LibGuides: Sustainability: Websites & Other Resources

Start with the following resources to research and learn more about sustainability.

For more information about specific sustainability topics, browse the topic pages on this guide.

Websites & Other Online Resources

The 17 Sustainable Development Goals

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The 17 Goals (UN)
The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2021 (UN)
The SDG Library (UN)
The Global Goals (YouTube Channel)
Sustainable Development Report 2021
SDG Movement Map (BCCIC) The Movement Map reveals an “Invisible Mosaic” of thousands of organizations that are already working to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The goals of the map are threefold. The map enables organizations to become aware of each other, and the national and global movements they are a part of. It increases public awareness around the SDGs; it shows that we are not starting from scratch as a country and that there are many ways to get involved and support groups working on the SDGs. Finally, through the map political leaders can see the size and scope of a significant sector of our economy contributing to the SDGs and the political statement that this represents. By revealing this Invisible Mosaic, the map facilitates collaboration and collective action to achieve the SDGs by 2030.

Note: Some non-governmental organizations, think tanks, and other groups may have biased views of certain issues and/or political leanings. As with any source, always consider the perspectives of the authors and take bias into consideration when evaluating the source.

Non-governmental & Intergovernmental Associations

Centre for Nature and Climate (World Economic Forum) The Centre for Nature and Climate will accelerate actions on climate change and environmental sustainability, food systems, the circular economy and value chains, and the future of international development.
Circular Innovation Council Circular Innovation Council believes solutions for greater resource efficiency is to advance the circular economy, which decouples economic activity from production and consumption of finite resources.
Climate Action Network Climate Action Network (CAN) is a global network of more than 1,500 civil society organisations in over 130 countries driving collective and sustainable action to fight the climate crisis and to achieve social and racial justice. CAN convenes and coordinates civil society at the UN climate talks and other international fora.
Climate Institute of Canada We are Canada’s leading climate change policy research organization, producing the rigorous analysis and evidence-based recommendations that are needed to advance climate resilience, chart net zero pathways, and drive long-term prosperity. The strength of our work is rooted in our independence, in the diversity and depth of our staff, board and advisors in fields from climate mitigation to adaptation and clean growth, and in the breadth of the stakeholders and rights holders we engage through our research.
David Suzuki Foundation hrough evidence-based research, education and policy analysis, we work to conserve and protect the natural environment, and help create a sustainable Canada. We regularly collaborate with non-profit and community organizations, all levels of government, businesses and individuals.
ECO Canada From job creation to wage funding, to training and post-secondary accreditation, through expert labour market research and customized human resources solutions for business, ECO Canada champions the environmental sector, and the end-to-end career of environmental professionals.
Efficiency Canada Efficiency Canada is the national voice for an energy efficient economy. We envision a future where Canada uses energy efficiency to its fullest potential. This means maximizing the benefits of energy efficiency resulting in a sustainable environment, a productive economy, and a just and equitable society. Efficiency Canada is housed at Carleton University’s Sustainable Energy Research Centre, which is located on the traditional unceded territories of the Algonquin nation.
ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability is a global network of more than 2500 local and regional governments committed to sustainable urban development. Active in 125+ countries, we influence sustainability policy and drive local action for low emission, nature-based, equitable, resilient and circular development. Our Members and team of experts work together through peer exchange, partnerships and capacity building to create systemic change for urban sustainability.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is the United Nations body for assessing the science related to climate change.
International Monetary Fund: Climate Change
International Renewable Energy Agency The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) is an intergovernmental organisation that supports countries in their transition to a sustainable energy future, and serves as the principal platform for international cooperation, a centre of excellence, and a repository of policy, technology, resource and financial knowledge on renewable energy.
NATO: Environment, climate change and security
Naturefriends Naturefriends are a democratically organised movement that is committed to ecological and sociopolitical causes. The aim of our activities is sustainable development of the environment and the society at the regional, national and global level.
Nature United Nature United builds diverse partnerships to protect lands and waters and ensure nature is the foundation of healthy communities, economies and future opportunities.
Sustainability Network Sustainability Network is Canada’s leading hub for convening, advising, and mobilizing the environmental not-for-profit community, its leaders, and partners.
UN Environment Programme Since its inception in 1972, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has been the global authority that sets the environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment.
World Bank: Climate Change
World Energy Council The Council is the world’s leading member-based global energy network and the only truly international and impartial energy organisation. We are independent and non-political, working dynamically across the whole energy sector.
World Trade Organizations: Trade & Climate Change
World Wildlife Fund Canada For more than half a century, WWF-Canada has worked to protect and restore nature. As the country’s largest international conservation organization, we connect the power of a strong global network operating in more than 100 countries with on-the-ground conservation efforts across Canada.

