Climate Change and Environment

Climate science at Cambridge centres on developing our understanding of Earth’s climate: how it has changed through geological time, and what it might look like in the future.  

By gathering detailed insights into Earth system processes, we aim to better predict the impacts of future warming, including Antarctic ice loss, rising sea levels, extreme weather events, and ecosystem changes.

Our scientists are also addressing key societal challenges associated with the climate crisis and environmental degradation. 

These challenges include geological carbon capture and storage, and sourcing critical metals required for green technologies. Additionally, we have a dedicated coral laboratory, where researchers study how coral reefs respond to environmental changes caused by warming oceans.

As a major centre for investigations into Earth’s climate history, Cambridge is home to world-leading research led by experts from the Godwin Laboratory and the ice core labs. These researchers explore Earth’s long-term climate history, the vulnerabilities of Antarctic ice sheets, and the vital role of oceans in the climate system.

Our geochemists investigate the geological carbon cycle, examining how processes such as rock weathering, volcanic emissions, and biological activity transfer carbon between Earth’s interior and surface reservoirs in the context of anthropogenic carbon emissions—focusing on potential solutions for enhanced carbon drawdown from the atmosphere.