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Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability professor Rob Jackson is a recipient of the international award, which recognizes significant work advancing solutions to pressing environmental problems.

As water becomes more scarce and demand rises, researchers are pioneering a new management approach that can help avert disastrous drought impacts. By collaborating with experts in Chile, the team aims to provide policymakers with the tools needed to integrate long-term environmental and social changes into water governance and ensure resilience in a warming world.

A Stanford food and agriculture expert discusses a record-setting slab of lab-grown meat – and what it means for the future of food.

Attendees identified ways to optimize, integrate, and scale data collection for advancing human and planetary health.

A Stanford study reveals how climate change has altered growing conditions for the world’s five major crops over the past half century and is reshaping agriculture. The impacts corroborate climate models used to predict impacts, with a couple of important exceptions, according to the researchers.

A new initiative led by Stanford Bio-X unites all seven Stanford schools to integrate research, education, and innovation for a healthier, more sustainable food future. At the kickoff symposium, researchers discussed topics including optimal diets, climate resilience, and AI.

Bioengineering professor Michael C. Jewett shares how Stanford researchers are working with the building blocks of biology to produce greener chemicals, more climate-resilient agriculture, and new ways to repurpose food waste.

Researchers analyzed trade-related risks to energy security across 1,092 scenarios for cutting carbon emissions by 2060. They found that shifting from dependence on imported fossil fuels to increased dependence on critical minerals for clean energy can improve security for most nations – including the U.S., if it cultivates new trade partners.

Factors affecting the survival of the California native trees are more complex than previously understood, with deer and seedling-supporting “nurse plants” playing unexpected roles.

Stanford researchers found increased meltwater and rain explain 60% of a decades-long mismatch between predicted and observed temperatures in the ocean around Antarctica.

The Sierra Club’s executive director drew connections between civil rights, economic disparities, and the environment while offering guidance on how to achieve community-level impact at a keynote March 10.

Dozens of faculty members at Stanford are working to transform the way the world grows, distributes, and consumes food, with research and scholarship spanning topics including sustainable food systems, food security, health equity, culture, and diet.

Climate change and flagging investment in research and development has U.S. agriculture facing its first productivity slowdown in decades. A new study by researchers at Stanford, Cornell, and the University of Maryland estimates the public sector investment needed to reverse course.

Stanford marine scientists are using innovative projects to broaden the public’s appreciation for the ocean and inspire action to protect it.

Interdisciplinary researchers at Stanford’s Center for Turbulence Research are using rapidly advancing tools to solve interdisciplinary problems connected to fluid flow.

Climate scientist Rob Jackson and philosopher Leif Wenar discussed challenges, ambitions, and moral implications of restoring the atmosphere in a recent Dean’s Lecture Series event.

As the world works to meet net-zero carbon goals, a new study offers a critical reminder: precision matters. The researchers suggest refining how we assess a natural carbon storage strategy to ensure the technology lives up to its potential as a climate change solution.

The introductory course brings together passionate alums and seasoned lecturers to explore how Earth works and the ways humans impact it, with a focus on climate change, oceans, sustainable food, energy science, and more.

As the world works to meet net-zero carbon goals, a new study offers a critical reminder: precision matters. The researchers suggest refining how we assess a natural carbon storage strategy to ensure the technology lives up to its potential as a climate change solution.

New research shows grain yields critical to India’s food security are dragged down 10% or more in many parts of the country by nitrogen dioxide pollution from power stations that run on coal. Economic losses from crop damages exceed $800 million per year.

Aboard the same fishing vessel Steinbeck used for his 1940 Sea of Cortez expedition, undergraduates studied science and literature while gaining a deeper appreciation for the ocean.

A new study underscores the importance of transformative adaptation to create a more sustainable future for tribal nations.

Among the ways Stanford works to make a difference is through community engagement impact projects. It supports its community engagement hubs -- Stanford offices, centers and institutes that join with local non-profits and governmental organizations, to create projects to address a problem, attempt to answer a question and intend to benefit the community. The collaborations are often relationships built over time and are rely intrinsically on the trust that has developed.

Expanding Indigenous stewardship of public lands and understanding how one of the American West’s most drought-resilient forests will respond to climate change are among the goals of a collaborative project involving university researchers, tribal nations, and government agencies.

A new working group will make recommendations for how every Stanford undergraduate can participate in sustainability education, whether through courses, degree programs, or extracurricular experiences.

Beneath sandy beaches, microbes filter chemicals from groundwater and safeguard ocean health. A Stanford-led study reveals that sneaker waves provide a lens to explore the impending impacts of sea level rise on beach hydrology, chemistry, and microbiology.

In light of the Los Angeles-area wildfires, Stanford experts spanning the fields of environmental science, medicine, and public health discuss what we know about wildfires’ health impacts, what remains a mystery, and how communities can better protect themselves from the increasingly common threat.

Our list includes a mix of favorites, high-impact stories, and some of our most-read research coverage from the past year.

Stanford scientists have discovered multiple forms of a ubiquitous enzyme in microbes that thrive in low-oxygen zones off the coasts of Central and South America. The results may open new possibilities for growing crops with fewer resources and understanding ocean carbon storage. 

Stanford scientists have discovered multiple forms of a ubiquitous enzyme in microbes that thrive in low-oxygen zones off the coasts of Central and South America. The results may open new possibilities for growing crops with fewer resources and understanding ocean carbon storage. 

Rainy days are becoming less frequent but more intense across much of the planet because of climate change. Even in years with similar rainfall totals, plants fare differently when rain falls in fewer, bigger bursts, a new study shows. 

