Updates of the Chair

  • Webinaire: Défis reliés au changement climatique dans les communautés rurales

    Wednesday, June 10, 2026 | By

    Dans le cadre du partenariat entre la Chaire UNESCO en viabilité des communautés: du local au global de Brock University (Canada) et la Chaire UNESCO en Éducation et Développement Durable de l’Ecole Normale Supérieure de Bamako (Mali)


    Présentations:
    • Dr Sigame Maiga , chaire Mali (introduction et contexte)
    • Dr Liette Vasseur, titulaire de la Chaire Canada (introduction et enjeux climatiques)
    • Saliha Diarra, doctorant, Ecole Nationale Forestière d’Ingénieurs, Maroc (défis climatiques des communautés rurales au Maroc)

    Date: 11 juin à 8:30 h EST ou 12:30 h au Mali

    Join: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/257679526470166?p=2BgQO3ejgzk6z39MP2

    Categories: Updates of the Chair

  • Connecting urban and rural landscapes: New IUCN publication rethinks ecosystem governance

    Friday, March 20, 2026 | By

    Overhead view of a city.

    Liette Vasseur, in her role as the CEM Chair of the IUCN, has co-authored a new publication.

    Titled Urban-rural linkage: an ecosystem governance perspective, it focuses on ecosystem governance in the context of urban-rural linkages, analysing nine case studies to develop principles for ecosystem governance.

    “With 70% of the global population expected to live in cities by 2050, urban areas face growing pressures. Yet their rising demand for food, energy and raw materials means that rural ecosystems are also increasingly affected. A new IUCN publication explores the connections between urban and rural environments, and how improved governance principles can help balance social and economic development with environmental protection.

    The new publication “Urban-rural linkage: an ecosystem governance perspective”, launched by the IUCN Commission on Ecosystem Management (CEM), examines the challenges arising from urban-rural interactions and proposes practical governance solutions, particularly at the local and regional levels.

    “Looking at IUCN’s new programme for the next four years, we see that the issues of urban biodiversity and agricultural systems are becoming increasingly important. We also know that most sustainability targets related to these areas must be achieved at the local and regional levels,” said Liette Vasseur, CEM Chair and one of the publication’s editors. “This new CEM publication offers local governments, decision-makers and practitioners a viable model for governing urban and rural areas in ways that support ecosystem restoration, improve biodiversity and ensure the inclusion of all relevant stakeholders.”

    Read the complete article about the publication.

    Access the publication.

    Categories: Updates of the Chair

  • Brock prof to lead international environmental commission

    Friday, October 31, 2025 | By

    The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has elected Liette Vasseur to head up one of its expert scientific commissions tasked with guiding global conservation policy.

    The Professor of Biological Sciences was appointed as Chair of the Commission on Ecosystem Management (CEM) during the IUCN’s annual meeting earlier this month.

    “The CEM is a collaborative effort of experts around the world bringing together sound science to inform policy,” says Vasseur, Brock’s UNESCO Chair in Community Sustainability: From Local to Global. “International collaboration and representation will be essential in moving forward on addressing pressing and interconnected global priorities.”

    Read the full story on The Brock News.

    Categories: Updates of the Chair

  • Every voice in science counts: Spotlight on UNESCO Chair Liette Vasseur

    Friday, October 31, 2025 | By

    Woman wearing purple shirt and glasses stands in front of a window with trees in background.

    As part of the Imagine a world with more women in science campaign, UNESCO has been shedding light on women and men shaping inclusive science around the world. Liette Vasseur was featured in a spotlight article recently as part of this initiative.

    “Professor Liette Vasseur, UNESCO Chair in Community Sustainability at Brock University in Canada, has decades of experience across ecology, sustainability, and gender-focused research. As UNESCO Chair partnering to advance knowledge and practice in an area of common priority, she reflects on how diversity in science drives both equity and problem-solving globally. 

    Prof. Vasseur’s advice to young girls hesitant about pursuing a career in science is simple: “Explore, discover, try. Don’t stop if it doesn’t work the first time; try again. One day it will click. Science is about curiosity and the courage to explore many paths. Keep the doors open.”

    Read the full article on UNESCO’s website

    Categories: Updates of the Chair

  • New International Cooperation: Network of UNESCO Chairs and partners for inclusive and Open Knowledge in Sustainable Food Systems

    Tuesday, August 05, 2025 | By

    The UNESCO Chair in Community Sustainability: From Local to Global has joined a new international network to advance cooperation and knowledge regarding sustainable food systems. The new network was recently announced by the Triptolemos Foundation.

