Institute at Brown for Environment and Society
Brown’s hub for climate and sustainability thought leadership
IBES brings researchers, policymakers, and communities together to spark dialogue and advance practical solutions for a more sustainable world.
Brown’s hub for climate and sustainability thought leadership
IBES brings researchers, policymakers, and communities together to spark dialogue and advance practical solutions for a more sustainable world.
IBES brings new voices and ideas to Brown
Voss Symposium showcases leading research from IBES fellows
Marking ten years of the Voss fellowships, the 2025 Voss Symposium, held on September 19, gathered alumni, students, and friends to showcase research spanning continents—from coastal adaptation in Indonesia to biodiversity conservation in New England.
Powered by the leadership and generosity of Peter ’68, P’98 and Pamela Voss P’98, the undergraduate and postdoctoral programs have launched careers, advanced knowledge, and strengthened communities, underscoring IBES’s role as a springboard for solutions-focused scholarship.
New Graduate Seminar Series on Environment & Society
With talks by Desirée Plata (MIT) and Adam Sobel (Columbia), the recently launched series has connected engineering, climate dynamics, and societal resilience.
Play
1
of
2
Desirée Plata, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering at MIT, kicked off the Brown Seminar Series on Environment and Society with a lecture on designing technologies and systems that restore rather than deplete ecological systems. Drawing from her research in green chemistry and environmental engineering, Plata outlined a roadmap for building a “restorative economy.” Dr. Plata’s visit also included a morning session—Insights and Advice for a Life in STEM—which provided students and young professionals the opportunity to gain direct mentorship and career guidance.
Play
2
of
2
On October 31, IBES hosted climate scientist and professor Adam Sobel, for a seminar titled “Usable Climate Science: Calculating Climate Risk in an Era of Extremes,” the second in the Brown University Seminar Series on “Environment & Society” organized by graduate students. Speaking to a packed audience in Andrews House and online, Sobel examined one of the field’s most pressing challenges: how to turn vast amounts of climate data into insights that inform real-world decisions.
Commencement Forum — The Climate Landscape in 2025: Legal and Policy Responses
On Saturday, May 24, the Brown community filled 85 Waterman Street’s auditorium for IBES’ Commencement Forum, which unpacked the evolving role of law and governance in shaping climate action, offering perspectives from environmental law, public policy, and political science.
1
of
5
Moderated by Assistant Dean of Undergraduate Programs Carrie Nordlund ’05 PhD, the discussion highlighted the power—and limitations—of legal frameworks in catalyzing meaningful climate progress, and emphasized the need for multi-level collaboration between governments, communities, and researchers.
2
of
5
3
of
5
4
of
5
The event concluded with a spirited hour-long reception, where graduating seniors, their families, alumni, and faculty connected over refreshments and shared reflection.
5
of
5
ENVS Lunchtime Seminar Series
For five Thursdays per semester in the Urban Environmental Lab, students enjoyed lunch and lively cross-disciplinary talks from emerging researchers.
Global Environmental Justice Symposium
International scholars and advocates explored the intersections of environmental degradation, inequality, and human rights during this Earth Day event, which emphasized the importance of building coalitions and centering community expertise in climate policy.
1
of
1
The Global EJ Symposium featured Joan Martinez-Alier (senior researcher in the Environmental Science and Technology Institute of the Autonomous University of Barcelona), Hendro Sangkoyo (co-founder of the School of Democratic Economics in Indonesia), and Stha Yeni (PhD candidate and advocate at the Institute for Poverty, Land and Agrarian Studies in South Africa), and Lucía Ixchiu (Mayan K’iche journalist, artist, and co-founder of Festivales Solidarios).
Entrepreneurial experts discussed sustainable finance and investing
Play
1
of
2
Climate investor, former U.S. presidential candidate, and current California gubernatorial candidate Tom Steyer headlined this year's Future of Sustainable Finance and Investing Conference on March 7, exploring market signals, risk, and opportunity in the clean-energy transition. FSIcon is organized by Brown undergraduate students and and cosponsored by IBES.
Play
2
of
2
The Business of Climate, an April 25 panel discussion, featured insights from Kim Anderson (owner of Plant City), Frohman Anderson (serial investor and board member of Quaise), Kipp Bradford ’95 ScM’96 (engineer and startup leader in energy efficiency), and Nick Napp (founder of Xmark Labs).
See more event recaps
At a recent IBES seminar, Columbia University’s Adam Sobel called for a transparent approach to climate risk science—one that guides practical decisions in an era of extremes.
Read Article
During an October 18 book talk, Assistant Professor Myles Lennon challenged audiences to see solar energy as not only a climate solution, but a reflection of deeper social and economic inequities.
Read Article
News from Anthropology
50+ Environmental Anthropologists Convene at Brown for Two Days of Dialogue and Exchange
The conference brought together leading and emerging scholars in a warm, collegial setting to reflect on the future of environmental anthropology.
Read Article
Ten years of research projects, countless ideas, one shared mission: to build a sustainable future.
Read Article
Filled with warmth and purpose, this year’s celebration featured powerful programmatic additions and carried momentum through the passion of over 50 new graduates.
Read Article
Climate conversations came to life at IBES this semester as thought leaders, students, and changemakers gathered to exchange ideas, share stories, and shape real-world solutions.
Read Article
Faculty advance evidence-based climate policy
Earth Journalism Network
Countries Sign A Declaration To Fight Climate Disinformation At COP30
IBES Professor Timmons Roberts is among the prominent voices who advocated against climate disinformation at COP30 in Brazil.
Australian Parliament House Streaming Portal
Timmons Roberts testifies before Australian Parliament
Professor Timmons Roberts virtually testified before the Australian Parliament's Select Committee on Information Integrity on Climate Change and Energy, answering senators' questions and detailing his climate obstruction research.
IBES Director Kim Cobb is one of dozens of scientists working to counter the Trump administration's efforts to weaken pollution regulations.
IBES’ founding director joins global leaders to help shape a new framework for sustainable and just governance in the Arctic.
IBES faculty help shape Climate Week NYC
At Climate Week in New York, IBES faculty and students helped shape conversations on sustainable finance, energy equity, and adaptation. They joined panels, briefed partners, and shared Brown’s leadership in connecting research to policy impact.
Faculty appeared in 120+ media highlights in 2025
IBES reached global audiences through media coverage and published research
Nature Climate Change
Expert retrospective on a decade of the Paris Agreement
Experts including Professor J. Timmons Roberts reflected on the progress of and barriers to several of the Paris Agreement's key Articles.
Read Article
IBES Research Professor Elizabeth Fussell studied where tens of thousands of New Orleans residents fled to after Hurricane Katrina.
Read Article
IBES Professors Stephen Porder and Meredith Hastings discussed heatwaves' consequences and prevention.
Read Article
A conversation with Bathsheba Demuth, associate professor in IBES and the Department of History, about her first book and forthcoming writing.
Read Article
IBES Director Kim Cobb and alumna Ann Garth '20 offered commentary for this article.
Read Article
The Washington Post
Trump’s new reason for canceling grants: ‘Climate anxiety’
“The answer to rising levels of climate anxiety is to meet the moment with robust and durable evidence-based solutions,” IBES Director Kim Cobb told The Washington Post. “It’s not to stick our heads in the sand.”
Read Article
Possibly podcast explains evidence - one question at a time
The Possibly team tackles everyday climate questions with data and clarity, now reaching listeners across the U.S. and beyond.