Artificial intelligence provides new evidence that rapid decarbonization will not prevent warming beyond 1.5 degrees Celsius. The hottest years of this century are likely to shatter recent records.

Negotiators met last week for a U.N. climate change conference marked by severe disagreement over how much wealthy nations owe developing nations to help decrease emissions and build climate resilience. Stanford experts discuss the conference’s outcome, how a potential Trump administration withdrawal from global climate talks might affect the U.S., and more.

An expert on climate change and its impact on human society says the evidence for it is all around us, but it’s not too late to better understand, adapt to, and mitigate climate change.

An artist and ocean scientist collaborated to create an installation that encourages playful reflection on human-environmental impact.

The 2024 Environmental Venture Projects and Realizing Environmental Innovation Program grants foster interdisciplinary solutions.

An expert in modeling global climate discusses how new data and new techniques are providing a clearer glimpse of our atmospheric future than ever before.

The new interdisciplinary hub seeks to address the interconnected challenges of health and environmental sustainability.

In rural Africa, where livelihoods are often tied directly to the land, environmental degradation poses a critical threat to both ecosystems and people’s well-being. New research reveals ways to tackle the dual challenges of land degradation and poverty.

A new play combines science and art to raise awareness about overlooked climate impacts and spark conversations to identify solutions.

The institute’s practice of bringing together experts from disparate fields to tackle pressing environmental challenges has redefined the relationship between science, policy, and real-world solutions.

Stanford’s campus has become a living lab for testing innovative fire management techniques, from research on wildfire exposure risks to a cross-campus competition for students to develop wildfire-related solutions.

Kabir Peay wants to leverage the relationship between plants and the beneficial fungi that colonize their roots to help ecosystems weather climate change.

Kabir Peay wants to leverage the relationship between plants and the beneficial fungi that colonize their roots to help ecosystems weather climate change.

The faculty director of Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve reflects on new growth in the area where intentional burning was applied to chaparral earlier this year.

A survey of 211 authors of reports from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change finds most believe the world may achieve net-zero emissions by 2100 but expect warming will exceed 2 degrees Celsius in the absence of more sustained action.

The latest installment in the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability’s Dean’s Lecture series welcomed Chief Raoni Metuktire of the Amazon’s Kayapó people to discuss environmental concerns and potential solutions.

Steve Davis has taken an unconventional path from philosophy to Earth system science and research showing how decisions related to food, energy, and trade affect climate outcomes.

When the school was founded in September 2022, it included a commitment to hire as many as 60 new faculty in critical areas of research. This fall, the school welcomed eight new faculty members who research behavioral science, decision-making, oceans, climate science, materials science, and more.

Two committees released reports this summer related to the university’s funding for energy research and education and the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability’s industrial affiliates programs. Conclusions from the university report will be presented at an upcoming campus event.

A new book by ecologists at Stanford and the National Autonomous University of Mexico advocates for earlier detection and mitigation of threats to ward off population extinction.

The Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment recently hosted a first-of-its-kind “boot camp” in which congressional staffers got a crash course from experts in climate, forestry, fire science, utilities, insurance, and other wildfire-related topics.

Methane concentrations in Earth’s atmosphere increased at record speed over the past five years. At least two-thirds of annual methane emissions now come from human activities, including fossil fuel use, agriculture, and landfills and other waste.

Through programs offered by the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability, undergraduate students from Stanford and institutions across the U.S. worked on projects that tackled pressing environmental challenges and advanced fundamental knowledge about our planet. Here’s an inside look at their experiences.

Researchers at Stanford and Colorado State University used machine learning to determine how much global warming has influenced extreme weather events in the U.S. and elsewhere in recent years. Their approach could change how scientists study and predict the impact of climate change on extreme weather.

The Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability will establish new research initiatives under topics including climate, water, energy, food, nature, and cities.

In Brazil, climate and other human-made environmental changes threaten decades-long efforts to fight schistosomiasis, a widespread and debilitating parasitic disease. Now, Stanford and Brazilian researchers have developed models that can predict how the disease risk will shift in response to environmental changes.

Rob Jackson’s new book illustrates clean energy transition challenges and success around the world.

New research underscores the close relationship between dust plumes transported from the Sahara Desert in Africa and rainfall from tropical cyclones along the U.S. Gulf Coast and Florida.

New research underscores the close relationship between dust plumes transported from the Sahara Desert in Africa and rainfall from tropical cyclones along the U.S. Gulf Coast and Florida.

New Stanford program works to better understand connections between the environment and human health, and to pursue ecological solutions to public health challenges.

Stanford researchers are working to reveal secrets of a massive, intricate underground fungal network. The resulting knowledge could help scientists engineer fungi-plant interactions to store large amounts of carbon underground and break down toxins, such as plastics and pesticides, among other advances.

Seed grants awarded under the Big Ideas for Oceans program will enable work on high-risk, potentially high-reward projects designed to conserve the ocean and address climate change. 

Citing academic freedom as “an underpinning of good science” and the need for a “robust and diverse” approach to climate solutions, a Stanford committee recommended against prohibiting research funds from fossil fuel companies. But the panel encouraged closer oversight and reviews, which are now underway, of industrial affiliates programs across the university.

Wildfire risk is an ever-present concern in the American West. A legal scholar and wildfire policy expert talks about how a recent Sustainability Accelerator grant helped a multidisciplinary team advance policy change in California.

During the school's 2024 commencement ceremony, Dean Arun Majumdar told graduates they “can change the world.”

The professor of Earth system science will focus on supporting graduate students and postdoctoral scholars as they prepare for careers in academia.

From bleaching corals to weakening currents, Stanford scientists help readers navigate the effects of warmer oceans.

