The Accelerator - The Salata Institute

Climate Action Accelerator

The Climate Action Accelerator serves as a resource and partner to the full spectrum of stakeholders wrestling with the most difficult and divisive climate questions, building consensus for climate solutions grounded in Harvard’s research and expertise. The Accelerator identifies critical climate problems, homes in on promising solutions, and convenes the full spectrum of stakeholders who have the authority and the resources to act. It is nonpartisan, agile in dealing with emerging issues, and trusted by stakeholders to facilitate dialogue on high-stakes and sensitive topics. Explore Climate Action Accelerator initiatives, news, and resources below:

HARVARD UNIVERSITY

THE SALATA INSTITUTE FOR CLIMATE AND SUSTAINABILITY

Research to Action

Through the Accelerator, Harvard faculty from a wide range of disciplines are working directly with stakeholders and decisionmakers to confront challenges ranging from extreme heat to sea level rise to the impacts of changing energy systems on communities – and beyond. Explore Accelerator initiatives:

Reducing Global Methane Emissions

Reducing methane emissions can significantly reduce climate change and its impacts in the short term – giving the world time to “bend the curve” on CO2 emissions and seek longer-term solutions. A Harvard-led team of experts is working directly with leaders in government, business, and beyond to translate new research into meaningful action.

EXPLORE

Climate Adaptation in South Asia

Climate change is affecting South Asia – home to two billion people – in devastating ways. This Harvard-led initiative is bringing leading experts and stakeholders together, putting vital new data sets and other tools into the hands of those confronting extreme heat and other climate impacts in South Asia.

EXPLORE

Corporate Net-Zero Targets Project

While corporate net-zero commitments are surging, there is a lack of information and analysis about whether these corporate goals result in real emissions reductions. Harvard faculty are developing new tools – including groundbreaking firm- and plant-level datasets – and strategies to better understand and strengthen corporate climate action.

EXPLORE

Strengthening Communities

For many U.S. communities – from towns in West Virginia to Tribal Nations in the Pacific Northwest – the clean energy transition is changing everything. This Harvard-led initiative is conducting new research and working with stakeholders to better understand the social and political dimensions of the shift from fossil fuels and develop playbooks for effective, equitable, and community-driven energy development.

EXPLORE

Climate Adaptation in the Gulf of Guinea

Severe impacts of sea-level rise are already a reality across Africa and, in particular, the Gulf of Guinea. Working with local counterparts and communities in Abidjan, Accra, and Lagos, this Harvard-led initiative is producing new measuring sea-level rise and its associated costs in the region and identifying viable adaptation strategies.

EXPLORE

Driving Toward Seamless Public EV Charging

Widespread electric vehicle (EV) adoption is critical to confronting climate change – but a lack of sufficient public charging infrastructure is holding many potential EV drivers back. In collaboration with MIT, Harvard researchers are producing actionable reports and bringing together decisionmakers in government and business to rapidly improve charging infrastructure.

EXPLORE

DRIVING IMPACT

Watch: Best Practices for EV Charging Programs in Cities

Hear from leading EV charging cities on best practices for developing EV charging infrastructure. Presented by the Salata Institute for Climate and Sustainability at Harvard University, Taubman Center for State and Local Government. and the MIT Center for Energy and Environmental Policy Research.

Action Accelerator News

Thu, Jan 16, 2025

Harvard-West Africa collaboration probes climate adaptation in Gulf of Guinea

For tens of millions of people in West Africa, climate change is a problem that cannot wait. They are living the extreme effects today.

Action Accelerator Cluster Research News

Tue, Dec 17, 2024

Charging Uncertainty: Real-Time Charging Data and Electric Vehicle Adoption

New NBER paper: Salata and MIT CEEPR researchers find open data from fast chargers would raise EV adoption. Today, only one in three DC fast charging stations adjacent to 6 major Interstates provide their real-time status on PlugShare, a major chargefinding app. Data deserts without real-time data are up to 1,308 miles. If universal real-time data is accompanied by improved charger uptime and driver confidence in the accuracy of the real-time data, it would effectively eliminate range anxiety, the authors predict. Their modeling estimates that the EV share of new vehicle sales would grow by 8.0 percentage points in 2030, expanding the EV fleet by 13.2%, and reducing 2030 carbon emissions by 22.5 mmt, all versus baseline projections for 2030.

Action Accelerator News White Paper

Mon, Jan 13, 2025

Corporate Carbon Targets Research Workshop: Building a Community of Scholars & Practitioners

The Salata Institute gathers practitioners and scholars to help frame research on voluntary corporate emission reduction goals and chart new collaborations.

Action Accelerator Cluster Research News

Wed, Jan 8, 2025

Harvard Gazette: Poll finds bipartisan support for renewable energy measure

Results of a recent national poll shows most rank-and-file members of both parties think some revenue from renewable energy produced on federal land should go to states and local communities adjacent to these projects.

Action Accelerator Cluster Research News

Fri, Dec 6, 2024

Workshop Recording: Quantifying Methane Emissions with the Integrated Methane Inversion (IMI)

A November 4th workshop offered by the Harvard Atmospheric Chemistry Modeling Group and Salata Institute trained current and prospective users of this methane emissions detecting tool.

Action Accelerator Cluster Research News Methane

Tue, Nov 5, 2024

Insured solutions: How insurance-based tools can unlock climate tech

Read the new blog by Peter Tufano for EDF+Business and the Salata Institute

News

Thu, Oct 31, 2024

Harvard Climate Action Week

Harvard Climate Action Week, hosted by the Salata Institute Climate Action Accelerator, brings together thousands of leaders, climate experts, and stakeholders to explore solutions to the most complex and challenging dimensions of the climate crisis. Watch recorded Harvard Climate Action Week events below and stay tuned for Harvard Climate Action Week 2025.