Climate change and sustainability research at the NRC

Helping businesses transition to a net-zero economy through science and innovation!

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NRC leading climate change research

Climate change will drastically increase the severity of many of the world's most pressing environmental issues. Part of the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) strategic plan for 2024-29, we are committed to fighting climate change and addressing environmental challenges facing industry and governments in Canada and around the world. The NRC works with industry to develop the technologies, innovations and other tools to create a new climate economy.

Our activities are focused on clean energy, low-carbon transportation, industrial decarbonization, and climate change adaptation and resilience. Every year, our scientists publish over 100 peer-reviewed articles related to climate change and the environment.

Find out more about our work to fight climate change and protect the environment!

#EnviroWeek #GenerationRestoration

Our climate change programs and initiatives

 

NRC climate research and clean technology success stories

  • Climate change adaptation and resilience
  • Low-carbon transportation
  • Industrial decarbonization
  • Clean energy production and storage
Program Title Date published
Climate change adaptation and resilience Training the next generation: NRC researchers and Indigenous undergraduates team up to tackle environmental issues 2023-09-18
Climate change adaptation and resilience The Arctic Circular 2023-11-17
Climate change adaptation and resilience Genomic adaptation and resilience to climate change (GenARCC) project (Genomics R&D Initiative) 2023-12-20
Climate change adaptation and resilience Our research on climate resilient buildings and infrastructure 2023-09-19
Climate change adaptation and resilience New National Guide for Wildland-Urban Interface Fires 2021-07-15
Climate change adaptation and resilience Building climate resilience into construction 2023-06-01
Climate change adaptation and resilience Working to keep our waters tide-y 2023-07-07
Climate change adaptation and resilience Managing Flooding and Erosion at the Watershed Scale: Guidance to Support Governments Using Nature-Based Solutions (CSA Group) 2023-03-13
Climate change adaptation and resilience Studying the stars, nurturing the Earth: wildfire management at the Dominion Radio Astrophysical Observatory 2023-05-15
Climate change adaptation and resilience Not your average cruise: collecting phytoplankton for ocean health 2022-09-29
Climate change adaptation and resilience Integrating climate resilience into building and design guides, standards and codes through the Climate Resilient Buildings and Core Public Infrastructure (CRBCPI) Initiative 2022-05-27
Climate change adaptation and resilience Using wetland vegetation to support coastal resilience 2022-05-27
Climate change adaptation and resilience Advancing Canada's aquaculture into the future 2021-12-13
Climate change adaptation and resilience Managing stormwater to improve Canadian cities' safety and resilience 2022-02-18
Climate change adaptation and resilience Living breakwaters 2021-11-16
Climate change adaptation and resilience Would you like a side of plastic with your meal? 2022-06-06
Climate change adaptation and resilience Measuring toxins produced by cyanobacteria to protect our waters 2022-05-27
Climate change adaptation and resilience Hold your breath: Metrology discovery about ash in soot informs understanding about potential health effects associated with air quality 2022-05-19
Climate change adaptation and resilience Improving shoreline's accessibility through coastal engineering 2022-05-19
Climate change adaptation and resilience Laboratories Canada supports NRC solution to real-time environmental monitoring 2022-02-01
Climate change adaptation and resilience New research quantifies environmental risks of military smoke grenades 2021-12-07
Low-carbon transportation Reducing the carbon footprint of vehicles with the NRC's SNAP Composites industrial R&D group 2023-06-27
Low-carbon transportation From research to the road: Collaborations create AI-driven planner for truck routes 2024-03-08
Low-carbon transportation On the road to greener public transit with the NRC 2023-08-16
Low-carbon transportation Under the microscope: The science behind measuring black carbon emissions from aircraft engines (LinkedIn) 2023-06-07
Low-carbon transportation Towards a net zero emission railway system with hydrogen powered trains 2022-08-15
Low-carbon transportation Breaking the ice with ease 2023-02-03
Low-carbon transportation Driving Electric Innovation Forward 2023-05-12
Low-carbon transportation All aboard: Vessels sail into greener territory with NRC data analytics 2020-10-19
Low-carbon transportation The mission: Reducing GHG and black carbon emissions, decreasing the environmental footprint and improving air quality 2020-03-02
Low-carbon transportation NRC's hybrid-electric cell a perfect test ground for green aircraft technologies 2022-05-26
Low-carbon transportation Dual fuel for sustainable transportation 2022-05-20
Industrial decarbonization

NRC a catalyst for innovative hydrogen production

2023-12-18
Industrial decarbonization

Ammonia shows promise as fuel for hard-to-decarbonize sectors

2023-11-16
Industrial decarbonization Platform to Decarbonize the Construction Sector at Scale 2023-05-01
Industrial decarbonization The NRC's Aerospace Research Centre and its partners find a method for reducing building energy overconsumption 2023-01-18
Industrial decarbonization Celebrating 30 years of NRC collaboration to improve blow molding design processes 2022-11-02
Clean energy production and storage Employee spotlight: Ababo Gudisa charges ahead with innovative battery research (LinkedIn) 2024-03-05
Clean energy production and storage POLAR's clean energy projects (Canada.ca) 2024-01-10
Clean energy production and storage Shiva Zargar, Clean Energy Innovation Research Centre 2024-03-28
Clean energy production and storage New energy storage model helps keep the lights on 2023-06-05
Clean energy production and storage Comfort without compromise: Mysa develops smart solutions to lower the costs of energy consumption 2023-04-19
Clean energy production and storage Smarter, faster and smaller power grids: a step towards a green economy 2022-05-19
Clean energy production and storage Reducing the carbon footprint of the concrete industry 2022-05-04
Clean energy production and storage Hydrogen production without GHGs 2022-04-27
Clean energy production and storage Self-driving labs for gold-powered electrofuels 2022-04-25

Success stories

Our focus is on the deployment of climate technologies in Canadian businesses and communities. Read our climate change and sustainability success stories.