Severe wildfires can drive chemical changes in soil that affect ecosystem recovery and risks to human health. A new study finds broader surveillance and modeling of these changes could inform strategies for protecting lives, property, and natural resources, and managing wildlife.

Severe wildfires can drive chemical changes in soil that affect ecosystem recovery and risks to human health. A new study finds broader surveillance and modeling of these changes could inform strategies for protecting lives, property, and natural resources, and managing wildlife.

Residents of the wildfire-choked San Joaquin Valley desperately want something done about their air quality – but they want researchers to approach the work in a new way.

A new study of air pollution in U.S. homes reveals how much gas and propane stoves increase people’s exposure to nitrogen dioxide, a pollutant linked to childhood asthma. Even in bedrooms far from kitchens, concentrations frequently exceed health limits while stoves are on and for hours after burners and ovens are turned off.

Conventional sunscreen ingredients can damage coral reefs and human health. An immunologist and a marine ecologist teamed up to develop a better approach.

This year’s Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability photo contest highlights Earth’s beauty, challenges facing people and the planet, and action to advance global sustainability.

The Stanford Forum on the Science of Energy Transition brought together scientific experts, technology innovators, and industry leaders to explore practical pathways to a decarbonized future.

Programs and policies that help households go beyond stocking up on food and medical supplies to invest in longer-term protections could overcome the risk perception gap and support adaptation to rising climate-related threats.

Scholars and community leaders gathered at an environmental justice conference to discuss the importance of community-driven research, intersectional frameworks, and institutional legitimacy.

Stanford water and climate experts discuss climate impacts on shared water sources and potential solutions.

Sixteen research teams from across Stanford University will explore innovative strategies for gigaton atmospheric greenhouse gas removal – the school’s first ‘Flagship Destination’ research focus.

Researchers have found that one-third of the organic carbon leached from peatland soils into canal waters in Southeast Asia gets broken down and released into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide.

With the support of the U.S. Department of Energy, a Stanford-led consortium of 22 research institutions seeks to help communities balance top priorities for a decarbonized grid.

New research shows the diversity of plant and animal life in 14 tropical reserves in Mesoamerica has plummeted since 1990 as roads and cattle ranches have expanded into protected areas. Large mammals, birds, and reptiles are disappearing, while disease-carrying insects and rodents are on the rise.

New research shows the diversity of plant and animal life in 14 tropical reserves in Mesoamerica has plummeted since 1990 as roads and cattle ranches have expanded into protected areas. Large mammals, birds, and reptiles are disappearing, while disease-carrying insects and rodents are on the rise.

Analysis reveals imported earthworm species have colonized large swaths of North America, and represent a largely overlooked threat to native ecosystems. The researchers warn of the need to better understand and manage the invaders in our midst.

Daniel Swain studies extreme floods. And droughts. And wildfires. Then he explains them to the rest of us.

Researchers found almost no agreement among four widely used poverty measurement approaches. The findings suggest that the choice of a measurement approach can lead to very different conclusions about who qualifies for poverty alleviation programs and policies, and how much these efforts achieve.

In a new collaboration, the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability and Stanford Graduate School of Business will offer an executive education program designed to help both current and aspiring chief sustainability officers become more effective leaders in their organizations.

Experts discuss how insights from social science research can help U.S. climate policies overcome polarization and spur lasting change in consumer behavior.

Two courses in the SUSTAIN 101 series use nontraditional approaches to teach complex climate data and community-focused sustainable design. 

Stanford study on microbes in extremely salty water suggests life may survive conditions previously thought to be uninhabitable. The research widens the possibilities for where life may be found throughout our solar system and shows how changes in salinity may affect life in aquatic habitats on Earth.

New research from Stanford suggests climate change will disrupt many age-old partnerships between aspen trees and fungi that are essential to healthy forests.

New research from Stanford suggests climate change will disrupt many age-old partnerships between aspen trees and fungi that are essential to healthy forests.

New research from Stanford University shows wildfires can transform a natural element in soils into a cancer-causing and readily airborne metal known as chromium 6.

Declining coal use helped shrink U.S. emissions 3%, according to new estimates from the Global Carbon Project, even as global emissions keep the world on a path to exceed 1.5 degrees Celsius of warming before 2030 and 1.7 degrees soon after.

Stanford ecologist and climate scientist Chris Field looks to the 28th UN Climate Change Conference for a roadmap on what he considers solvable challenges.

The fellowship program attracts innovative scholars into the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability who demonstrate research excellence and inclusive leadership in STEM.

Stanford researchers highlight the urgency and importance of acknowledging emotions about climate change in research and education.

Scholars from the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability discuss their hopes and expectations for international climate talks taking place this month in Dubai.

Yuan Wang seeks to understand how particle pollution from vehicles, industry, and wildfires affects our future climate and extreme weather events like hurricanes.

Yuan Wang seeks to understand how particle pollution from vehicles, industry, and wildfires affects our future climate and extreme weather events like hurricanes.

Scholars from the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability discuss their hopes and expectations for international climate talks taking place this month in Dubai.

An expert in the global cycles of carbon and water explains how they are inextricably bound to one another and fundamental to the future of life on planet Earth.

The federal Commission on Accelerating Climate Action, co-chaired by Stanford ecologist and climate scientist Chris Field, calls for organizations to work together to achieve climate goals and accelerate adaptation with new recommendations.

Researchers estimate the electricity used per square foot to cool buildings in U.S. cities will increase on average by nearly 14% for every degree of warming.

Tadashi Fukami, an ecologist known for exploring complex plant and animal communities with small-scale experiments, is the new faculty director of Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve, part of the Stanford School of Humanities and Sciences.

