Sustainability / Climate Action

In 2021, the Balsillie School published its Net Zero Plan, joined the Race to Zero, and became a member of Sustainable Waterloo Region. The BSIA has committed to reporting its annual greenhouse gas emissions, to reducing building-related emissions by 10% and travel-related emissions by 30% by 2026, and to reaching net zero emissions by 2040. Our climate action and sustainability work is coordinated by the Global Climate Action Committee.

BSIA Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Sustainable Waterloo Region has calculated our 2019 greenhouse gas emissions from natural gas, electricity, and funded travel using data we provided. We will use this pre-pandemic baseline to measure future changes in our emissions.

2019 emissions: 241.5 tonnes CO2 equivalent (tCO2e)

  • Electricity: 19.62 tCO2e (8%)
  • Natural Gas: 135.72 tCO2e (56%)
  • Travel: 86.15 tCO2e (36%)

We will report our 2022 emissions later in 2023.

Events

Net Zero Plans

2023 BSIA Net Zero Greenhouse Gas Emissions Plan
2022 BSIA Net Zero Greenhouse Gas Emissions Plan

Global Climate Action Committee

The Global Climate Action Committee was founded in 2020. GCAC developed the BSIA’s Net Zero Plan and is responsible for the School’s annual emissions reporting and for activities aimed at reducing the our greenhouse gas emissions. We have developed a carbon budgeting process that requires applicants for BSIA travel funding to estimate and justify the emissions associated with the proposed travel and to consider less carbon-intensive means of traveling and working. In 2022 GCAC established a community garden in the courtyard of the CIGI Campus.

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