Energy, Environment & Sustainability

Cornell is a global leader in sustainability and climate change research, teaching and engagement. Our campuses are living laboratories for developing, testing and implementing solutions that address these most challenging issues.


Mussels helping mayflies flex in return to Oneida Lake

Quagga mussels – the deleterious invasive species from Eastern Europe seen throughout Oneida Lake – may provide an unexpected benefit for the life cycle of mayflies: They’re flourishing.

Adapting California’s lessons to climate crises in NYS

Alistair Hayden brings his West Coast experience in wildfires and earthquakes to help New York communities maintain health and become more disaster resilient in the face of climate change.

Cornell dashboard estimates mortality risk of wildfire smoke

To help local emergency managers assess danger, Cornell researchers have created the Mortality Estimation Tool to map predicted, smoke-attributed mortality statistics in near-real time.

Beekeeping, hydropower: Cornell Atkinson awards nearly $1M in grants

Cornell Atkinson’s annual Academic Venture Fund will provide nearly $1 million in seed funding to support research teams across five colleges and 11 departments, many with key external partnerships.

More soil carbon offers eco-friendly weed control

Cornell researchers have tested an ecological tool in the fight to control weeds in silage soybean and corn fields: adding carbon to soil in the form of sawdust and rye hay.

Cornell team hopes judges say ‘Yes!’ to Nonna’s Nopales gnocchi

Cornell IFT team goes to Chicago with their Nonna’s Nopales futuristic food product – gnocchi made from superfood cactus paddles.

Dirty cooking fuels pose major threat to infants in India

A new paper quantifies the impact of cooking fuel choice on indoor air pollution and early childhood mortality in India.

Cornell Lab of Ornithology Visitor Center reopens

The Visitor Center at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology is now open again to the public, following a multimillion-dollar redesign that began last fall and focused on interactive exhibits, art and accessibility.

Endangered sea cucumbers for sale in NYC food markets

After sampling food markets in Chinatown districts, Cornell researchers found evidence that some threatened species of sea cucumbers – a pricey, nutritious delicacy – get sold to consumers.