News + Media

Photo: Illinois Wind Farm (Source: Flickr/Tom Shockey)
News Release
Mar 18, 2024
Study highlights factors that could reduce climate risk

Last year was the planet’s warmest on record, according to an analysis by scientists from NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information. As climate change continues to raise the global average surface temperature, and demand for electricity along with it, are power grids across America...

Sulphur hexafluoride (SF6) is commonly used in electric power grids. This study quantifies China’s contribution to global SF6 emissions and locates their sources.
News Release
Mar 13, 2024
Global warming potential of SF6 is more than 24,000 times that of carbon dioxide

To achieve the aspirational goal of the Paris Agreement on climate change—limiting the increase in global average surface temperature at 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels—will require its 196 signatories to dramatically reduce their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

Ask MIT Climate: Impact of restricting domestic fossil fuel production
In The News
MIT Climate Portal | Mar 10, 2024

Supply-side restrictions, like shutting down new oil wells or gas pipelines, tend to lead to more imports and minimal impacts on greenhouse gas emissions—unless paired with other policies that limit demand for fossil fuels (MIT Climate Portal)

Fossil fuels, and the greenhouse gases they produce, are creating a hotter, more unstable world for future generations. That’s why policymakers concerned about this change have focused on switching from fossil fuels to clean sources of energy—quickly, before our mounting climate pollution causes...

New MIT Climate Policy Center
Around Campus

As part of the new Climate Project at MIT, the center will create and strengthen connections between leading climate researchers and policymakers (MIT Sloan School of Management) (Coverage: Boston Globe, Axios, MIT Technology Review)

Cambridge, MA, March 06, 2024 — The MIT Sloan School of Management is launching a new center aimed at providing evidence-based climate policy research to help inform and support local, state, national, and international policymakers.

2023 Annual Report of the MIT Joint Program
News Release
This public release of our Annual Report highlights 2023 progress, 2024 plans
Are electric cars more toxic than gas-powered vehicles?
In The News
Daily Mail | Mar 06, 2024

Study suggested EVs expel more particulate matter through their tires and brakes than modern gas-powered vehicles due to added weight from batteries (Daily Mail)

EPA is investigating whether EVs release more emissions than standard vehicles A study claimed the weight of EVs cause their tires and brakes to wear out faster  Particulate emissions are released into the air, and can cause health issues  READ MORE:  Electric cars release MORE toxic emissions than...
Hydrogen fuel cell cars
In The News
MIT Technology Review | Feb 29, 2024

Batteries are dominating zero-emissions vehicles, and the fuel has better uses elsewhere (MIT Technology Review)

How effective are carbon trading systems are in reducing global emissions?
News Release
MIT News | Feb 28, 2024

Can carbon trading systems reduce global emissions, or are they little more than greenwashing? Clear, enforceable standards may make the difference. (MIT News)

One of the most contentious issues faced at the 28th Conference of Parties (COP28) on climate change last December was a proposal for a U.N.-sanctioned market for trading carbon credits. Such a mechanism would allow nations and industries making slow progress in reducing their own carbon...

Wildfires in Southeast Asia significantly affect the moods of people in many neighboring countries
Around Campus
MIT News | Feb 13, 2024

Research in Southeast Asia quantifies how much wildfire smoke hurts peoples’ moods; finds the effect is greater when fires originate in other countries (MIT News)

Wildfires in Southeast Asia significantly affect peoples’ moods, especially if the fires originate outside a person’s own country, according to a new study.

The study, which measures sentiment by analyzing large amounts of social media data, helps show the psychological toll of...

Researchers studied the impact of deforestation on the global mercury cycle.
News Release
MIT News | Feb 12, 2024

Scientists quantify a previously overlooked driver of human-related mercury emissions (MIT News) (Coverage: WFXT(Fox)

About 10 percent of human-made mercury emissions into the atmosphere each year are the result of global deforestation, according to a new MIT study.

The world’s vegetation, from the Amazon rainforest to the savannahs of sub-Saharan Africa, acts as a sink that removes the toxic pollutant...

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