Think Tanks

Aspen Institute: Climate Change
Broadbent Institute: Green Economy
Brookings Planet Policy Connecting policy stakeholders with research and ideas to address the climate challenge and seize opportunities for climate-resilient growth.
C.D. Howe: Energy and Natural Resources
Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute The Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute (CAPI) is the place for agri-food leaders to come together, share insights and advance ideas on emerging issues facing this important sector.
Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives is an independent, non-partisan research institute concerned with issues of social, economic and environmental justice
Canadian Energy Research Institute CERI exists to provide objective analyses that enrich conversations and debates around energy topics and challenges in Canada. In doing so, we provide information that enables well-founded decisions that lead to a better future for all Canadians.
Conference Board of Canada
Future Earth Future Earth harnesses the experience and reach of thousands of scientists and innovators from across the globe. This global community is spread over a series of networks and governing and advisory bodies.
Global Footprint Network Every year people demand more from nature than it can regenerate. Individuals, communities and government leaders use our data to better manage limited resources, reduce economic risk, and improve well-being.
International Institute for Sustainable Development The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) is an award-winning independent think tank working to fulfill a bold commitment: to create a world where people and the planet thrive.
Pembina Institute The Pembina Institute is working to solve today’s greatest energy challenges — reducing the harmful impacts of fossil fuels while supporting the transition to an energy system that is clean, safe and sustains a high quality of life. We provide our expertise to industry and government leaders, and we advocate for a strong, science-based approach to policy, regulation, environmental protection and energy development.
Smart Prosperity Institute Smart Prosperity Institute is a national research network and policy think tank based at the University of Ottawa. We deliver world-class research and work with public and private partners – all to advance practical policies and market solutions for a stronger, cleaner economy.

Advocacy Groups

Climate Action Network Climate Action Network (CAN) is a global network of more than 1,500 civil society organisations in over 130 countries driving collective and sustainable action to fight the climate crisis and to achieve social and racial justice. CAN convenes and coordinates civil society at the UN climate talks and other international fora.
Earth Island Earth Island Institute provides support to environmental action projects and to the next generation of environmental leaders in order to achieve solutions to the crises threatening the survival of life on Earth.
Ecojustice Our innovative legal cases take aim at the root causes of environmental harm. From coast to coast to coast, we use our legal expertise to protect wilderness and wildlife, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and to defend Canadians’ right to clean air, safe water, and a healthy planet. We strategically take on precedent-setting cases that have the potential to force policy shifts and strengthen Canada’s environmental laws.
Environmental Defence Our mission as a leading Canadian environmental advocacy organization is to work with government, industry and individuals to defend clean water, a safe climate and healthy communities.
Fauna & Flora International As the world’s oldest international wildlife conservation organisation, Fauna & Flora International (FFI) has built a reputation for its pioneering work and science-based approach to conservation.
Greenpeace Greenpeace is a network of independent organisations, which uses peaceful, creative confrontation to expose global environmental problems, and develop solutions for a green and peaceful future.
Natural Resources Defense Council We combine the power of more than three million members and online activists with the expertise of some 700 scientists, lawyers, and policy advocates across the globe to ensure the rights of all people to the air, the water, and the wild.
Pollution Probe Pollution Probe is a Canadian charitable environmental organization (Charitable BN 108092701 RR0001) founded in September 1969 by University of Toronto students and professors. Over the past 5 decades, Pollution Probe has been at the forefront of progress on a range of environmental issues. Progress on many of these issues took decades of hard work to achieve.

Associations

Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment
Canada Green Building Council The Canada Green Building Council champions green buildings because they are healthier for people and the planet. We believe green buildings are a cost-effective solution for carbon reduction, job creation, and innovation. By transforming our communities with zero-carbon green buildings, we can put Canada on a path to a more sustainable future.
Canadian Renewable Energy Association The Canadian Renewable Energy Association is the voice for wind energy, solar energy and energy storage solutions that will power Canada’s energy future. We work to create the conditions for a modern energy system through stakeholder advocacy and public engagement. Our diverse members are uniquely positioned to deliver clean, low-cost, reliable, flexible and scalable solutions for Canada’s energy needs.
Canadian Organic Growers Canadian Organic Growers envisions a regenerative and resilient organic food and farming system across Canada.
Canadian Business for Social Responsibility Canadian Business for Social Responsibility (CBSR) is Canada’s only membership association for companies co-creating a sustainable, equitable future. Established in 1995, CBSR is a pioneer in championing the idea that businesses do better – by every measure – when they operate in a socially and environmentally responsible way.
Canadian Environmental Law Association CELA is a non-profit specialty legal aid clinic funded by Legal Aid Ontario. We work to protect human health and our environment by seeking justice for those harmed by pollution and by working to change policies to prevent such problems in the first place. We provide free legal services to people and groups across Ontario that qualify for legal aid.

