Author: Columbia Climate School

Swimming Toward a Constitutional Right for Nature

M.A. in Climate and Society student Christopher Swain swims long, polluted rivers to advocate for clean water and environmental justice.
Societies Are Unprepared for the Human Costs of Climate Overshoot

While scientists have made progress describing overshoot’s physical impacts, its humanitarian and social consequences need greater focus, say the authors.
Reducing Arsenic in Drinking Water Cuts Risk of Death, Even After Years of Chronic Exposure

Published today in JAMA, a 20-year study of nearly 11,000 adults in Bangladesh found that lowering arsenic levels in drinking water reduced the risk of death from chronic illnesses, compared with continued exposure.
What Really Happened on Easter Island? Ancient Sediments Rewrite the “Ecocide” Story

A new study challenges long-held narratives of societal “collapse,” instead showing that Rapanui communities adapted to profound climate stress with resilience and innovation.
Earth’s Continents Stabilized Due to Furnace-Like Heat, Study Reveals

The new discovery has implications beyond geologic history, such as the search for critical minerals and habitable planets beyond Earth.
Nine Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory Researchers Honored by Leading Scientific Organizations

Scientists connected with the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, which is part of the Columbia Climate School, received notable accolades from renowned national and international research societies this fall.
How Hard Is It to Dim the Sun?

Solar radiation management is gaining traction as a climate intervention—but new research warns that real-world constraints make it riskier and more uncertain than most models suggest.
A New Study Indicates Forest Regeneration Provides Climate Benefits, but Won’t Offset Fossil Fuels

Effective climate policy must treat forest regeneration and emissions reductions as complementary strategies, not alternatives, according to a new paper.
Archaeologist Kristina Douglass Named 2025 MacArthur Fellow

Douglass’s research uses lessons from the past to help communities understand how to adapt to climate change.

Swimming Toward a Constitutional Right for Nature

M.A. in Climate and Society student Christopher Swain swims long, polluted rivers to advocate for clean water and environmental justice.
Societies Are Unprepared for the Human Costs of Climate Overshoot

While scientists have made progress describing overshoot’s physical impacts, its humanitarian and social consequences need greater focus, say the authors.
Reducing Arsenic in Drinking Water Cuts Risk of Death, Even After Years of Chronic Exposure

Published today in JAMA, a 20-year study of nearly 11,000 adults in Bangladesh found that lowering arsenic levels in drinking water reduced the risk of death from chronic illnesses, compared with continued exposure.
What Really Happened on Easter Island? Ancient Sediments Rewrite the “Ecocide” Story

A new study challenges long-held narratives of societal “collapse,” instead showing that Rapanui communities adapted to profound climate stress with resilience and innovation.
Earth’s Continents Stabilized Due to Furnace-Like Heat, Study Reveals

The new discovery has implications beyond geologic history, such as the search for critical minerals and habitable planets beyond Earth.
Nine Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory Researchers Honored by Leading Scientific Organizations

Scientists connected with the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, which is part of the Columbia Climate School, received notable accolades from renowned national and international research societies this fall.
How Hard Is It to Dim the Sun?

Solar radiation management is gaining traction as a climate intervention—but new research warns that real-world constraints make it riskier and more uncertain than most models suggest.
A New Study Indicates Forest Regeneration Provides Climate Benefits, but Won’t Offset Fossil Fuels

Effective climate policy must treat forest regeneration and emissions reductions as complementary strategies, not alternatives, according to a new paper.
Archaeologist Kristina Douglass Named 2025 MacArthur Fellow

Douglass’s research uses lessons from the past to help communities understand how to adapt to climate change.