Photo : Gabriella C. Marino/PAS
YSE Professors Attend Climate Crisis Summit at the Vatican
Dan Esty, Hillhouse Professor of Environmental Law and Policy, and Justin Farrell professor of sociology spoke about climate crisis resilience at the Vatican’s global climate change summit, held May 15 to 17.
“I was pleased to present my work on revamping the international trade system to better align with the world community’s commitment to climate change action and a more sustainable future in general (see the Villars Framework for a Sustainable Future),” Esty who spoke about his work developing a sustainability agenda for the World Trade Organization said. “And it was a special joy to have the moral authority of the Pope reinforce the push for a just transition to a sustainable global economy.”
Hosted by the Pontifical Academies of Science and Social Sciences, the three-day summit and workshop, “From Climate Crisis to Climate Resilience,” brought together hundreds of political leaders, scientists, and policy experts — including California Gov. Gavin Newsom, New York Gov. McCarthy, and Former White House Climate Advisor Gina McCarthy. Farrell who was inducted last year into the Pontifical Academies of Science and Social Sciences and was on the advisory committee that put the event together spoke on historical land dispossession and current and future climate risks of Indigenous peoples which was the focus of his 2021 Science paper.
“This extraordinary convergence fostered global dialogue and collaboration, blending insights from natural and social sciences within the moral context of the Vatican,” Farrell said. “With a truly global perspective, the academy amplifies voices from around the world, especially from the Global South, adding a diverse and inclusive dimension to scientific discussions held here.”
Pope Francis addressed participants early in the summit, saying the “stakes could not be higher” and encouraging people “to continue to work together in effecting a transition from the current climate crisis to climate resilience in equality and social justice.”
Daniel C. Esty
Hillhouse Professor of Environmental Law and Policy, jointly with Yale Law School; Director of the Center for Environmental Law and Policy
More News in Brief
Mapping Public Opinion on Climate Change Across the UK
Urban residents in the United Kingdom perceive greater risks from climate change than rural residents, according to new opinion maps released by the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication.
The online interactive maps depict public climate change beliefs, risk perceptions, policy support, and experiences with climate impacts across the U.K. by respondents 16 years and older in 12 regions who were surveyed in November, 2024. The responses show that a majority of U.K. residents believe climate change is happening (85%), that it is caused mostly by human activities (74%), and is worrisome (78%). However, 84% believe it is a distant threat, harming future generations. Only 55% think it will harm them personally, despite many of the respondents reporting that they dealt with major floods in the past year.
“The mismatch between personal experience and climate attribution revealed by the maps is consistent with prior research finding that direct exposure to extreme weather does not automatically translate into stronger belief that climate change affects these events,” the Yale researchers note.
Photo credit: SteveAllenPhoto via iStock
YPCCC’s Eric Fine Honored With Kroon Cup
As a project manager at the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication, Eric Fine’s dedication to sustainability extends far beyond his job description. He leads by example: biking to work in all weather, personally maintaining the campus bike repair station he helped install, pushing for carbon-free retirement investment options, and is working towards net-zero at home.
In recognition of his efforts, Fine was awarded the Yale School of the Environment Kroon Cup, , which is presented annually to individuals and groups that embody stewardship and implement projects that engage and inspire the YSE community. Students, staff, and faculty vote to determine the winner among a list of nominated candidates.
One of his nominators said it best. “Nobody more than Eric walks the talk on advancing YSE's mission of sustainability on a daily basis, through his individual actions and on behalf of the YPCCC and the YSE community.”
Fenichel Paper Honored for Enduring Impact on Epidemic Modeling
Eli Fenichel, the Knobloch Family Professor of Natural Resource Economics, and co-authors have been awarded the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association’s 2025 Paper of Enduring Quality Award for their 2011 PNAS paper on integrating human behavior into models of infectious disease. The study laid key foundations for interdisciplinary research, bridging economics and epidemiology—an approach that proved critical during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I saw a lot of epidemiologists and economists recommending it to each other to figure out how to collaborate on COVID-19 research,” Fenichel said. “I think it set a benchmark for interdisciplinary research on epidemics.”
The award will be presented at the AAEA & WAEA Joint Annual Meeting in Denver, Colorado, on July 28.
Eli Fenichel
Knobloch Family Professor of Natural Resource Economics