    Read more from the official announcement:

    “The UNESCO Chair “Science and Innovation for Sustainable Development: Global Food production and Food Safety” of the Triptolemos Foundation and the UNED has promoted the initiative to establish the informal NETWORK of UNESCO Chairs and partners for Inclusive and Open Knowledge in Sustainable Food Systems, which already has 10 chairs representing 8 countries and 4 UNESCO regions.

    The NETWORK, coordinated by the Triptolomemos Foundation, aims to expand the concept of sustainable food systems in a global environment where education, science and culture play a key role in facing the great challenges facing society and the planet. The RED pivots on the 4 macro areas in which the Triptolemos Foundation defines the food system and its main objective is to constitute a forum for meeting, study, dialogue, debate, participation, collaboration and training between the areas inherent to the global sustainable food system and to contribute to its improvement and optimization.”

    Read the Triptolemos Foundation newsletter in English

    Read the Triptolemos Foundation newsletter in Spanish

    Categories: Activities & Events, Updates of the Chair

  • Nature-based Solutions and circular economy for North America

    Monday, August 04, 2025 | By

    Four people stand in front of a presentation screen on a stage during a forum.

    Photo Caption: UNESCO Chair on Community Sustainability: From Local to Global Liette Vasseur (second from left) discussed how nature-based solutions can build more sustainable economies at a trilateral global forum in Mexico City on Thursday, July 24. Also pictured are Luis Alain Zúñiga Hernández (left) of Ecopil, Mexico; Felicia Marcus (second from right), Visiting Fellow at Stanford University; and Gregg Bill (right) of Accounting for Nature.

    The Nature-based Solutions concept has become a buzz term in many spheres of society. It attracts industries, organizations and governments because of the possibility it presents to use nature are a way to address societal challenges such as food security, water quality, biodiversity loss, and climate change. It can also be connected to the concept of circular economy, when we consider the reduction of waste and exploitation of natural resources.

    On Thursday, 24 July 2025, in Mexico City, the Joint Public Advisory Committee (JPAC) of the North American Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC), organized a public forum, Building Sustainable Economies: Circular Models and Nature-based Solutions for a Resilient North America. The public forum was a hybrid (in-person and virtual) event. Liette Vasseur, UNESCO Chair on Community Sustainability: From Local to Global, was invited to speak on Nature-based Solutions in the first session of this public forum.

    Woman stands on a stage with three flags to her right.

    The JPAC is the public face of the CEC, which represents the parallel agreement of the North American Free Trade Agreement. The JPAC, through these types of consultations, prepares recommendations that are then submitted to the Council of the Ministers of the Environment of the three countries (Canada, USA, and Mexico). The Council meeting was held on the Friday, the day following the public forum.

    “Having been a member of the JPAC several years ago, I know the importance and the influence of this advisory committee to influence public policies in the three countries,” Vasseur said. “The fact that the JPAC was interested in these concepts of Nature-based Solutions and circular economy demonstrates the willingness of the countries to accelerate the transition to more resilience  and sustainable economies in North America.”

    To follow updates on the work of the CEC and the JPAC, visit their website here.

    Categories: Updates of the Chair

  • Join us for an SDG Webinar and the Poetry Celebration!

    Monday, March 24, 2025 | By

    In my role as the Chair, I host a variety of different events to mobilize research, connect with stakeholders/partners and engage with the community.  There are two upcoming events that are open to all and free to attend.

    Celebration of the Annual Sustainability Poetry Contest 2025

    • Thursday, April 3 2025 at 6:30 p.m.; Mahtay Cafe in St. Catharines
      • The entire Brock University and Niagara community are welcome to celebrate International Poetry Day by listening to in-person readings of the poems submitted for this year’s Sustainability Poetry Contest (in either English or French). We also invite anyone interested in sharing their poetry to consider reading a poem aloud at the event.
      • The event is free to attend and light refreshments will be provided. For more information, visit the Brock University Experience BU page or the Sustainability Poetry Contest page of this website.

