A study by MIT and the National League of Cities has attempted to identify the qualities of a “climate destination” where the effects of climate change are expected to be easier to manage, reports Kate Yoder for Wired. “With as many as 143 million people worldwide expected to be on the move because of climate change by 2050, would-be havens are sure to face new challenges,” writes Yoder. “But advance planning can alleviate the stress on cities as well as on their newcomers.”
Boston Globe reporter Pranshu Verma highlights how The Engine has expanded into an 42,000 square-foot space in the Somernova Innovation Hub, located near Union Square in Somerville. “We knew it would be a great fit for The Engine’s expansion,” said Katie Rae, CEO and managing partner for The Engine. “It offers us the ability to solve the infrastructure challenge for our network and also brings us even closer to Greentown Labs so we can continue our close partnership on our shared mission of climate tech support.”
Sean Hunt PhD ’16, M. Eng ’13 and Gaurab Chakrabarti co-founded Solugen after discovering a way to make chemicals from corn syrup instead of fossil fuels, reports Adele Peters for Fast Company. “Based on a detailed analysis of current products, the company estimates that it could theoretically produce 90% of the chemicals that are now produced by fossil fuels,” writes Peters.
Reuters reporter Andrea Januta writes that using computer models Prof. Kerry Emanuel has found that hurricanes in the North Atlantic have been growing in intensity and frequency as global temperatures have increasing. Emanuel “turned to computer simulations to recreate climate conditions for the last 150 years. Using three different climate models, he then scattered hurricane “seeds,” or conditions that could produce a storm, throughout the models to see how many seeds developed into storms,” writes Januta.
A new study by Prof. Kerry Emanuel examining the history of hurricanes finds that North Atlantic hurricanes are increasing in frequency and intensity, write Matthew Cappucci and Jason Samenow for The Washington Post. Emanuel “employed a novel approach to evaluate past storm activity,” they write. “Rather than relying on historical observations, which may have gaps, he performed climate modeling to reconstruct a continuous record of hurricane activity over the past 150 years from which to gauge trends.”
Prof. Ernest Moniz speaks with On Point host Meghna Chakrabarti about President Biden’s recent infrastructure bill and the future of nuclear power in the United States. “Climate change is the problem of our time,” says Moniz. “And we need every tool at our disposal to address that. It’s about the emissions, not about one’s favorite or disfavorite technology and I think that’s the way we have to look at this. It’s all about getting to low carbon.”
Politco reporter Catherine Boudreau explores a study by researchers from MIT’s Real Estate Innovation Lab offers suggestions on how people can reduce their carbon footprints when shopping. “My biggest takeaway is to be a more mindful consumer. Try not to get in the car to go shop. If you do, make it a big shopping trip to avoid multiple trips. Walking and biking always wins,” explains research scientist Andrea Chegut.
The Washington Post Editorial Board highlights a new report co-authored by MIT researchers that finds keeping the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant in California open would help the state reach its climate goals. "The experts project that keeping Diablo Canyon open just one more decade would cut California’s power-sector emissions by more than 10 percent, because it would burn far less gas, and save the state $2.6 billion in power system costs."
Los Angeles Times reporter Rob Nikolewski spotlights a report by researchers from MIT and Stanford University that finds keeping the Diablo Canyon Power Plant in California running would reduce electricity costs and help the state achieve its climate goals. “Nuclear plants – and Diablo Canyon is no exception – are one such clean and firm [source of] power capacity that we think should be preserved,” says Prof. Jacopo Buongiorno.
Forbes reporter Ken Silverstein highlights a joint study by MIT and Stanford researchers that finds that extending the California Diablo Canyon Power Plant will save customers billions while reducing carbon emissions. The researchers found that “if the plant stayed operational from 2025 to 2035,” writes Silverstein, “CO2 levels would drop by 10% a year and displace natural gas use, saving customers $2.6 billion.”
Writing for The Guardian, Prof. Daniel Rothman examines the history of Earth’s mass extinctions and how Earth seems to experience “a cascade of disruptions when stressed beyond a tipping point." Rothman writes that: “If we do not significantly cut back CO2 emissions, then we risk passing the threshold before the end of the present century.” He adds, “let us not contribute to the risk of a sixth extinction. Efforts to limit CO2 emissions now may pay dividends further into the future than we can imagine.”
Climate Now host Ozak Esu speaks with Senior Research Engineer Howard Herzog about the origins and mechanics of carbon capture technology. “The primary method today is what we call scrubbing. And it could be either chemical or physical scrubbing depending on the concentration,” says Herzog.
Bloomberg reporter David R. Baker writes that a new report co-authored by MIT researchers keeping California’s last nuclear power plant open could help reduce energy costs and provide water to the state. Keeping the “Diablo Canyon open through 2035 would cut greenhouse-gas emissions from California’s power sector 10% each year, by reducing the amount of electricity needed from natural-gas plants,” writes Baker.
A new report by researchers from MIT, Stanford and other institutions finds that extending the life of the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant in California should help the state meet its climate goals, reports Timothy Gardner for Reuters. The researchers found “delaying closure of the plant to 2025 would reduce California's carbon emissions from power plants by more than 10% from 2017 levels, reduce dependency on natural gas, and save up to $21 billion in power system costs.”
Writing for The Wall Street Journal, Prof. John Sterman details how he reduced his personal carbon footprint, from commuting via bicycle to completing a deep-energy retrofit on his home. “The project was great fun, cost-effective and the house is far more comfortable,” writes Sterman. “But personal action, though essential, isn’t sufficient. Building a prosperous, safe and equitable world requires that we transform our economy and institutions. To do so we must act now. There is no time to waste.”