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Thank you for being part of our 10 year journey — for your support, your collaboration, and your shared commitment to a more sustainable future.

🏙️ Our Natural Climate Solutions, Cities and Climate, and Arts and Climate research groups will be merging to form a new research group, Environmental Research + Action (ERA): Cities, Nature and AI. It will be situated within the School of Architecture and Planning (@mitsap ).

🌎 Our Climate Education and Mining and the Circular Economy programs will be joining The Climate Project at MIT.

⚖️ Climate justice will be attended to by Chris Rabe.

To continue to find and support our work within the The Climate Project and School of Architecture and Planning, please keep an eye on our website for links to the most up to date information.

From the ESI team: Thank you to everyone who came out to celebrate our work at our farewell party. 🎉

While the ESI will be dissolving at the end of June, its research and education projects will soon be resettled across the Institute — in places like The Climate Project and Department of Architecture (@mitarchitecture) — so that the work continues.

Please stay tuned for a follow-up post that will note where you can find and continue to support our projects.

This semester, the ESI’s Chris Rabe co-taught a course titled Science, Technology & Environmental Justice with Prof. Justin Steil (@mitdusp) and Dr. Ufuoma Ovienmhada (@mitmedialab ).

The course was created to address the research that shows that EJ content remains insufficiently integrated into environmental and sustainability programs, particularly within STEM disciplines, and to further MIT’s Imperative of Justice.

It originally launched during the 2024 IAP session, but it has since been adapted into a free, publicly-accessible Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) and a semester-long course which was offered this semester through the Department of Urban Studies and Planning (@mitdusp ). It will be offered again in the 2026-2027 academic year.

Interested in getting involved? Please reach out to Chris Rabe (cjrabe@mit.edu) to schedule a meeting.

This semester, the ESI’s Chris Rabe co-taught a course titled Science, Technology & Environmental Justice with Prof. Justin Steil (@mitdusp) and Dr. Ufuoma Ovienmhada (@mitmedialab ).

The course was created to address the research that shows that EJ content remains insufficiently integrated into environmental and sustainability programs, particularly within STEM disciplines, and to further MIT’s Imperative of Justice.

It originally launched during the 2024 IAP session, but it has since been adapted into a free, publicly-accessible Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) and a semester-long course which was offered this semester through the Department of Urban Studies and Planning (@mitdusp ). It will be offered again in the 2026-2027 academic year.

Interested in getting involved? Please reach out to Chris Rabe (cjrabe@mit.edu) to schedule a meeting.

This semester, the ESI’s Chris Rabe co-taught a course titled Science, Technology & Environmental Justice with Prof. Justin Steil (@mitdusp) and Dr. Ufuoma Ovienmhada (@mitmedialab ).

The course was created to address the research that shows that EJ content remains insufficiently integrated into environmental and sustainability programs, particularly within STEM disciplines, and to further MIT’s Imperative of Justice.

It originally launched during the 2024 IAP session, but it has since been adapted into a free, publicly-accessible Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) and a semester-long course which was offered this semester through the Department of Urban Studies and Planning (@mitdusp ). It will be offered again in the 2026-2027 academic year.

Interested in getting involved? Please reach out to Chris Rabe (cjrabe@mit.edu) to schedule a meeting.

This semester, the ESI’s Chris Rabe co-taught a course titled Science, Technology & Environmental Justice with Prof. Justin Steil (@mitdusp) and Dr. Ufuoma Ovienmhada (@mitmedialab ).

The course was created to address the research that shows that EJ content remains insufficiently integrated into environmental and sustainability programs, particularly within STEM disciplines, and to further MIT’s Imperative of Justice.

It originally launched during the 2024 IAP session, but it has since been adapted into a free, publicly-accessible Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) and a semester-long course which was offered this semester through the Department of Urban Studies and Planning (@mitdusp ). It will be offered again in the 2026-2027 academic year.

Interested in getting involved? Please reach out to Chris Rabe (cjrabe@mit.edu) to schedule a meeting.

Don’t just take it from us — hear it from your peers.

Students from across the Institute (@mit) — including those pursuing courses in Computer Science and Engineering (@miteecs) and Urban Studies and Planning (@mitdusp) — are choosing the environment and sustainability minor for real-world impact and fresh perspectives.

Click the link in bio for more information about the E&S minor and course offerings. Preregistration for the fall semester closes June 13. 🎒

Don’t just take it from us — hear it from your peers.

Students from across the Institute (@mit) — including those pursuing courses in Computer Science and Engineering (@miteecs) and Urban Studies and Planning (@mitdusp) — are choosing the environment and sustainability minor for real-world impact and fresh perspectives.

Click the link in bio for more information about the E&S minor and course offerings. Preregistration for the fall semester closes June 13. 🎒

Don’t just take it from us — hear it from your peers.

