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![AGAGE scientists, collaborators and invited guests from research institutions around the world—many representing dozens more researchers at their home institutions—at the ALE/GAGE/AGAGE network’s 45th anniversary conference on October 8-13 at the MIT Endicott House (Photo by Mark Dwortzan) AGAGE scientists, collaborators and invited guests from research institutions around the world—many representing dozens more researchers at their home institutions—at the ALE/GAGE/AGAGE network’s 45th anniversary conference on October 8-13 at the MIT Endicott House (Photo by Mark Dwortzan)](https://globalchange.mit.edu/sites/default/files/styles/490x340_manual/public/news/AGAGE%20scientists%20and%20invited%20guests%20at%20the%20AGAGE%20network%E2%80%99s%2045th%20anniversary%20conference%20on%20October%208-13%20at%20the%20MIT%20Endicott%20House%20%28Photo%20by%20Kathy%20Thompson%29_WEB.jpg?itok=Oe1nPSds)
Emissions of CFC-11, a chlorofluorocarbon once frequently used in cooling and insulation systems to improve the quality of life, can also endanger life. Upon entry into the stratosphere where solar ultraviolet radiation is strong, CFC-11 decomposes, resulting in the release of chlorine, which...
![Source: MIT Climate Portal Ask MIT Climate banner V4_WEB.jpg](https://globalchange.mit.edu/sites/default/files/styles/490x340_manual/public/in-the-news/Ask%20MIT%20Climate%20banner%20V4_WEB_0.jpg?itok=LcLU78aR)
Almost certainly not—but unless we act quickly to stop warming the planet, there will be very severe consequences for many, many people (MIT Climate Portal)
October 20, 2023
First, the good news: climate scientists, as a whole, are not warning us to prepare for the apocalypse. The most recent report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)—a group of hundreds of scientists working with the United Nations to analyze climate...
![Source: Flickr/Rebecca Landis Prinn_MITClimatePortal.jpg](https://globalchange.mit.edu/sites/default/files/styles/490x340_manual/public/in-the-news/Prinn_MITClimatePortal.jpg?itok=Ne_WFmv8)
MIT Joint Program Director Ronald Prinn joins MIT’s TILclimate podcast to discuss the past, present and future of how refrigerants affect our planet (MIT Climate Portal)
![Photo: AGU Fall Meeting Central Exhibit Hall (Source: AGU) AGU_2020_0_0.jpg](https://globalchange.mit.edu/sites/default/files/styles/490x340_manual/public/news/AGU_2020_0_0_0.jpg?itok=9Vk_hfZx)
The preeminent conference for the advancement of Earth and space sciences, the AGU (American Geophysical Union) Fall Meeting draws more than 25,000 attendees from over 100 countries each year to share research findings and identify innovative solutions to complex problems. Organized around the...
![Summary of methods and advances in four stages of modeling dynamic systems for sustainability science (Source: PNAS) Selin_PNAS_WEB.jpg](https://globalchange.mit.edu/sites/default/files/styles/490x340_manual/public/in-the-news/Selin_PNAS_WEB.jpg?itok=ytr0DI_P)
Joint Program faculty affiliate Noelle Selin and co-authors highlight recent advances in modeling Earth/human systems dynamics to inform sustainable development (PNAS)
![The ozone layer in the stratosphere shields life on Earth from most UV-B and UV-C, the most harmful varieties of ultraviolet radiation (Source: NASA) Eastham_WashPo_WEB.jpg](https://globalchange.mit.edu/sites/default/files/styles/490x340_manual/public/in-the-news/Eastham_WashPo_WEB.jpg?itok=m1NuLh7E)
The ozone layer’s effect on our lives may be more complicated than it seems (Washington Post)
Almost half a century ago, scientists began to theorize that a certain class of chemicals — which were found in virtually every air conditioner, aerosol can and refrigerator around the world — had a particularly dangerous side effect. These...
![Source: Center for Progressive Reform EPA_IRA_Report_WEB.jpg](https://globalchange.mit.edu/sites/default/files/styles/490x340_manual/public/in-the-news/EPA_IRA_Report_WEB.jpg?itok=stfcliQa)
Report relies substantially on MIT Joint Program's U.S. Regional Energy Policy (USREP) model projections (U.S. EPA)
Questions can be addressed via email to emissions-impacts-inflation-reduction-act-report@epa.gov
![Source: Flickr/Sandia Labs Paltsev_WashPost.jpg](https://globalchange.mit.edu/sites/default/files/styles/490x340_manual/public/in-the-news/Paltsev_WashPost.jpg?itok=7fTvnN6b)
Overall, they're much less harmful than gasoline cars, says MIT Joint Program Deputy Director Sergey Paltsev (Washington Post)
Democracy Dies in Darkness
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![Photo: The power sector, which is the main target of current U.S. carbon emissions-reduction policies, contributes to national PM2.5-related exposure, but other sectors, such as industry and heavy-duty diesel transportation, can be a larger influence on exposure disparities. (Source: Flickr/Alan Stark)) Selin_Natcom_WEB2.jpg](https://globalchange.mit.edu/sites/default/files/styles/490x340_manual/public/news/Selin_Natcom_WEB2.jpg?itok=dzGvObQw)
Decarbonization of national economies will be key to achieving global net-zero emissions by 2050, a major stepping stone to the Paris Agreement’s long-term goal of keeping global warming well below two degrees Celsius (and ideally 1.5°C), and thereby averting the worst consequences of climate...