State of the Planet

News from the Columbia Climate School

Author: Adrian Soghoian2

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  • Climate News Roundup – Week of 9/19

    Denver to Barcelona: Global Cities and Greenhouse Gas Emissions, ScienceDaily ACS’ Environmental Science & Technology is publishing a new study in October identifying which cities are producing the greatest levels of greenhouse gases. Denver was number one on the list, followed by Los Angeles, Toronto, Cape Town, and Bangkok. Researchers identified high electricity and heating…

  • Climate News Roundup – Week of 9/12

    Schwarzenegger Boosts Clean Energy Plan, Reuters Governor Schwarzenegger issues executive order S-21-09, directing the California Air Resources Board to adopt regulations that would increase California’s Renewable Portfolio Standard to 33% of its power from renewable resources by 2020. Although the 33% standard was first established last year, S-21-09 aims to streamline the regulatory process and…

  • Plasma Gasification: A Solution to the Waste Disposal Dilemma?

    Plasma Gasification: A Solution to the Waste Disposal Dilemma?

    Waste not, Want not? The source of this proverb is unknown, but I’m going to hazard a guess and say it wasn’t your average (modern) American. I say this because your average American runs through 56 tons of trash a year – including 500 plastic cups and 650 pounds of paper. If we were to…

  • Nuclear Dark Ages? Or Nuclear Renaissance?

    “I know that vibration wasn’t normal” Jack Lemmon famously uttered these words in the 70s blockbuster The China Syndrome in reference to unusual activity taking place at his nuclear reactor. Lemmon, a shift supervisor at the plant, uncovers alarming evidence that the plant is fundamentally unsound and demands that it be shut down. His concerns…

  • Deutsche Bank Launches Carbon Counter

    Deutsche Bank launched the first real-time carbon counter Thursday morning, taking advantage of the unusually rainy weather to underscore the importance of communicating climate change awareness. Located across 33rd street from Penn Station and Madison Square Garden, the Carbon Counter displays the running total of long-lived greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Deutsche Bank Asset Management…

  • Climate & Terrorism – Linked?

    Dennis Blair is a serious man. A retired, four-star admiral with a legendary knack for water skiing behind his warships, the multi-talented Blair currently serves as the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) under President Obama. This position oversees the 16 national intelligence agencies, coordinating their efforts while informing the policy makers – including the President,…

  • Adaptive Strategies in Managing Climate Change Risk

    With the threat of rising sea level due to thermal expansion (water increases volume as it gets warmer) and melting of land-based ice (such as glaciers and polar ice sheets), coastal cities are planning ways to minimize the impacts of flooding on city infrastructure. The Thames Barrier (pictured) is one such engineering solution. It is…

  • Climate News Roundup – Week of 9/19

    Denver to Barcelona: Global Cities and Greenhouse Gas Emissions, ScienceDaily ACS’ Environmental Science & Technology is publishing a new study in October identifying which cities are producing the greatest levels of greenhouse gases. Denver was number one on the list, followed by Los Angeles, Toronto, Cape Town, and Bangkok. Researchers identified high electricity and heating…

  • Climate News Roundup – Week of 9/12

    Schwarzenegger Boosts Clean Energy Plan, Reuters Governor Schwarzenegger issues executive order S-21-09, directing the California Air Resources Board to adopt regulations that would increase California’s Renewable Portfolio Standard to 33% of its power from renewable resources by 2020. Although the 33% standard was first established last year, S-21-09 aims to streamline the regulatory process and…

  • Plasma Gasification: A Solution to the Waste Disposal Dilemma?

    Plasma Gasification: A Solution to the Waste Disposal Dilemma?

    Waste not, Want not? The source of this proverb is unknown, but I’m going to hazard a guess and say it wasn’t your average (modern) American. I say this because your average American runs through 56 tons of trash a year – including 500 plastic cups and 650 pounds of paper. If we were to…

  • Nuclear Dark Ages? Or Nuclear Renaissance?

    “I know that vibration wasn’t normal” Jack Lemmon famously uttered these words in the 70s blockbuster The China Syndrome in reference to unusual activity taking place at his nuclear reactor. Lemmon, a shift supervisor at the plant, uncovers alarming evidence that the plant is fundamentally unsound and demands that it be shut down. His concerns…

  • Deutsche Bank Launches Carbon Counter

    Deutsche Bank launched the first real-time carbon counter Thursday morning, taking advantage of the unusually rainy weather to underscore the importance of communicating climate change awareness. Located across 33rd street from Penn Station and Madison Square Garden, the Carbon Counter displays the running total of long-lived greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Deutsche Bank Asset Management…

  • Climate & Terrorism – Linked?

    Dennis Blair is a serious man. A retired, four-star admiral with a legendary knack for water skiing behind his warships, the multi-talented Blair currently serves as the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) under President Obama. This position oversees the 16 national intelligence agencies, coordinating their efforts while informing the policy makers – including the President,…

  • Adaptive Strategies in Managing Climate Change Risk

    With the threat of rising sea level due to thermal expansion (water increases volume as it gets warmer) and melting of land-based ice (such as glaciers and polar ice sheets), coastal cities are planning ways to minimize the impacts of flooding on city infrastructure. The Thames Barrier (pictured) is one such engineering solution. It is…