A new collaboration between the Cornell Atkinson Center for Sustainability and The Nature Conservancy (TNC) this year will fund three studies that could have significant ramifications in the face of intensifying climate change.
The funded research will:
— assess state buyout programs of homes built on flood plains;
— gauge optimal fishing policies in Alaska; and
— examine sustainable, agricultural land management in China.
The second research project will focus on establishing climate-ready fishing communities. More than 60% of the U.S. wild seafood production is in Alaskan waters, so the state has a high reliance on fisheries. Outcomes from this research will aid Alaska’s fishing communities in finding ways to adapt to changes in the ocean, such as assessing climate-driven fisheries risk, developing a framework for optimizing fishing rights and evaluating community fishing portfolios.
The third project will focus on sustainable land management in China and improving soil health to ensure that country’s future food, water and energy security. Agricultural land in China is scarce; farmers there must feed 18.5% of the world’s population on 7% of the world’s arable land. Rapid urbanization, pollution and soil degradation have put great pressure on soil resources in China.
Cornell University, Ithaca, New York