‼️ REGISTRATION NOW OPEN ‼️ Limited spots are now available to attend the SustainableED Conference on May 1 in Providence, RI! Join us for an intimate event connecting ed x climate research to practice. Register: bit.ly/41D3Bcx More info: bit.ly/4lYQfAG

In Los Angeles, a new crop of curbside libraries are helping communities recover after last year’s wildfires. But instead of books, these libraries are full of seeds. This week on Possibly, reporter Janek Schaller talks to the organizer of these new libraries popping up around LA.

With awards in research mentorship and teaching, @brown.edu has recognized Profs Meredith Hastings & Myles Lennon for their outstanding support of students in the classroom, the lab, and beyond. @brownanthro.bsky.social Learn more and read reflections from the professors' students and colleagues:

How are the plastic and fossil fuel industries connected? This week on Possibly, we’re taking a closer look at how plastics have given the fossil fuel industry a new business platform — with hardly anyone noticing they’re even in the market.

IBES Prof @timmonsroberts.bsky.social spoke out against proposed cuts to RI climate and energy programs, asking why legislators would walk back on 20 years of progress and calling the proposition “a quite dramatic throwing overboard.” ecori.org/growing-legi...

Rhode Islanders can sign up for alerts from a new real-time dashboard that warns residents when flood levels reach flood stage in flood-prone areas near rivers and overland.

A Brown University researcher is wiring the state with low-cost sensors that let residents and emergency managers know, in real-time, how high water is rising and how bad the air has become in their neighborhoods.

Hundreds of Brown community members came together for Climate Week 2026, transforming lecture halls and auditoriums into forums for exchange. Topics ranged from student career aspirations to sustainable finance, and from environmental justice to decarbonization strategies. Read the full recap:

“The argument for energy security and cost are now not on the side of fossil fuels,” IBES Visiting Prof Robert Brulle told @grist.org. “I’m sure that the PR companies...being hired by the oil companies are going to have to do some real interesting work to continue to justify fossil fuel expansion.”

IBES has named Melissa VanSickle as Program Manager for Equitable Climate Futures and the Academic Climate Leadership Group—two interdisciplinary, University-wide initiatives working to elevate Brown’s leadership in addressing climate challenges. Welcome, Melissa! Learn more:

Plastic products cost us, even after we’re done with them —That’s because municipal recycling is paid with taxpayer money. This week on Possibly we take a look at a new approach where the companies that made these products are responsible for paying for their disposal.

Embracing renewable energy "could mitigate a major cause of international conflict in a future that moves away from fossil fuels," ABC News reports. IBES Prof Stephen Porder weighed in on the efficacy of solar power, noting that war need not be "the price we pay" for our energy. Read on:

I spoke this morning with CBC News Network about the ongoing war in Iran and its consequences for the global economy 🛢️🌎 @watsonschoolbrown.bsky.social @brown-ibes.bsky.social www.cbc.ca/player/play/...

Oceanographers have long struggled to capture small, turbulent motions that help move heat through the ocean. A new study co-authored by DEEPS Prof & IBES Fellow Baylor Fox-Kemper shows that these small-scale processes have substantial effects on global model results. The Brown Daily Herald reports:

Yesterday we hosted Hunter Gehlbach for a fantastic virtual seminar: "The Global Challenge of Teaching about Environmentalism, Climate Change, and Planetary Health." In case you missed it, the recording is now live on YouTube: youtu.be/k4NSzHU7nSw

As the planet experiences record-level warming, researchers including Lina Pérez-Angel—former Voss postdoc & current DEEPS researcher and IBES instructor—found that the tropics, where 40% of the world’s population lives, may be warming even more than expected. Read Brown Daily Herald's coverage:

I spoke to Mother Jones about petro-imperialism, the role of oil in recent US military actions, and the national security advantage of solar & wind. 🌍🛢️ www.motherjones.com/politics/202... @climatesollab.bsky.social @watsonschoolbrown.bsky.social @brown-ibes.bsky.social

On February 20, IBES hosted Providence College Professor Thea Riofrancos for “Extraction: The Frontiers of Green Capitalism,” the third event in the graduate-student-organized Brown Seminar Series on Environment & Society. Learn more and view a recording:

Brown University researchers have launched NEST, a new environmental sensor network that provides Rhode Island communities with real-time data on flooding, air quality and weather — while helping scientists better predict future emergency events.

