Environment
Harvard College Moving Toward Launch of New “Energy, Climate, and Environment” Concentration
Harvard College is moving toward the launch of a new interdisciplinary concentration called “Energy, Climate, and Environment” in the 2026-27 academic year, bringing students together across the sciences, social sciences, and humanities to study climate-related issues.
‘A Towering Intellect’: Michael McElroy, Giant of Harvard Environmental Sciences, Dies at 86
Remembered as a pioneering atmospheric scientist who bridged planetary science, climate policy, and undergraduate education, Michael B. McElroy, 86, died earlier this month from cancer.
Harvard Researchers Turn City Trash into Sustainable Jet Fuel
Everyday trash, food waste, and even discarded metal and rubber scraps can be used as a source of sustainable aviation fuel, Harvard researchers concluded in a new study published last month in the journal Nature Sustainability.
Cambridge Moves Forward With Green Space Renovation Near HLS
City of Cambridge staff presented plans for a redesign of the segment of Massachusetts Ave near Harvard Law School and Cambridge Common during an online webinar Wednesday evening.
Cambridge Canopy Coverage Increased But Residents Are Still Skeptical
Despite a five percent increase in canopy cover in Cambridge over the last five years, some Cambridge residents expressed frustration about ongoing city development and tree density disparities at the Cambridge Urban Forest Master Plan meeting on Thursday.
Harvard Students, Faculty Attend COP30 in Brazil To Implement Climate Change Solutions
More than 10 Harvard students and several faculty members traveled to Belém, Brazil this month to attend COP30, the annual United Nations Climate Change Conference.
Climate Change Is Making Cambridge’s Winters ‘Weird,’ Local Sustainability Experts Say
Climate change is leading to warmer winters in Cambridge — meaning more snowfall, more flooding, and more headaches for residents, according to two local sustainability experts who spoke at the Cambridge Public Library on Tuesday.
Harvard Pakistani Students Association Raises Thousands for Flood Relief in Pakistan
The Harvard College Pakistani Students Association raised approximately $2,800 in donations to support people in Pakistan impacted by recent flash flooding that has wrought devastation across the country.
Harvard Still On Track To Reach Fossil Fuel-Neutral Status by 2026, Sustainability Report Finds
Harvard’s 2024 sustainability report found that campus net greenhouse gas emissions continued to flatline for the ninth straight year — keeping the University on track to reach its goal of being “fossil fuel-neutral” by 2026.
Off the Beaten Path: Student Hikers Find Friendship, Peace in the Outdoors
Even as midterm season ramps up, Harvard students are finding time to trade in problem sets for pine needles, taking advantage of the Northeast’s famed fall foliage by heading outdoors. From a quick trip to Middlesex Fells to an overnight climb in New Hampshire’s peaks, hiking has become a way for students to recharge and reconnect with nature.
Cyanobacteria Advisory Expected To Lift Before Head of the Charles Regatta
The Charles River has been under a Massachusetts Department of Public Health advisory for a cyanobacterial bloom since August, but the advisory is expected to lift by the time thousands of rowers and spectators flock to Cambridge for the Head of the Charles rowing regatta this weekend.
CNN Chief Climate Correspondent Bill Weir Discusses His Pivot to Covering Climate Solutions at IOP Talk
CNN Chief Climate Correspondent Bill Weir said at an Institutes of Politics discussion on Wednesday that the focus of the media conversation on climate change had shifted from climate-related emergencies to problem-solving.
‘Politics Out of Energy’: Former FERC Chairman Emphasizes Bipartisanship in Energy Policymaking
Neil Chatterjee, former commissioner and chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, stressed the importance of political bipartisanship in achieving key energy policy goals at the Harvard Kennedy School on Monday.
IOP Upgrades Environmental Action Coalition to Pilot Program
The Institute of Politics leadership voted narrowly last week to upgrade the Environmental Action Coalition to a pilot program, bringing the total number of IOP programs to 17.
Cambridge Earth Day Celebration Offers Sustainability Resources and a Pile of Free Compost
At the City of Cambridge’s annual Earth Day celebration on Saturday, city officials offered residents information on local sustainability programs — and free compost to haul away by the bucketful from a heap in front of the Cambridge Public Library.
88 Pounds of Trash Collected at Eighth Annual Charles River Clean-Up
Harvard students and affiliates collected 88 pounds of trash, microplastics, and debris at the eighth annual Charles River Clean-Up on Thursday. The event held to mark Earth Day was co-hosted by the Harvard Kennedy School and Charles River Conservancy.
Biden Economic Advisers Talk Inflation Reduction Act at Clean Energy Summit
National security and economic advisers to former President Joe Biden discussed the impact of the Inflation Reduction Act and decarbonization efforts across policy and finance at the first “Amped & Wired Summit” on Saturday.
Cambridge No Longer in a ‘Critical’ Drought, City Water Board Announces
The Water Board of the City of Cambridge announced that the City’s drought level has decreased from a level three “critical” drought to a level two “significant” drought status during a Tuesday evening meeting.
DPU Cuts MassSave Funding by $500 Million, Approves Gas Bill Reductions
The Department of Public Utilities ordered a reduction of the total three-year budget for the MassSave energy efficiency program by $500 million on Friday to reduce gas bills.
DPU Orders Mass. Gas Companies to Cut Bills by 5 Percent
The companies have until Feb. 24 to file their proposals for adjustments, which will take effect on March 1. The move will afford residents some respite, with lower bills expected for the “peak season” months of March and April.
Local Black-Owned Soapmaking Business Wins State-Wide Sustainability Award
The Sustainable Business Network of Massachusetts recently recognized a Cambridge Black-owned business as one of the most environmentally conscious small businesses in the state.
Mass. Department of Public Utilities to Review Energy Delivery Rates After Complaints Over Skyrocketing Bills
The Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities has promised to renegotiate energy delivery rates with oil and gas companies after Mass. Governor Maura T. Healey ’92 and several state legislators penned letters decrying residents’ surging heating bills.
At Harvard Talk, National Climate Advisor Ali Zaidi ’08 Says Biden’s Climate Policy Will Outlast His Term
White House National Climate Advisor Ali A. Zaidi ’08 said at a Harvard talk Wednesday that the Biden administration’s climate policies would be resilient in the face of a Republican-controlled Congress and President-elect Donald Trump’s second term.
Harvard Will Purchase Power from Two Renewable Energy Projects Through Climate Consortium
Harvard announced Wednesday that it will help finance two utility-scale renewable energy projects through the Consortium for Climate Solutions, an agreement with institutions including MIT and Massachusetts General Hospital.
Harvard Hires 8 New Climate Faculty Across FAS, Graduate Schools
Harvard hired eight new climate faculty members in 2024 as the Salata Institute continues to expand climate research and hiring, the University announced earlier this month.
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