Energy, Environment & Sustainability

Cornell is a global leader in sustainability and climate change research, teaching and engagement. Our campuses are living laboratories for developing, testing and implementing solutions that address these most challenging issues.


Dire levels of CO2 will decimate oceans in 200 years

Sustained climate warming will drive the ocean’s fishery yields into steep decline 200 years from now and that trend could last at least a millennium, said scientists from Cornell and the University of California, Irvine.

Devastating emerald ash borer discovered in Arnot Forest

The emerald ash borer – an invasive beetle that has destroyed ash trees across the country – has been detected for the first time in Tompkins County in Cornell's 4,200-acre Arnot Forest.

New working group on disasters launches with March 14 talk

A new cross-college working group on disasters kicks off with a public presentation by anthropologist Anthony Oliver-Smith March 14.

Pioneering evolutionary biologist Rosemary Grant to speak March 12

Pioneering evolutionary biologist Rosemary Grant will speak March 12 on “Evolution of Darwin’s Finches: Integrating Behavior, Ecology and Genetics.”

Industrial hemp in New York expected to grow as research expands

Scientists, farmers, processors and government officials convened Feb. 28 at Cornell University for the state’s first industrial hemp research forum.

Cornell scientists size up quality wastewater treatment

Cornell scientists have assessed factors to improve, upgrade and make New York’s wastewater treatment plants more robust, according to their work published Feb. 24 in the journal Water Research.

NASA-Cornell collaboration will study desert dust's impact on climate from space

A $60 million collaboration between NASA and Cornell University will examine deserts' impact on climate change from space.

Forests can capture more carbon to ease climate change

In an effort to offset greenhouse gas emissions and to mitigate climate change, research scientists report that soil in forests can capture and hold a large quantity of atmospheric carbon dioxide.

New seed catalog restores vegetable flavor to savor

Cornell plant breeder Michael Mazourek, chef Dan Barber and seed producer Matthew Goldfarb have launched a new vegetable seed catalog that provides a vegetable bounty that any foodie will crave.