Starting in 2010, ODU's Climate Change and Sea Level Rise Initiative (CCSLRI) facilitated research and education in all aspects of climate change and sea level rise. Because of our location there is special emphasis on adaptation to increased flooding because of sea level rise. There are many other aspects of climate change affecting coastal cities such as public health or disaster preparedness that the initiative also addressed.

"The Old Dominion University Climate Change and Sea Level Rise Initiative will bring the university and the region's foremost experts together to find solutions to the challenges facing our region and other regions globally." -- President John Broderick, August 24, 2010

In 2014, CCSLRI established the Mitigation and Adaptation Research Institute (MARI).