News from the Columbia Climate School

Author: Renée Cho17

Renee Cho is a regular contributor to the Columbia Climate School. She has written over 200 articles for State of the Planet on a broad range of topics. She was previously published by www.insideclimatenews.com, and other environmental magazines. Renee was Communications Coordinator for Riverkeeper, the Hudson River environmental organization. She received the Executive Education Certificate in Conservation and Sustainability from the Earth Institute Center for Environmental Sustainability. Follow me on Twitter: @ReneeCho_ Visit website »

The Race for Better Batteries

The worldwide transition from fossil fuels to renewable sources of energy is under way, but to integrate all this variable power into the grid, battery storage is key. Researchers around the world are working on developing better and cheaper batteries.
H. James Simpson; Tracked Pollutants in the Hudson and Far Beyond

H. James Simpson, a geochemist who pioneered important studies of water pollutants in the Hudson River and abroad, died May 10. He had been affiliated with Columbia University’s Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory for 50 years. The cause was Parkinson’s disease, said his family; he was 72.
Putting Knowledge to Work in the Real World: The Capstone Projects

The study of sustainability management and environmental policy is put to the test when applied to solving real world problems. Students in Columbia University’s Master of Science in Sustainability Management and Master of Public Administration in Environmental Science and Policy programs presented their final capstone projects done for real clients.
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?
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.
Paying to Protect the Environment

Ecosystems provide humankind with food, fuel and fiber; they help clean the air and water, control flooding and regulate climate. Now, a group of scientists has laid out guidelines to gauge how effective we are at setting a price on such benefits of nature.
As Los Angeles Heats Up, Fog Fades

A new study has found that urbanization around coastal Southern California is driving fog away and causing the low clouds, crucial for providing shade and moderating temperatures in summer, to rise. This trend has important implications for ecosystems and cities.
Report Forecasts Worsening Climate Hazards for Region

A new report gives a worrisome picture of climate-related problems the New York region will likely face this century. Temperatures are projected to rise, extreme precipitation and heat waves will be more frequent, and sea level could rise as much as 6 feet.
Climate Change Poses Challenges to Plants and Animals

Because of climate change, spring, summer, fall and winter in the temperate zones are all arriving on average 1.7 days earlier than they ever have before. The changing climate with its more extreme weather is affecting many plant and animal species, disturbing their habitat and disrupting ecosystem functioning. How will plants and animals deal with…

The Race for Better Batteries

The worldwide transition from fossil fuels to renewable sources of energy is under way, but to integrate all this variable power into the grid, battery storage is key. Researchers around the world are working on developing better and cheaper batteries.
H. James Simpson; Tracked Pollutants in the Hudson and Far Beyond

H. James Simpson, a geochemist who pioneered important studies of water pollutants in the Hudson River and abroad, died May 10. He had been affiliated with Columbia University’s Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory for 50 years. The cause was Parkinson’s disease, said his family; he was 72.
Putting Knowledge to Work in the Real World: The Capstone Projects

The study of sustainability management and environmental policy is put to the test when applied to solving real world problems. Students in Columbia University’s Master of Science in Sustainability Management and Master of Public Administration in Environmental Science and Policy programs presented their final capstone projects done for real clients.
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?
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.
Paying to Protect the Environment

Ecosystems provide humankind with food, fuel and fiber; they help clean the air and water, control flooding and regulate climate. Now, a group of scientists has laid out guidelines to gauge how effective we are at setting a price on such benefits of nature.
As Los Angeles Heats Up, Fog Fades

A new study has found that urbanization around coastal Southern California is driving fog away and causing the low clouds, crucial for providing shade and moderating temperatures in summer, to rise. This trend has important implications for ecosystems and cities.
Report Forecasts Worsening Climate Hazards for Region

A new report gives a worrisome picture of climate-related problems the New York region will likely face this century. Temperatures are projected to rise, extreme precipitation and heat waves will be more frequent, and sea level could rise as much as 6 feet.
Climate Change Poses Challenges to Plants and Animals

Because of climate change, spring, summer, fall and winter in the temperate zones are all arriving on average 1.7 days earlier than they ever have before. The changing climate with its more extreme weather is affecting many plant and animal species, disturbing their habitat and disrupting ecosystem functioning. How will plants and animals deal with…