Resources

Rivers, lakes, and reservoirs long strained by overuse now face climate change. Some cities are turning to water restrictions to get back on track.

Why are cities increasingly facing extreme water shortages? Recent research shines a light on the compounding effects of human and climate drivers of shrinking storage, providing foundational knowledge that can inform responses to water stress on lakes and reservoirs.  

Engaged research can help ensure that the evidence generated by research transforms from potentially useful to actually usable. But more evidence is needed about the conditions and components that allow engaged research to deliver impact and improved outcomes across a range of sectors.

While subsidies are a good way to encourage low-income households to enter the EV market, policy makers must also consider the full lifecycle costs of vehicle ownership and the risk that the most vulnerable households could lose access to their vehicle if costly maintenance and repairs are required.

Across the U.S., community air monitoring networks are growing in popularity as climate change increases the frequency and intensity of wildfires -- and dangerous smoke. These networks provide hyper-localized data that can fill gaps in federal and state monitoring efforts and alert communities to unhealthy air conditions.

Twenty percent of American households had to choose between basic necessities and heating or cooling their homes in 2020. Research shows that energy insecurity disproportionately affects low-income, as well as Native American, Black, and Hispanic households. But two new federal programs aim to address these inequities by providing $9 billion in rebates for residential energy-efficiency upgrades and cost-saving electric appliances.

Recent research highlights gaps in how heating energy burden and poverty are measured and suggests ways policies can be designed to address energy burden inequities without exacerbating energy insecurity.

AGCI spoke with Raj Pandya, VP of Community Science at the American Geophysical Union (AGU), about the ways global change science and scientists can partner with impacted communities to help advance environmental justice and equity.

Many people—and academics, especially—rely on scientific meetings to grow the knowledge and networks needed for a successful career in the sciences. It’s critical that scientific meetings foster a culture of belonging for all so the full diversity of our scientific communities can thrive and contribute to better, more innovative science.