Climate and Sustainability

As the climate changes due to human activities, our projects are focused on how society can adapt to live in a manner that has less of an impact on the natural environment.

An Untapped Opportunity for DC’s Media: Connecting the gaps in the climate conversation
March 18, 2024
Rosalind Donald
Years of heavy industry pollution mean DC’s rivers aren’t safe for fishing or swimming. Many local media articles carry updates on the health of the water, but, as a study of local media my class carried out indicates, journalists may not be linking stories about related topics like river pollution, trash pickup, and more, to […]
On the Social Side of the Climate Crisis
March 6, 2024
CECE
On Thursday, The Eastern Sociological Society (ESS) kicked off their annual conference at SIS, co-sponsored by CECE, American Institutes for Research, Deloitte, the MacArthur Foundation, Science Advances, AU’s School of International Service, The Department of Environment Development and Health, and the Hewlett Foundation. This was a significant landmark for ESS, because under the leadership of […]
Book Talk: China’s Environmental Challenges, 3rd Edition
February 27, 2024
Judith Shapiro
On February 27, the AU community gathered to celebrate the release of the third edition of SIS professor and China specialist, Dr. Judith (Judy) Shapiro’s book, “China’s Environmental Challenges.” This book is yet another chapter in Judy’s lifelong work of narrating Chinese politics and environmental governance amidst the country’s history of explosive economic development and […]
AU Site Tour at the Environmental Protection Agency
February 23, 2024
CECE
On Friday February 9th, students from the Washington College of Law (WCL) and the School of International Service (SIS) had the opportunity to visit the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA) at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), to talk with SIS/WCL alumni, learn about a career in federal service, and to discuss the NETI […]
Article: Busting Myths and Calls to Action – A Round-Up of Environmental Books
February 16, 2024
Dana R. Fisher
Saving Ourselves, by CECE Director Dana Fisher was discussed as part of a review of a “roundup of environmental books” in the Financial Times on February 12th. See the full review here.
In the News: Apocalyptic Optimism Could Be the Antidote for Climate Fatalism
January 24, 2024
Dana R. Fisher
TIME excerpts CECE Director, Dana R. Fisher’s new book Saving Ourselves: From Climate Shocks to Climate Action. For the full excerpt click here
COP28 DC Climate Hub
December 7, 2023
Kyra Jones
On Thursday, December 7th, CECE, The School of International Service, and We Don’t Have Time cohosted the COP28 DC Climate Hub. Policymakers, climate activists, journalists, and academic experts came together to discuss what is needed to ensure a just and equitable climate transition. This multi-panel event included: Ambassadors Up-Close: COP28 Reflections, The Power of Storytelling, […]
COP28 Around American University
November 30, 2023
Dana R. Fisher
As all eyes turn towards Dubai for the 28th Conference of the Parties to discuss climate change on a global scale, we are taking this opportunity to look inward to the work happening across American University’s campus related to climate policymaking and COP28. CECE will also be co-hosting a live event with We Don’t Have […]
Article: How Effective are Climate Protests at Swaying Policy—and what could make a difference
November 28, 2023
Dana R. Fisher
Nature has just published “How Effective are Climate Protests at Swaying Policy—and what could make a difference.” By CECE Director Dana R. Fisher, Oscar Berglund, and Colin J. Davis. The piece integrates Fisher’s research on climate protests and the growing radical flank in climate activism with Berglund and Davis’ work on public responses to climate action, which […]
CECE Announces Inaugural Faculty Research Incubator Grants
November 25, 2023
Malini Ranganathan, Rosalind Donald, Scott Freeman, Michael Alonzo
This fall, the Center for Environment, Community, and Equity commenced the CECE Faculty Research Incubator Program: a new funding program designed to launch exciting, interdisciplinary work on the environment conducted by faculty teams from programs across campus. By the end of the academic year, teams are expected to have built out their projects, piloted the […]
Developing Research Strategies to Assess the Expanding Work on Climate Adaptation, Resilience, and [...]
November 14, 2023
W. Chris Jayko, Dana R. Fisher
CECE Director, Dana R. Fisher has secured funding from Americorps to support a three-year project: Developing Research Strategies to Assess the Expanding Work on Climate Adaptation, Resilience, and Mitigation at AmeriCorps. The project builds on a long-term partnership with collaborators from across the US government in the USDA US Forest Service and Department of Interior/National […]
Carbon Removal Justice Fellows Program
November 14, 2023
Simon Nicholson, Jenn Brown
This past July, eleven fellows in the Carbon Removal Justice Fellows Program convened for two weeks of intensive discussions, launching a year of continued engagement on the equity and justice dimensions of carbon removal policy. Their aim? To challenge this emerging industry to break away from the patterns of environmental injustice that have characterized emissions-generating […]