The new Office of Climate and Sustainability brings together several of Duke University's climate, energy, and environmental assets—including the Nicholas Institute—to help advance the mission of the Duke Climate Commitment.

A peer-reviewed analysis led by Duke University researchers suggest municipal bond markets are mispricing climate and race risk at a large scale. Lead author Erika Smull, a 2022 Ph.D. graduate of the Nicholas School of the Environment, told ImpactAlpha the result is Black communities are less likely to be able to invest in climate resilience upgrades.

Titled “We Birthed a Movement: The Warren County PCB Landfill Protests, 1978-1982," an exhibit in the Keohane-Kenan Gallery in the West Duke Building explores a community’s historical response to the planned construction of a landfill for cancer-causing PCBs. “This exhibit depicts a key moment in environmental justice history. It also underscores the power of community-led advocacy,” said Kay Jowers, director of the Just Environments program.

A growing body of research shows that people of color and people living below poverty levels are stuck in heat islands, much more so than their white and wealthier counterparts, reports Nature. “We have a lot of great research that we need to mobilize into feasible and effective policy solutions,” said Ashley Ward, director of the Nicholas Institute's Heat Policy Innovation Hub.

Duke Divinity School alumnus Ben Chavis coined the term "environmental racism" during 1982 protests in Warren County that gave birth to the environmental justice movement. Duke scholars discussed the movement since with Duke Today.

The U.S. municipal bond market does not consider physical climate risks when deciding where to invest, but it generally requires higher interest payments from predominantly Black communities seeking to borrow, according to a new analysis.

Roughly a quarter of households in Jackson, Miss., are challenged by unaffordable water services amid an ongoing water crisis. Lauren Patterson and Sophia Bryson explore trends driving water unaffordability in Jackson and other communities and discuss potential ways forward in an op-ed for The Clarion-Ledger.

In 787 communities served by the United States’ largest utilities, 17 percent of households (28.3 million people) spend more than one day each month working to pay for water services and sanitation services, according to a new analysis by researchers at Duke University.

Duke University had a robust presence at COP27, as scholars and students actively engaged with global decision makers. Nicholas Institute experts who were on the ground in Egypt share their thoughts on the outcomes of the conference.

The upcoming midterm elections could have a massive impact on this country’s ability to make progress on climate change, Duke scholars Kay Jowers and Geoffrey Henderson said Wednesday.

Over $36 million in initial gifts will launch the Duke Climate Commitment, a new university-wide initiative focused on addressing climate change.

The Duke Climate Commitment will be formally announced on Sept. 29 and builds on the university’s longstanding leadership in climate, energy and sustainability to educate a new generation of climate-fluent innovators and create equitable solutions for all.

The Inflation Reduction Act, signed Aug. 16 by President Joe Biden, offers “a significant bump” in the United States' projected ability to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, Brian Murray told PBS NewsHour.

Ashley Ward, senior policy associate at the Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions, spoke with Axios about why many have been slow to recognize that summers are becoming deadlier. Ward also noted that while structural changes are critical for addressing extreme heat’s health impacts, communities and public servants also have a role to play.

The recently merged Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions and Duke University Energy Initiative benefited from the work of 55 dedicated student assistants during the 2021–2022 academic year.

The interdisciplinary crew of student assistants hailed from undergraduate and graduate degree programs across seven Duke schools. They brought diverse skillsets and perspectives to their roles, further developing their expertise by working on real-world projects advancing environmental progress.