Greenhouse gases

An MIT study estimates the impact of a trade war between the U.S. and the rest of world when the U.S. alone does not comply with the Paris Agreement. The aim of such a trade war would be to compel the U.S. to meet its Paris pledge.

What is the likely outcome of a trade war between the U.S. and the rest of the world?

Study highlights economic losses for participating countries.

June 26, 2018

The Center for Social Innovation in Toronto is making financial support available for winners of the contest, which is being held on MIT’s Climate CoLab platform.

Contest is crowdsourcing strategies to reduce pollution from small businesses

Toronto's Center for Social Innovation seeks solutions with a contest on MIT's Climate CoLab platform, providing up to $432,000 to fund pilot projects.

June 20, 2018

Roughly 60 percent of the global population lives in Asia, often with limited access to water.

Study: Climate action can limit Asia’s growing water shortages

Following the Paris accord could reduce risk of severe water-access problems, researchers find.

June 19, 2018

3Q: Ernest Moniz on the Vatican climate dialogue

Professor emeritus and former U.S. energy secretary reflects on recent meeting with Pope Francis and energy and finance leaders.

June 12, 2018

Kouichi Murakami (left), general manager of corporate research and development at IHI Corporation, meets with MIT Energy Initiative Director Robert Armstrong.

IHI Corporation to support MIT Energy Initiative

Tokyo-based IHI will join MITEI’s Low-Carbon Energy Center for Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage to reduce greenhouse gases and advance clean energy.

May 15, 2018

Southeast Asia is seen shrouded by smoke in this NASA satellite photo.

Clearing the air over Southeast Asia

Study finds reducing biomass burning is not enough to significantly improve air quality in Southeast Asia.

May 7, 2018

“In China, as you go to tighter and tighter climate policies, you continue to reduce pollutant emissions from coal, whereas the U.S. has already reduced a lot of its air pollution from coal through end-of-pipe technologies,” Karplus says.

Study: Health benefits will offset cost of China’s climate policy

A 4 percent reduction per year in carbon dioxide emissions should net $339 billion in health savings in 2030, researchers estimate.

April 23, 2018

Professor John Heywood is a leading expert on internal combustion engines. His seminal book, "Internal Combustion Engine Fundamentals," has been revised in a second edition to reflect recent technological advances that make the internal combustion engine more efficient and environmentally friendly.

3Q: John Heywood on the future of the internal combustion engine

Professor of mechanical engineering explains the importance of advancing internal combustion engines and offers his take on recent EPA rollbacks.

April 18, 2018

Putting a price on carbon, in the form of a fee or tax on the producers of fossil fuels, can be an effective way to curb emissions of greenhouse gases.

Carbon taxes could make significant dent in climate change, study finds

Several different carbon-pricing approaches would help reduce emissions, and some would be fair as well, researchers report.

April 6, 2018

Artist’s view of the young Earth as it is believed to have looked 3.5 billion years ago

Determining the timing of methanogen evolution

Scientists conclude methane-producing microbes date back 3.5 billion years, supporting the hypothesis that they could have contributed to early global warming.

April 4, 2018