Climate
Site news
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Weather patterns that produced five severe heat waves in Europe over the past 30 years could kill thousands more people if repeated in today’s hotter global climate, a new study finds. Rapid acceleration of efforts to adapt to greater extremes could save lives.
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New research finds damage to rice crops has accelerated in recent decades due to rainstorms that increasingly submerge young plants for a week or more. Adoption of flood-resistant rice varieties in vulnerable regions could help avert future losses.
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Eleven scholars from across Stanford University will travel to Belém, Brazil in November 2025 for the United Nations climate summit known as COP30. Discover events, attendees, and expert insights.
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Throughout roles in the White House, U.S. State Department, and academia, Maxine Burkett has focused on the relationship between environmental change and inequity, its impact on communities, and how law and policy can help build a better world for all.
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Testing and comparing AI models can verify and build trust in their ability to measure and map carbon stored in forests, according to new research. The breakthrough could transform how companies and countries track and pay for nature’s help with combatting climate change.
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Ahead of the global climate summit known as COP30, Stanford experts discuss how global developments, such as investments in natural solutions and renewable energy, could redefine climate progress in the absence of U.S. leadership.
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Ninety years of tidepool observations in Monterey Bay have taught Stanford researchers about climate change impacts on the ocean and the evolution of science.
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Analysis by Stanford researchers shows how strategic investment in undergrounding power lines could shave hours off some long lasting blackouts tied to extreme weather.
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Direct experiences have powerful effects on perception – a truth at the heart of new Stanford-led research showing how immersive VR can make distant places feel more immediate and climate-related impacts, such as flooding, feel personally relevant. Compared to seeing static images, the approach engenders feelings more likely to lead to constructive actions.
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How does climate change affect human migration and what does it mean for border policies? Learn about the complex relationship between weather and cross-border migration across different demographic groups, and the role for future policies.
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A new study shows California can go carbon-free mostly using current and emerging solutions – but to get there, it must overcome regulatory challenges and scale technologies at an unprecedented pace.
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Scholars across campus are leveraging AI to drive remarkable advancements in fields from robotics to neuroscience to mining, while fostering a cautious approach to the application of the technology.
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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) concluded in 2009 that carbon dioxide, methane, and other greenhouse gases threaten public health and welfare, underpinning rules for cars, power plants, and industry. As the agency weighs reversing the decision, Stanford’s Chris Field distills the peer-reviewed science on risks to people and the economy.
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Wildfire smoke increasingly threatens lives across the country. A new study shows smoke exposure in the coming decades will cause tens of thousands of excess deaths and predicts where exposure will occur so communities and policymakers can prepare for the health burden.
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Climate change has already contributed substantially to the global burden of dengue fever, a new study finds. Over 260 million people live in places where dengue incidence is expected to more than double due to climate change by mid-century. The findings could help with public health planning and developing ways to mitigate such risks.
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A new global study finds that extreme weather may trap many populations in place even as it increases migrations of other groups. The analysis shows that age and education strongly shape who migrates in response to severe heat, cold, floods, and droughts.
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Jennifer Burney combines physics, economics, and on-the-ground data to understand how practical, local solutions and better policies can help improve access to food, support farmers, and drive down planet-warming emissions.
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Stanford researchers discovered that a nearly forgotten variety of black peas from the northwest Himalayas in India is genetically distinct from other peas and outperforms them.
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Often portrayed as lumber-hungry nuisances, North American beavers build dams that help freshwater ecosystems thrive. A new Stanford-led study uses high-resolution aerial imagery to map beaver dams and ponds, ultimately aiding managers in prioritizing areas for restoring wetlands and reintroducing beavers.
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Stanford marine biologist Steve Palumbi uses fundamental science to find practical solutions to pressing questions about ocean life and its future. His lab’s work on the effects of heat waves on marine life has implications for the environment, economies, health, and culture.
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While rising temperatures in California are causing fewer cold-related deaths, new research shows hotter temperatures significantly increase emergency department visits – a previously overlooked consequence of climate change that could place greater burden on the healthcare system.
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How can air quality policies adapt to the new world of pollution trends shaped by wildfire smoke? Learn about the growing problem of air polluted by wildfire smoke, and what the data show about policies that can make a difference.
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Erin Mordecai, a senior fellow at the Woods Institute for the Environment, studies mosquitos to understand how climate change is affecting the spread of infectious diseases and uses mathematical modeling to predict future outbreaks.
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A sweeping new analysis finds that rising global temperatures will dampen the world’s capacity to produce food from most staple crops, even after accounting for economic development and adaptation by farmers.
