News from the Columbia Climate School

Author: Renée Cho18

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 »

Rebuilding After Hurricane Sandy

In June 2013, the Rebuild by Design competition was launched to find innovative solutions to the vulnerabilities of the region that Sandy exposed. The six winning projects were chosen for their excellence in design and resilience, and engagement with local communities. How will they protect their communities?
Toxic Chemicals All Around Us: Is Green Chemistry the Answer?

We live in a world filled with synthetic chemicals, many with known or suspected health hazards. Can green chemistry, the design of chemical products without hazardous substances, provide a solution?
The Greening of China

China became the world’s largest carbon polluter in 2006, surpassing the U.S. But it is also rapidly going green through cutting coal use, investing heavily in renewable energy and launching the world’s largest carbon trading system.
What Do Wildfires Have to Do with Climate Change?

“Climate change has been making the fire season in the United States longer and on average more intense,” said John Holdren, President Obama’s science advisor. And, wildfires are not only intensified by climate change, they also exacerbate it.
Revitalizing Africa’s Soils

To feed our burgeoning global population, the world has to at least double crop yields by 2050, by improving seeds of high yielding crops and cultivating healthy fertile soils. A new on-the-spot soil testing kit will help meet this challenge.
How Climate Change Is Exacerbating the Spread of Disease

Contagious diseases are on the rise as a result of climate change and other rapid environmental and social changes. A number of climate-sensitive diseases are expected to worsen with higher temperatures and more extreme weather.
Solving the Mysteries of Carbon Dioxide

About 50 percent of the CO2 produced by human activity remains in the atmosphere, warming the planet. But scientists don’t know where and how oceans and plants have absorbed the rest of the manmade CO2. To try to answer these questions, on July 2, 2014, NASA launched the $468 million Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2 (OCO-2), its…
Making Progress on Deforestation

In 2005, Brazil was losing more forest each year than any other country. Today, Brazil has reduced deforestation in the Amazon by 70 percent. Seventeen countries across four continents have also shown progress in reducing tropical deforestation. But there is still a long way to go.
The Fracking Facts

Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, the controversial method for extracting natural gas, has become a hot button issue across the U.S. But let’s try to look objectively at its benefits and risks.

Rebuilding After Hurricane Sandy

In June 2013, the Rebuild by Design competition was launched to find innovative solutions to the vulnerabilities of the region that Sandy exposed. The six winning projects were chosen for their excellence in design and resilience, and engagement with local communities. How will they protect their communities?
Toxic Chemicals All Around Us: Is Green Chemistry the Answer?

We live in a world filled with synthetic chemicals, many with known or suspected health hazards. Can green chemistry, the design of chemical products without hazardous substances, provide a solution?
The Greening of China

China became the world’s largest carbon polluter in 2006, surpassing the U.S. But it is also rapidly going green through cutting coal use, investing heavily in renewable energy and launching the world’s largest carbon trading system.
What Do Wildfires Have to Do with Climate Change?

“Climate change has been making the fire season in the United States longer and on average more intense,” said John Holdren, President Obama’s science advisor. And, wildfires are not only intensified by climate change, they also exacerbate it.
Revitalizing Africa’s Soils

To feed our burgeoning global population, the world has to at least double crop yields by 2050, by improving seeds of high yielding crops and cultivating healthy fertile soils. A new on-the-spot soil testing kit will help meet this challenge.
How Climate Change Is Exacerbating the Spread of Disease

Contagious diseases are on the rise as a result of climate change and other rapid environmental and social changes. A number of climate-sensitive diseases are expected to worsen with higher temperatures and more extreme weather.
Solving the Mysteries of Carbon Dioxide

About 50 percent of the CO2 produced by human activity remains in the atmosphere, warming the planet. But scientists don’t know where and how oceans and plants have absorbed the rest of the manmade CO2. To try to answer these questions, on July 2, 2014, NASA launched the $468 million Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2 (OCO-2), its…
Making Progress on Deforestation

In 2005, Brazil was losing more forest each year than any other country. Today, Brazil has reduced deforestation in the Amazon by 70 percent. Seventeen countries across four continents have also shown progress in reducing tropical deforestation. But there is still a long way to go.
The Fracking Facts

Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, the controversial method for extracting natural gas, has become a hot button issue across the U.S. But let’s try to look objectively at its benefits and risks.