Climate and Ecosystem Change

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Correcting Our Course

As the climate changes, so do the earth's ecosystems. Through the work of the Climate Consortium and other initiatives, Penn State researchers work to understand, model, and manage the risks of anthropogenic, or human-driven, climate change.

From Research to Impact

Managing the risks of anthropogenic climate change poses significant challenges both now and in the future. Warmer and more extreme weather events will increase the risk of natural disturbances, increase the burden of pests and pathogens, threaten public health, and expose vulnerabilities in critical infrastructural systems. The burden of climate resilience and adaptation will fall unequally and inequitably, burdening people of color and rural and poor communities disproportionately.

Penn State has the critical mass to be a world leader in climate and ecosystem change. IEE’s commitment to supporting interdisciplinary research in energy and the environment means we have a unique opportunity to identify solutions to these impacts across natural, social, and built systems. 

Major initiatives within this theme include but are not limited to climate variability and change, ecosystem productivity and biodiversity, stressors and resilience, food and water security, and polar science.


    Penn State is dedicating research and its own activities to do everything possible to reduce carbon emissions. Penn State researchers, staff, and students are already addressing the challenges brought on by carbon emissions. It is Penn State's commitment to continue this important work.

    Climate and Ecosystem Change Research

     

    Featured IEE Researchers

    Professor, Plant Science
    Professor, Meteorology and Atmospheric Science

    Climate and Ecosystem Change News

    Featured Stories

    2024 Climate Solutions Symposium registration open

    | psu.edu

    Registration is open for the 2024 Climate Solutions Symposium, which is designed to bring people together to stimulate projects and partnerships where Penn State’s interdisciplinary research strengths can inform and transform climate solutions.

    Connecting researchers and legislators can lead to policies that reflect scientific evidence

    | theconversation.com

    Researchers want real-world impact. Lawmakers want programs that work. The public wants to benefit from taxpayer-funded research. Building a bridge from academia to legislatures is key to all three. This article was originally written for The Conversation by Taylor Scott, associate research professor of human development and family studies.

    Mentions: Max Crowley

    Climate Solutions Symposium

    The climate crisis is here. It is impacting big cities and small communities in unprecedented and disproportionate ways. The crisis will continue unless we develop transdisciplinary solutions for climate change mitigation, adaptation, and resilience now. 

    With Penn State’s excellence in climate change research as the backdrop, the two-day Penn State Climate Solutions Symposium highlighted innovations from numerous disciplines through dynamic workshops, keynote talks from leaders in the climate solutions space, and a poster session. The event also featured opportunities for attendees to network with like-minded individuals who are seeking climate solutions as collaborators, funders, or implementers.