Want to know more about MES field trips? Or how about tips on growing an incredible urban garden? It’s all here. Explore what’s ahead for the environmental field, who’s who of MES and how you can be a greener citizen with our fun and informative lists.
20 Maps That Predict What The World Will Look Like In 2050
Over the last 20 years, the challenges facing our environment have risen to the top of the global political agenda. These maps seek to predict the range of environmental, economic and humanitarian outcomes resulting from our collective action over the next 20 years. Take a look.
1. Cities with the highest annual flood costs
According to this study in Nature, the global cost of flood damages is expected to be well above $1 trillion annually due to a combination of rising seas, sinking land and growing coastal development.
Source: Mother Jones
2. Rate of oceanic species invasions
Warming oceans are driving sea life towards the cooler polar waters. By 2050, upwards of two new species per half degree of latitude are expected to inundate the Arctic and Southern oceans under business-as-usual climate change scenarios.
Source: Nereus Project
3. Viticulture suitability: changes to wine grape regions
Wine grapes are an agricultural “canary in the coal mine” according to Rebecca Shaw, who co-authored a study looking at projected climate change impacts on global viticulture suitability.
Source: PNAS
4. Percentage change in crop yields with 3℃ average global temperature rise
While limiting global warming to 2℃ was a laudable diplomatic target for those at COP21 in Paris, it is not likely attainable. Unfortunately, under a more realistic 3℃ scenario, the poorest and hungriest parts of the world will suffer the greatest reduction in agricultural productivity.
Source: World Resources Institute
5. World population distribution represented by land mass
Worldmapper teamed up with the SASI group and researchers from the University of Michigan to represent the distribution of the planet’s estimated 9.07 billion people in 2050. According to the study, 62% of the population will live in Africa or Asia.
Source: Worldmapper
6. Installed land and offshore wind capacity
This clickable interactive map represents the Department of Energy’s Wind Vision Report findings, predicting the growth of US wind generation over the next 35 years.
Source: The Energy Department
7. Urban populations > 100,000
This interactive data visualization from a 2012 UNICEF study visualizes historical and predicted urban population growth over 100 years, from 1950 to 2050.
Source: UNICEF
8. A carbon-free European energy grid
The European Climate Foundation’s RoadMap 2050 Report goes beyond predictive models to prescribe a pathway to develop a low-carbon economy for Europe by 2050.
Source: The Roadmap 2050 project
9. Footprint and load share for 100% renewable generation in the US
This map shows the projected areal footprint and associated share of annual power load beyond existing 2013 resources to achieve a 100% renewable grid in the US by 2050. In short, this is what wind, water, and solar energy could look like for all 50 states.
Source: Royal Society of Chemistry
10. Industrial Manufacturing Growth
This scenario analysis from the IEA predicts the shift of near future industrial growth to India, Southeast Asia, Africa and the Middle East.
Source: International Energy Agency
11. Climate action tracker: INDC pledges are not enough
The emissions reductions targets put forward in the Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) are projected to lead to a global warming of around 2.7°C likely to limit warming to below 3°C by 2100.
Source: Climate Action Tracker
12. Projected temperature increase by 2050
This map represents the average temperature change between 2015 and 2050 using 35 global climate models with a mid-range climate change scenario.
13. Flood scenarios for sea level rise and severe storms in Philadelphia
Using NOAA’s Digital Coast tool Philadelphia’s first climate adaptation report, Growing Stronger: Toward a Climate-Ready Philadelphia predicts excessive flooding when severe storm conditions are combined with even minimum sea level rise.
Source: Greenworks Philadelphia
14. Projected difference in cumulative July Precipitation, 2000 to 2050
Research from the Oak Ridge National Laboratory developed a variety of climate prediction models to estimate changes in July precipitation depth across the U.S. This map represents significant increases in variability and extreme weather, with rainfall increasing or decreasing by over 100% in some cases.