Stanford research reveals the rapidly growing influence of wildfire smoke on air quality trends across most of the United States. Wildfire smoke in recent years has slowed or reversed progress toward cleaner air in 35 states, erasing a quarter of gains made since 2000.

Environmental Venture and Realizing Environmental Innovation grants foster interdisciplinary solutions.

Beltran-Peña was named a recipient of the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability Dean's Postdoctoral Fellowship this year.

Stanford researchers are working across disciplines to measure emissions of a potent greenhouse gas in extreme conditions.

Is climate change driving natural disasters? Is it a social issue? Is it reversible? Answers from Noah Diffenbaugh, the Kara J Foundation Professor and Kimmelman Family Senior Fellow in Stanford's Doerr School of Sustainability.

Farmers in India have adapted to warming temperatures by intensifying the withdrawal of groundwater used for irrigation, according to a new study. If the trend continues, the rate of groundwater loss could triple by 2080, further threatening India’s food and water security.

For Aditi Sheshadri, an assistant professor of Earth system science, a career studying atmospheric dynamics launched from an early interest in space propulsion.

Stanford experts explain how climate change affects hurricanes and typhoons, where hurricanes are likely to make landfall and bring damaging winds in the future, and more.

Morgan O'Neill, an assistant professor of Earth system science, describes the experiences that have led her to study how severe weather and climate interact, and "affirmatively choose being a scientist year after year."

In the year since its formation, the school has started addressing sustainability challenges and contributing to a future where humans and nature thrive in concert and perpetuity. Here, we look back on our inaugural year and some of the many milestones across our community, education, research, and impact.

Research shows adding minerals to farmland soil could help prevent condition associated with long-lasting harmful consequences.

Minghao Qiu, a postdoctoral scholar in Earth system science and a Planetary Health Postdoctoral Fellow at the Stanford Center for Innovation in Global Health, discusses his work modeling how climate change might influence air pollution levels – and how increased air pollution from wildfires, dust, and the burning of fossil fuels might affect people’s health. 

The analysis compares innovations and policies related to plant-based and lab-grown alternatives to animal meat and dairy in the U.S. and European Union. Its findings could help ensure legislation levels the food industry playing field.

A new analysis of one of the world’s largest residential electrification programs suggests switching from gas to electric stoves can reduce climate emissions and hospitalization rates faster than previously thought if the power grid is green.

Stanford-led research reveals a massive and accelerating transfer of water from rural groundwater sources to Jordan’s cities through an unlicensed tanker water market. Recognizing this previously hidden demand for water could be critical for improving urban water security in water-stressed cities in Jordan and elsewhere.

Extreme heat threatens the health of vulnerable populations such as children, laborers, and the elderly. A Stanford pediatrician, emergency medicine doctor, and professor of Earth system science discuss how we can best adapt and build resilience – particularly for those populations and communities that are most vulnerable.

New study reveals how people in low-income communities of color are inequitably vulnerable to wildfire smoke, extreme heat, and other hazards fueled by climate change. The pilot study details ways for these communities to gather data and improve outcomes.

Stanford experts are bringing a wide range of approaches, experiences, and disciplines to bear to identify the causes and consequences of changing fire patterns, inform wildfire management, and mitigate risks to human health and infrastructure.

A new technique for measuring past topography shows the Himalayas were more than halfway to their summit before a continental collision made them the highest range in the world.

Four Stanford faculty members have been named fellows in the 2023-24 Faculty Advancement Network (FAN) Institute on Inquiry, Equity, and Leadership in the Academic Department.

As sea levels rise and flooding becomes more frequent, many countries are considering a controversial strategy: relocation of communities. A Stanford analysis of planned relocations around the world reveals a blueprint for positive outcomes.

A Stanford-led expedition in the Arctic Ocean’s Chukchi Sea could help answer questions about how an ice-free Arctic may transform the ocean’s ecosystems and ability to sequester carbon.

The summer of 2023 is behaving like a broken record about broken records.

Switching from hydropower to fossil fuels during droughts has led to higher carbon emissions and cost 11 Western states tens of billions of dollars over the past two decades, Stanford research finds.

A spring-quarter course taught by Stanford professors William Barnett and Chris Field asked students to consider solutions to global predicaments. “This new generation will be known as the greatest generation ... they will be building sustainability into everything they do.”

Earth's global temperatures would need at least a decade to stabilize after the entire globe cuts carbon emissions to zero...

Faculty and scholars associated with the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability recommend these 29 books for your summer reading. 

Dean Arun Majumdar encouraged the inaugural class of graduates to use their knowledge, leadership, and commitment to make a positive impact on the world at the school’s commencement celebration.

About 47 million homes use natural gas or propane-burning cooktops and ovens. Stanford researchers found that cooking with gas stoves can raise indoor levels of the carcinogen benzene above those found in secondhand smoke. (Source: Stanford News)

About 47 million homes use natural gas or propane-burning cooktops and ovens. Stanford researchers found that cooking with gas stoves can raise indoor levels of the carcinogen benzene above those found in secondhand smoke.

The awards recognize individuals who go above and beyond their role to create a more inclusive, just, and welcoming community at the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability. The awardees were honored at a school-wide celebration of accomplishments in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) over the past year.

Wildfire smoke from Canadian wildfires is polluting air across much of the northeastern US. Explore Stanford research about wildfire smoke, health impacts, and solutions.

Studio Gang is an architecture and urban design practice known for its material research and experimentation, collaboration across disciplines, and focus on sustainability. The Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability’s Sustainability Commons will promote collaboration and serve a wide range of uses.

The Faculty Women’s Forum recognizes 17 faculty members and one staffer for outstanding work supporting women at Stanford through role modeling, allyship, leadership, and sponsorship.

