State of the Planet

News from the Columbia Climate School

201113

  • Ecological and Urban Resilience

    Ecological and Urban Resilience

    Resilience science has been evolving over the past decade, expanding beyond ecology to reflect systems of thinking in fields such as economics and political science. And, as more and more people move into densely populated cities, using massive amounts of water, energy, and other resources, the need to combine these disciplines to consider the resilience…

  • The 7 Billion Challenge

    The 7 Billion Challenge

    The rapid rise in the world’s population to 7 billion — from 6 billion a dozen years ago — poses enormous challenges. In this video, Earth Institute Director Jeffrey D. Sachs talks about the stresses our population already puts on the planet, and the mission of the institute to promote sustainable development.

  • Ban Ki-moon, George Soros and Other Partners Show Support for Millennium Villages

    Ban Ki-moon, George Soros and Other Partners Show Support for Millennium Villages

    Yesterday at United Nations headquarters in New York, the Millennium Villages Project announced it would move into the second phase of its work with a focus on business development, increasing investments, scaling up, and strengthening delivery systems as it continues on track to meet the Millennium Development Goals by 2015. More than $72 million in…

  • Join a Conversation About 7 Billion People

    Join a Conversation About 7 Billion People

    The world’s population will reach 7 billion this year, and the UN estimates continued growth, primarily in less-developed regions. What will this steep population growth mean for our environmental, economic and social systems? Join the conversation on Oct. 17.

  • Cycle of Abuse Among Nazca Boobies

    Cycle of Abuse Among Nazca Boobies

    Researchers studying Nazca boobies of the Galápagos Islands found high correlations between degree of aggressive behavior among adults and the amount of abuse they endured as nestlings. The findings have implications for those who study human psychology and behavior, as some social scientists argue that abused children are statistically more likely to become abusers later…

  • Business, cooperative training to boost Millennium Villages

    Business, cooperative training to boost Millennium Villages

    With up to $20 million in business loans pledged by long-term Millennium Villages Project supporter George Soros, phase two of the project will focus on boosting local businesses to help communities achieve the Millennium Development Goals by the 2015 deadline, and empower them with sustainable incomes to pay for their own needs way beyond this…

  • Polyandrous Mouse Lemurs – The Larger the Better

    Polyandrous Mouse Lemurs – The Larger the Better

    Researchers report that larger female mouse lemurs mate with more male partners at once than smaller females. The findings have implications for polyandry and other mating systems.

  • Sustainability Student Explains How “Smart Buildings” Are Better

    Sustainability Student Explains How “Smart Buildings” Are Better

    Building energy consumption is an important sustainability and economic issue, as buildings account for 40% of all energy consumed. In a recently published paper, M.S. in Sustainability Management student, Greg Falco, explains how Smart Buildings help address these issues, using data analytics to troubleshoot building system inefficiencies that result in unnecessary energy costs.

  • What are the Keystone XL Pipeline Risks to Water Resources?

    What are the Keystone XL Pipeline Risks to Water Resources?

    One of the issues most passionately discussed now in the media and blogosphere is the KeystoneXL Pipeline proposal, to allow Canadian oil and gas company TransCanada to build a pipeline to transfer tar sands oil from Alberta to Texas. So what are the arguments?

Photo of the Earth from space with the text "Lamont at AGU25" on top.

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

  • Ecological and Urban Resilience

    Ecological and Urban Resilience

    Resilience science has been evolving over the past decade, expanding beyond ecology to reflect systems of thinking in fields such as economics and political science. And, as more and more people move into densely populated cities, using massive amounts of water, energy, and other resources, the need to combine these disciplines to consider the resilience…

  • The 7 Billion Challenge

    The 7 Billion Challenge

    The rapid rise in the world’s population to 7 billion — from 6 billion a dozen years ago — poses enormous challenges. In this video, Earth Institute Director Jeffrey D. Sachs talks about the stresses our population already puts on the planet, and the mission of the institute to promote sustainable development.

  • Ban Ki-moon, George Soros and Other Partners Show Support for Millennium Villages

    Ban Ki-moon, George Soros and Other Partners Show Support for Millennium Villages

    Yesterday at United Nations headquarters in New York, the Millennium Villages Project announced it would move into the second phase of its work with a focus on business development, increasing investments, scaling up, and strengthening delivery systems as it continues on track to meet the Millennium Development Goals by 2015. More than $72 million in…

  • Join a Conversation About 7 Billion People

    Join a Conversation About 7 Billion People

    The world’s population will reach 7 billion this year, and the UN estimates continued growth, primarily in less-developed regions. What will this steep population growth mean for our environmental, economic and social systems? Join the conversation on Oct. 17.

  • Cycle of Abuse Among Nazca Boobies

    Cycle of Abuse Among Nazca Boobies

    Researchers studying Nazca boobies of the Galápagos Islands found high correlations between degree of aggressive behavior among adults and the amount of abuse they endured as nestlings. The findings have implications for those who study human psychology and behavior, as some social scientists argue that abused children are statistically more likely to become abusers later…

  • Business, cooperative training to boost Millennium Villages

    Business, cooperative training to boost Millennium Villages

    With up to $20 million in business loans pledged by long-term Millennium Villages Project supporter George Soros, phase two of the project will focus on boosting local businesses to help communities achieve the Millennium Development Goals by the 2015 deadline, and empower them with sustainable incomes to pay for their own needs way beyond this…

  • Polyandrous Mouse Lemurs – The Larger the Better

    Polyandrous Mouse Lemurs – The Larger the Better

    Researchers report that larger female mouse lemurs mate with more male partners at once than smaller females. The findings have implications for polyandry and other mating systems.

  • Sustainability Student Explains How “Smart Buildings” Are Better

    Sustainability Student Explains How “Smart Buildings” Are Better

    Building energy consumption is an important sustainability and economic issue, as buildings account for 40% of all energy consumed. In a recently published paper, M.S. in Sustainability Management student, Greg Falco, explains how Smart Buildings help address these issues, using data analytics to troubleshoot building system inefficiencies that result in unnecessary energy costs.

  • What are the Keystone XL Pipeline Risks to Water Resources?

    What are the Keystone XL Pipeline Risks to Water Resources?

    One of the issues most passionately discussed now in the media and blogosphere is the KeystoneXL Pipeline proposal, to allow Canadian oil and gas company TransCanada to build a pipeline to transfer tar sands oil from Alberta to Texas. So what are the arguments?