Students from across the Institute (@mit) — including those pursuing courses in Computer Science and Engineering (@miteecs) and Urban Studies and Planning (@mitdusp) — are choosing the environment and sustainability minor for real-world impact and fresh perspectives.

Click the link in bio for more information about the E&S minor and course offerings. Preregistration for the fall semester closes June 13. 🎒

Don’t just take it from us — hear it from your peers.

Students from across the Institute (@mit) — including those pursuing courses in Computer Science and Engineering (@miteecs) and Urban Studies and Planning (@mitdusp) — are choosing the environment and sustainability minor for real-world impact and fresh perspectives.

Click the link in bio for more information about the E&S minor and course offerings. Preregistration for the fall semester closes June 13. 🎒

We’re incredibly proud to announce our next cohort of ten Martin Fellows who are dedicated to advancing environmental and social sustainability.

Spanning four of MIT’s five schools, these doctoral students’ projects reflect a diverse range of academic disciplines and concentrations. The students also join a vibrant and growing community of over 400 Martin Fellows alumni who are making an impact in industry, civil society, and government around the world.

Congratulations to our Fellows! 🎉

Learn more about them at the link in bio.

“I finally felt like I had found real problems to solve with my MIT education,” said Rachel Mohammed reflecting on D-Lab: Development (@mitdlab ), a course where students apply sustainability to global development through creativity, partnership, and hands-on impact.

Explore D-Lab and other fall courses that count towards the environment and sustainability minor! Course registration is now open and closes June 13. Click the link in bio for more information on the E&S minor and course offerings. 📚

“I finally felt like I had found real problems to solve with my MIT education,” said Rachel Mohammed reflecting on D-Lab: Development (@mitdlab ), a course where students apply sustainability to global development through creativity, partnership, and hands-on impact.

Explore D-Lab and other fall courses that count towards the environment and sustainability minor! Course registration is now open and closes June 13. Click the link in bio for more information on the E&S minor and course offerings. 📚

From mid-February through early April, the Martin Fellows were given the opportunity present their sustainability research at a series of climate and sustainability-themed lunches.

The presentations included:

🟢 Emmie LeRoy: Understanding Interactions Between Air Pollution and Climate (@mit_eaps)
🟢 Chyna Mays: Engineering a Biomining Platform for Lithium Extraction (@mit_engineering)
🟢 Benjamin Tiger: Using Paleoclimate Archives to Understand Climate Change (@whoi.ocean, @mit_eaps)
🟢 Kyle Buznitsky: Engineering Hot Rocks into Cheap Batteries (@mitmeche)
🟢 Julie McDonald: Improving Photosynthesis: Higher Yields and Carbon Sinks (MIT Biology)

Thanks to everyone who helped make these sessions a meaningful space for learning and connection!

Applications for the 2025-2026 cohort are closed, but you can learn more about the Martin Fellowship at the link in bio.

From mid-February through early April, the Martin Fellows were given the opportunity present their sustainability research at a series of climate and sustainability-themed lunches.

The presentations included:

🟢 Emmie LeRoy: Understanding Interactions Between Air Pollution and Climate (@mit_eaps)
🟢 Chyna Mays: Engineering a Biomining Platform for Lithium Extraction (@mit_engineering)
🟢 Benjamin Tiger: Using Paleoclimate Archives to Understand Climate Change (@whoi.ocean, @mit_eaps)
🟢 Kyle Buznitsky: Engineering Hot Rocks into Cheap Batteries (@mitmeche)
🟢 Julie McDonald: Improving Photosynthesis: Higher Yields and Carbon Sinks (MIT Biology)

Thanks to everyone who helped make these sessions a meaningful space for learning and connection!

Applications for the 2025-2026 cohort are closed, but you can learn more about the Martin Fellowship at the link in bio.

From mid-February through early April, the Martin Fellows were given the opportunity present their sustainability research at a series of climate and sustainability-themed lunches.

The presentations included:

🟢 Emmie LeRoy: Understanding Interactions Between Air Pollution and Climate (@mit_eaps)
🟢 Chyna Mays: Engineering a Biomining Platform for Lithium Extraction (@mit_engineering)
🟢 Benjamin Tiger: Using Paleoclimate Archives to Understand Climate Change (@whoi.ocean, @mit_eaps)
🟢 Kyle Buznitsky: Engineering Hot Rocks into Cheap Batteries (@mitmeche)
🟢 Julie McDonald: Improving Photosynthesis: Higher Yields and Carbon Sinks (MIT Biology)

Thanks to everyone who helped make these sessions a meaningful space for learning and connection!

Applications for the 2025-2026 cohort are closed, but you can learn more about the Martin Fellowship at the link in bio.