Climate-resilient, low carbon footprint field peas

A smiling man with his arms crossed stands in a greenhouse surrounded by tables covered with trays of plants.

A team of researchers from our Aquatic and Crop Resource Development Research Centre is working with the University of Calgary on a project using field peas to help reduce the carbon footprint of Canada's food production systems. Using advanced genomics and phenomics technologies, the team hopes to increase the quality, profitability and resiliency of field peas grown in Canada by making them less susceptible to root rot and drought. The goal is to provide a climate-resilient field pea that offers a crop still rich in protein, with minimal carbon footprint and that holds greater value for the Canadian economy.

Using chaos theory and machine learning to predict dissolved oxygen levels

An expanse of low-growing marsh plants in shallow water is surrounded on the perimeter by thick brush and trees, except for an opening where the shallow water eventually joins a large body of water in the distance.

Scientists at the Atlantic Science Enterprise Centre are combining machine learning and chaos theory to predict changes in oxygen levels in Atlantic estuaries. Dissolved oxygen levels are important for water quality. Researchers trained models to predict low oxygen events in advance, even in degraded sites. This way, we can be better prepared and take action to protect the estuaries and the plants and animals that live there.

Optimizing the performance of emergency flood protection barriers

A rectangular vinyl flood barrier floats in an indoor test facility, keeping water out of the cordoned off area.

With flood risks increasing, our Ocean, Coastal and River Engineering Research Centre has been conducting extensive testing on the performance of emergency flood protection barriers. This work will provide technology developers with valuable feedback to refine and optimize the design of these barriers, which serve as a last resort to protect people and property in vulnerable areas.

Decarbonizing the construction sector

A small easel supports a board displaying the symbol for carbon dioxide and an arrow pointing downwards, next to 3 small wooden blocks in the shape of houses.

Through our Platform to Decarbonize the Construction Sector at Scale, the Construction Research Centre is working with collaborators to develop new low carbon guidelines, specifications and standards and carry out research that can help inform and advance future regulatory solutions. Ongoing activities include updates to low carbon solutions in the Canadian National Master Construction Specification (NMS) as well as the development of a guideline to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions in federally funded construction projects.

We are also conducting collaborative R&D work in areas such as life-cycle assessment for buildings and infrastructure, digitalization and low carbon construction practices and materials.

Strengthening our built environment through climate resilience

View of a city skyline in the background with a highway, cars and trees in the foreground.

Our Construction Research Centre's Climate Resilient Built Environment Initiative supports research and development initiatives that help communities withstand natural climate events and climate-related risks. Through Canada's National Adaptation Strategy, the initiative received an additional $30.1 million to expand on its work. Recent projects include pilot studies on resilient building materials, coastal and river resilience and evaluation of flood barriers. In addition, we're conducting new research on wildfire smoke and extreme wind conditions, such as tornadoes.

Developing textiles out of thermoplastics and recycled fibres

A small square of hard black plastic-looking material with ridges stamped into it displays a label with a polyester identification number and the words "32% fibre."

Teams at our Automotive and Surface Transportation Research Centre's Advanced Manufacturing program have been working to develop high-quality composite prototypes made of thermoplastics and recycled fibres from used clothing. This work is being done in collaboration with other partners:

The resulting textiles can be used in automotive interiors, packaging and other manufacturing applications. This unique innovation helps reduce textile waste and promotes a circular economy, providing sustainable solutions for these industries.

Research on contrails by the NRC's Aerospace Research Centre and France's ONERA

An airplane flying against the backdrop of a clear sky, with 2 long vapour trails behind it.

To better understand how aircraft generate contrails—the vapour clouds produced by aircraft engine exhaust, our Aerospace Research Centre has been working with France's aeronautics, space and defence research lab, ONERA. Using the unique data sets the NRC has acquired from our high-altitude cruise emissions and contrail flight campaigns, we're able to better support ONERA's scientific understanding of contrail generation and cirrus cloud formation. Together, we will publish the results to help the aviation community improve its understanding of contrail generation and its impact on climate.

Battery expertise for Harbour Air's all-electric aircraft testing

A group of 15 people wearing business casual clothes stand for a group photo in a meeting room, with a picture of a seaplane in flight displayed on a screen behind them.

Our Aerospace Research Centre has been collaborating with Vancouver's Harbour Air on the certification and commercialization program for their Beaver float plane all-electric conversion by providing our expertise on batteries and battery safety. The project, which brought in Critical Systems Labs as a partner, culminated with a workshop involving the 3 organizations in order to understand some of the unique safety considerations and test methods for airworthiness certification that could be needed for an all-electric float plane. This project, which received funding support from the NRC Industrial Research Assistance Program, aligns with our mission to advance sustainable aviation by helping Harbour Air achieve full Transport Canada certification for their all-electric aircraft for passenger-carrying flights.

NRC climate change research through the years

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