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Cornell University

Our Work

Reducing Climate Risk

From the coastal effects of sea-level rise to catastrophic droughts, urban and rural dwellers alike face increasing risks from climate change. While urban systems and infrastructure must be resilient to rising seas and increasing climate extremes, improved financial security for developing world farmers is essential to reducing climate-induced human migration into cities that would overwhelm urban environments. Cornell Atkinson is innovating technology, financial instruments, and policy to reduce greenhouse gas concentrations and mitigate the impact of droughts, floods, storms, and wildfires while adapting agriculture and the built environment for a low-carbon future.

iceberg breaking

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.

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Flooded NYS Cornfield - with credit centered

Projects

The 2030 Project

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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Sunrise from space

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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sustainable forestry

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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Cornell Atkinson - Regenerative Agriculture Project

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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ozone

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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Cornell Atkinson - CPIC

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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Cornell Atkinson - FAST-GHG: Emissions Calculator

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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blue sky and clouds
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.

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Soil Factory
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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IPCC
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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family hiking
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.

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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
Natalie Mahowald

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