Video — Can wastewater be drinking water?

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image of oil pumps in the sunset

Webinar — Leaving carbon behind

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Ebook — Renewable energy: Understanding the basics

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Ebook — Water: The importance of conservation and reuse

Download ebook

Dr. Aseem Prakash

Video — Why is carbon pricing so unpopular?

Watch video

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Podcast — Can oil be green?

Listen to podcast

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More UCalgary stories


Thinning sea ice: New study shows Arctic estimates off

Long-held scientific estimates of Arctic sea ice thickness and the rate at which it’s declining have been off significantly, according to a newly published study led by the University of Calgary’s Cryosphere Climate Research Group.

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The end of pipelines?

Ian Gates describes each pebble of bitumen as resembling a liquid-filled headache capsule and, for an Alberta struggling to build pipelines, this tiny package could spell pain relief indeed.

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Studying 'wettability'

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Building a better emergency app

Painstaking analysis of nearly 70,000 tweets sent out by evacuees escaping the Fort McMurray wildfire shows key concerns in a crisis aren’t being answered by current smartphone emergency apps, leaving citizens in the dark at a time of mass panic.

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How do microbes help clean up oil spills?

Genome Canada funds a collaborative research project to study the potential for bioremediation.

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Tackling microbial-induced pipeline corrosion

A collaborative research project funded by the federal government aims to study pipeline degradation.

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A safer, cheaper generation of consumer batteries

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Ancient groundwater is vulnerable: study

A UCalgary researcher shows that contrary to scientific belief, fossil groundwater is susceptible to modern contaminants.

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Studying oil spill preparedness

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How hydraulic fracturing induces tremors

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Shaking up geyser theory

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Researchers working to expand rural hydro project in Ethiopia

Two Schulich researchers have their eyes set on bringing their small-scale power system to Ethiopia after success in providing electricity to a rural village in Nepal.

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Water 'fingerprints' show how quickly rain and snowmelt flow into rivers

About one-third of the water flowing in global rivers is “young water” made up of rain and snowmelt that flowed into the river in less than three months.

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Chemists reshape the future of solar power and battery efficiency

Imagine a world of solar clothes and solar-powered tents — Greg Welch's lab creates the molecular building blocks.

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