Websites & Blogs

Appropedia: The Sustainability Wiki Appropedia is the site to develop and share collaborative solutions in sustainability, poverty reduction and international development through the use of sound principles and appropriate technology, original research and project information.
BESIDE BESIDE is an independent magazine at the crossroads of nature and culture. We feature personal essays, stories from the field, and ideas—new and old—for better ways to live in the world.
Clean50 Canada’s Clean50 annually offers recognition to Canada’s leaders in sustainability for their contributions over the prior two years.
CleanTechnica Focuses on solar power, clean transport, wind power, energy efficiency, and energy storage.
Climate Action Tracker The Climate Action Tracker is an independent scientific analysis that tracks government climate action and measures it against the globally agreed Paris Agreement aim of "holding warming well below 2°C, and pursuing efforts to limit warming to 1.5°C." A collaboration of two organisations, Climate Analytics and NewClimate Institute, the CAT has been providing this independent analysis to policymakers since 2009.
Climate Atlas of Canada: Indigenous Knowledges
Ecochallenge Ecochallenge is a platform to educate, entertain, and engage the community on ways to drive sustainable habits.
Encyclopedia of the Earth The Encyclopedia of Earth (EoE) is an electronic reference about the Earth, its natural environments, and their interaction with society. The EoE is a free, expert-reviewed collection of content contributed by scholars, professionals, educators, practitioners and other experts who collaborate and review each other's work.
Evergreen A place where the world can experience and learn sustainable practices that enable cities of the future.
Global Atlas of Environmental Justice
Global Climate Change: Vital Signs of the Planet (NASA)
Grist A nonprofit, independent media organization dedicated to telling stories of climate solutions and a just future.
Inhabitat A green design and lifestyle site that provides coverage of environmental news and the latest in sustainable design.
The Narwhal
Project Drawdown Our mission is to help the world reach “drawdown”—the point in the future when levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere stop climbing and start to steadily decline, thereby stopping catastrophic climate change—as quickly, safely, and equitably as possible.
Treehugger

Government Websites & Reports

Government of Canada: Sustainability Sustainability goals and strategies, environmental indicators, greening government operations.
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development In September 2015, Canada and 192 other UN member states adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The 2030 Agenda is a 15-year global framework centred on an ambitious set of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), 169 targets and over 230 indicators.
Achieving a Sustainable Future: A Federal Sustainable Development Strategy for Canada Search the strategy to find out about its goals, targets, milestones and actions
A Made-in-Ontario Environment Plan earn about Ontario’s plan to address climate change and protect our air, land and water.
City of Toronto: Climate, Energy & Resilience
Live Green Toronto

Canadian Acts & Regulations

Antarctic Environmental Protection Act The purpose of the Antarctic Environmental Protection Act (AEPA) is to protect the Antarctic environment by implementing the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty. The AEPA provides the legislative basis that Canada requires to oversee Canadian activities in the Antarctic and otherwise fulfill the Madrid Protocol's obligations.
Arctic Waters Pollution Prevention Act An Act to prevent pollution of areas of the arctic waters adjacent to the mainland and islands of the Canadian arctic.
Canada Foundation for Sustainable Development Technology Act This act establishes the Canada Foundation for Sustainable Development Technology to fund the development of technologies that provide solutions to issues related to climate change, clean air, water and soil quality.
Canada Wildlife Act
Canadian Environmental Protection Act An Act respecting pollution prevention and the protection of the environment and human health in order to contribute to sustainable development.
Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act The Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act enshrines in legislation the Government of Canada’s commitment to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, and provides a framework of accountability and transparency to deliver on it. The Act establishes a legally binding process to set five-year national emissions-reduction targets as well as develop credible, science-based emissions-reduction plans to achieve each target.
Federal Sustainable Development Act Under this Act, the Minister of the Environment and Climate Change is responsible for developing the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy, setting out goals and targets for all federal departments.
Fisheries Act Registry: Pollution prevention This registry provides information about the pollution prevention provisions under the Fisheries Act. These provisions apply to all waters in the fishing zones and territorial seas of Canada as well as all internal waters of Canada. They are administered and enforced by Environment and Climate Change Canada.
Species at Risk Act The Act is a key federal government commitment to prevent wildlife species from becoming extinct and secure the necessary actions for their recovery. It provides for the legal protection of wildlife species and the conservation of their biological diversity.
Wild Animal and Plant Protection and Regulation of International and Interprovincial Trade Act (WAPPRIITA) This Act helps to fulfill Canada's commitments under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) by controlling illegal trade in species and safeguarding Canadian ecosystems from the introduction of species considered to be harmful.