As part of Brown’s Climate Week, a panel hosted by @matthewakraft.com brought together practitioners from across Rhode Island to explore how education policy, school leadership, and environmental partnerships shape climate learning in schools. education.brown.edu/news/2026-03...

I spoke with CBC News again (on March 8) about the Strait of Hormuz, its significance for oil, and the risks the Trump team are creating @climatesollab.bsky.social @watsonschoolbrown.bsky.social @bridgingthegap.bsky.social @brownupolisci.bsky.social @brown-ibes.bsky.social

In the past century, the western US has faced rising temperatures and decreasing precipitation. Some researchers, including IBES & DEEPS Asst Prof Dan Ibarra, are seeking out the ancient history of these patterns in an unexpected substance: plant wax. Read The Brown Daily Herald's coverage:

Extreme heat can have serious health consequences, but until recently, researchers only had imprecise tools to study it. This week on Possibly, in a crossover episode with @brownpublichealth.bsky.social's Humans in Public Health, we talk to Professor Allan Just, who's working to change this.

On Friday, students, policy experts, and industry professionals in finance and sustainability gathered on campus for the annual student-run Future of Sustainable Investing Conference. Read @browndailyherald.bsky.social's coverage of the #BrownClimateWeek event:

Congratulations to @brown-ibes.bsky.social on the success of the first #BrownClimateWeek! And thanks to everyone who joined us last night to learn how #BrownSPH is measuring the climate crisis and taking action to protect human health. https://ibes.brown.edu/climate-week

Thank you to everyone who joined us for the first-ever #BrownClimateWeek! Read the Brown Daily Herald#BrownClimateWeeks coverage of the event series:

Close out #BrownClimateWeek with us tomorrow (Sat March 7), in person + online! Banking on Nature will bring together over a dozen cross-sector leaders for forward-looking conversations at the intersection of economics, ecology, and equity. Learn more & register: ibes.brown.edu/news-events/...

LISTEN🎧 Special #BrownClimateWeek episode of Humans in Public Health! Professor Allan Just explains why your weather app is wrong, and why it's important for public health. https://humans-in-public-health.captivate.fm/episode/more-than-a-forecast

Thanks to all who attended our panel for Brown Climate Week on Monday: “Where Climate Meets Education Policy and Practice: Perspectives from the Field in Rhode Island” If you missed it, the panel recording is now available on YouTube! youtu.be/hKrvsjvbZJ0

The 7th annual Future of Sustainable Investing Conference is happening tomorrow (Friday, March 6)! #BrownClimateWeek Organized by students and co-sponsored by IBES, FSIcon will bring finance & sustainability leaders to campus for keynotes, panels, and networking. Learn more & register: fsicon.com

TODAY 3/5 4PM Join experts on pollution, pathogens, food systems, weather & public health for a #BrownClimateWeek discussion! @brown-ibes.bsky.social @brownbiostatistics.bsky.social @brown-epi.bsky.social#BrownClimateWeek https://www.eventbrite.com/e/health-vulnerability-in-a-changing-climate-tickets-1982797079440

After the Climate Career Fair, join IBES, @brownpublichealth.bsky.social & Brown Arts Institute for more #BrownClimateWeek events on March 5! 4pm: Health & Vulnerability in a Changing Climate events.brown.edu/ibes/event/3... 7pm: The Day After Tomorrow Screening events.brown.edu/ibes/event/3...

Join us tomorrow (March 5) for @brown.edu's 2nd annual Climate Career Fair! Connect w dozens of alumni + employers, including @lcv.org @nyiso.com @savethebayri.bsky.social #BrownClimateWeek Learn more & RSVP: events.brown.edu/career-cente... @climatesollab.bsky.social @brownpublichealth.bsky.social

Tomorrow (Wednesday, March 4) at noon! All @brown.edu students are invited to join IBES and the Center for Career Exploration for "Creating Your Path to a Climate Career: A Conversation with Brown Alumni." #BrownClimateWeek Learn more and register: events.brown.edu/ibes/event/3...

