Geologist Mike Kaplan Named 2026 Guggenheim Fellow – State of the Planet

Abatify Summary

Nature & Climate Perspective

**The academic validation of glacial and landscape evolution research is fundamental to establishing the scientific baselines required for high-integrity Nature-Based Solutions (NbS). **

Paleoclimate research provides the historical context necessary to accurately model LULUCF (Land Use, Land-Use Change, and Forestry) carbon sequestration capacities over geological timescales.
Understanding past mountain glacier dynamics is critical for assessing the long-term stability and permanence of high-altitude ecosystems used in carbon offset projects.
Mike Kaplan’s research into landscape change informs the environmental baseline against which 'additionality' is measured in modern reforestation and conservation efforts.

Market & Policy Outlook

**Scientific rigor in paleoclimatology directly supports the ICVCM Core Carbon Principles by reducing uncertainty in climate transition risks and permanence assessments. **

Enhanced geological data strengthens the 'permanence' pillar of the ICVCM Core Carbon Principles (CCPs) by providing better risk modeling for catastrophic landscape shifts.
Academic recognition of climate change research through fellowships like the Guggenheim increases the credibility of data used in Article 6.2 ITMO (Internationally Transferred Mitigation Outcomes) negotiations.
The insights gained from past ice sheet behavior are increasingly integrated into SBTi-aligned corporate transition plans to mitigate long-term supply chain risks related to water scarcity.

Kaplan studies the ways ice sheets, mountain glaciers, climates and landscapes changed in the past.

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Read full article at news.climate.columbia.edu

LULUCF ICVCM Core Carbon Principles Article 6.2 Glaciology SBTi