Category: Environment

  • Marine Life Observation on a Changing Planet

    Southern California’s coastline spans 840 miles, from the Oregon border to the North all the way South to San Diego. The ocean provides a bounty of essential life-supporting services. Yet, a changing climate and increasing human uses are altering marine ecosystems and their ability to continue to provide this wealth of essential services. Off the […]

  • Understanding and Conserving Planet Earth

    In recognition of Earth Day, UC San Diego researchers gathered to discuss a range of perspectives on how the climate, human activities and other forces impact our natural world. Hear from UC San Diego scientists who are leading the way with their work on renewable materials that are paving the path to a sustainable future; […]

  • Drought in the West

    Climate scientist Julie Kalansky discusses how drought in California and Nevada is a common occurrence, with the attendant water restrictions and threat of severe wildfires bringing the reality of climate change into sharp focus. Future climate projections for the region suggest a trend toward more extremes, including more severe and prolonged drought as well as […]

  • Our Impact on the Earth

    “Mother Nature is not happy right now and she’s trying to tell us, in many ways,” says Kimberly Prather, Professor of Climate, Atmospheric Science, and Physical Oceanography at UC San Diego. New weather patterns and events are causing concern but how do we know these changes are caused by human activity? Climate scientists are looking […]

  • Bracing for Fire When the Wind Blows

    As recent events have shown, strong winds can spell disaster, even without the presence of fire. But when a fire does occur, the ALERTWildfire camera network deployed across the region provides rapid confirmation of emergency wildfire 911 calls, situational awareness, and in the worst-case scenarios, real-time data to help sequence evacuations. ALERTWildfire is a consortium […]

  • The Future of our Oceans

    Ours is a water planet. Technology is shaping our uses, both as foe and ally. It has made humans the dominant predator and provides us food, gives us half the oxygen we breathe and created many maritime jobs. But technology has also raised CO2 levels, caused acidic oceans, threatened ocean biodiversity and created grand climate […]

  • Understanding the Arctic Climate System

    The Arctic is changing rapidly in response to global climate and economic activity and yet much of it remains unexplored with modern scientific techniques. Jeff Bowman is a biological oceanographer who studies marine microbial communities. In this presentation at the Birch Aquarium at Scripps Institution of Oceanography he describes his group’s work in the Arctic […]

  • Sustainable California

    From the snowy watersheds of the Cascades and Sierras, to the world’s most productive agricultural valley and on to the sea, visit Sustainable California and see what your University, its people and friends are doing to find real-world solutions to maintain the sustainability and vitality of our state. From cultivating soil biota to purify groundwater, […]