Source: Oak Ridge National Laboratory
15. Emerging US megaregions
The America 2050 initiative predicts the emergence of 11 US “megaregions”—expansive metropolitan networks that will be an important organizing device for governance, infrastructure investments and land use planning.
Source: America 2050
16. Water sustainability index
This index combines five metrics to assess county-level water risk in the US—water demand, the share of precipitation used for groundwater, drought risk and increases in freshwater withdrawals and summer water deficits.
Source: NRDC
17. Percentage of summers hotter than any currently on record
Extreme summer heat can endanger food security by reducing crop productivity, stressing livestock, reducing soil moisture and increasing water consumption.
Source: Climate Communication
18. The future
Here, a number of global scenarios play out, including oceanic garbage patches, robotic fish farms, population growth, land use and water access.
Source: Lapham's Quarterly
19. 100% renewable energy
Researchers at Stanford and the University of California teamed up to find projected pathways to a 100% renewable energy mix for 139 countries by 2050 (interactive).
20. Projected per capita water availability
The Oak Ridge National Laboratory calculated per capita water availability on a watershed basis for a wide-range of IPCC climate scenarios.
Source: Oak Ridge National Laboratory
20 Ways to Shop Greener and Cleaner
The University of Pennsylvania is committed to sustainability through our robust Climate Action Plan. From our use of renewable energy, recycling practices to offering dozens of courses in the environmental field, Penn continues to lead the way in green infrastructure. Come see it in action.
1. James G. Kaskey Memorial Garden, BioPond and Greenhouses
Welcome to the oldest green space on Penn’s campus. Since 1897 this lush land has been dedicated to research. Enjoy the company of ducks, turtles, crayfish, goldfish and the cool shade of diverse and vibrant plant life at the the BioPond—tucked away on Hamilton Walk, between 36th and 38th Streets.
2. The Krishna P. Singh Center for Nanotechnology
The home of nanotechnology innovation at Penn is LEED Gold certified. The plumbing fixtures and systems reduce water use to 30% below industry standards, while the building’s green roof helps to reduce stormwater runoff and urban heat island.
Photo © Albert Vecerka/Esto
3. Penn Park
Penn Park is 24 acres of recreational and athletic green space on the east end of campus bordering the Schuylkill River. Amongst the tennis courts and baseball diamond is acres of natural meadows and greenery that promotes biodiversity.
4. Wharton School’s Steinberg-Dietrich Hall West Tower Entrance
Minted LEED Gold in 2014, the West Tower Entrance of Steinberg-Dietrich Hall features a green roof; light pavers to reduce heat island; Chilled Beams cooling technology; recycled finishes; regional materials; and high efficiency lighting.
Photo by Jeffrey Totaro
5. Morris Arboretum Horticulture Center
This historic garden and educational institution’s Horticulture Center is LEED platinum certified. Design includes a ground-source heat pump that provides heat and air-conditioning for the building, photovoltaic panels for on-site generation of renewable energy and geothermal wells.
6. Perelman Quadrangle College Green
In the heart of Penn’s campus is its most beloved outdoor space. In front of College Hall there’s a 130-year-old elm that’s a descendant of the original treaty elm under which William Penn signed a peace agreement with the Lenape Indians in the 1680s.
7. Locust Walk
Locust Walk was one of the first spaces on campus composed of granite curbs and brick paving—permanent materials that stand the test of time. This tree-lined gateway to Penn is a landmark green space for the University.
8. George A. Weiss Pavilion
What was formerly a parking garage is now a LEED Gold fitness center. Approximately 95 percent of demolition and construction waste from Weiss Pavilion was diverted from disposal in landfills by salvaging, reusing and recycling materials.
9. Joe’s Café
Have a cup of joe and enjoy a study break in a LEED Gold certified spot. Joe’s Café is Penn’s first sustainable commercial interior space. Its food-service practices, recycling, composting and chemical-free cleaning methods make it a green gem.
