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.


Refined DNA tool tracks native and invasive fish

Rather than conduct an aquatic roll call with nets to know which fish reside in a water body, scientists are using DNA fragments suspended in water to catalog invasive or native species.

Collaboration across (baseball) fields leads to Amazonian rivers

An ambitious project that deploys big data and uses machine learning to understand the ecological impacts of hydropower dams in the Amazon Basin started in a mundane enough setting: on the sidelines at youth baseball games.

Greg Poe honored posthumously for his work in economics

Gregory Poe, professor of applied economics and management, who died March 11 at age 56, was honored posthumously June 12 by the Northeastern Agricultural and Resource Economics Association for his contributions to the field.

Bacteria-coated nanofiber electrodes digest pollutants

Cornell materials scientists and bioelectrochemical engineers have created an innovative, cost-competitive electrode material for cleaning pollutants in wastewater.

Christopher Dunn honored by national gardens association

Christopher Dunn, executive director of Cornell Botanic Gardens, received the Award of Merit from the American Public Gardens Association for his service to public horticulture.

Republicans doubt 'global warming' more than 'climate change'

The U.S. public doubts the existence of "global warming" more than it doubts "climate change" – and Republicans are driving the effect, according to new research. But there's more agreement on climate science than meets the eye.

Rising seas could result in 2 billion refugees by 2100

In the year 2100, more than 2 billion people - those who live on islands or along coasts - could become climate change refugees due to rising sea levels, according to Cornell researchers.

Working group: Give citizens say in nuclear accident plans

At an expert briefing in Brussels on May 19, Cornell experts spoke about the need to plan for nuclear power plant accidents and how to compensate radiation victims.

Atkinson Center names 2017-18 SSHA faculty fellows

Cornell's Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future has named eight social sciences, humanities and arts fellows for the 2017-18 academic year.