Research and innovation powering momentum toward sustainable development goals
Wicked problems like water security require a collaborative approach, and researchers at the University of Saskatchewan, including Corinne Schuster-Wallace, associate director of the Global Water Futures program (bottom row left), are working with academic, industry and community partners to design solutions that balance economic growth, social development and environmental integrity. supplied
Water plays a central role in every aspect of society, from health and food security to economic development. Disruptions to water supplies – for example, due to the floods, droughts or wildfires that happen with increasing frequency across Canada and the world – should serve as wake-up calls and inspire action.
“Wicked problems like water security require a systems approach that looks at balancing economic growth, social development and environmental integrity,” says Corinne Schuster-Wallace, water-health researcher and associate director of the Global Water Futures (GWF) program and member of the Global Institute for Water Security at the University of Saskatchewan (USask).
“To find sustainable solutions, particularly in the water and health space, we need extensive partnerships and transdisciplinary collaborations; we also need to pay special attention to equity, diversity and inclusion.”
The connection between water and health, climate change and sustainable development is illustrated by the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The “water goal” – SDG 6 – is closely linked to all other goals, including SDGs 3, 5 and 13, which focus on health, gender equity and climate change, says Dr. Schuster-Wallace, who previously held the role of senior research fellow (water-health) at the UN University Institute for Water, Environment and Health.
“Yes, we are talking about water; we are talking about sustainable development. But we need to consider these issues from a social and environmental justice perspective, because ultimately, this is about people,” says Dr. Schuster-Wallace. “That’s why the overarching goal of the SDGs – to leave no one behind – is so important.”
Leveraging research strength for global impact
Universities have an essential role in helping to address complex global challenges, believes Baljit Singh, USask’s vice-president, Research. “In addition to education, universities are charged with creating new knowledge – and getting that knowledge to communities where it can make a difference. I’m a fan of the SDGs because they speak to the aspirations of humanity to make life better for everyone, not only in Canada but globally.”
Dr. Singh sees achieving meaningful impact at the community level as a key indicator of success. “Beyond the number of dollars we attract and the number of papers we publish, we want to see our scholars making a tangible difference,” he says, adding that he welcomes the Times Higher Education’s focus on rankings aligned with the SDGs.
USask’s global standing according to SDG impact is impressive: it includes ranking 16 on partnerships for the goals, 17 on sustainable cities and communities, 22 on good health and well-being – and an overall impact ranking of 58.
These results are, in part, due to the university’s world-class research facilities that include Canada’s only synchrotron, renowned institutes for food and water security, leading crop development and vaccine research centres, and an integrated health sciences complex. USask also draws on a cadre of outstanding social scientists, humanists and artists to tackle “the big challenges and opportunities that will define humanity,” says Dr. Singh. “Our researches are looking to advance ‘one health,’ a concept that takes people, animals and the environment into account.”
In addition, USask hosts GWF, the largest university-led freshwater research program with more than 170 partners worldwide and “over 1,000 researchers from different disciplines across Canada, who are working towards developing tools, advancing knowledge and engaging with communities, stakeholders and rights holders to better understand and prepare for all water futures,” says Dr. Schuster-Wallace.
Water security and environmental and social justice
Research shows that water security and climate stability are closely linked. Adverse weather events – for example, the 2021 atmospheric rivers that caused severe flooding in British Columbia and Atlantic Canada – can disrupt critical water infrastructure.
“Canada – and especially the North – has been warming at rates far higher than the average expected rates,” says Dr. Schuster-Wallace, who suggests that adaptation measures need to be based on climate models “and managed for future rather than historical conditions.”
Researchers are already making an impact, emphasizes Dr. Singh, with models of water availability in Saskatchewan waterways informing agricultural practices, for example. “We are connecting research to policy,” he says. “When you look at the development of Saskatchewan as a province, research at USask has made a large contribution, especially to achievements in agriculture, water and energy. And we hope to advance SDGs globally by sharing this knowledge.”
Dr. Schuster-Wallace proposes that designing impactful water and climate solutions requires a strong equity, diversity and inclusion focus, and this starts with research. “We have to ask who creates the research questions and whether some voices are being prioritized while others may be overlooked,” she says. “If the people at risk of being left behind are not considered, policies and programs are not going to meet their needs.”
In Canada, for example, “we don’t have universal access to drinking water and sanitation, and there are still some long-term drinking water advisories in place, especially in First Nations communities,” says Dr. Schuster-Wallace, who believes such challenges need to be tackled in respectful collaboration with communities.
“We need to co-create a new Canada Water Act with Indigenous communities,” she says. “There is much we can learn from Indigenous worldviews that see water not as a commodity but as part of a system, where people, animals, water and land are all connected – and need to be in balance.”
The innovation advantage
The commitment to ensure diverse voices are represented not only makes policies and programs more inclusive – it brings another advantage: “It has been demonstrated that diversity is a huge catalyst for innovation,” explains Dr. Schuster-Wallace. “When diverse perspectives come together, you create solutions that address multiple needs.
“Greening our campus, for example, can benefit the health of our students, staff and faculty as well as improve our environmental footprint and therefore make a difference for climate change.”
What’s more, insights from measures that make the campus more sustainable and equitable can potentially be scaled and applied to the wider society, says Dr. Schuster-Wallace. “We’re ideally suited [to test solutions] because we are able to bridge research, teaching and learning. We can bring the world into our classroom – and the classroom into the world.”
USask recently released an ambitious sustainability plan that envisions reducing emissions by 45 per cent by 2030 compared to 2010 levels, says Dr. Singh, who adds that students widely embrace efforts that tackle environmental impact, starting with seemingly small personal habits and choices – and extending to participation in university or community projects.
“Students are change agents,” he says. “When it comes to taking action on social, political and environmental issues, much of the impetus comes from our students.”
Today – during the decade of action on sustainable development – USask is helping to advance the three priorities outlined by the UN: to mobilize everyone everywhere; to demand urgency and ambition; and to supercharge ideas to solutions.
“That’s our responsibility as the ‘university the world needs,’” adds Dr. Singh.
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