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Unforeseen Dangers in a Global Food System
Michael Puma considers what can happen when events such as long-lasting droughts or volcanic explosions interrupt production of these crops. He has begun to assess the fragility of the intricate network of trade relationships that move important basic food items across national borders.
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MPA Student Hopes to Bridge Gaps in Environmental Policy
For Adrian Ang, the MPA in Environmental Science and Policy program presents a unique blend of skills that he hopes to apply to a future career in environmental policy and leadership.
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From PlaNYC to OneNYC: New York’s Evolving Sustainability Policy
How do we encourage the wealthy to participate in our real estate market without driving out the rest of us? How can the city tax some of the new real estate wealth to provide housing subsidies for working New Yorkers?
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Taking a 4,000-Meter-Deep Profile of Antarctic Waters
In addition to understanding potential pathways for “warmer” circumpolar deep water to reach the ice shelf, we are also measuring what the structure and properties of the water column are and determining if there is already warmer water on or near the continental shelf that could already interact with the glaciers of East Antarctica today.
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Lamont-Doherty to Manage U.S. Ocean Drilling Program
Columbia University’s Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory has signed a $35 million, five-year cooperative agreement with the U.S. National Science Foundation to manage scientific support services for U.S. scientists studying the world’s ocean floors.
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Why Happiness Is Important
The World Happiness Report 2015 measures and ranks the happiness of individuals in 158 countries around the globe. Which countries are the happiest and why?
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Goddard Institute to Aid Search for Life on Distant Worlds
Despite its name, the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies has in recent years concentrated on planet Earth–mainly, its widely used computer models used by scientists around the world to measure and predict the impact of greenhouse gases on climate. This week NASA announced that the Earth Institute-affiliated center will also play a leading role…
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As a Leading Environmental Organization Closes, Its Leader is Upbeat
Lester Brown, the global environmental leader, turned 81 this year and is closing The Earth Policy Institute, the environmental research organization he founded in 2001. His new book “The Great Transition” asserts that the world is shifting from fossil fuels to solar and wind energy.
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A Climate Battle Cry for Earth Day
A group of 17 renowned scientists from around the world are appealing for dramatic action to forestall the worst effects of climate change, issuing an “Earth Statement” that calls for a world powered with zero carbon emissions by mid-century.

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