A hunt for the sources of lead poisoning in Bangladesh

Rodolfo Dirzo is Professor of Biology and Earth Systems Science at Stanford University. Rodolfo's scientific work examines the study of species interactions in tropical ecosystems from California, Latin America, and other tropical areas of the world. Recent research highlights the decline of animal life (“defaunation”), and how this affects ecosystem processes/services (e.g. disease regulation).

At 12 points around the globe – including one at Stanford – scientists are working to detect when the Anthropocene began. (Source: Stanford Magazine)

SIEPR's David Lobell and Monika Piazzesi are among seven Stanford faculty elected to the National Academy of Sciences.

Ecologists deploy a small weapon in a big disease battle.

Island geography, genealogy, kinship, and other cultural and environmental factors influenced early Pacific island societies to develop sustainable practices. How can we apply these lessons to climate and sustainability issues today?

More than 50 years after the first Earth Day, Stanford experts discuss the experiences that inspire people to learn and care about the environment and take action.

The new role involves near-term space planning on campus, master planning of the Hopkins Marine Station, and working to decrease barriers between different departments and programs.

NPR's Steve Inskeep asks climate scientist Noah Diffenbaugh of Stanford University about the wild weather in California this year.

Stanford experts explain why the recently approved Willow oil drilling project in Alaska has sparked controversy, discuss the significance of new limits on oil drilling in the Arctic Ocean, and describe the complicated nature of energy transformation in the fastest-warming place on Earth.

The researchers created maps showing where warmer weather has left trees in conditions that don’t suit them, making them more prone to being replaced by other species. The findings could help inform long-term wildfire and ecosystem management in these “zombie forests.”

Scientists observed close to 1,000 fin whales foraging near Antarctica, while fishing vessels trawled for krill in their midst. Without action, such encounters are likely to become more common as this endangered species recovers and krill harvesting intensifies in the Southern Ocean. (Source: Stanford News)

A new study integrates climate, land use, and socioeconomic data to explain and predict malaria dynamics at the village level. The approach could inform health care practitioners and make control strategies more efficient and cost-effective. (Source: Stanford News)

Scientists observed close to 1,000 fin whales foraging near Antarctica, while fishing vessels trawled for krill in their midst. Without action, such encounters are likely to become more common as this endangered species recovers and krill harvesting intensifies in the Southern Ocean.

The fellowship supports early-career researchers in scientific disciplines and technical fields in the United States and Canada.

The second event in a new dean’s lecture series through the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability featured environmental justice experts in energy, environmental health, and Native environmental policy.

New analysis shows the U.S. has accounted for more wetland conversion and degradation than any other country. Its findings help better explain the causes and impacts of such losses and inform protection and restoration of wetlands. (Source: Stanford News)

Join Timothy Harris as he sits down with Dr. Tadashi Fukami, an Ecologist, to discuss his personal journey from Japan to the Bay Area and his innovative research in the field of ecology. In this revealing conversation, Dr. Fukami shares his insights on the impact of human activities on ecosystems the importance of preserving biodiversity, and most of all, his interesting journey to finding his true passions.

New analysis shows the U.S. has accounted for more wetland conversion and degradation than any other country. Its findings help better explain the causes and impacts of such losses and inform protection and restoration of wetlands.

Our health and economic stability depend on biodiversity, but our governing policies often fail to address it coherently. An analysis of the world’s second most biodiverse country, Colombia, highlights how policies that span sectors and actors can fit together to govern biodiversity more effectively. (Source: Stanford News)

Artificial intelligence provides new evidence our planet will cross the global warming threshold of 1.5 degrees Celsius within 10 to 15 years. Even with low emissions, we could see 2 C of warming. But a future with less warming remains within reach.

Stanford and local experts discuss ways to mitigate risk to communities and infrastructure amid dramatic swings between flood and drought.

More than 100 students from diverse backgrounds and fields of study were drawn to a fall class exploring the connection between the health of people and the environment, part of a wave of interest in classes about sustainability.

Plant-based and lab-grown meat substitutes are here to stay, but are unlikely to eliminate livestock agriculture’s climate and land use impacts anytime soon, according to Stanford environmental scientist David Lobell. In the meantime, Lobell says we should also focus on reducing emissions of animal-based systems. (Better-tasting fake cheese would be nice too.)

Stanford scientists are among a growing number of researchers harnessing artificial intelligence techniques to bring more realistic representations of ubiquitous atmospheric ripples into global climate models

Federal subsidies promote planting cover crops to store carbon in agricultural soils, among other benefits, but the approach as currently practiced can reduce yields in the U.S. Corn Belt, researchers find. Their analysis highlights the need to better implement the practice.

American beaver populations are booming in the western United States as conditions grow hotter and drier. New research shows their prolific dam building benefits river water quality so much, it outweighs the damaging influence of climate-driven droughts.

Based on new analyses of satellite data, scientists have found that hydrologic conditions that increase flash drought risk occur more often than current models predict. The research also shows that incorporating how plants change soil structures can improve Earth system models.

Years after Hurricane Katrina altered his life’s course, Elliott White Jr. set out to understand what drives coastal wetland loss as a way to help lessen harm from future climate impacts for vulnerable coastal communities. (Source: Stanford News)

“What I see are more and more opportunities to address the challenge”: Chris Field, a global ecology and climate science pioneer, is pursuing impact at scale at the new Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability.