10. Shoemaker Green
What was formerly tennis courts is now acres of grass lawns, native plants and permeable paving. It’s a pilot project for the Sustainable SITES Initiative, a national program designed to support sustainable land development and management practices.
11. The Perelman Center for Advanced Medicine
Only a few hospitals in the nation have achieved LEED Silver rating and The Perelman Center for Advanced Medicine is one of them. Built with recycled materials, it keeps approximately 3,700 metric tons of carbon dioxide out of the environment each year with its green infrastructure and housekeeping.
Photo by Michael Verzella
12. Penn Institute for Urban Research
In 2012, the Penn Institute for Urban Research collaborated with FRES, PJM Interconnection, the Philadelphia Navy Yard, PECO, EEB Hub and DOE Grid Star to develop a real-time energy ticker online to promote energy education and conservation.
13. School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS) Recycling Center
Since opening in 2012, the SEAS Recycling Center has successfully diverted thousands of pounds of waste from landfills. The center collects light bulbs, pen, markers, cardboard, electronics, batteries, ink, toner and plastics.
14. Koo Family Plaza at Huntsman Hall
Just outside of Wharton’s Hunstman Hall is a leafy green plaza—which is just perfect for taking a study break. Along with its aesthetic characteristics, the plaza has a green roof overhead which helps to reduce stormwater and increase biodiversity.
15. Penn Commons
Popular for its outdoor concerts and seemingly endless seating, Penn Commons is a favorite outdoor space for Penn students. Along the Commons and throughout campus, you can find dozens of trees with identifying plaques and information.
16. Highline Green
Built in 2003, Highline Green is a small field within Penn Park designed to provide open space for the Penn community. It is located on Chestnut Street and is commonly used for organized recreation and club sports.
Photo by Rhreyans Bhansali
17. Hamilton Village Green
Another open space with trees for shade and lush lawns for recreation, Hamilton Village Green is located next to Locust Walk and student housing and can be reserved for activities by Penn students and staff.
18. Edward Kane Park
Penn alumnus Edward Kane longed to return green space to the area next to Penn Museum that was turned into a parking lot in the 1950’s. A gift from Kane and his wife allowed Penn to transform the lot into a beautiful space for visitors with trees, shrubs, grass, flowers, ground cover and ample seating.
19. The Music Building
Renovated in 2010, the Music Building exceeded its goal to meet LEED Silver requirements and was certified LEED Gold. The building features boast efficient lighting, passive storm water management techniques, sustainable interior furnishings and more.
20. Kings Court English College House
Green roofs, or living landscapes, can be found on several building throughout campus, including this College House. The redesign of their rooftop features environmentally-friendly construction, making the building green from "top to bottom."
20 Alumni You Need to Know
Whether you’re a professional in the environmental field or a passionate ecologist looking to start a new career, Penn’s Master of Environmental Studies can help take you where you want to go in your career. Get to know some of MES's most notable alumni, and picture yourself in an exciting field with opportunities all over the globe.
1. Veronica Lee (’10) is a Foreign Service Officer with the United States Agency for International Development. She’s spent the last five years managing US Government Assistance to mitigate and adapt to climate change in developing countries. She is currently helping the Republic of Georgia craft their commitment to the UN climate negotiations at COP21.
2. Bryan Benitez McClelland (’07) is a Filipino-American environmental consultant, ecotourism developer and social entrepreneur. He founded Bamb EcoLogical Technology, Inc. to have a platform for his socio-ecological enterprise projects. He works with community members of Victoria,Tarlac to build the Bambike, a premium bamboo bicycle.
3. Tom Brightman (’00) is the Land Steward at Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, PA. He is instrumental in the care of more than 700 acres of natural and agricultural lands. He made significant contributions to the overall concept and design, interpretive elements and native plant community development of Longwood Gardens' award-winning 86-acre Meadow Garden.
