Part of the MIT Climate Action Plan

MIT Climate Symposia

I hope that all members of our community will take the opportunity presented by this series to learn more about these critical issues and to engage with colleagues to advance MIT’s efforts to address the climate challenges confronting our planet.
Maria T. Zuber
Vice President for Research and E. A. Griswold Professor of Geophysics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

MIT’s Climate Action Symposia series aimed to advance our community’s understanding and to expand our capacity to generate solutions for the urgent global challenge of climate change. The symposia brought together more than 12,000 people—more than 10,000 in-person and online for the first four and 2,400 as we transitioned to a virtual format for the final two. 

The six symposia examined the current state of climate science and policy, as well as pathways for decarbonization of the global economy. We also looked at how universities can and should contribute solutions, including MIT’s efforts under our Plan for Action on Climate Change. The original program—including agendas, slides, and speaker bios—is archived below.

Watch the six symposia on YouTube

Learn more about MIT's Plan for Action on Climate Change.

Schedule

Progress in Climate Science

Wednesday, October 2, 2019 · 1:00-4:00 pm
Kresge Auditorium · Building W16

Challenges of Climate Policy

Tuesday, October 29, 2019, 4:00–7:00 pm
Wong Auditorium · Building E51

Decarbonizing the Electricity Sector

Wednesday, December 4, 2019, 3:00–6:00 pm
Wong Auditorium · Building E51

Economy-wide Deep Decarbonization

Tuesday, February 25, 2020, 5:00–8:00 pm
Wong Auditorium · Building E51

The Role of Research Universities and MIT’s Climate Initiatives

Tuesday, October 20, 2020, 2:30–4:30 pm
Virtual

What is the World Waiting For? Policies to Fight Climate Change

Monday, November 16, 2020, 2:00–4:00 pm
Virtual

Symposia Organizing Committee

Paul L. Joskow, Elizabeth and James Killian Professor of Economics Emeritus, Department of Economics (Chair)

John M. Deutch, Institute Professor Emeritus, Department of Chemistry

Kerry A. Emanuel, Cecil and Ida Green Professor of Atmospheric Science, Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences

Paula T. Hammond, David H. Koch Professor of Engineering and Department Head, Department of Chemical Engineering

Colette L. Heald, Professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences

Ernest J. Moniz, Cecil and Ida Green Professor of Physics and Engineering Systems Emeritus, Department of Physics

Richard Schmalensee, Howard W. Johnson Professor of Management and Professor of Economics Emeritus, Sloan School of Management and Department of Economics

Evelyn N. Wang, Gail E. Kendall Professor and Department Head, Department of Mechanical Engineering

Maria T. Zuber, Vice President for Research and E. A. Griswold Professor of Geophysics, Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences (ex officio)