Arun Agrawal

June 23, 2026

The researchers analyzed climate modeling and observed temperatures alongside demographic and health survey data from 2004-2020 for 34 African countries. They determined that every 1 degree Celsius of global temperature rise associated with human activities linked directly to a 3.45% increase in childhood stunting. That equates to close to 7 million children, said Arun Agrawal, one of the study's co-authors and director of Notre Dame's Just Transformations to Sustainability Initiative. “It's a significant proportion of the population being affected, and it's a significant effect on their life chances after they're born,” he told EarthBeat.

April 02, 2026

Amid the scenic papal gardens outside Rome in early March, the Vatican and the University of Notre Dame launched a new global sustainability initiative to apply Catholic principles to addressing climate change and other ecological threats facing the planet. Holy Cross Fr. Robert Dowd, president of the Catholic university in Indiana, said in a statement that the alliance left its inaugural meeting "with a renewed sense of purpose and hope" and that its efforts reflect "the deep connections between environmental sustainability and human dignity and flourishing." A central figure was Holy Cross Fr. Daniel Groody, vice president and associate provost for undergraduate education at the University of Notre Dame. They were later joined by Arun Agrawal, a renowned scholar of environmental politics and sustainability who in January 2025 became the founding director of Notre Dame's Just Transformations to Sustainability Initiative, which leads the university's efforts around food, energy, water and infrastructure.