State of the Planet

News from the Columbia Climate School

201226

  • Imaging the Cascadia Subduction Zone

    Imaging the Cascadia Subduction Zone

    In the research expedition now underway, we will investigate the Juan de Fuca plate before it disappears under North America to understand why earthquakes happen where and when they do within the Cascadia subduction zone off the Pacific Northwest. Our ship, the R/V Marcus G. Langseth, is one of 25 research vessels available to U.S.…

  • Bringing Access to Safe Water in Ceará, Brazil: PepsiCo Foundation and the Columbia Water Center to Participate in Rio+20

    Bringing Access to Safe Water in Ceará, Brazil: PepsiCo Foundation and the Columbia Water Center to Participate in Rio+20

    The work of the PepsiCo Foundation and the Columbia Water Center in Ceara, Brazil, provides a case study in the role public-private partnerships in the sustainable management of water sources.

  • Finally – Some true Turkish Delight! Discovery of some tasty oaks

    Finally – Some true Turkish Delight! Discovery of some tasty oaks

    After a few days of mild frustration, the sampling of potentially old umbrella pine lifted our spirits and put us in a good frame of mind to conduct our last day of research in the temperate rainforest region of northeastern Turkey. We headed out of Borçka and met with a forest officer in charge of forests…

  • Water Risks for Industry in India – New Report from Columbia Water Center

    Water Risks for Industry in India – New Report from Columbia Water Center

    Companies globally are increasingly focused on the emerging risk of water scarcity, and so are their investors. The combination of rising populations, rapid economic growth in developing countries, and climate variability is triggering enormous water availability challenges around the world. We are at a critical juncture where the crises of food, energy and water, commodity…

  • Linking Environmental Governance and Peacebuilding at Rio

    Linking Environmental Governance and Peacebuilding at Rio

    As world leaders gather next week for Rio+20, they would do well to bear in mind the core importance of governance of natural resources in the route to peace and stability.

  • Burma at a Crossroads for Peace-Building and Natural Resource Governance

    Burma at a Crossroads for Peace-Building and Natural Resource Governance

    After a half century of authoritarian rule, armed conflict against millions of ethnic minorities, and natural resource plunder, Burma, also known as Myanmar, now stands at a crossroads. As conditions for peace coalesce and civil society begins to blossom, there is hope once more for Burma’s people. A new set of challenges emerge, however, around…

  • Earth Institute Fall 2012 Internships

    This fall, the Earth Institute, Columbia University is offering Columbia students opportunities to intern within various departments and research centers at the Earth Institute. All full-time Columbia and Barnard students are eligible to apply for internships. These internships are funded at a rate of $15/hr for 10 hours per week and up to a maximum…

  • Daniel Hillel, Originator of High-Efficiency Irrigation, to Receive World Food Prize

    Daniel Hillel, Originator of High-Efficiency Irrigation, to Receive World Food Prize

    Daniel Hillel, an adjunct senior scientist at Columbia University’s Earth Institute, has been awarded the World Food Prize for his work in conceiving and promoting water-saving methods that have increased crop production on arid lands in 30 countries.

  • Investigating Giant, Unseen Landslides

    Investigating Giant, Unseen Landslides

    Steep mountains produce some of the biggest landslides on earth but in such rugged terrain who’s around to notice? These monster back country slides are now gaining attention from far-away scientists, aided by a global network of seismic stations, earth-orbiting satellites and the crowd-sourcing power of the internet.

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

  • Imaging the Cascadia Subduction Zone

    Imaging the Cascadia Subduction Zone

    In the research expedition now underway, we will investigate the Juan de Fuca plate before it disappears under North America to understand why earthquakes happen where and when they do within the Cascadia subduction zone off the Pacific Northwest. Our ship, the R/V Marcus G. Langseth, is one of 25 research vessels available to U.S.…

  • Bringing Access to Safe Water in Ceará, Brazil: PepsiCo Foundation and the Columbia Water Center to Participate in Rio+20

    Bringing Access to Safe Water in Ceará, Brazil: PepsiCo Foundation and the Columbia Water Center to Participate in Rio+20

    The work of the PepsiCo Foundation and the Columbia Water Center in Ceara, Brazil, provides a case study in the role public-private partnerships in the sustainable management of water sources.

  • Finally – Some true Turkish Delight! Discovery of some tasty oaks

    Finally – Some true Turkish Delight! Discovery of some tasty oaks

    After a few days of mild frustration, the sampling of potentially old umbrella pine lifted our spirits and put us in a good frame of mind to conduct our last day of research in the temperate rainforest region of northeastern Turkey. We headed out of Borçka and met with a forest officer in charge of forests…

  • Water Risks for Industry in India – New Report from Columbia Water Center

    Water Risks for Industry in India – New Report from Columbia Water Center

    Companies globally are increasingly focused on the emerging risk of water scarcity, and so are their investors. The combination of rising populations, rapid economic growth in developing countries, and climate variability is triggering enormous water availability challenges around the world. We are at a critical juncture where the crises of food, energy and water, commodity…

  • Linking Environmental Governance and Peacebuilding at Rio

    Linking Environmental Governance and Peacebuilding at Rio

    As world leaders gather next week for Rio+20, they would do well to bear in mind the core importance of governance of natural resources in the route to peace and stability.

  • Burma at a Crossroads for Peace-Building and Natural Resource Governance

    Burma at a Crossroads for Peace-Building and Natural Resource Governance

    After a half century of authoritarian rule, armed conflict against millions of ethnic minorities, and natural resource plunder, Burma, also known as Myanmar, now stands at a crossroads. As conditions for peace coalesce and civil society begins to blossom, there is hope once more for Burma’s people. A new set of challenges emerge, however, around…

  • Earth Institute Fall 2012 Internships

    This fall, the Earth Institute, Columbia University is offering Columbia students opportunities to intern within various departments and research centers at the Earth Institute. All full-time Columbia and Barnard students are eligible to apply for internships. These internships are funded at a rate of $15/hr for 10 hours per week and up to a maximum…

  • Daniel Hillel, Originator of High-Efficiency Irrigation, to Receive World Food Prize

    Daniel Hillel, Originator of High-Efficiency Irrigation, to Receive World Food Prize

    Daniel Hillel, an adjunct senior scientist at Columbia University’s Earth Institute, has been awarded the World Food Prize for his work in conceiving and promoting water-saving methods that have increased crop production on arid lands in 30 countries.

  • Investigating Giant, Unseen Landslides

    Investigating Giant, Unseen Landslides

    Steep mountains produce some of the biggest landslides on earth but in such rugged terrain who’s around to notice? These monster back country slides are now gaining attention from far-away scientists, aided by a global network of seismic stations, earth-orbiting satellites and the crowd-sourcing power of the internet.