🗳️🙅From "climate change isn't real" to "there's nothing we can do about it anyway", a new study takes a look at contrarian speech in the United States Congress, its partisan breakdown, and district-level demographic and economic factors. 🧪 @natureportfolio.nature.com www.nature.com/articles/s44...

Our planet is getting hotter, but at the same time, snow storms seem to be getting bigger. This week on Possibly, in the wake of Rhode Island’s record setting blizzard, we’re looking back at a 2022 episode of our show that explains what’s going on. thepublicsradio.org/possibly-pod...

What does decarbonizing a university actually look like? Dr. Stephen Porder opened Brown's Climate Week with an honest state-of-play: progress made, obstacles faced, and the path forward to net-zero. @climatesollab.bsky.social @watsonschoolbrown.bsky.social @brown-ibes.bsky.social

What's going on with claims about #climate science and solutions in the #USCongress? Here's our analysis of trends over three decades using the most sophisticated framework yet. An exciting collaboration of three research teams on three continents. www.nature.com/articles/s44...

Tomorrow (Tues, March 3) at 6pm! Join IBES, the Global Environmental Justice Working Group, Breathe Providence & the Dept of Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences for Providence EJ Goes Global: Local Activists & the EJAtlas #BrownClimateWeek Learn more & RSVP: events.brown.edu/ibes/event/3...

#SustainableED is kicking off Brown Climate Week w/ a moderated panel @brownedudept.bsky.social @annenberginstitute.bsky.social Where Climate Meets Education Policy & Practice: Perspectives from the Field in Rhode Island 164 Angell St Room 202 2-3 pm Register here events.brown.edu/annenberg-in...

IBES & Brown University School of Public Health Prof Marianthi-Anna Kioumourtzoglou is among the authors of new research that links tropical cyclones to spikes in drug-related deaths for months after impact. Read more from Columbia Public Health:

With the help of an IBES Catalyst Research Award, Lukas Rieppel — an IBES affiliate and associate prof at Brown History Department — has teamed up with Oglala Lakota scholar Craig Howe to help people further understand the Earth’s history. Listen to the In the Moment radio show to learn more:

Monday, March 2! Join @edsustainable.bsky.social, @annenberginstitute.bsky.social, @brownedudept.bsky.social, and IBES for Where Climate Meets Education Policy and Practice: Perspectives from the Field in Rhode Island. #BrownClimateWeek Learn more & register: events.brown.edu/annenberg-in...

Coming up on Monday, March 2! Join IBES & @watsonschoolbrown.bsky.social @climatesollab.bsky.social for The State of Decarbonization at Brown: Progress, Challenges, and What Comes Next, in person (lunch provided!) or online. #BrownClimateWeek Learn more & register: events.brown.edu/event/326936...

Check out this great overview in @the74.bsky.social of our recent paper examining the scale and scope of students' potential exposure to industrial pollution and toxic sites while at school. #SustainableED @AnnenbergInst WP: edworkingpapers.com/ai26-1384 www.the74million.org/article/mill...

As RI lawmakers weigh how to meet the state’s landmark Act on Climate targets, IBES professors Stephen Porder and Timmons Roberts brought their testimonies to the legislature, underscoring both the urgency of emissions cuts and the practicality of solutions already on the table. Learn more:

As the federal government continues to roll back many Biden-era environmental policies, @watsonschoolbrown.bsky.social prof and IBES affiliate @jeffcolgan.bsky.social is thinking about how global climate politics may be reshaped, @browndailyherald.bsky.social reports:

IBES/DEEPS Asst Prof @danibarra.bsky.social & postdoc Gavin Piccione are co-leaders of a paleoclimatology project based out of @calstatefullerton.bsky.social. Learn how the team is using ancient Mojave Desert lake sites to understand climate change's effect on water availability in dry regions:

It seems like microplastics are everywhere these days — but their impacts on human health remain unclear. This week on Possibly we talked to professor @smbrander.bsky.social to understand why that is and how scientists are trying to get a clearer picture.

@matthewakraft.com will host a moderated panel with three leading practitioners in Rhode Island engaged in environmental education as part of Brown University's first-ever Climate Week. Learn more about this @edsustainable.bsky.social event: events.brown.edu/event/327455...