The Office of the Vice Provost for Climate
The Office of the Vice Provost for Climate (Penn Climate) was established in 2024 as a key component of the University’s strategic framework, In Principle and Practice, emphasizing Penn’s responsibility to provide leadership and action on the great challenges of our time.
Penn Climate harnesses the University’s formidable strengths across its 12 schools, health system, centers, and institutes to advance climate scholarship and action at every scale. We serve as a force multiplier, inspiring collective interdisciplinary scholarship and action, from local climate initiatives here in Philadelphia to transformational projects with global impact.
Penn Climate is for everyone at Penn. Students, faculty, researchers, staff, and anyone who wants to engage with climate work can find connection, support, and community here.
Events
Join us for the spring session of the Penn Climate seminar series, featuring perspectives on the effects of climate change from across Penn’s twelve schools.
Developing Alternatives to Oil as Feedstocks for our Chemicals and Liquid Fuels
Karen Goldberg
Wednesday, January 28
12:15 – 1:15PM
Steinberg-Dietrich, Room 351
Penn Climate is excited to welcome Karen Goldberg, Vagelos Professor in Energy Research and Chemistry, and the inaugural Director of the Vagelos Institute for Energy Science and Technology, to the spring Penn Climate Seminar series. Karen will discuss “Developing Alternatives to Oil as Feedstocks for our Chemicals and Liquid Fuels,” exploring why the challenge of decarbonization extends far beyond energy production itself.
Building a Clean, Equitable Economy: Where Do We Go from Here?
Heather Boushey
Professor of Practice, Kleinman Energy Forum
Former Chief Economist, Investing in America Cabinet
Co-hosted by Penn Climate, the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy, and the Penn Center for Science, Sustainability, and the Media, as part of Energy Week @ Penn.
New Experiments in Public Power
Shelley Welton
Wednesday, March 25
12:15 – 1:15PM
Steinberg-Dietrich, Room 351
In leading jurisdictions, the “easy” part of the clean energy transition has been achieved. What remains to be accomplished—constructing energy systems that emit no carbon, rather than just substantially less carbon—will be harder and more expensive. In recognition of these challenges, both New York State and the United Kingdom recently passed laws creating state-owned clean energy companies: New York by giving a new mission to its “New York Power Authority,” and the UK by creating “Great British Energy.”
Andrew Hoffman
- Gilbert S. Kahn Dean
- School of Veterinary Medicine
Registration information coming soon.