Penn Climate Insights is a new platform designed to make trusted, concise climate information accessible across the University of Pennsylvania. Inspired by Penn’s commitment to research, teaching, and civic engagement, the initiative launched on October 13, 2025, after a year of research and development. Its mission: to partner with community members to share knowledge, promote interdisciplinary collaborations, and empower climate action through education.
Since launch, engagement has grown steadily. As of January 2026, the platform hosts 18 published Insights across 16 topic areas, contributed by experts from nine Penn schools and three central offices. Recent featured Insights include:
- Helping cows keep their cool: how we can combat heat stress: The combination of adequate environmental heat abatement management, nutritional innovation, and continuous monitoring offers a sustainable way to protect dairy cows from heat stress.
- Monitoring of Emerging Contaminants (PFAS/microplastics) in Philadelphia: Emerging contaminants present an important public health and environmental challenge, but monitoring them is challenging. Changing climates will likely increase their impact.
- What motivates people to take action to help address climate change?: Guiding people to imagine the future of climate change, especially future scenarios that involve themselves and close others, motivates climate action.
With 200 registered users and a consistent weekly publishing streak throughout the fall semester, Penn Climate Insights is becoming a hub for interdisciplinary climate learning.
Looking ahead, the next phase will expand the platform’s reach and functionality. Plans include a growing library of Insights, new Toolkit resources for integrating climate into curricula, and enhanced platform functionalities for ease of use. Additional outreach through events, panels, workshops, and various Climate Insights in Action programming will create more opportunities for the Penn community to engage deeply in climate work.
Climate education is critical, and Penn Climate Insights is helping Penn lead in this space. Members of the Penn community can explore published Insights, share resources, and engage through upcoming events and initiatives.
Want to add your knowledge? Contribute a new Climate Insight and help expand the platform’s reach and impact.
Stay connected: Subscribe to get new Insights delivered to your inbox.
Questions or feedback? Contact us at contact-us@climateinsights.upenn.edu.