• SFU Climate Research Lab
Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship – NSERC

Congratulations to Ph.D. student, Rachel Chimuka, who was awarded an NSERC Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship!

2023 World Climate Research Programme Ocean Science Conference

Lab director, Kirsten Zickfeld, and PhD. student, Rachel Chimuka presented their research virtually during the 2023 World Climate Research Programme Ocean Science Conference (WCRP OSC).

2023 Environmental Research Conference

Lab director, Kirsten Zickfeld, convened the Earth system effects of carbon dioxide removal session at the 2023 Environmental Research Conference. She also gave a talk titled "Net zero frameworks must consider Earth system effects of carbon dioxide removal to achieve climate goals" during the session.

New Publication: Delaying methane mitigation increases the risk of breaching the 2°C warming limit.

Former lab member, Claude-Michel Nzotungicimpaye, recently published a paper with lab director, Kirsten Zickfeld, and PhD. student, Alex MacIsaac on “Delaying methane mitigation increases the risk of breaching the 2°C warming limit” in the Communications Earth and Environment journal.

Climate Ambassador with Climate Interactive

To compliment her climate solutions research, Christine Leclerc recently became a Climate Ambassador with MIT Management affiliated Climate Interactive. As an ambassador for the En-ROADS Integrated Assessment Model, Christine will build upon knowledge gained in completing the “Mastering En-ROADS” training program and deliver climate solutions workshops.

New Publication: Quantifying land carbon cycle feedbacks under negative CO2 emissions

PhD. student, Rachel Chimuka, recently published a paper with lab director, Kirsten Zickfeld, and former lab member, Claude-Michel Nzotungicimpaye, on “Quantifying land carbon cycle feedbacks under negative CO2 emissions” in the Biogeosciences journal. The article was also selected by the journal as a highlight paper and featured by SFU's Faculty of Environment.

HOW TO KEEP EARTH COOL: A climate solutions modelling workshop

Msc. student Christine Leclerc co-hosted 'HOW TO KEEP EARTH COOL: A climate solutions modelling workshop' at the 2023 Burnaby Festival of Learning. The workshop focused on exploring how solutions can be combined to keep Earth cool in an equitable way using the En-ROADS Climate Solutions Simulator.

Young Earth System Scientists Community Elections

Congratulations to MSc. student Christine Leclerc who was recently elected as a Young Earth System Scientists (YESS) Community representative. Well done, Christine!

#DanceYourPhD2023 Entry on Carbon Cycle Feedbacks

PhD. student, Rachel Chimuka, created a fun and easy to understand video entry for the #DanceYourPhD2023 global competition focusing on carbon cycle feedbacks and urging the world to collectively act on climate change and to act now. The video features a story-time animated segment, a rap battle, a contemporary dance, and a UN-style speech.

Report on nature-based climate solutions in Canada

Group leader, Kirsten Zickfeld, was part of an expert panel contributing to a new report investigating the potential contribution of nature-based climate solutions (NBCS) to meeting Canada's climate targets.

2022 Graduate Climate Conference

MSc. student Takuma Mihara presented his poster on the reversibility of permafrost carbon loss under temperature overshoot at the 2022 Graduate Climate Conference.

SFU Special Collections

MSc. student Christine Leclerc's poster "Variability of headwater stream network extent is highly sensitive to projected impacts of climate change" was added to an exhibit on the 7th floor of the Bennett Library at SFU's Burnaby campus as part of a joint initiative of the Research Commons, Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, and Office of the Vice-President, Research and International. The poster will also be added to SFU Summit.

56th Annual Canadian Meteorology and Oceanography Society Congress

Lab members Rachel Chimuka, Alexander MacIsaac and Alexander Koch presented their research virtually during the “Collaborative Earth System Modelling in Canada” sessions of the 56th Annual Canadian Meteorology and Oceanography Society Congress.

Earth’s Energy-Balance: A Climate Modelling Workshop

M.Sc. student, Christine Leclerc will host a workshop titled "Earth’s Energy-Balance: A Climate Modelling Workshop" at the 2022 Burnaby Festival of Learning. The workshop will provide an introduction to some of the key concepts that make up our understanding of the Earth’s energy balance, including electromagnetic radiation, blackbodies, and thermal electromagnetic radiation.

Let’s Talk Science Earth Week Climate Change Panel

Ph.D. student, Rachel Chimuka, was a panelist at Let's Talk Science's Earth Week Climate Change Panel organized to educate grade 7-11 students on climate change and its impacts, and encourage them to take action.

Chatelaine Feature: Christine Leclerc

M.Sc. student, Christine Leclerc, was recently featured in Chatelaine’s article “Are Individual Carbon Offsets Really Worth Buying?".

2022 SFU Science Nobel Prize Lectures

Group leader, Kirsten Zickfeld, gave an SFU Science Nobel Prize Lecture, in which she highlighted the contributions of 2021 Physics Nobel Price winners Syukuro Manabe and Klaus Hasselmann to the field of climate modelling, and discussed the role climate models have played in understanding an addressing the climate crisis.

New Publication: Temporary nature-based carbon removal can lower peak warming in a well-below 2 °C scenario

Lab director, Kirsten Zickfeld, recently published a paper with Ph.D. student, Alex MacIsaac and former lab members, Sabine Mathesius and Claude-Michel Nzotungicimpaye, on “Temporary nature-based carbon removal can lower peak warming in a well-below 2 °C scenario” in the Nature Communications Earth and Environment Journal. You can view the article here. This research was also mentioned in an article by The Conversation Canada.

Carnegie Climate Governance Initiative Seminar on CDR in the IPCC WGI Report

Group leader, Kirsten Zickfeld, gave a C2G (Carnegie Climate Governance Initiative) seminar about CDR in the IPCC WGI report. The seminar provided audiences with expert overviews of how the IPCC AR6 Working Group-I report addresses CDR and SRM.

2021 American Geophysical Union (AGU) Fall Meeting

Ph.D. student Rachel Chimuka presented her poster on the asymmetry in land carbon cycle feedbacks under positive and negative CO emissions at the 2021 American Geophysical Union (AGU) Fall Meeting.

Prospective students

The Climate Research Lab in the Department of Geography at Simon Fraser University (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada), led by Dr. Kirsten Zickfeld, is seeking Master’s and Doctoral students interested in pursuing research on climate change using Earth System models