An article from TIME (magazine) explains how climate change is reshaping Americans’ expectations of a “white Christmas,” and why snowy holiday memories don’t always line up with reality. Long-term weather data and climate trends indicate that widespread snow on Christmas morning has historically been relatively rare across much of the United States—and is becoming even less likely as temperatures continue …
While equity in climate adaptation is increasingly recognized, university-based research can inadvertently reinforce inequities. Inequities often arise when research fails to engage communities, overlooks relevant concerns, lacks trust, or misinterprets responses due to insufficient cultural understanding. Mutual aid organizations, inherently community-based, foster resilience and solidarity, addressing unmet needs while building collective trust. A new article, co-authored by Rutgers researchers and …
The Rutgers plant biologist was elected to the 2025 Class of the National Academy of Inventors When basil crops across the United States began collapsing 15 years ago, farmers were desperate. A mysterious strain of downy mildew began wiping out crops with no treatments, no way to stop the disease from spreading and no basil varieties that were resistant to …
About 3.3 million years ago, during a period called the Pliocene epoch when Earth’s atmosphere contained CO₂ levels similar to today’s, a short but intense cooling event occurred that scientists call Marine Isotope Stage M2. Understanding what happened during this 25,000-year period matters today because it reveals how sensitive ice sheets are to changes in ocean circulation—a process currently being disrupted by global warming. …
Long before becoming an atmospheric scientist, Dr. Anthony J. Broccoli was just a young boy glued to the window, searching the skies for any signs of snow. Like many children, he hoped for an impromptu day off from school. His early curiosity in predicting snow days was not just a childhood phase …
An article from Inside Climate News examines New Jersey’s newly updated Energy Master Plan—an ambitious blueprint aiming for 100 percent clean electricity by 2035 and major emissions cuts by midcentury—and why achieving those goals is becoming more difficult. The plan arrives amid rapidly growing electricity demand from data centers, a regional power market in flux, and major federal rollbacks of …
Amidst discontent from countries and accusations of procedural misconduct, the Brazilian presidency of this year’s annual meeting of the United Nations negotiations on climate change (known as the Conference of the Parties or COP) brought COP 30 to a close on Saturday, November 22nd. The outcomes were reflective of disappointing compromises between some …
When countries make plans to fight climate change, they often focus heavily on energy efficiency—making buildings, appliances, and vehicles use less energy. But a new study suggests this approach might be missing the bigger picture. Clinton Andrews, RCEI Affiliate, Distinguished Professor at the Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers University, and Rachael Shwom, Professor in the Department …
What if the key to solving our planet’s biggest challenges lies with young people? A new study shows that empowering youth to develop innovative solutions could accelerate progress toward global sustainability goals—but only if we give them the right support and opportunities. Wendy Purcell, RCEI Affiliate and professor at Rutgers School of Public Health, is the lead author on the study published in the Journal …
An article from Inside Climate News reports on a major new scientific assessment showing that sea-level rise is accelerating in New Jersey, sharply increasing the state’s exposure to flooding, erosion, and other climate-driven coastal hazards. Produced by the New Jersey Climate Change Resource Center at Rutgers University, the 155-page report synthesizes the latest science on rising seas and coastal storms. …
