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Cities Can Lead Nations
By Cynthia Rosenzweig At the Copenhagen climate summit, nations must answer a call for action—but local governments may help show the way. Climate change is no longer predicted; it has arrived. A plethora of studies shows that global changes in physical and biological systems are being caused by human-induced warming. Building on the 2007 Intergovernmental…
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Our Leaders Can Run, But They Can’t Hide
As the nations of the world prepare to meet in Denmark, there is some well publicized noise being emitted to lower expectations for a climate treaty. The United States and China—the two largest emitters of greenhouse gases, with over 40% of the world’s pollutant load–appear to be at the center of this effort at political…
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In the spirit of Thanksgiving….
The Columbia Water Center has spent the last two years pursuing its commitment to research on global water scarcity, in 15 countries on 5 continents across the world. In this age of extensive social media networks, it seems a daunting task to reach all those who have helped and supported us…. So we offer this…
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30 Rock and Responsible Energy Use
NBC’s Green Week 2009 featured an entertaining energy challenge for the characters of 30 Rock, when Jack tasks Kenneth and the office with reducing the show’s energy consumption by five per cent. Here are some highlights of how characters committed to help the cause. Liz Lemon: Agrees to remove the mini fridge from her office…
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Osmotic power — prospect of sustainable energy, or water liability?
Today, Statkraft, a company in Norway, opened the world’s first osmotic power plant—a model of a sustainable energy system which uses osmosis to harness the energy of fresh water’s natural movement toward salt water through a membrane. The idea for power generated through the movement of water, due to osmosis through a specially designed membrane,…
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Alissa Park – Lenfest Junior Professor in Applied Climate Science
When rising star Ah-Hyung Alissa Park was invited to come to Columbia University to give a seminar on her work in sustainable energy and the mineral sequestration of carbon dioxide, she knew she was being interviewed, but she did not know about the offer she would soon receive to be the Lenfest Junior Professor in…
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Four Times Around the World in 40 Days
For the first time in more than 40 days, the nose of the NASA DC-8 is pointing north after taking off from Punta Arenas airport. We have completed our Antarctic survey flights and are heading back home to Palmdale, California. But before we start climbing to cruising altitude we are flying at 300 ft above…
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Climate News Roundup – Week of 11/22
Industrialized Nations Unveil Plans to Rein in Emissions, The New York Times A succession of countries in the U.N. makes national pledges to reduce emissions in a hopeful precursor to climate negotiations in December. Mr. de Boer, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change executive secretary, identified targets from every major developed country except…
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Agriculture and its Discontents: Greenhouse Gas Emissions
In 1943, Norman Borlaug began his research into new varieties of wheat that could feed the burgeoning population of Mexico. Invited by the Mexican government and funded largely by international philanthropic organizations, Borlaug’s research began what we now refer to as the Green Revolution. Over the next 13 years, Mexico became agriculturally self-sufficient, and in…
AGU25, the premier Earth and space science conference, takes place December 15-19, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana. This year’s theme—Where Science Connects Us—puts in focus how science depends on connection, from the lab to the field to the ballot box. Once again, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory and Columbia Climate School scientists, experts, students, and educators are playing an active role, sharing our research and helping shape the future of our planet. #AGU25 Learn More