Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability

Occurring roughly every 2-7 years, the phenomenon known as El Niño is the warm phase of a natural climate cycle. This year’s El Niño is among the most extreme on record. Stanford experts explain how it works and what it means for people and ecosystems.

Can earthquakes be predicted? Do earthquakes happen more at night? Stanford seismologist Ettore Biondi answers commonly searched questions about earthquakes.

New findings from the largest-ever controlled test of satellite methane monitoring systems could improve efforts to identify major methane sources, eliminate leaks, and reduce emissions of the potent greenhouse gas. 🔗 📸 Frances Reuland

Meet Andrés de Loera, a new assistant professor of oceans who studies how nations share, manage, conserve, and compete for marine resources.

New findings about Arctic phytoplankton’s life cycle could improve our understanding of how ocean carbon storage and marine food webs may shift with climate change.

🪸 Stanford scientists have discovered a way to reverse coral bleaching at record speed in a laboratory setting, opening new possibilities for restoration. Image by Danny Collins

Saltwater is seeping into Maryland’s coastal forests, threatening family-owned woodlots that fuel the local economy and store carbon. Researchers are expanding a digital tool to help landowners navigate options for preserving their land and livelihoods.

Image credits: Julia Sharapi, Nate Spicer

“Our study shows that burning gas in a restaurant kitchen is as suspect as burning it in our homes,” said co-author Rob Jackson, a professor of Earth system science at the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability.

Scenes from the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability community at New York Climate Week 2026 ⚡ Images by Daniel Jeon and courtesy of Stanford Alumni in Climate Tech, Monika Suhr, and Equal Ventures

This summer, over 200 students built real-world skills through sustainability internships offered by Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability programs and university partners.

📸 Courtesy of Laura Blackstone, Joyce Lee, SENAI Institute for Innovation and Technology, Jessie Kong

A major milestone in valuing nature’s benefits to people: Bhutan has become the first country to adopt “gross ecosystem product” at the national level.

The Natural Capital Alliance worked with the Bhutan government to calculate GEP and will continue to support their National Statistics Bureau to apply it in policy & finance. NatCap is based in part in the Doerr School of Sustainability’s Woods Institute for the Environment.

Researchers at the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability have found strong evidence that greenhouse gases emitted since 2015 have intensified Europe’s recent heat waves.

Europe is particularly vulnerable in the face of a warming climate. The continent is heating up at more than twice the global average rate

Wildfires can turn natural metals in soil into toxic, airborne particles. Stanford researchers are working to predict where these metals travel and warn people in harm’s way.

It’s National Postdoc Appreciation Week ⭐ We’re celebrating the nearly 120 postdoctoral scholars across the school who conduct rigorous research, serve as mentors to students, and help advance knowledge, solutions, and impact for a thriving future.

Read some of their stories and learn about our postdoctoral programs: Image credits: Stanford School of Engineering, Drew Bird, Andrew Brodhead

☀️ This summer, our programs reached: 52 local high school students 18 senior executives & board members from around the world 82 undergrads from Stanford & other U.S. institutions Part of our commitment to expanding educational opportunities at Stanford and worldwide.

The rare discovery has found its way to the Doerr School of Sustainability, where it will be studied to determine its exact age and 3D printed for public outreach and education.

'Oddly shaped rock' found in San Mateo County turns out to be huge ice age tooth