Sustainability
New HES Sustainability, Global Development Degrees Director Hopes to Strengthen Programs
The Harvard Extension School appointed Michael J. Mortimer to lead the school’s Sustainability and Global Development Practice master’s degree programs earlier this year, as he seeks to fill gaps and refine the program curriculum.
Harvard Affiliates Testify Against Oil Drilling on California Harvard-Owned Land
The Santa Barbara County Planning Commission voted to approve an exploratory oil drilling project on former Harvard land holdings in California on Jan. 31, following testimony on environmental repercussions.
Cambridge City Council Maps Agenda For Term, Announces New Role for Climate Sustainability
The Cambridge City Council convened a special meeting Tuesday with city officials to set term priorities and announce the creation of a new position focused on climate resilience.
More than 30 Harvard Students and Faculty Attended COP28, Expressing Optimism on Climate Initiatives
More than 30 Harvard students and faculty traveled to Dubai to attend COP28, the annual United Nations Climate Change Conference, last month.
Harvard Salata Institute Funds Seven Student Climate Research Projects
Harvard’s Salata Institute for Climate and Sustainability announced the third round of awards for student-led projects last week, funding seven projects that include input from a total of 20 student organizations across the University.
Harvard Business School Students Put Forth Sustainability Solutions at Annual Climate Symposium
The Harvard Business School’s annual student-run Climate Symposium drew more than 500 attendees to Klarman Hall and raised more than $100,000 over Nov. 18 and 19.
Bezos Earth Fund Executive Leon Clarke Discusses Decarbonization, Climate Policy at Harvard Kennedy School
Leon Clarke, the director of decarbonization pathways at the Bezos Earth Fund, spoke about decarbonization and philanthropy at the Harvard Kennedy School on Monday.
Experts Discuss Adapting to Climate Change and Sustainability at Salata Institute Discussion
Cornell applied economics professor Prabhu L. Pingali and Nigerian Conservation Foundation director Joseph D. Onoja discussed climate sustainability at the Center for Government and International Studies Tuesday.
Harvard’s Greenhouse Gas Emissions Flatline for Seventh Straight Year in 2022
Harvard’s campus net greenhouse gas emissions continued to flatline for the seventh straight year in 2022, as the University experienced its first full year of normal functioning since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.
In Photos: Planting a Yard-Sized Urban Forest
More than three dozen Cambridge residents gathered Saturday morning to plant Cambridge’s first ever residential Miyawaki garden. Volunteers planted more than 40 species of plants native to New England in a single front yard to guard against biodiversity loss.
Stanford Woods Institute Director Discusses Western Wildfire Risks and Impacts at Harvard Forest Talk
Chris B. Field ’75, the director of the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment, discussed changes in wildfire risk on the West Coast at a Friday lecture.
Harvard Salata Institute Funds 14 New Climate Research Projects Through Seed Grant Program
Harvard’s Salata Institute for Climate and Sustainability announced the first cohort of awards for its Seed Grant Program last week, funding 14 interdisciplinary climate projects across the University.
Harvard’s Updated Sustainability Plan Garners Optimistic Responses from Student Climate Activists
Harvard’s renewed sustainability action plan drew largely positive feedback from student climate organization leaders, who commended the plan’s holistic approach while hoping the University follows through on its goals.
Harvard Salata Institute Launches Interdisciplinary Research Cluster to Lower Methane Emissions
Harvard’s Salata Institute for Climate and Sustainability launched a major initiative in July to lower global methane emissions as part of its Climate Research Clusters Program.
Harvard Law Professor Jody Freeman Resigns from ConocoPhillips Board
Harvard Law School professor and environmental law expert Jody L. Freeman resigned from the board of directors of oil and natural gas company ConocoPhillips on Thursday after Harvard affiliates and climate activists condemned her ties to the company.
Cambridge City Council Passes Green New Deal Policy Limiting Emissions from Large Buildings
The Cambridge City Council passed the final component of the Green New Deal for Cambridge Monday, concluding a yearslong effort to enact a package of environmental policies long championed by progressive legislators and activists in the city.
Harvard Law School Clinic Calls for New Bird Safety Measures in University Building Standards
Harvard Law School’s Animal Law & Policy Clinic submitted a letter to Harvard’s Office for Sustainability on Thursday, calling on the school to incorporate bird safety measures into its Sustainable Building Standards.
Bacow and John Kerry Discuss Global Energy Transition at Inaugural Harvard Climate Symposium
Special Presidential Envoy for Climate and former U.S. Secretary of State John F. Kerry discussed the global climate crisis with outgoing University President Lawrence S. Bacow at the inaugural Harvard Climate Symposium on Tuesday.
Harvard Vice Provost for Climate and Sustainability Discusses Salata Institute’s New Seed Grant Program
Harvard’s Salata Institute for Climate and Sustainability on April 17 launched a new grant program, awarding $30,000 to fund research and workshops on emergent topics related to climate change.
Campus Groups Host Harvard’s First-Ever ‘Intersectional Earth Week’
More than a dozen campus groups came together last week to hold Harvard’s first-ever “Intersectional Earth Week,” which featured a series of events focusing on the relationships between climate change and identity.
Former EPA Administrator Discusses Biden Administration’s Climate Policies at Harvard Weatherhead Lecture
Former Environmental Protection Agency administrator and first-ever White House national climate adviser Gina McCarthy discussed President Joe Biden’s climate policies and obstacles to further legislation during a Wednesday lecture.
Amid FAS Dean Search, Divest Harvard Demands New Dean Reject Fossil Fuel Funding
Fossil Fuel Divest Harvard, a student climate advocacy organization, released a letter calling on Harvard to select a Faculty of Arts and Sciences dean who will restrict the influence of the fossil fuel industry on academic research.
Harvard Law Professor Jody Freeman Faces Renewed Calls to Step Down from Board of Fossil Fuel Company
Harvard affiliates renewed calls for Harvard Law School professor Jody L. Freeman to step down from her position on the board of directors of ConocoPhillips following newly surfaced emails between her and a Securities and Exchange Commission official.
Assets to Axes: How Harvard’s Land Investments Inspired Fear in Brazil’s Cerrado
Although the full extent of HMC’s former landholdings remain concealed behind a complex web of private equity firms, associated subsidiary companies and investment partners, what is clear is that HMC’s purchases contributed to a climate of anxiety, fear, and strain on Brazilian subsistence farmers.
HUA Officers Present Earth Week Initiative, Discuss Leave of Absence Policies, Mental Health
Harvard Undergraduate Association officers discussed plans to co-sponsor an “Intersectional Earth Week” in collaboration with the Harvard Climate Coalition at the body’s weekly general meeting Sunday.