Heat waves, drought, and floods driven by climate change are already impacting access to food and driving food insecurity in many parts of the world. Stanford professor David Lobell explains how food production and access are impacted by climate change. (Source: Stanford Center for Innovation in Global Health)

Pollution from wildfires is linked to lower test scores and possibly lower future earnings for kids growing up with more smoke days at school, a new study finds. Impacts of smoke exposure on earnings are disproportionately borne by economically disadvantaged communities of color.

Stanford researchers have developed an AI model for predicting dangerous particle pollution to help track the American West’s rapidly worsening wildfire smoke. The detailed results show millions of Americans are routinely exposed to pollution at levels rarely seen just a decade ago.

Hurricanes and severe storms exacerbate inequalities. Ahead of a Sept. 21 webinar on the subject, Stanford experts discussed how to ensure equity in planning and response for such extreme weather events, economic benefits of nature-based storm defenses, and related issues. (Source: Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment)

Fendorf, the Terry Huffington Professor in the Department of Earth System Science and a senior fellow at the Woods Institute, has been elected for his exceptional achievements.

“We're seeing all around the world that heat records are being broken, and we're seeing the impacts of those severe heat events, whether it's in agriculture, in our food system, water resources, electricity generation, ecosystems, both on land and in rivers and streams, as well as in the ocean from marine heatwaves,” says Stanford's Noah Diffenbaugh. 

When the right atmospheric factors come together to generate heavy precipitation, there is more water available to fall from the clouds than there had been before greenhouse-gas emissions began warming the planet, explains Stanford climate scientist Noah Diffenbaugh.

"In order to be resilient to climate change now and in the future, its going to require updating all those sophisticated systems that we have put in place because the frequency of severe heat, how hot it gets is different now and it will be even more different in the future," says Stanford's Noah Diffenbaugh.

Our built world has historically been designed around a predictable climate, and that era is over. “The real question is, what will it take to design and build infrastructure to protect against flooding in a changing climate?” says Noah Diffenbaugh. “Our assumptions are obsolete.”

The legislation “is important symbolically and internationally,” says Rob Jackson. “Its biggest benefits are to provide longer-term certainty for renewables development and to promote sales of lower-cost electric vehicles. It’s critical the U.S. do something."

David Lobell has been awarded a 2022 Global Health Seed Grant from Stanford’s Center for Innovation in Global Health, along with several faculty members joining the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability.

The Stanford geographer and environmental scientist discusses the sand shortage crisis and what it means for the future of the environment. (Source: Stanford News)

In a Stanford study of hospitalizations near the 2018 Camp Fire, a week of heavy smoke exposure was linked to a five percent increased risk of preterm births.

“The political reality is that climate isn’t a top priority for Democrats,” says Earth system science professor Rob Jackson. “I think it means we will zoom past 1.5 C in a couple years and hurdle toward 2 C before we know it.”

New research reveals that, rather than being influenced only by environmental conditions, deep subsurface microbial communities can transform because of geological movements. The findings advance our understanding of subsurface microorganisms, which comprise up to half of all living material on the planet.

Most government policies for mitigating public health risks from wildfire smoke aim to educate citizens to protect themselves by staying indoors, closing windows, and using air filters. Stanford research shows why that approach fails for Americans across all income groups and points to solutions.

When wildfire smoke descends, Californians are told to close windows and run air purifiers. But this advice may not be widely followed, according to a study led by Marshall Burke. And the disparity between wealthy and low-income neighborhoods is significant.

“This...makes sense only as a death knell for coal. Otherwise, it’s baffling. We’re approaching 8 billion tons of carbon dioxide pollution a year from gas use alone, and that can’t continue,” says Rob Jackson in an article that also cites research on methane leaks led by Adam Brandt. 

A new study shows wealthier households are more likely to change their movement patterns in response to wildfires. “More public safety options could include something like clean air centers at libraries or other public buildings,” says co-author Sam Heft-Neal.

“Cement emissions have grown faster than most other carbon sources,” says Stanford Earth system science professor Rob Jackson, adding that the climbing emissions can largely be tied to increased manufacturing in China.

“Our primary focus needs to be on fossil fuel use because that’s where most emissions come from,” says Stanford professor Rob Jackson. “I don’t think cement is on most policymakers’ radar.”

"What we showed was that the limits to the accuracy of the forecast changes based on the basic temperature of the Earth. It's this really nice link between weather and climate," says Aditi Sheshadri in a podcast interview about her research on the limits of accurate weather predictions in warmer climates.

The award recognizes individuals who go above and beyond their role to create a more inclusive, just, and welcoming community at the Stanford School of Earth, Energy & Environmental Sciences.

Stanford Earth’s Excellence in Teaching Award is presented annually to an instructor during the diploma ceremony on commencement weekend. The honoree is selected based on nominations from students, faculty, and alumni.

More than any class before, the 2022 graduates of the School of Earth, Energy & Environmental Sciences are prepared to navigate uncertainties in the pursuit of a life that brings happiness and meaning, according to Dean Stephan Graham.

Since 1900, Earth's average air temperature has increased by 1.1 degrees Celsius. The odds of a record heat event or extreme heat day have doubled or tripled, says Stanford's Noah Diffenbaugh. “These types of conditions are increasing, it’s not just your imagination.”

New analysis shows crop yields could increase by about 25% in China and up to 10% in other parts of the world if emissions of a common air pollutant decreased by about half. 

Analysis of air pollution and crop health via satellite imagery led by Stanford's David Lobell suggests that limiting emissions of nitrogen dioxide, a potent greenhouse gas, could boost crop yields by up to 28 percent.

Environmental scientist Chris Field explains why taking on climate change will require that we continue to reduce emissions and adapt to the effects of increasing temperatures. (Source: Stanford Engineering)

"I’m reminded of the common question, ‘Paper or plastic?’ The right answer is whatever you already have, so long as you reuse it," says Stanford professor Rob Jackson.