4. Zoe Reich Margarites (’10) is the Senior Director of Delos Solutions and Sustainability. She utilizes her in-depth knowledge of how the built environment directly impacts human health and environmental sustainability. Her projects span across five continents as she brings the WELL Building Standard and custom wellness solutions to her clients.
5. Consul General Thassanee Wanick (’03) founded the Green Building Council Brazil in 2007 and became a Board Member of the World Green Building Council. In 2012, she was appointed Consul General of Thailand for Sao Paulo and Southern Brazil. She also holds the title Knight Officer of the Most Noble Order of the Crown for meritorious services to the country and its people given by His Majesty King Bhumibol of Thailand.
6. Naiying Peng (’11) a Chinese national, works with Global Environment Facility (GEF) in the World Bank as an Operation Analyst. In GEF—the world’s largest environment financial mechanism—Naiying is a member of Result Based Management team, in which she is a monitoring and evaluation specialist. Before GEF, Naiying worked with International Finance Corporation, World Bank Group, focusing on environment and social development.
7. Whitney Webber (’15) is currently the Ocean Advocate for Responsible Fishing and Seafood Fraud at Oceana. She works to protect and restore the world’s oceans through targeted campaigns with the largest international ocean conservation and advocacy organization. While at Penn, she studied stream restoration in the Chesapeake Bay and won the Fred N. Scatena Award for Outstanding Research in Climate Change.
8. Rahilla Zafar (’12) works at Cisco Systems and is a contributing author, researcher and editor of the upcoming book, The Internet of Women, Why It Matters. She also co-wrote the book Arab Women Rising, which profiles 35 women entrepreneurs from across the Middle East and North Africa. While in Afghanistan and Pakistan, she worked for the International Organization for Migration.
9. Rae Okawa (’12) is a self-proclaimed “bird nerd.” She is a Development Coordinator for the Hawaii Wildlife Center (HWC). The HWC is the only native bird and bat response center and hospital in the state of Hawaii. Since 2012, Rae's work has supported the care of more than 70 different species and subspecies of native birds and the Hawaiian hoary bat, as well as additional conservation, education, and research assistance programs at HWC.
10. Dr. Jana A. Hirsch (’10) is a multi-disciplinary social epidemiologist with research interests in public health and urban planning. She is a postdoctoral fellow at the Carolina Population Center (The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill) and a visiting postdoctoral scholar at the Centre for Hip Health and Mobility (University of British Columbia). In August 2016, she begins an assistant faculty position in the Department of Epidemiology at the University of South Carolina.
11. Greg Kelder (’10) is a Vice President and Environmental Portfolio Leader at the Brandywine Group of Insurance and Reinsurance Companies. He has 25 years of experience with complex environmental, toxic tort and insurance coverage matters. Greg serves on the Board for the Global Water Alliance, is a member of the Environmental Claims Journal Editorial Advisory Board, the Environmental Inn of Court, the PA Environmental Council and the PA Bar Association.
12. Ta-You (Gordon) Huang (’14) initiated a sustainability pilot project with his employer Alere Inc. In it, he established a matrix, outlined standard operating procedures, and provided knowledge of senior management. He is currently a Research Associate in the Substance and Drugs of Abuse sector of Alere.
13. Niva Kramek (’08) works at the US Environmental Protection Agency, in the Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics. She is also the project lead for maintaining and updating the TSCA Work Plan for Chemical Assessment. For the Office of Pesticide Programs, Nina was a rule writer and developed regulations and voluntary programs. During her time with MES, she assisted in founding the Philadelphia Global Water Initiative.
14. Fanyuan Lin ('14)is a Senior Manager of Corporate Initiatives, Asia Pacific at AECOM in Hong Kong. His work covers management of company initiatives, special projects and events as well as research and analysis to support the decision making of the Office of the President. Before joining the MES program, he worked at the Ministry of Environmental Protection of China for six years.
