March 20162
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The Damaging Effects of Black Carbon
Air pollution, both outdoors and indoors, causes millions of premature deaths each year. The deaths are mainly caused by the inhalation of particulate matter, especially black carbon. But black carbon not only has impacts on human health, it also affects visibility, harms ecosystems, reduces agricultural productivity and exacerbates global warming.
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The Presidency and Sustainability
The president’s accomplishments are particularly noteworthy given the toxic political environment he must operate within. Flint, Michigan’s water crisis provides an example of how partisan politics is dominating federal environmental policy.
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Scientists Say Many Plants Don’t Respond to Warming as Thought
From Tundra to New York Exurbs and Tropics, New Data Lowers Estimates of Carbon Release
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Global Warming Pushes Wines Into Uncharted Terroir
Heat Has Decoupled French Grapes from Old Weather Patterns
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Finding Microfossils off Southern Africa
Expedition 361’s newest sediment cores brought up spectacular foraminifera—translucent, glassy and “very pretty” throughout the ocean sediment.
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Californians Are Ready for Recycled Water
Water reuse is a proven technology that can produce a drought-proof sustainable water supply. Yet historically, there has been some reluctance to adopt it here in the United States. Xylem commissioned a poll to try to better understand perceptions about recycled water in drought-stricken California. And the findings were eye-opening.
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MPA-ESP Students Attend UN World Wildlife Day
Columbia MPA Environmental Science and Policy Program students were excited to attend the celebration of World Wildlife Day on March 3 at the UN Headquarters here in New York.
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The Impact of the Internet in China
On March 7, 2016, Charles Chen, co-founder of China’s largest internet service portal, Tencent, gave a presentation on the impact of the internet on Chinese society. He talked about everything from the economic impacts of the internet, to education models that use mobile internet platforms.

By studying thousands of buildings and analyzing their electricity use, Columbia Climate School Dean Alexis Abramson has been able to uncover ways to significantly cut energy consumption and emissions. Watch the Video: “Engineering a Cooler Future Through Smarter Buildings“

