Welcome to the Waterloo Journal of Environmental Studies’ inaugural issue.

We’re pleased to present five peer reviewed academic papers
and two supplementary articles to begin this exciting journey.

  • Climate Change Education, Environmental
    Education in India, Climate Change, and its
    ambiguity in the National Education Policy
    Abstract:  Will Climate Change Education be one of the core strategies of mitigating climate change in India? Will this enable pro environmental behaviours that can initiate change in consumption patterns among the youth? What is the state of the current environmental education system in India? This research paper has three objectives i) investigate the history…
  • An Evaluation of Jakarta’s Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Reduction Plans
    Abstract: With a population of almost 30 million people at risk, Jakarta is one of the Earth’s fastest sinking megacities with some areas sinking up to 25cm per year. (Fleming, 2018). This “sinking” in Jakarta is a result of a combination of pressures including increasing sea levels, increased monsoon flooding, excessive groundwater extraction, and lack…
  • INTEGRATING SUSTAINABILITY IN SPACE TOURISM
    Abstract The human desire to explore the ‘unknown’ and the zeal to reach higher goals has made it possible to blur the boundaries between tourism and activities that were once only open to a relatively tiny portion of the population. Space, described as the ‘final frontier’ for humanity, has previously been accessed only by trained…
  • EXPERIENCE | This zero-waste co-op in Mexico runs on eco-technology
    Getting to Las Cañadas was a long journey with beautiful scenery as we went up the hills.  As we got off the bus, we could see vintage artistic infrastructure around us, beautiful lush green plants and trees and tip of the Pico de Orizaba, Veracruz’s highest volcano, just like a painting.  Las Cañadas is an…
  • PROFILE | Dr. Luna Khirfan
    Dr. Luna Khirfan is Associate Professor of the School of Planning at the University of Waterloo.  Possessing a unique interdisciplinary background in architecture, archaeology, heritage management and urban planning, Dr. Khirfan’s research spans multiple and intersecting areas of interest. She has published numerous papers and 2 books on the topics of climate change adaptation, historic…
  • EXPERIENCE | What I learned about sustainable farming in Mexico on a UW trip
    On one of our first days in Mexico, we took the city bus to the colourful town of Colonia Ursulo Galvan, Xico in central Veracruz, to meet Paul, a local farmer who runs Rancho Acayali.  Once off the bus we walked a short distance past many colourful homes and a Mexican cowboy riding a horse…
  • NEWS | Tree Planting As Part of the Industrial Complex
    Tree planting in Canada is often seen as a Canadian rite of passage because of the rugged mountain lifestyle, difficult physical labour, and its seemingly environmentalist nature.  However, the four years I spent reforesting large tracts of logged land in British Columbia, called cut-blocks, have shown me that this so-called environmentally-friendly job isn’t as sustainable…