    Linking SDG 3 with SDG 13: Are we prepared? Online Webinar

    • Monday, March 31 2025 at 10:00 AM; Online
      • We invite you to learn about the challenges that vulnerable people face as a result of climate change, especially during extreme climate events, and what is/ can be done to improve their capacity to cope with these changes.
    • Moderator:
      Liette Vasseur, Professor and UNESCO Chair on Community Sustainability, Brock University
    • Invited Panelists:
      Kathryn Bakos, Managing Director, Finance and Resilience, Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation, University of Waterloo
      Sean Kidd, Division Chief of Psychology at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto
      Olivia Groff, Climate Change Adaptation Coordinator, St Catharines
    • For more information about the event, visit the Brock University Experience BU page and tune in live to the event here: https://shorturl.at/WyZQi
    Categories: Updates of the Chair

  • Join us for this Celebration of Nations event

    Saturday, September 02, 2023 | By

    Click here for more information.

    Full programme: NEBN_CoN_program 2023_V3

    Categories: Updates of the Chair

  • Vasseur’s appointment as UNESCO Chair renewed for another term

    Thursday, November 17, 2022 | By

    UNESCO chairs pose for a photo in Paris

    Liette Vasseur (centre), Brock University Biological Sciences Professor and UNESCO Chair on Community Sustainability: From Global to Local, travelled to Paris, France, recently for the 30th anniversary of the UNESCO Chairs Network. Pictured from left are: William Hodgson, support program for the representative of Quebec Government at UNESCO; Frédérick Armstrong, co-Chair UNESCO, Cégep Marie-Victorin; Shin Koseki, UNESCO Chair at Université de Montréal; Vasseur; Michel Bonsaint, representative of the Quebec government at UNESCO; Julie Halle; and Richard Hotte, UNESCO Chair TELUQ University.

    Photo: Justin Steepe, Brock News

    Liette Vasseur’s appointment as UNESCO Chair on Community Sustainability: From Local to Global has been renewed for four years.

    Vasseur also recently travelled to Paris, France in celebration of the 30th anniversary of the UNESCO Chairs Network. She was invited to provide reflections on the event’s plenary as well as presenting in a session on the importance of integrating different ways of knowing into research.

    Read the story in The Brock News

     

     

    Categories: Updates of the Chair

  • MEOPAR Shoreline Options Value Survey Results

    Sunday, November 14, 2021 | By

    In this blog post, we present an update on the results of our recent virtual focus group and online survey that explored shoreline options for the Town of Lincoln.

    What options did community participants feel were important for resilient shoreline protection? How could we effectively reduce the impacts of highly variable lake water levels, increased storm events and erosion? These were the questions we asked participants back in April 2021. The results were then clustered in three groupings, which represent the overall preferences that participants chose ranked from highest to lowest (1 to 9).  We named the clusters “green”, “silver”, and “grey”.

    Download the Survey Results Infographic

    In the survey, we asked participants to reflect on the values that each shoreline option represented. Are government control and existing land use planning tools able to address shoreline impacts? Is individual autonomy and enjoyment of private landowners more preferred to reduce risk? What about increasing biodiversity and the role of green space in lessening negative impacts? Does environmental protection help to reduce social risk?

    The results might surprise you. While the “green” options favoured urban parkland and green infrastructure, the results in this cluster also included the need for collaboration between landowners as being an important consideration for finding long-lasting solutions. “Silver” options included tax relief, subsidies, and managed retreat, which were viewed as necessary to respond to changing risk. “Grey” options included maintaining existing shoreline land use, insurance coverage for replacing weather-related losses, and the use of traditional grey infrastructure methods.

    From a values perspective, “green” options reflected the broadest range of considerations: development, biodiversity, control, reducing social risk, fairness, and aesthetics. In the case of “silver”, those options reflected flooding and erosion protection, development, fairness, and biodiversity. “Grey” options included aesthetics, enjoyment, biodiversity, and security.

    It is important to note that these survey results reflect the opinions of the participants and do not represent official positions of either the municipality nor any other government agency. They are intended to promote further discussion.

    You can read more about our MEOPAR study here.  The survey was also highlighted in the recent Newsletter of the Coastal Zone Association of Canada, which can be found here.

    Watch for upcoming sessions where we will invite you to explore these ideas further and how this process may have changed the views of people regarding climate change adaptation. Dates and times will be posted on the Beyond Sustainability events page.

    For more information or to provide comments, e-mail us at: [email protected].

    Categories: MEOPAR-Lincoln Blog, Updates of the Chair

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