Climate Risk | Cornell Atkinson Center for Sustainability

Climate News

The 2030 Project Is Moving Research to Impact With Fast Grants

In this “decisive decade” for climate action, Cornell University has launched The 2030 Project: A Climate Initiative, a university-wide initiative housed within the Cornell Atkinson Center for Sustainability, to mobilize world-class faculty to develop and accelerate tangible solutions to the climate challenge. To enable Cornell faculty to seize urgent and unique opportunities, The 2030 Project and Cornell Atkinson offer Fast Grants to provide immediate support for impact-oriented climate research.

Flooded NYS Cornfield - with credit centered

Projects

The 2030 Project: A Cornell Climate Initiative

The 2030 Project: A Climate Initiative will mobilize world-class faculty to develop and accelerate tangible solutions to the climate challenge. From transforming food and energy systems and reducing greenhouse emissions to advancing environmental justice and shaping policy, Cornell will use practical science to help save the planet before it’s too late. The initiative is housed at Cornell Atkinson under the direction of executive director Ben Furnas.

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Nighttime view of the Earth, centered on the US, shown behind a network diagram

Global Climate Finance and Risks

Addressing climate-related financial risks will require transparency to combat greenwashing, clear policy guidance, and scaling of finance for low-carbon investments. Watch videos from the first-ever Global Climate Finance and Risks conference, held Oct. 25, 2024. Jointly hosted by Cornell Atkinson, the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business, and the U.S. Treasury’s Office of Financial Research (OFR), keynote speakers included Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Eric Usher, head of the UN Environment Programme.

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Sunlight Reflection Methods

Cornell researchers are exploring strategies to cool the Earth through sunlight reflection methods by injecting sulfate aerosols into the stratosphere to reflect a portion of sunlight back into space. While still theoretical, this technique aims to temporarily slow the rate of global warming while other long-term climate solutions, such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions and developing carbon capture technologies, are implemented.

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Conservation Finance

To slow and stop the global loss of biodiversity, we must fundamentally rethink our relationship with nature and transform our economic models and market systems. Research in Conservation Finance offers new, long-term, diversified sources of revenue supporting biodiversity conservation.

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Regenerative Agriculture

Accelerating adoption of regenerative agriculture practices across the Great Lakes basin by developing transition loan products and services to facilitate the transition from conventional to regenerative agriculture.

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Geoengineering

The Cornell Climate Engineering group will model adding reflective aerosols into the stratosphere, which may deflect enough sunbeams to reduce Earth's temperature and limit climate change.

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Coalition for Private Investment in Conservation

Cornell Atkinson serves as a partner in The Coalition for Private Investment in Conservation, a global multi-stakeholder initiative focused on enabling conditions that support a material increase in private, return-seeking investment in conservation.

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FAST-GHG: Emissions Calculator

FAST-GHG is a fertilizer and soil tool designed to quantify greenhouse gas emissions in crop production. Developed by Cornell faculty in partnership with NGOs, the tool was included in Walmart’s Project Gigaton.

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Report

New Modeling Sheds Light on Reversing Warming

New research from Fellow Doug MacMartin (ENG) focuses on understanding geoengineering as not just a science problem but as a mission-driven, engineering-design challenge that is inseparable from its societal context.

Report

Combining Insights From Artists and Scientists With ‘Undisciplinary’ Process

A new publication led by Cornell Atkinson fellows Rebecca Nelson (CALS) and Johannes Lehmann (CALS) proposes a shared purpose, or understanding of why participating is paramount in generating buy-in across partners and drives engagement. A 2021 Rapid Response Fund grant supported the project.

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Report

IPCC Update on Climate

Climate Change Is Harming the Planet Faster Than We Can Adapt, U.N. Warns. Cornell Atkinson Fellow Rachel Bezner Kerr served as author on new report published on February 28, 2022.

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Report

Family Values Outweigh Politics in U.S. Latinos’ Climate Beliefs

According to new research, family values are a much stronger predictor of climate opinions and policy support than political views for U.S. Latinos.

