Moving the Youth

Gen Z faces more precarious job prospects and cost-of-living challenges than prior generations. They are also among the most active public transit users, and account for up to two-thirds of city users. Recent survey data indicates high pessimism among Gen Z about their future and climate change. 

We engage with Gen Z students from the University of Toronto Scarborough (UTSC), the Metropolitan Autonomous University of Xochimilco (UAM-X), and California State University San Bernardino (CSUSB). Listening sessions and photovoice will provide a collaborative platform for college students’ knowledge co-production. Through this work, students will co-produce visions for the future while exploring system (inter)dependencies, assets, and agency. Together, these activities will help foster equity in the transition to net-zero futures. 

Equity in Urban Actions and Innovations

Most research on policies and innovations to mainstream equity in climate and sustainability transitions under-appreciates the political dynamics of catalyzing systemic change. To address this gap, we conduct a comparative analysis across Toronto, Mexico City, and Los Angeles. This analysis will help us understand how to replicate or scale a neighbourhood solution to other communities, cities, and countries. 

Data will be gathered through (a) a mapping of governmental and non-governmental actor networks, (b) an inventory of actions and innovations, and (c) semi-structured interviews with key governmental and non-governmental actors. Expected outcomes include policy narrative analysis, governance ecosystem mapping, organizational databases, and visualization tools. The team will produce comparative and case study analysis, policy briefs, and community-relevant flyers. 

Community Capacity to Foster Equity in Climate Action

Underserved communities experience discrimination and exclusion across economic, political, social, environmental, and cultural dimensions. These experiences can result in poverty, unemployment, and negative environmental impacts. Although they have the least responsibility for climate change, marginalized communities in these areas are most at risk from climate impacts. 

We combine listening sessions with ongoing dialogues with underserved communities in Toronto’s Keelesdale-Eglinton West, South Los Angeles, and Xochimilco, Mexico City. This procedural justice and community-driven method will help enhance underserved communities’ capacities to measure and mitigate community risks from climatic stressors. By charting a course that prioritizes communities, we support the capacity to envision and catalyze flourishing and resilient neighborhoods.

Community of Practice

The CERC NEST Community of Practice is an international network that brings together researchers, policymakers, and community leaders to share knowledge, influence policy, and collaborate on solutions centered on the principles of equity and justice.

We officially launched the Research Stream in April 2025 with over 40 participants from 12 countries, featuring activities and discussion as well as a presentation by   (PI of Justice First) on the challenges/opportunities for equity research in large research projects. This stream provides a dedicated space to share methodologies, frameworks, and lessons learned in research areas such as energy, housing, transportation, and community resilience. Register here to join the conversation

Urban Vulnerability Dynamics 

As the habitat for more than half of the world’s population, urban areas are vulnerable to the adverse impacts of climate change. These are dynamic, multidimensional processes influenced by multiple socio-environmental, political, and economic forces. We seek to understand how urban populations are unequally affected by climate change and provide timely insights to inform action. We also examine how vulnerability evolves and is spatially distributed. In addition, we consider what factors drive differences across cities and how the principles of equity can inform the quantitative assessment of vulnerability. 

Research on the urban dynamics of climate vulnerability helps address the drivers of current impacts. It can also help locate vulnerable areas and inform effective policy responses. 

Urban Commute Equity

Long commute times lead to a series of challenges in cities. Although urbanization and socioeconomic development have widened commuting opportunities, transport options are not equally distributed across social groups. 

Drawing on census data, origin-destination survey data, and spatial data on public transportation systems, this study employs quantitative methods. These methods will provide empirical evidence on commuting equity. 

This project seeks to examine how public transit systems expand across cities over time. It also examines how transit expansion affects commute modes and duration across communities with different socioeconomic profiles. Finally, it considers how transit expansion influences housing equity. This includes whether there is evidence of squeeze-out or displacement effects, and vice versa. 

Urban Just Transitions

Urban Just Transitions (UJT) is a research cluster at UTSC that works with community organizations in Scarborough to envision and pursue a more just and sustainable city. Supported by funding from UTSC, the UJT cluster is a community of practice where academics and community organizations work to develop understandings and initiatives that further just transitions in Scarborough. Matt Hoffmann and Laura Tozer are Co PIs.

UTSC Indigenous Garden

Initiated by the sociology department four years ago in collaboration with Indigenous knowledge keeper and gardener Issac Crosby, the garden has become an essential site for campus teaching, research, and reflection. Through the Indigenous Garden, we will learn:

1. How sovereignty principles can ensure ethical and reciprocal relationship building.
2. How engaging with community priorities (food sovereignty and security) can be used to understand solutions to sustainability transitions, climate change and related issues. Dr. Kwan-Lafond, Joe Hermer and Patricia Landolt of the UTSC Sociology Department are the PIs.

Visionary Communities

Visionary Communities (VC) is a 4-year, SSHRC Insight-funded project guided by a Connected Communities Approach that seeks to enhance just sustainable futures desired by KGO residents and nonprofit organizations. By working closely with these groups to surface areas of momentum where groups are already at work, VC will understand their priorities, visions, and strengths and contribute to meaningful place-based solutions identified and sought by community members. John Robinson and Kim Slater are PIs, and Paty Romero-Lankao is a Co-PI

Justice First

Justice First is an NFRF-I that seeks to collaborate with six communities facing acute climate risks to implement community-driven sustainable energy pathways. It seeks to address these challenges by developing locally appropriate knowledge and action plans that build community capacity to confront key climate risks and leverage opportunities to restructure energy systems in inclusive and sustainable ways.  Debra Davidson is the Director and Henrike Rau, at the University of Munich is the co-Director.

justice-first.org