The Lawson Climate Institute (LCI) is pleased to announce support for four current research projects advancing sustainable innovation and technology, climate policy, and sustainable finance across the University of Toronto. These initial projects reflect LCI’s commitment to strengthening interdisciplinary climate research and fostering practical, scalable solutions for a greener future. The 2026 funding themes, and calls for proposals, will be announced early in 2026.
Learn more about the supported projects:
Politics of Decarbonization and Just Energy Transitions
Climate change policy and energy transition initiatives get started, make some progress, and get stuck in the “Improvement Trap.” Through the development of a dynamic model, this project examines why some initiatives are able achieve modest greenhouse gas reductions or efficiency gains, but fail to produce enduring transformation of energy or social systems. Building on the finding that the politics of launching climate policies differ from those needed to sustain transformation, the project focuses on how capacity building, coalition formation, and normative change interact over time. Through theoretical innovation and comparative case studies of Canadian and international policies – including the Net Zero Accountability Act, industrial emissions pricing, the former consumer carbon tax, and EV and critical minerals strategies – U of T researchers from across all three campuses will explore how to align policy design with the political and social dynamics necessary to overcome the Improvement Trap and achieve enduring decarbonization.
Team Members:
- Steven Bernstein, Political Science
- Matt Hoffmann, Political Science
- Teresa Kramarz, Environment and Public Policy
- Jeffrey Sun, Economics
Kickstarting the eMining Consortium
The mining industry relies on decades-old technologies that generate large amounts of waste, release CO2 emissions, and consume significant quantities of chemical feedstocks. As demand for critical minerals increases to support the global energy transition, minimizing these environmental impacts has become crucial, and electrochemical approaches offer a sustainable alternative, using renewable energy to enable circular economy principles through waste recycling and chemical production. However, key technological barriers have hindered commercial adoption.
U of T researchers are addressing these challenges to bring electrochemistry to industrial implementation. This includes energy-efficient salt-splitting electrolyzers, impurity- tolerant membranes, and iron-removal electrolyzers. The eMining consortium aims to electrify the mining industry by advancing electrochemical technologies for critical mineral processing, uniting U of T expertise to drive industry-focused research inside U of T labs, with possible additions as the initiative progresses.
Team Members:
- David Sinton, Mechanical Engineering
- Jay Werber, Chemical Engineering
- Vladimiros Papangelakis, Chemical Engineering
- Frank Gu, Chemical Engineering
Global Climate Finance Accelerator (GCFA) 2025–2026 Climate Finance Research Program
The Global Climate Finance Accelerator (GCFA) has for several years collaborated with the Rotman School and Climate Positive Energy to offer this experiential learning and research program for students. For the 2025–2026 academic year, the GCFA’s Climate Finance Research Program, supported by Lawson Climate Institute, will engage and support U of T graduate business students in developing innovative financial solutions for First-of-a-Kind climate pilot projects. This work will culminate in preparation of a white paper that lays out the learnings and presents clear, workable solutions for project financing.
GCFA Scholars will increase their understanding of climate finance, the climate venture market, and individual enterprises. They will also benefit from engagement with GCFA’s network of sustainable finance experts. The ventures studied will also benefit from their participation in the project, as the learnings empower them to raise the capital they need to scale and to contribute to the implementation of climate solutions.
The project will launch in Fall 2025, with student report delivery in Spring 2026, and oversight, support, and training continuing through Fall 2026.
Check back for details on this program and how to apply.
Team Members:
- Rod Lohin, Rotman Sustainability Initiative
- Wendy Potomski, Global Climate Finance Accelerator
Reliable Data Centre Models for Power System Planning
Ontario’s electricity grid is undergoing rapid transformation driven by the growth of large-scale, power-electronic-dominated loads such as data centres and industrial facilities, which present unique operational challenges due to their voltage sensitivity, rapid power fluctuations, and the risk of simultaneous tripping during disturbances. Recent disturbances across North America have highlighted the emerging risks of voltage instability and large-scale load loss caused by these new types of loads, creating an urgent need for improved modeling and testing approaches.
To address these challenges, the Grid Modernization Centre at the University of Toronto has proposed a research project that aims to establish high-fidelity large-load models, realistic ride-through criteria, and validated mitigation strategies to ensure reliable integration of large-scale loads into Ontario’s future grid. The project will develop validated RMS and EMT models, assess and mitigate oscillation risks, and support regulatory and operational planning frameworks with model-based evidence and recommendations over a period of two years.
Project Lead:
- Ali Hooshyar, Electrical and Computer Engineering