International Laws & Regulations

Climate Change Laws of the World Climate Change Laws of the World and Climate Change Litigation of the World build on more than a decade of data collection by the Grantham Research Institute at LSE and the Sabin Center at Columbia Law School. Climate Change Laws of the World covers national-level climate change legislation and policies globally. The database covers climate and climate-related laws, as well as laws and policies promoting low carbon transitions, which reflects the relevance of climate policy in areas including energy, transport, land use, and climate resilience.

Podcasts

2050: Degrees of Change (CBC Radio) CBC Meteorologist Johanna Wagstaffe guides a journey to our future in a CBC Vancouver original podcast that explores how our world and lives will adapt to climate change within a few decades.
Climate Cast MPR News meteorologist Paul Huttner with the latest research on our changing climate.
The David Suzuki Podcast
Energy Gang A digest on energy, cleantech and the environment.
Green Dreamer Green Dreamer is a community-powered, in(ter)dependent podcast and journal exploring our paths to collective healing, biocultural revitalization, and true abundance and wellness *for all*. Called to unravel the dominant narratives stunting our imaginations and help spark unbounded dreaming of what could be, we inquisitively share dialogues with a wide range of thought leaders, each inspiring a deepening and broadening of consciousness in their own unique ways.
How to Save a Planet Climate change. We know. It can feel too overwhelming. But what if there was a show about climate change that left you feeling... energized? One so filled with possibility that you actually wanted to listen? Join us, journalist Alex Blumberg and a crew of climate nerds, as we bring you smart, inspiring stories about the mess we're in and how we can get ourselves out of it.
Race Against Climate Change Canada’s National Observer is already the country’s most trusted voice in climate journalism. Now, it has a new podcast: Race Against Climate Change. With just nine years until 2030, we need to move fast to avert climate catastrophe. So what are we going to do about it? Race Against Climate Change brings you the stories and solutions you won’t hear anywhere else.
The Sustainability Agenda The Sustainability Agenda is a weekly podcast exploring today’s biggest sustainability questions. Leading sustainability thinkers offer their views on the biggest sustainability challenges, share the latest thinking, identify what’s working –and what needs to change — and think about the future of sustainability.
Sustainability Defined Sustainability Defined is the podcast that defines sustainability, one concept (and bad joke) at a time. Hosts Scott Breen and Jay Siegel explore a new topic each episode with the help of an expert in the field. Each concept falls into one of seven sectors -- Energy, Cities, Natural Environment, Transportation, Business, Policy, and Social
A Sustainable Mind
Think: Sustainability Think: Sustainability is about practical actions for a better planet. From waste to wealth, and grids to growth, the show digs into the impact of consumption across all areas of life — it tracks the movements, discoveries and technologies making way for a sustainable future.
The Wardrobe Crisis The Wardrobe Crisis with Clare Press is the world's leading sustainable fashion podcast.
Warm Regards Warm Regards is a podcast about life on a warming planet. The show is hosted by Jacquelyn Gill, a paleoecologist at the University of Maine, and Ramesh Laungani, a biologist at Doane University. Produced by Justin Schell, with transcription and social media support from Joe Stormer and Katherine Peinhardt. Our conversations are often honest and raw, as we talk with newsmakers, researchers, activists, policymakers, artists, and others as we push past the graphs and the headlines to get at the heart of what it means to live and work in a warming world.
What on Earth (CBC Radio) There are a lot of questions, ideas and emotions about climate change. Whether you feel scared, curious or overwhelmed, What On Earth hears you. Laura Lynch explores your experiences, grapples with the challenges, and examines the potential solutions.

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Sustainability

Start with the following resources to research and learn more about sustainability. For more information about specific sustainability topics, browse the topic pages on this guide.

Start with the following resources to research and learn more about sustainability.

For more information about specific sustainability topics, browse the topic pages on this guide.