From mid-February through early April, the Martin Fellows were given the opportunity present their sustainability research at a series of climate and sustainability-themed lunches.

The presentations included:

🟢 Emmie LeRoy: Understanding Interactions Between Air Pollution and Climate (@mit_eaps)
🟢 Chyna Mays: Engineering a Biomining Platform for Lithium Extraction (@mit_engineering)
🟢 Benjamin Tiger: Using Paleoclimate Archives to Understand Climate Change (@whoi.ocean, @mit_eaps)
🟢 Kyle Buznitsky: Engineering Hot Rocks into Cheap Batteries (@mitmeche)
🟢 Julie McDonald: Improving Photosynthesis: Higher Yields and Carbon Sinks (MIT Biology)

Thanks to everyone who helped make these sessions a meaningful space for learning and connection!

Applications for the 2025-2026 cohort are closed, but you can learn more about the Martin Fellowship at the link in bio.

From mid-February through early April, the Martin Fellows were given the opportunity present their sustainability research at a series of climate and sustainability-themed lunches.

The presentations included:

🟢 Emmie LeRoy: Understanding Interactions Between Air Pollution and Climate (@mit_eaps)
🟢 Chyna Mays: Engineering a Biomining Platform for Lithium Extraction (@mit_engineering)
🟢 Benjamin Tiger: Using Paleoclimate Archives to Understand Climate Change (@whoi.ocean, @mit_eaps)
🟢 Kyle Buznitsky: Engineering Hot Rocks into Cheap Batteries (@mitmeche)
🟢 Julie McDonald: Improving Photosynthesis: Higher Yields and Carbon Sinks (MIT Biology)

Thanks to everyone who helped make these sessions a meaningful space for learning and connection!

Applications for the 2025-2026 cohort are closed, but you can learn more about the Martin Fellowship at the link in bio.

Thank you to everyone who came out to the lecture and book signing with Susan Solomon last week! 📖

It was both hopeful and inspiring to hear Susan talk about her book, “Solvable: How we healed the Earth, and how we can do it again,” in conversation with ESI Director John Fernández.

📸 Mel Musto

Thank you to everyone who came out to the lecture and book signing with Susan Solomon last week! 📖

It was both hopeful and inspiring to hear Susan talk about her book, “Solvable: How we healed the Earth, and how we can do it again,” in conversation with ESI Director John Fernández.

📸 Mel Musto

Thank you to everyone who came out to the lecture and book signing with Susan Solomon last week! 📖

It was both hopeful and inspiring to hear Susan talk about her book, “Solvable: How we healed the Earth, and how we can do it again,” in conversation with ESI Director John Fernández.

📸 Mel Musto

Thank you to everyone who came out to the lecture and book signing with Susan Solomon last week! 📖

It was both hopeful and inspiring to hear Susan talk about her book, “Solvable: How we healed the Earth, and how we can do it again,” in conversation with ESI Director John Fernández.

📸 Mel Musto

What is the environmental impact of live music in the US and UK, and how can it be reduced?

At the Music Sustainability Summit in Los Angeles, John Fernández and Norhan Bayomi (@noureymusic) from the MIT ESI Climate Machine (@mitclimatemachine) explained how their research aims to answer that key question.

As a refresher, their work — which is supported by Warner Music Group (@warnermusic), Live Nation (@livenation), Hope Solutions (@hopesolutionshq), and Coldplay (@coldplay) — is part of the first-ever assessment of greenhouse gas emissions across the entire live music ecosystem in those two countries.

The report quantifies emissions that can be directly attributable to live music in the US and UK, as well as the subtotal footprints of individual sectors such as fan travel, artist and crew travel, accommodations, food, water, trucking, air freight, power, and waste management. It is informed by data from over 64,000 shows in the US and more than 15,000 shows in the UK. The findings were further bolstered by over 50 interviews with artists, tour managers, venue operators, sustainability professionals, and production experts.

At its core, the report aims to identify the most carbon-intense activities in each of the aforementioned sectors and offer actionable recommendations for decarbonization.

The full results and recommendations will be published in the complete report, scheduled for release in early May.

📸 Shutterstock

What is the environmental impact of live music in the US and UK, and how can it be reduced?

At the Music Sustainability Summit in Los Angeles, John Fernández and Norhan Bayomi (@noureymusic) from the MIT ESI Climate Machine (@mitclimatemachine) explained how their research aims to answer that key question.

As a refresher, their work — which is supported by Warner Music Group (@warnermusic), Live Nation (@livenation), Hope Solutions (@hopesolutionshq), and Coldplay (@coldplay) — is part of the first-ever assessment of greenhouse gas emissions across the entire live music ecosystem in those two countries.

