From shifting weather patterns that alter food availability to rising sea levels that displace homes and families, climate change is impacting communities and ecosystems all over the world at an unprecedented scale. In 2022 Cornell University launched The 2030 Project: A Cornell Climate Initiative, to tackle problems like these—bringing together the full breadth of Cornell’s transdisciplinary expertise to transform research, insights, and discovery into impactful, large-scale solutions. Less than a year after its launch, donors have already responded with more than $146 million in support of the project.

Benjamin Houlton, the Ronald P. Lynch Dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) shared that CALS received a gift of $9.9 million from the Bezos Earth Fund to create virtual fencing systems to reduce the environmental impacts of grazing livestock. Additionally, proceeds from a newly announced Dead & Company benefit concert at Barton Hall will support The 2030 Project.

“The Cornell community is mobilizing the ambitions, expertise, and infrastructure of a top-tier research institution to support climate solutions in this decisive decade for global action,” said Ben Furnas, executive director of The 2030 Project: A Cornell Climate Initiative, “And we are just getting started.”

Read the full story about The 2030 Project and its early fundraising results on giving.cornell.edu.