MIT is making earth changing decisions, literally.

Next Friday is Earth Day, and while we have environmental challenges and initiatives on the brain, here’s what the MIT research community is doing to make a difference.

In 2020, the renowned Cambridge institution launched the Climate Grand Challenges, which has tasked faculty members, researchers, and students to come to the table with solutions around environmental themes, including carbon removal, climate science, human impacts, and reducing emissions.

When the project began, 385 faculty members + researchers from ~90% of the university’s departments sent 94 letters of interest.

That was narrowed down to 27 teams, which received $2.7 million total in funding to develop their plans. Finalists' topics covered a variety of projects like equity in climate solutions, decarbonizing complex industries, and removing and storing greenhouse gases.

Now, after two years of intense competition, five projects were selected by a panel of international experts to receive additional funding and move forward. The projects will also receive resources to help transform their ideas into solutions with rapid + large-scale implementation.

An event to showcase the projects is scheduled for Thurs., April 21.

Before the presentations happen next week, here are the five flagship projects that are working to change the world.

💻 Bringing computation to the climate challenge

Using data and science to forecast climate-related risk with a digital twin of the Earth that can increase the accuracy of climate models.

⚡Center for electrification and decarbonization of industry

Making low-cost, renewable electricity to transform industrial processes + achieve decarbonization.

⛅ Preparing for a new world of weather and climate extremes

Helping vulnerable populations with the intensifying climate events and transitioning to low-carbon resources quicker with a new tool kit.

📣 Reinventing climate change adaptation with the Climate Resilience Early Warning System (CREWSnet)

Creating forecasting technology that will empower underserved communities to interpret local risk, minimize loss, and plan for the future.

🌽 Revolutionizing agriculture with low-emissions, resilient crops

Establishing new methods to eliminate carbon emissions from fertilizer and grow crops successfully under climate stresses.