Faculty Fellow Highlight

Natalie Mahowald

From desert dust to volcanic ash to microplastics, Fellow Natalie Mahowald (ENG) is exploring how biogeochemistry can reduce climate risks, from wherever feedbacks in our earth system emerge.

Get to Know This Fellow

Postdoctoral Fellows

Cornell Atkinson postdoctoral fellows help lead the future of sustainability through innovative, interdisciplinary research collaborations.

Maia Dedrick

Themes: Reducing Climate Risks, Increasing Food Security

Education: PhD ’19, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Cornell Adviser: John Zinda (CALS) External Partner: U Yits Ka'an (Mexico)

Stephen Jane

Theme: Reducing Climate Risks

Education: PhD ’20, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Cornell Adviser: Peter McIntyre (CALS/Natural Resources & the Environment) External Partner: United States Geological Survey (USGS)

Cindy Kaiying Lin

Theme: Reducing Climate Risks

Education: PhD ’21, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor Cornell Advisers: Steven J. Jackson (CIS/Information Science) External Partner: Radiant Earth Foundation

Juliet Lu

Theme: Reducing Climate Risks

Education: PhD ’20, University of California, Berkeley Cornell Adviser: Philip McMichael (CALS/Global Development) External Partner: Mekong Region Land Governance Project

Academic Venture Fund 2022

Remote Sensing for Carbon-negative Climate Resilience in the Restored Herring River Estuary at Cape Cod National Seashore

Todd Cowen and Jed Sparks

Academic Venture Fund 2022

Blight2Right: A Novel Community-Based Project Focusing on Eliminating Illegal Dumping in Flint, Michigan

Jerel Ezell and Rebecca Morgenstern Brenner

Academic Venture Fund 2022

Measuring Emissions of Methane and Ammonia Gas From NY Dairy Farms

Robert Howarth, Lauren Ray, Xiangtao Xu, Tom Overton, and Peter Wright

Academic Venture Fund 2022

Engineered Living Materials for Indoor Air Quality Control

Rong Yang, Sijin Li, Meredith Silberstein, Sarah Kreps, and Jenny Sabin

Academic Venture Fund 2021

Climate Change Preparations Informed by Local Forest Inventories

Investigators: Rachel Bezner Kerr, Katja Poveda

Academic Venture Fund 2021

Improved Flood Prediction With Better Hydraulic Simulation

Investigators: Taryn Bauerle, Todd Walter, Joe Guinness

Academic Venture Fund 2021

Expanding the Repertoire of Community-led Climate Justice Practices

Investigators: Christopher Csikszentmihalyi, Phoebe Sengers, Steven Jackson

Academic Venture Fund 2021

Accelerating Carbon Removal Through Enhanced Weathering by Capturing Heavy Metals From Alkaline Sources

Investigators: Greeshma Gadikota, Todd Cowen, Johannes Lehmann, F. Garrett Boudinot, Benjamin Houlton

Academic Venture Fund 2021

Enabling Circular Construction With Fungi-based Materials

Investigators: Felix Heisel, Kathie Hodge, Rebecca Nelson, Anil Netravali, Prabhu Pingali, Lori Huberman, Marta Wisniewska

Innovation for Impact Fund Award 2021

Investigating the Financial Impact of Extreme Weather on Midwestern Farmers

Cornell Investigators: Ariel Ortiz-Bobea, Dyson School
EDF Investigators: Maggie Monast, Director of Working Lands; Vincent Gauthier; Dave McLaughlin, Economist
Other: Jenny Ifft, Kansas State University

Innovation for Impact Fund Award 2021

Addressing Equity in the Army Corps Flood Protection Infrastructure

Cornell Investigators: Todd Gerarden, Dyson School
EDF Investigators: Dave McLaughlin, Economist

Innovation for Impact Fund Award 2021

Capturing Young Children's Comprehension and Emotional Responses to Climate Change

Cornell Investigator: Gary Evans, Design and Environmental Analysis
EDF Investigator: Elizabeth Brandt Regional Field Manager, Mom’s Clean Air Force; Rainer Romero