News

Stanford researchers are studying how changing weather patterns, rising temperatures, and ecological shifts affect the global food system, while developing ways to improve food security for all.

A new framework informed by Stanford-led research and stakeholder convenings balances conservation with cultural heritage and sustainable resettlement of communities removed from an island chain decades ago.

Small-scale fishers harvest 40% of wild-caught fish and support economies worldwide, but are threatened by climate change and overfishing. New research categorizes small-scale fisheries into five types, offering a clearer framework for sustainable seafood policies.

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. 

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.

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.

In many parts of the world, staple crops such as maize and wheat are dependent on rainfall recycled from land rather than oceans, making them more vulnerable to drought. Researchers at Stanford and the University of California San Diego identified a critical threshold in atmospheric moisture sources that could help predict and prevent future crop failures.

Stanford economist Shanjun Li models how policy choices in the U.S., China, and around the world shape the energy transition and give rise to clean energy leaders.

Wildfires are threatening lives, infrastructure, and public health systems across the West. Bay Area fire management officials are implementing effective prevention measures – from prescribed burns to home-hardening rebate programs – yet crucial research gaps remain.

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.

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.

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.

How do extreme weather events and disasters affect communities long term? Solomon Hsiang explains the consequences for economic growth and human health, and how research can inform better emergency management, mitigation planning, and response.

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.

At a recent conference, investors, entrepreneurs, and academics convened to discuss challenges and strategies for scaling innovation in sustainability.

At the Sustainability Conference on Capital Finance co-sponsored by the Stanford Graduate School of Business and Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability, researchers examined the changing nature of sustainability investments, insurance markets, and government incentives.

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.

Adolescents living in flood-prone areas of Bangladesh face dramatically higher rates of anxiety and depression than their peers in lower-risk regions, according to a Stanford-led study that highlights a hidden cost of climate change with potentially devastating long-term consequences.

The Environmental Law Clinic’s case for the Pit River Tribe culminated in the designation of Medicine Lake Highlands as a national monument, reflecting decades of commitment from students and tribal advocates.

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.

A new paper shows that countries' natural gas exports discourage investments in renewables like wind and solar, delaying their transition to clean energy.

A new water market model for the Colorado River basin could improve water security and restore ecosystems amid intensifying shortages.

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.

With a focus on sustainability issues in China, economist Shanjun Li will be a senior fellow at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies (FSI) and a professor in the Environmental Social Sciences department at the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability.