Earth and Environmental Science

Climate change despair has never been higher — but experts say hope is still possible

Michael Mann of the School of Arts & Sciences says that the obstacles to avert critical planet warming are entirely political, rather than physical or technological.

Crumbling America: The infrastructure crossroads

Howard Neukrug of the School of Arts & Sciences discusses where America’s water infrastructure needs to be shored up and what improvements can be made to aging pipes and unreliable delivery mechanisms.

Penn solutions to climate change

As society grapples with the impacts of a worsening climate—from the increased frequency and intensity of extreme weather events to rising sea levels and deadly heat waves—the need for actionable solutions has never been greater, Penn researchers say.

Hurricane threat poised to keep rising, experts warn

Michael Mann of the School of Arts & Sciences says that every Celsius degree of warming increases maximum winds in the strongest storm by about 12%, equating to a 40% increase in wind damage.

Climate expert on Hurricane Milton’s rapid intensification as ‘extreme weather becomes more extreme’

Michael Mann of the School of Arts & Sciences says that Hurricane Milton's rapid intensification is part of a trend fueled by climate change.

‘I can’t even find the right adjective’: Hurricane Milton offers a catastrophic reminder

Michael Mann of the School of Arts & Sciences says that warmer temperatures provide more energy and moisture to serve as fuel for hurricanes, making them bigger and wetter.

Control the path and power of hurricanes like Milton? Forget it, scientists say

Michael Mann of the School of Arts & Sciences says that simply discussing ethical guidelines for tinkering with Earth’s atmosphere will make it more likely to occur in the real world, which could have harmful side effects.

New report accuses Citibank of funding fossil fuel projects amounting to environmental racism

Michael Mann of the School of Arts & Sciences says that from an ethical standpoint banks and investment firms should no longer be financing new fossil fuel infrastructure.

Three women sit at tables in front of an audience. A Zoom screen with three additional speakers is behind them.

How is the world working to save biodiversity?

A Sept. 18 panel hosted by the Environmental Innovations Initiative and the Center for Latin American and Latinx Studies discussed local and global initiatives.

A climate expert’s return to Penn

Jen Wilcox, an expert on direct-air capture, is the inaugural faculty appointment in the Kleinman Center and served for three years as principal deputy assistant secretary for the Office of Fossil Energy in the U.S. Department of Energy. She discusses her time away and her return to Penn.

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