A TIME magazine feature covers the harmful health and climate effects of natural gas stoves and possible solutions based on a study led by Rob Jackson's research group.

"We're starting the season in a severe drought heading into the warm part of the year, and we know that the kinds of severe heat waves that have really amplified fire risk in recent years are much more likely now than they were previously in California's history," says Stanford climate scientist Noah Diffenbaugh.

"Farming finfish on an industrial scale is like farming livestock on land on an industrial scale,” says Rosamond L. Naylor, who directs Stanford's Center on Food Security and the Environment. “There are ways to minimize risks, but they are costly, and not everyone is taking the steps they should be taking.”

While gas fireplaces, furnaces, and hot water heaters all burn and leak methane, and are thus a concern from a climate perspective, Stanford's Eric Lebel and Rob Jackson say there's less of a worry than with gas stoves from a health perspective.

A new certificate program provides a framework for Stanford Earth graduate students and postdoctoral researchers to learn new skills, gain practical experience, and produce portfolio pieces that will broaden their professional preparedness. The program will be carried into the new school focused on climate and sustainability.

“People in countries like the U.S. are starting to ask what all this extra stuff filling our lives gets us. The answer appears to be very little, perhaps nothing," says Rob Jackson on excessive energy use levels around the world. 

Analysis of data from 140 countries suggests many rich countries could use less energy per capita without compromising health, happiness or prosperity. Countries struggling with energy poverty may be able to maximize well-being with less energy than previously thought.

Human well-being is strongly tethered to energy access, but a new Stanford-led study finds high-consuming countries could scale back consumption without sacrificing health and happiness.

How much energy does it take to have a good and healthy life? A new study led by Earth system science professor Rob Jackson has found that the answer is far less than the average American is using.

Billions of people could be lifted out of poverty without boosting global energy consumption, according to a new Stanford study that has deep implications for climate change.

The grant supports early-career faculty who have the potential to serve as academic role models in research and education and to lead advances in the mission of their department or organization. 

Stephan Graham, Noah Diffenbaugh, Sally Benson and Anjana Richards served as panelists at a recent Deliberative Polling event to discuss proposals for the new school focused on climate and sustainability. 

Surveys of people exposed to wildfires and hurricanes show that negative experiences with these events are associated with elevated perceived risk for specific climate hazards and self-reported adaptation behaviors, as well as increased support for interventions. The findings could help shape public communications and policy.

New analysis by Rob Jackson and PhD student Sam Abernethy emphasizes that a reduction in global methane emissions is critical to meeting short-term climate targets. 

Nicole Ardoin and Mark Horowitz discuss exciting new programs and courses within the new school, which will focus on climate and sustainability. 

Stanford scholars Krishna Rao, Alexandra Konings and Noah Diffenbaugh used satellite data to track vegetation dryness patterns over time and identify wildfire vulnerabilities in the West. 

By focusing on the climate impact of methane over a 100-year timeframe, international climate negotiators have underestimated the importance of this short-lived greenhouse gas for achieving Paris climate agreement goals, a new Stanford University study finds.

Rapidly growing communities in the American West’s forests and shrublands are nestled in zones where local soil and plant traits amplify the effect of climate change on wildfire hazards and lead to bigger burns.

Field has won one of the world’s foremost prizes for his contributions to estimation of global biospheric productivity and climate change science.

Natural gas stoves release methane – a potent greenhouse gas – and other pollutants through leaks and incomplete combustion. Stanford researchers estimate that methane leaking from stoves inside U.S. homes has the same climate impact as about 500,000 gasoline-powered cars and the stoves can expose people to respiratory disease-triggering pollutants. VIDEO

“It seems that colder climates are just inherently more predictable than warmer ones,” says Aditi Sheshadri, lead author of a study that suggests warming can impact the accuracy of weather forecasts in the future.

The award recognizes research by a mid-career scientist who has made an extraordinary contribution to agriculture or to the understanding of the biology of a species fundamentally important to agriculture or food production.

The fourth annual Stanford Earth Photo Contest drew images of a dramatic sunset, a menacing shark, an intriguing frog, and a perennial favorite – the Milky Way. The winners were selected among 101 submissions. 

Stanford atmospheric scientist Morgan O'Neill comments on methodologies that researchers at UC San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography are using to study cyclone formations on Jupiter. 

Rob Jackson, Stanford professor and chair of the Global Carbon Project, comments on the future consequences if Democrats are not able to pass the Build Back Better Act to invest in clean energy.

Noah Diffenbaugh comments on the sudden wet trend in the California drought: “deficits have been so pronounced through so much of the state that it will take more than one normal year to overcome, and we don’t know how this year will ultimately play out. That said, it’s a very encouraging start."

Aditi Shedshadri, Noah Diffenbaugh, Newsha Ajami and other California scientists share research-based insights about climate, water and more.

Governments all over the world have failed to invest in green economic recovery 18 months after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Earth scientist Rob Jackson shares his insights on keeping global temperatures from rising in the future.

Rob Jackson discusses the health risks of natural gas usage inside homes, fueling the California-driven movement to shift kitchens from gas to electric stoves, with the goal of reducing greenhouse gas pollution nationwide.

Helping to show the public the effects of global warming, Noah Diffenbaugh and other attribution scientists link climate change to the nuanced impacts of extreme weather events in affected communities.

A Stanford University study shows chaos reigns earlier in midlatitude weather models as temperatures rise. The result? Climate change could be shifting the limits of weather predictability and pushing reliable 10-day forecasts out of reach.

