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![Photo: The Joint Program IAP course series concluded with a mock international climate negotiation in which participating groups represented regions of the world with various goals for mitigation, adaptation and economic growth. DSC_3500a_WEB_READY.jpg (](https://globalchange.mit.edu/sites/default/files/styles/490x340_manual/public/news/DSC_3500a_WEB_READY.jpg?itok=N062nfZy)
On January 20 a new administration entered the White House determined to cut spending on climate change and environmental protection programs, and reduce restrictions on greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global warming. To help the MIT community better understand what’s at stake,...
![Photo: The most common technique used at GTL facilities is Fischer-Tropsch (F-T) synthesis. (Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration) Paltsev_EE_Photo.jpg](https://globalchange.mit.edu/sites/default/files/styles/490x340_manual/public/news/Paltsev_EE_Photo.jpg?itok=Tn3mnudz)
Gas-to-liquids (GTL), a process that converts natural gas to liquid fuels such as gasoline, diesel and jet fuel rather than producing these fuels from crude oil, has barely penetrated the energy market, with fewer than 10 industrial-scale plants currently in operation around the world. For...
![Photo: Ozone exacts a particularly heavy toll on people living in economically disadvantaged areas, where industrial and power plants tend to cluster. While policies have been implemented to reduce ozone emissions across the country, they have not yet addressed built-in inequities in the U.S. economy, leaving low-income Americans at greatest risk for health and economic damages. (Source: raymondclarkeimages) Selin_ES&T_Photo.jpg](https://globalchange.mit.edu/sites/default/files/styles/490x340_manual/public/news/Selin_ES%26T_Photo.jpg?itok=VsMmPeQe)
One of the two top air pollutants in the U.S., ground-level ozone is harmful not only to your health but also to your bank balance. Long-term exposure to high concentrations of ozone can lead to respiratory and lung disease such as asthma, conditions that drive up medical expenses and sometimes...
!["Is the obligation to act on climate change a matter of distributive justice, restitution, or insurance against catastrophe? Which should be our focus? These questions bridge theory and practice, moral principle and political strategy," says philosopher Kieran Setiya. "I want my MIT students to think about ethics beyond the limits of problem-solving, to explore not just the demands of morality but ideals of human flourishing." Photo: Shutterstock 1800x1200_boat-in-drought-shutterstock_248135746 copy.jpg](https://globalchange.mit.edu/sites/default/files/styles/490x340_manual/public/news/1800x1200_boat-in-drought-shutterstock_248135746%20copy.jpg?itok=-0Rvkrz7)
Science and technology are essential tools for innovation, and to reap their full potential, we also need to articulate and solve the many aspects of today’s global issues that are rooted in the political, cultural, and economic realities of the human world. With that mission in mind, MIT's...
![Wheat field in Burgundy, France (Source: Myrabella) Blanc_AFM_Photo.jpg](https://globalchange.mit.edu/sites/default/files/styles/490x340_manual/public/news/Blanc_AFM_Photo.jpg?itok=_dl_Wryo)
To estimate the long-term impact of climate change on crop yields, scientists usually use one of two methods. The first, process-based crop models, simulate the combined mechanistic effects of weather, soil conditions, pest damage and other factors on crop growth and yields. The second,...
How our society deals with not knowing, and what we can do to prepare for climate change
How do we tackle climate change? In the climate policy arena, it is common to hear that one of the foremost solutions to the problem is to put a price on carbon. This idea has been advanced by economists, frequently endorsed by climate scientists, and supported by businesses, including (...
How do global climate negotiations work?
How do global climate negotiations work?
How does the global climate system respond to forcings? How can models detect changes and attribute them to human activity?