News Category: climate-change

Climate Change Impacts on Plants Could Lead to Better Conservation Strategies

June 21, 2021

The loss of plant species that are especially vulnerable to climate change might lead to bigger problems than previous studies have suggested, according to a new study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. If confirmed, the findings can help inform conservation strategies and lead to more accurate predictions about what ecosystems will look like in the future.

Together: Human Health and Our Environment Are Inextricably Linked

April 21, 2020

A research-based blog post from Planet Texas 2050 looks at identifying where the bacteria that causes the disease melioidosis could be located outside of the tropics.

Earth Day at 50: Still Seizing the Moment

April 20, 2020

Reflections on Earth Day from Planet Texas 2050.

Long-Living Tropical Trees Play Outsized Role in Carbon Storage

April 9, 2020

A group of trees that grow fast, live long lives and reproduce slowly account for the bulk of the biomass—and carbon storage—in some tropical rainforests, a team of scientists says in a paper published this week in the journal Science

Escaping a Climate Crisis

March 3, 2020

Read about how the College of Fine Arts at The University of Texas at Austin has been working with the Planet Texas 2050 grand challenge team so students learn to build climate-themed, immersive experiences.

Blog: Every Action Counts Toward Making an Impact

March 3, 2020

This blog post focuses on doing, starting with the small things, to make an impact on environmental issues and climate change.

In the News: Hack Tackles Climate Change in Austin Communities

March 2, 2020

At Hack for Resilient Communities, students collaborated with Austin professors and environmental experts to design tools that could help Austin communities disproportionately affected by pollution and climate change to withstand their effects. 

Take a Walk Around Austin in 2050

Feb. 27, 2020

Dr. Fernanda Leite and her team is designing virtual reality simulations to help people see what their city could look like in 30 years, given a massively increased population and a changing climate.

In the News: A Warmer Austin is Here

Feb. 21, 2020

Geosciences and Planet Texas 2050 researcher Dr. Jay Banner says that under "business as usual" scenario in which we fail to make changes to mitigate climate change, Austin's summers could gain an extra 70 days of over 100 degree heat.

Wall Street Investors React to Climate Change

Feb. 17, 2020

The first-ever survey of institutional investors conducted in part by the McCombs School of Business shows that Wall Street investors are paying attention to climate change.