15. Caroline D'Angelo ('12) directs communications for the Department of State's Greening Diplomacy Initiative—an effort set up by Secretary Clinton and continued by Secretary Kerry. She advises both the US and foreign countries' embassies and consulates on a broad range of sustainability initiatives. She also co-founded wH2O: The Journal of Gender & Water, the first journal on global water and women's issues.
16. Maria-Tzina Leria (’13) moved back to her homeland, Greece, in 2014 to contribute to the protection and social sustainability of her country. Recruited by The Coca-Cola Company and the Global Shapers Athens Hub—a World Economic Forum initiative, she undertook the role of the Project Manager of ReGeneration. The organization supports internships, professional training and a social work program for Greek youth.
17. Valerie Baron (’12) is an Equal Justice Works Law Fellow sponsored by the Animal Welfare Trust at the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) in Washington, DC. She focuses her time primarily on NRDC’s Climate Healthy Menus and Factory Farm Accountability initiatives. Before entering graduate school, she served on the staff of the Committee on Energy and Commerce at the House of Representatives where she worked on consumer protection policy and legislation.
18. Dakota Dobyns (’12) is a consultant at Geneva Global, a firm that specializes in philanthropy, global health and social impact. Before joining Geneva Global, Dakota worked at the World Bank as part of the Agriculture and Environmental Services team, where she collaborated with financial institutions throughout Africa and Asia to increase their agricultural lending capacity.
19. Luca Bernabei (’12) has been working with Golder Associates, a global geotechnical and environmental consulting firm since graduating from Penn. Recently, he worked on a project in Connecticut where a former industrial site transformed into a nature preserve and wetland.
20. Cameron McQuale (’10) completed a unique joint graduate degree program organized by Penn, the Paris School of Mines and Tsinghua University. He completed the international program with a six-month professional internship in carbon capture and storage (CCS). Other professional experience includes working with Geostock, CertiNergy and soon opening a locally-sourced bar and restaurant in Colombes, France.
20 Best Field Trips in MES
For 20 years, the Master of Environmental Studies program has opened up the world to its students. Discover the exotic locations and nearby gems that our passionate professors and students explore for field trips, capstone research projects and beyond.
1. Students interested in global water issues, particularly as they relate to the UN Millennium Development Goals, have the opportunity to visit the United Nations in New York City. There, they can exchange ideas with leaders as part of ENVS 637 Global Water Issues with MES lecturer and advisor Stan Laskowski.
2. Dr. Sally Willig offers ENVS 610 Regional Field Ecology, a summer course which includes six field trips to locations in the Greater Philadelphia Area. Students explore diverse and imperiled ecosystems such as the Long Pond Barrens in the Poconos where they learn about The Nature Conservancy’s efforts to preserve and manage this unique ecosystem through prescribed burning.
3. Students who are interested in the intersection of business, non-profit and government as it relates to water issues take ENVS 673 The Future of Water with Jon Freedman and Francesca McCann. This course includes a trip to Washington, D.C. for a “Day in the Life of a Lobbyist” where students meet key leaders in each sector and learn about the complexity of water issues from all perspectives.
4. The best way to learn about wetlands is to get wet! In ENVS 507 Wetlands Dr. Sally Willig takes her students into a variety of wetland environments including kayaking the Batsto River in the Pine Barrens of New Jersey. This daylong field trip features stopping in a savanna to survey the diversity of plants—including carnivorous species adapted to the acidic, nutrient-poor soils.
5. Every three years, the World Water Forum is held in a different country. This conference which draws more than 20,000 participants from more than 150 countries is a unique opportunity for our students to learn about water issues around the world while networking with top water leaders. Past trips included Istanbul, Marseilles and Seoul.
6. As part of an ENVS 599 Independent Study project, Akudo Ejelonu traveled to India for an environmental health research project with young girls.
