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News Archive - Environment

Pollution From the Tijuana River Affects Air Quality in San Diego

A new study from UC San Diego examines how pollutants from the Tijuana River travel and are transmitted in the atmosphere through coastal aerosols. The study found a mixture of drugs and chemicals from tires and beauty products aerosolize from wastewater and are detectable in both air and water.

“A Major Conceptual Advance” on El Niño

The east-west shift of a warm blob of water in the equatorial Pacific Ocean has been the main characteristic of El Niño, but 2023 flipped the script, says a team of researchers led by Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego.

Clean Power Surge Needed: China’s 2035 Climate Plan Must Aim High

China will need to generate more than half of its power from wind and solar by 2035 to align with global climate goals, according to new research led by the University of California San Diego. The study offers timely recommendations to meet the country’s forthcoming climate commitments.

New Gel Could Boost Coral Reef Restoration

Researchers at UC San Diego have developed a gel using nano-particles that slowly release some of coral larvae’s favorite “smells.” When applied to surfaces in lab experiments it increased coral larvae settlement by up to 20 times compared to untreated surfaces.

Engineered Bacterium Could Shield People from Mercury Toxicity

Researchers from UC San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography and UCLA announced the creation of an engineered bacterium that has the ability to convert the toxic form of mercury present in seafood — methylmercury — into less toxic forms that are more easily removed from the human body.

Report Details the Widespread Impacts of Dust on California

Researchers from several University of California campuses have collaborated to create a report on dust in California, which comes at a time of great need for the public to understand the issue. "We want to get our legislators to take the increase in dust pollution more seriously," said one.

Growing Our Way out of a Climate Crisis

A new UC San Diego study compares a promising agricultural solution to other proposed methods of carbon dioxide removal (CDR) as a way of showing what needs to happen to address the climate crisis on a global scale.

Federally Funded Research Nourishes and Protects America

Scientific research may seem abstract, but when supported by federal funding, it profoundly impacts every American — from quiet rural fields buzzing with pollinators to hospitals pioneering lifesaving cancer therapies.

Food for Thought: The Ingredients for Social Change

In the UC San Diego School of Social Sciences, scholars are looking at the cultural, environmental, economic, and political implications of the foods we eat. Their work explores food systems and ways to make access to food more equitable and sustainable.

More Power Grid Connectivity in Western U.S Could Supercharge Clean Energy

A new study led by researchers at the University of California San Diego offers a first-of-its-kind look at how deeper coordination among Western U.S. states could lower the cost of decarbonizing the electric grid—and speed up the clean energy transition.

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