News + Media
![Photo: MIT Joint Program Research Scientist Jennifer Morris and her collaborators have developed a tool that can help planners in power companies decide what kinds of new generating facilities to build, given uncertainty around future limits on carbon emissions. Their analyses show that including non-carbon generation in the mix will reduce the long-term economic risk of decisions made today. (Photo by Bryce Vickmark) Jen Morris_WEB.jpg](https://globalchange.mit.edu/sites/default/files/styles/490x340_manual/public/in-the-news/Jen%20Morris_WEB.jpg?itok=poqXuO0o)
MIT Energy Futures: Why including non-carbon options is key
![diatoms © UBO Sébastien Hervé Diatoms_WEB.jpg](https://globalchange.mit.edu/sites/default/files/styles/490x340_manual/public/news/Diatoms_WEB.jpg?itok=0ylVXgI-)
Helen Hill | EAPS News
Thursday, December 21, 2017
A review article involving Stephanie Dutkiewicz and Oliver Jahn suggests the diatoms have more diverse roles in carbon cycling than previously understood.
![China's emissions trading scheme will target coal power plants, like this one in Tianjin. But the restrictions have not yet been made clear (Photo: Shubert Ciencia) Power_Plant_(Tianjin,_China).jpg](https://globalchange.mit.edu/sites/default/files/styles/490x340_manual/public/in-the-news/Power_Plant_%28Tianjin%2C_China%29_0.jpg?itok=e12T_Azk)
Grist commentary cites Joint Program research assistant Emil Dimantchev's analysis of China's new carbon emissions trading system (Additional Coverage: Salon.com)
By Eric Holthaus on Dec 21, 2017
This week, China announced it has launched a nationwide carbon-trading market, with the intent of slowing down its growing climate footprint and capping its emissions as soon as possible.
![Splash Photo splash_PHOTO.jpg](https://globalchange.mit.edu/sites/default/files/styles/490x340_manual/public/news/splash_PHOTO.jpg?itok=etHxQKFP)
Critical to our ability to survive and thrive for generations to come is ongoing access to adequate supplies of clean, fresh water. For the foreseeable future, significant freshwater withdrawals will be needed for irrigation, thermal power plant cooling, and myriad industrial and residential...
![Photo: Coal-fired electric plant, Henan Province, China (Source: V.T. Polywoda) Karplus_EEEP.jpg](https://globalchange.mit.edu/sites/default/files/styles/490x340_manual/public/news/Karplus_EEEP_0.jpg?itok=baXY1mA2)
On Tuesday, December 19, China announced its plans to launch a national carbon emissions trading system that initially covers the nation's power sector, with the goal of incenting power companies to reduce carbon emissions.
![Photo: Members of the MIT delegation to COP23 outside of the venue in Bonn, Germany: (l-r) Horacio Caperan of the Joint Program on the Science and Policy of Global Change; Michael Mehling of the Center for Energy and Environmental Policy Research; John Sterman of MIT Sloan; and Bruno Verdini of the Department of Urban Studies and Planning. (Photo: Emily Dahl) COP3-Ethical-Climage-Negotiation-group-2-MIT-00_WEB.jpg](https://globalchange.mit.edu/sites/default/files/styles/490x340_manual/public/in-the-news/COP3-Ethical-Climage-Negotiation-group-2-MIT-00_WEB.jpg?itok=d71RbZuY)
MIT researchers focus on empathy, transparency, and empowerment at this year's United Nations Climate Change Conference
Emily Dahl | MIT Energy Initiative December 18, 2017
At this year’s United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP23), delegates from around the world worked on strategies to accelerate progress toward the goals of the 2015 Paris Agreement — with or without the continued official...
![Description MIT Associate Professor Janelle Knox-Hayes Credits Image: Bryce Vickmark MIT-Profile-Knox-Hayes.jpg](https://globalchange.mit.edu/sites/default/files/styles/490x340_manual/public/in-the-news/MIT-Profile-Knox-Hayes.jpg?itok=Nt9RwzjG)
MIT’s Janelle Knox-Hayes studies the cultural issues behind climate policy
Peter Dizikes | MIT News Office December 17, 2017
We have one planet, and many plans to keep it from getting too hot. Consider: There are more than 60 different greenhouse gas emissions pricing systems being used by countries and regions around the world, all intended to reduce the...
![In a session at the summit, policymakers from Massachusetts and New York sat down with their counterparts from Newfoundland and Labrador, and Quebec to discuss their accomplishments and challenges in the transition to a low-carbon economy. From left to right: David Cash (moderator), University of Massachusetts at Boston; Jackie Janes, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador Office of Climate Change; Katie Theoharides, Commonwealth of Massachusetts; Éric Théroux, Québec MDDELCC; and Jared Snyder, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. Image: Jake Belcher (MIT) MIT-Climate-Summit-04-PRESS_WEB.jpg](https://globalchange.mit.edu/sites/default/files/styles/490x340_manual/public/in-the-news/MIT-Climate-Summit-04-PRESS_WEB.jpg?itok=0wyeXoff)
Two-day summit on climate leadership in northeastern North America draws almost 200 to MIT
Catherine Curro Caruso | MIT News correspondent December 12, 2017
![Photo: Large power transformers (Source: U.S. Department of Energy) transformerreport_WEB.jpg (](https://globalchange.mit.edu/sites/default/files/styles/490x340_manual/public/news/transformerreport_WEB.jpg?itok=fne2f-N0)
Nine of the ten biggest blackouts in U.S. history were caused by hurricanes, whose sustained winds knocked out power lines over broad geographical areas. Topping the list is Hurricane Maria, which in October disabled the electric grid in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, leaving the...
![Senator Sheldon Whitehouse was the guest speaker at an MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative People and the Planet lecture. Photo: Casey Atkins Sen-Whitehouse-ESI-lecture-mit-2017_0_WEB.jpg](https://globalchange.mit.edu/sites/default/files/styles/490x340_manual/public/in-the-news/Sen-Whitehouse-ESI-lecture-mit-2017_0_WEB.jpg?itok=kTgoLPeq)
At an Environmental Solutions Initiative event, U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse speaks about defending science and moving forward on climate action
Stephanie M. McPherson | Environmental Solutions Initiative November 22, 2017
United States Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) spoke at MIT on Nov. 20 about efforts to deny the legitimacy of climate science and how such misinformation can be combated.