New research shows that physics measurements of just a small portion of reef can be used to assess the health of an entire reef system. The findings may help scientists grasp how these important ecosystems will respond to a changing climate.

Associate professor of Earth system science Marshall Burke comments on the climate impacts of having children, stating that more people doesn’t necessarily mean a warmer Earth.

Hydrologist Steven Gorelick addresses how his work on freshwater accessibility in Jordan can be applied to other Middle Eastern countries like Syria, which is also amidst a water crisis. 

As climate conditions change, tree species are shifting their ranges. Wildfire is accelerating this process, likely by reducing competition from established species – a finding that raises questions about how to manage land in an era of shifting ecosystems.

In an op-ed, Rob Jackson, Sam Abernethy and coauthors write that after months of social distancing and stay-at-home orders, economies are reopening, and carbon dioxide levels are rising.

Stanford experts discuss strengths and weaknesses of major pledges at the UN climate summit that target methane emissions and deforestation.

An investigation of 196 countries by the Washington Post found that emissions are underreported by billions of tons. Stanford Earth scientist Rob Jackson explains why.

Much of the debate around climate change and climate policy centers on the price tag of doing something. But the costs of inaction, in terms of overall livelihoods and economic well being, are far greater, explains Stanford environmental economist Marshall Burke. (Source: Stanford Center for Innovation in Global Health)

“If we don’t know the state of emissions today, we don’t know whether we’re cutting emissions meaningfully and substantially,” said Rob Jackson. “The atmosphere ultimately is the truth. The atmosphere is what we care about.”

The Paris climate agreement set a goal of limiting warming to “2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and pursuing efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius.” In a way, both thresholds are "somewhat arbitrary,” said Stanford's Rob Jackson. “Every tenth of a degree matters!”

Marshall Burke, Noah Diffenbaugh and Gabrielle Wong-Parodi are interviewed in a segment about a unique partnership in California that uses behavioral science and cultural awareness in climate studies to help communities cope with extreme weather.

"I wasn't surprised to see a rebound," said Stanford Earth's Rob Jackson. "I was surprised to see emissions bounce back like a rubber band." 

New estimates from the Global Carbon Project, chaired by Stanford Earth professor Rob Jackson, vividly illustrate the global challenge posed by decades of delayed climate policy and investment.

Rob Jackson, a Stanford professor of Earth system science, discusses new estimates of global carbon emissions. One surprising finding is that emissions came roaring back, not trickling as they did after the 2008 recession.

“Treading water for global fossil carbon emissions like we’re doing now is closer to drowning when it comes to climate change,” said Rob Jackson.

Carbon dioxide emissions are on track to rise in every country and region in the world this year compared with 2020. “We thought global coal use had peaked in 2014, but we’re perilously close to that value again this year,” said Rob Jackson.

"We might have seen emissions snap back this year in any case, since it’s tough to completely change the global energy system in a single year, but we could have set ourselves up much better for future years," said Rob Jackson, professor of Earth system science.

International negotiators will meet in Scotland this Sunday for the latest UN Climate Change Conference. Stanford experts in a range of fields discuss their hopes for the talks as well as major themes likely to influence negotiations, keys to success and more.

Research led by Stanford Earth's Morgan O'Neill shows supercell storm tops may act like mountains that obstruct winds, transforming their flow into violent turbulence that mixes near-surface air with the stratosphere above.

Policy interventions to stop deforestation are most effective when enacted in a certain order, according to a new study. (Source: Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment)

“The rate of change has been so dramatic. If I was the California tourism industry, I’d be really worried," said Stanford environmental economist Marshall Burke. What’s even more disruptive than fire, he said, is its erratic sidekick: smoke.

A 14-year analysis of air quality data across California led by Stanford Earth's David Gonzalez and Marshall Burke revealed residents who live within 2.5 miles of oil and gas wells are exposed to elevated levels of toxic gases.

Stanford's Rob Jackson says he wishes Google offered granularity about its storage battery capacity and its plans to power sites at night and on cloudy days. Still, Google’s endeavor “goes beyond what I’ve seen from most other companies.”

Pam Matson has been appointed to help lead the International Science Council, an international non-governmental organization that works to provide a global voice for science. 

Researchers found increased concentrations of air pollutants downwind from oil and gas wells in California, likely affecting millions of Californians who live near them.

A bill under debate in Congress would pave the way to verifying and paying for farms’ carbon savings. Stanford scientists explore this and other opportunities for growing climate change solutions on U.S. farms.

Air pollution is known to harm children’s respiratory health, but its specific impacts on infection rates have remained unclear. A new analysis provides evidence of a link between the two in low-income settings, and indicates one industry may play an outsized role in the problem. (Source: Stanford News)

Mucciarone, lab manager in the Department of Earth System Science, is among this year’s winners of the Amy J. Blue Award, which honors staff who are exceptionally dedicated, supportive of colleagues and passionate about their work.

The Earth system science PhD candidate has been awarded by the European Association of Organic Geochemists for her innovative and groundbreaking research on ancient bacteria.

Looking into the future we're going to need to consider that extreme fire weather is going to become more and more frequent, said Michael Goss, a postdoctoral scholar at Stanford Earth. More extreme fire weather means more area burned.

An analysis of federal satellite imagery by NPR’s California Newsroom and associate professor Marshall Burke's lab at Stanford shows smoke from Western wildfires is is choking vast swaths of the country.

Field has been appointed co-chair of a new nonpartisan, multidisciplinary, multiyear project focused on identifying barriers to climate action and recommending how the U.S. can accelerate climate mitigation and adaptation.

"There’s probably nothing we could do that has a bigger effect on shaving peak temperatures over the next few decades than removing methane," said Stanford Earth professor Rob Jackson.