The report quantifies emissions that can be directly attributable to live music in the US and UK, as well as the subtotal footprints of individual sectors such as fan travel, artist and crew travel, accommodations, food, water, trucking, air freight, power, and waste management. It is informed by data from over 64,000 shows in the US and more than 15,000 shows in the UK. The findings were further bolstered by over 50 interviews with artists, tour managers, venue operators, sustainability professionals, and production experts.

At its core, the report aims to identify the most carbon-intense activities in each of the aforementioned sectors and offer actionable recommendations for decarbonization.

The full results and recommendations will be published in the complete report, scheduled for release in early May.

📸 Shutterstock

What is the environmental impact of live music in the US and UK, and how can it be reduced?

At the Music Sustainability Summit in Los Angeles, John Fernández and Norhan Bayomi (@noureymusic) from the MIT ESI Climate Machine (@mitclimatemachine) explained how their research aims to answer that key question.

As a refresher, their work — which is supported by Warner Music Group (@warnermusic), Live Nation (@livenation), Hope Solutions (@hopesolutionshq), and Coldplay (@coldplay) — is part of the first-ever assessment of greenhouse gas emissions across the entire live music ecosystem in those two countries.

The report quantifies emissions that can be directly attributable to live music in the US and UK, as well as the subtotal footprints of individual sectors such as fan travel, artist and crew travel, accommodations, food, water, trucking, air freight, power, and waste management. It is informed by data from over 64,000 shows in the US and more than 15,000 shows in the UK. The findings were further bolstered by over 50 interviews with artists, tour managers, venue operators, sustainability professionals, and production experts.

At its core, the report aims to identify the most carbon-intense activities in each of the aforementioned sectors and offer actionable recommendations for decarbonization.

The full results and recommendations will be published in the complete report, scheduled for release in early May.

📸 Shutterstock

Scott Odell, program scientist at MIT ESI, recently moderated a panel on Critical Minerals & Energy Security at the Economic Resilience & Climate Action in the Americas Conference.

Hosted by Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (@johnshopkinssais ), the discussion explored how countries across the Americas can build smart, sustainable partnerships around critical minerals for the energy transition. ⚡

Scott Odell, program scientist at MIT ESI, recently moderated a panel on Critical Minerals & Energy Security at the Economic Resilience & Climate Action in the Americas Conference.

Hosted by Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (@johnshopkinssais ), the discussion explored how countries across the Americas can build smart, sustainable partnerships around critical minerals for the energy transition. ⚡

Scott Odell, program scientist at MIT ESI, recently moderated a panel on Critical Minerals & Energy Security at the Economic Resilience & Climate Action in the Americas Conference.

Hosted by Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (@johnshopkinssais ), the discussion explored how countries across the Americas can build smart, sustainable partnerships around critical minerals for the energy transition. ⚡

Last week, ESI’s Education Program Director Chris Rabe moderated a discussion on food sustainability issues with Chef Irene Li (@meimeidumplings ) — all while making dumplings. 🥟

The talk was part of Sustainability Connect, an annual event organized by the MIT Office of Sustainability (@sustainablemit ) that unites thinkers, doers, and innovators driving campus climate and sustainability solutions.

Topics of discussion included:
👉 Cooking to avoid food waste
👉 Food justice
👉 Working with communities
👉 Tips for cooking in college

We’re so grateful to have been part of this conversation!

Last week, ESI’s Education Program Director Chris Rabe moderated a discussion on food sustainability issues with Chef Irene Li (@meimeidumplings ) — all while making dumplings. 🥟

The talk was part of Sustainability Connect, an annual event organized by the MIT Office of Sustainability (@sustainablemit ) that unites thinkers, doers, and innovators driving campus climate and sustainability solutions.

Topics of discussion included:
👉 Cooking to avoid food waste
👉 Food justice
👉 Working with communities
👉 Tips for cooking in college

We’re so grateful to have been part of this conversation!

Happy Earth Day! 🌎

Today, we’re bringing back some environmental trivia to highlight some facts about climate change and what the ESI is doing about them.

To Sky, Molly, Heather, Emily, Drew, and Lily we asked the following questions:

1.) What does the ESI stand for? (Environmental Solutions Initiative)
2.) True or false: According to most estimates, cities are responsible for about 20% of global greenhouse gas emissions. (False. Cities are actually responsible for roughly 70% of GHG emissions.)
3.) What was the Earth’s hottest year on record? (2024)
4.) True or false: Most fans want to hear their favorite musical artists talk about climate change. (True. According to surveys from Worth and Climate Outreach, 53% of music fans wanted artists to speak out about climate change, and 70% didn’t oppose it.)
5.) According to the Yale Center for Climate Change Communication, what percent of Americans support renewable energy development? (66%)

We love our planet, and we’re excited to keep researching, educating, and making positive change.