Canada Environmental Science Opportunity – Stream 2: Nature research │ Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC)

Theme 2A: Nature-based climate solutions

Funding: Up to $100,000 per year, per project for a maximum of three years.

Eligible applicants: Canadian post-secondary academic institutions; Canadian non-governmental organizations; and Indigenous organizations, governments, boards, commissions, associations, and authorities.

Science Overview

Projects will enable the reductions of Canada’s net GHG emissions using natural climate solutions, while benefitting biodiversity and human well-being. Projects will address science and knowledge gaps to be better able to effectively design and implement nature-based initiatives to avoid or reduce GHG emissions and mitigate climate change impacts while benefiting biodiversity.

Priority

Funded projects will advance one or more of the following priority science and knowledge areas:

• Avoid GHG emissions by halting or reducing the conversion of carbon rich ecosystems to another less carbon rich ecosystem (e.g., from a forest/grassland/wetland to cropland or an urban development)
• Restore carbon storage and biodiversity in converted or degraded ecosystems
• Reduce GHG emissions caused by natural resource use, including by implementing new forest harvesting management practices
• Develop policies, programs or tools with key actors in priority sectors, and implement them to reduce GHG emissions and improve biodiversity
• Measure and report on GHG outcomes from natural climate solutions
• Provide biodiversity and human well-being co-benefits
• Advance the federal commitment to reconciliation with Indigenous people
• Advance science and knowledge on natural climate solutions in Canada

Theme 2B: Species at risk

Funding:  Up to $100,000 per year, per project for a maximum of three years.

Eligible applicants: Canadian post-secondary academic institutions; Canadian not-for-profit organizations; and Indigenous organizations, governments, boards, commissions, associations, authorities.

Science Overview

There are more than 600 species at risk (SAR) listed under schedule 1 of the Species at Risk Act. For many other species, we lack information to properly assess their population status. Projects will enable species‑at‑risk–focused scientific research on migratory birds, other migratory species, and species that span multiple Canadian jurisdictions.

Priority

Funded projects will advance one or more of the following priority science and knowledge area:

• Informs the assessment of COSEWIC candidate species, including drivers of their population decline
• Informs recovery planning for species listed as Threatened or Endangered, including resident description and critical habitat identification for which a recovery strategy has not yet been prepared (view all existing reports)
• Addresses the description of activities detailed in the schedule of studies in existing recovery plans
• Informs stewardship and conservation activities, including the assessment of effectiveness / appropriateness of recovery actions for SAR species

Theme 2C: Building the science to support the protection of coastal ecosystems

Funding: Up to $100,000 per year, per project for a maximum of three years.

Eligible applicants: Canadian post-secondary academic institutions; Canadian non-governmental organizations; and Indigenous organizations, governments, boards, commissions, associations, authorities.

Science Overview

Projects will advance research on the stressors impacting marine birds and other wildlife in arctic ecosystems, and community-based scientific training and capacity-building programs that foster marine wildlife and ecosystem science expertise in coastal communities in Canada. This science will contribute to ensuring healthy, resilient, and productive coastal ecosystems.

Priority:

Funded projects will advance one or more of the following priority science and knowledge area:

• Research to inform the assessment of risks of marine transportation to marine birds and other wildlife, particularly in the Arctic
• Research to develop species distribution models for Arctic marine species and other wildlife
• For community-based project components, funding will support developing and delivering science training programs on marine ecosystems, especially marine birds and other wildlife; these programs will enable Indigenous peoples to engage in conservation and in assessing impacts within their lands or traditional territories