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Georgetown Climate Center—Institute Associate for Adaptation Position. The Georgetown Climate Center is accepting applications for a position to work with the Center's executive director and deputy director to conduct advanced research projects, outreach, and presentations. For more information click here.
The Bard Center for Environmental Policy – Visiting Environmental Scientist Position. The Bard Center for Environmental Policy has an opening for a visiting Environmental Scientist to teach an annual fall semester course in climate and climate change science as part of the graduate Climate Science and Policy Master's Program. Candidates should have a demonstrated record of excellence in teaching and a Ph.D. is preferred. For more information and to apply click here.
National Science Foundation—Program Director in Physical & Dynamic Meteorology. The National Science Foundation Division of Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences is seeking a Program Director for its Physical & Dynamic Meteorology program. Scientists with broad expertise in physical and dynamic meteorology involving numerical and field experience, as well as strong management and leadership skills are encouraged to apply. For more information and to apply click here.
Getting to Resilience. This online community planning evaluation tool is aimed at assisting communities to help reduce their vulnerability to climate change and increase preparedness by linking planning, mitigation, and adaptation. Through this assessment officials can learn how preparedness can be worth valuable points through FEMA’s Community Rating System and Sustainable Jersey.
Rutgers EcoComplex Wins Grant from EPA’s Landfill Methane Outreach Program. The Rutgers EcoComplex has been awarded a grant by the US Environmental Protection Agency’s Landfill Methane Outreach Program to undertake a comprehensive assessment of landfills and their related methane emissions in Turkey. The project will help build local capacity and involve relevant stakeholders while also documenting the characteristics of Turkish landfills in order to determine the amount of uncontrolled methane emissions from such locations. The project’s Principal Investigator will be Serpil Guran, Director of the Rutgers EcoComplex, while project management will be headed by Dave Specca. Contributing Rutgers faculty members also include Prof. Kevin Lyons and Prof. Mark Robson.
June 11, 2013. Bloomberg Outlines $20 Billion Storm Protection Plan. Mayor Michael Bloomberg has announced an ambitious plan to build an extensive network of flood walls, levees and bulkheads along New York City’s 520 miles of coastline in an effort prepare the city for the threat of rising sea levels and powerful storm surges. The plan also calls for fortifying existing infrastructure and carries a total cost that is likely to exceed $20 billion if the vision outlined by the report is fully implemented.
May 24, 2013. Rutgers Hosts Statewide Conference on Climate Change Preparedness in NJ. A diverse group of public and private New Jersey leaders gathered at Rutgers University on May 22 to engage in a dialogue about enhancing capacity in the State to better plan for and adapt to a changing climate. The conference was organized by the New Jersey Climate Adaptation Alliance and was designed to highlight leading climate preparedness and adaptation practices across the country, efforts underway in New Jersey, and new policies that are needed to strengthen preparedness capacity in many sectors of the state including agriculture, public health, transportation, energy, natural and water resources protection, and urban communities.
May 23, 2013. Nearly 75 Percent of N.J. Residents Concerned About Climate Change, but Few Want to Pay for Needed Changes. According to a new poll released by the Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy during the recent climate change conference held at Rutgers University, nearly three quarters of New Jerseyans are now concerned about how climate change may affect the state and believe that government should take steps to fortify infrastructure against extreme weather. Despite this, there is very little public support for raising money to pay for such policy initiatives. The survey also showed that Hurricane Sandy was major reason for the high level of public concern. The poll was released at the “Climate Change in New Jersey: Leading Practices and Policy Priorities” conference which was organized by the New Jersey Climate Adaptation Alliance. The conference hosted a variety of speakers, including Rutgers Climatologist and Director of CECI Anthony Broccoli, who described changes to New Jersey’s climate over the past 100 years, including an increase in average temperatures of two degrees Celsius, which has accelerated in recent decades.
May 23, 2013. Can New Jersey Insure Against the Next Sandy? One of the many creative ideas raised at the recent climate change conference held at Rutgers University, was the prospect of the state of New Jersey, as well as its various municipalities, taking out disaster-specific insurance policies to help guard against the future costs of climate change. Doing so has the potential to defray the costs of sea level rise and extreme weather events similar to Hurricane Sandy, especially for areas along the shore. Innovative insurance policies were just one of many topics covered at the conference, “Climate Change in New Jersey: Leading Practices and Policy Priorities,” as its primary aim was to bring officials and experts together from various fields in order to facilitate the cross-pollination of ideas, according to Associate Director of CECI Marjorie Kaplan.
May 22, 2013. Prepare or Go Under: Rutgers University Report Warns Without Investments, Shore Homes Will Still Be Storm Targets. According to a new report from Rutgers University focusing on Ocean County's economic risks from climate change, many shore communities are likely to face similar economic consequences left behind by Hurricane Sandy in the future if improvements are not made to residential and public infrastructure. Although the costs may seem high for improvements like elevating homes, improving drainage systems and wave barriers, and restoring wetlands to act as storm buffers, the long term costs of not taking such actions are potentially much higher. The report was written by a team of Rutgers researchers led by economic geographer and CECI affiliate Robin Leichenko.
May 10, 2013. Carbon Dioxide Passes Symbolic Mark. For the first time in human history, atmospheric Carbon Dioxide emissions have exceeded 400 ppm. A National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) facility in Hawaii recently registered a carbon dioxide concentration 400.03 ppm which is believed to be the highest concentration in some three to five million years. Scientists say that periods with high CO2 concentrations are also strongly correlated with warmer climates, while certain environmentalists groups say that 350 ppm is the highest safe level of CO2 acceptable in order to avoid catastrophic climate consequences.
April 18, 2013. Shore Towns Must Prepare for Even Higher Seas. In the wake of Hurricane Sandy many home owners along the Jersey Shore are struggling with issues related to rebuilding their homes. New state and federal standards for rebuilding homes at higher elevations is forcing many homeowners to raise their houses, or otherwise face the prospect of paying substantially higher flood insurance premiums. CECI Director, Professor Anthony Broccoli is quoted "it is important to consider the increasing risks over the lifetime of a house as a result of climate change." Dr. Broccoli also notes, "By the middle of the 21st century it will no longer take a storm the magnitude of Sandy to produce substantial coastal flooding.
April 15, 2013. EPA: U.S. Greenhouse Gases Drop 1.6% from 2010 to 2011. The Environmental Protection Agency says that greenhouse gas emissions in the United States declined 1.6% from 2010 to 2011, continuing a trend that has seen greenhouse gas emissions fall 6.9% since 2005. The decline is mostly due to power plants switching from burning coal to natural gas which emits less carbon dioxide.
April 2, 2013. Outlets Provide Spots for Students to Recharge Cars. Thanks to a partnership between the University and the companies ChargePoint and Ecotality, there are currently solar-powered electric car charging stations operating on Busch, Cook, and Livingston campuses. The charging stations were provided by the companies in order to collect data that could be used to help improve the lifespan and range of electric car batteries. Faculty and students with electric cars are encouraged to use the charging stations.