7. ENVS 604 Conservation and Land Management taught by MES alum Thomas Brightman visits sites that are currently being conserved, like the Natural Lands Trust’s ChesLen Preserve, in order to learn best land management practices.
8. ENVS 631 Current EPA Regulatory Practices and Future Directions includes a fieldtrip to the Washington, D.C. headquarters of the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) to learn and exchange ideas with leaders in the field. Students spend the day meeting officials while learning about current complex environmental issues and expectations for future concern.
9. ENVS 629 The US Water Industry in the 21st Century would not be complete without a visit to a Philadelphia Waste Water Treatment Plant. Course instructor Howard Neukrug, former Water Commissioner for Philadelphia, leads a tour of the facility to show students first-hand how waste water is handled in a large city like Philadelphia.
10. Students in ENVS 642 Global Water Conference in Stockholm, Sweden attend the World Water Week in Stockholm, Sweden. Preparation before the conference includes connecting with researchers to help with data collection related to WASH programs; doing original research to present at the conference; and/or finding volunteer opportunities during the conference. During this week long event, students attend talks, have dinner with officials, network and blog about their experiences.
11. As part of ENVS 639 Policy to Practice in Environmental Management, Stan Laskowski led a trip to visit the USEPA's Chesapeake Bay Program Office and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation to see how policy decisions have been implemented and the impact they have had on the Chesapeake Bay’s water quality.
12. Lisa Kiziuk takes her class ENVS 609 Creating Gateways to the Land with Smarter Conservation Strategies on a variety of field trips. Students learn about innovative programs that connect people to nature, which help to facilitate land conservation. Trips include lessons in field methods in stream ecology, bird biology and sustainable agriculture at locations such as Stroud Water Research Center and Rushton Woods Preserve.
13. The ENVS 606 Ornithology course taught by MES alum Michael McGraw teaches students about birding basics in the classroom and includes fieldtrips to: the Rushton Woods Preserve, Bartram’s Garden, Cape May, NJ, Albany, NY Pine Bush Passerine Banding Station and John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge to learn identification and bird banding techniques.
14. As part of the ENVS 617 Innovative Environmental Management Strategies course, students travel to Washington, D.C. to meet with officials at several government offices including the US EPA headquarters.
15. For her ENVS 599 Independent Study course, Sarah Deutsch used two years of continuous acoustic data collected by the Delaware Division of Fish and Wildlife (DFW) from three different coastal sites within the state of Delaware to analyze bat movements, average temperature and wind speeds during peak migratory activity.
16. ENVS 410 Clean Water, Green Cities is an Academically Based Community Service (ABCS) course which requires that each student develop a community-based final project relating to water issues in Philadelphia. Students often work with local schools like this third grade science class at the Penn Alexander School to teach kids about storm water management solutions and why it matters to them.
17. Dr. Sally Willig’s course ENVS 607 Field Study of Puerto Rico’s Ecology exposes students to a wide range of ecosystems in Puerto Rico. Sites include Playa Escondido, which is part of the Northeast Ecological Corridor and an important turtle nesting habitat. Here they learn about the grassroots effort to protect this area that was slated for resort development. Upon their return, students present what they learned to high school students at the Taller Puertorriqueño in Philadelphia.
18. Students in the GEOL 653 Introduction to Hydrology course learn from Professor Tony Sauder how to take stream measurements by doing it in the field. Measurements such as discharge and gage height in local Pennsylvania streams are taken during the trips.
19. During the ENVS 638 Global Water Policy & Governance course, students met with United Nations officials to learn about what the UN Environmental Programme is doing to improve water access and sanitation around the world.
20. For his ENVS 599 Independent Study Xuantong “Tony” Wang traveled to the Guangxi Province in South China. He went to better understand the Karst Terrain that has shaped the culture and traditions of the minority population there, which are heavily tied to this unique environment. He used drone technology to capture this distinctive landscape, which has been largely undocumented.
