State of the Planet

News from the Columbia Climate School

Agriculture24

  • Executive Training on Sustainable Investments in Agriculture

    Executive Training on Sustainable Investments in Agriculture

    Increased investment in agriculture is critical. In a world confronting anticipated increases in food demand arising from a growing world population and changing diets, as well as potential decreases in food supply due to climatic changes and water scarcity, agricultural investment will prove crucial to addressing food security needs in the future. In addition, increased…

  • Honduran Farmers Help Design Insurance Against Climate Risks

    Honduran Farmers Help Design Insurance Against Climate Risks

    The International Research Institute for Climate and Society and local Honduran partners have been working to identify and implement farmer-driven, development-focused climate risk solutions. Through interactive exercises, grain farmers have worked together with the team of experts since 2014 to design and tailor index insurance in the pilot region of El Paraíso, Honduras. This video…

  • Facing the Challenges for Women in Science

    Facing the Challenges for Women in Science

    Women scientists in the developing world face particular challenges tied to their societies’ cultures and institutional norms. In this video, five women attending an agricultural science conference last June in Zimbabwe talk about some of these challenges.

  • Uncloaking the Secrecy Behind Large-scale Land Deals

    Uncloaking the Secrecy Behind Large-scale Land Deals

    Large-scale investments in agriculture and forestry have far-reaching implications for the lives of affected individuals and communities. They are also an integral part of efforts by national governments to implement the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and improve the governance of land resources.

  • How Sustainable is Vertical Farming? Students Try to Answer the Question

    How Sustainable is Vertical Farming? Students Try to Answer the Question

    Vertical farming is touted as a solution to the drawbacks of traditional agriculture, but how sustainable is it really? A team of students attempts to design a certification system to assess the sustainability of vertical farms.

  • Watch: Using Climate Information to Boost Resiliency

    Watch: Using Climate Information to Boost Resiliency

    The International Research Institute for Climate and Society and its partners work in some of the most impoverished areas of the world to increase food security, decrease vulnerability to disasters and predict outbreaks of diseases such as malaria.

  • Growing the Global Economy Without Destroying the Planet

    We need to focus our attention on the existing systems of management and influence now in place and attempt to turn them toward sustainability. This includes national, state and especially local governments, corporations and nonprofit organizations.

  • How to Feed Everyone—and Protect the Environment

    How to Feed Everyone—and Protect the Environment

    More than 500 leaders in agricultural research and organizations from 67 countries came together for the 2nd International Conference on Global Food Security to discuss how we can achieve global food security while reconciling demands on the environment.

  • Has the Green Revolution Really Succeeded?

    Has the Green Revolution Really Succeeded?

    Over the past 50 years, human population has more than doubled, but cereal-crop production has grown even faster. Unfortunately, newer high-yield crops are less nutritious.

Photo of the Earth from space with the text "Lamont at AGU25" on top.

AGU25, the premier Earth and space science conference, takes place December 15-19, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana. This year’s theme—Where Science Connects Us—puts in focus how science depends on connection, from the lab to the field to the ballot box. Once again, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory and Columbia Climate School scientists, experts, students, and educators are playing an active role, sharing our research and helping shape the future of our planet. #AGU25 Learn More

  • Executive Training on Sustainable Investments in Agriculture

    Executive Training on Sustainable Investments in Agriculture

    Increased investment in agriculture is critical. In a world confronting anticipated increases in food demand arising from a growing world population and changing diets, as well as potential decreases in food supply due to climatic changes and water scarcity, agricultural investment will prove crucial to addressing food security needs in the future. In addition, increased…

  • Honduran Farmers Help Design Insurance Against Climate Risks

    Honduran Farmers Help Design Insurance Against Climate Risks

    The International Research Institute for Climate and Society and local Honduran partners have been working to identify and implement farmer-driven, development-focused climate risk solutions. Through interactive exercises, grain farmers have worked together with the team of experts since 2014 to design and tailor index insurance in the pilot region of El Paraíso, Honduras. This video…

  • Facing the Challenges for Women in Science

    Facing the Challenges for Women in Science

    Women scientists in the developing world face particular challenges tied to their societies’ cultures and institutional norms. In this video, five women attending an agricultural science conference last June in Zimbabwe talk about some of these challenges.

  • Uncloaking the Secrecy Behind Large-scale Land Deals

    Uncloaking the Secrecy Behind Large-scale Land Deals

    Large-scale investments in agriculture and forestry have far-reaching implications for the lives of affected individuals and communities. They are also an integral part of efforts by national governments to implement the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and improve the governance of land resources.

  • How Sustainable is Vertical Farming? Students Try to Answer the Question

    How Sustainable is Vertical Farming? Students Try to Answer the Question

    Vertical farming is touted as a solution to the drawbacks of traditional agriculture, but how sustainable is it really? A team of students attempts to design a certification system to assess the sustainability of vertical farms.

  • Watch: Using Climate Information to Boost Resiliency

    Watch: Using Climate Information to Boost Resiliency

    The International Research Institute for Climate and Society and its partners work in some of the most impoverished areas of the world to increase food security, decrease vulnerability to disasters and predict outbreaks of diseases such as malaria.

  • Growing the Global Economy Without Destroying the Planet

    We need to focus our attention on the existing systems of management and influence now in place and attempt to turn them toward sustainability. This includes national, state and especially local governments, corporations and nonprofit organizations.

  • How to Feed Everyone—and Protect the Environment

    How to Feed Everyone—and Protect the Environment

    More than 500 leaders in agricultural research and organizations from 67 countries came together for the 2nd International Conference on Global Food Security to discuss how we can achieve global food security while reconciling demands on the environment.

  • Has the Green Revolution Really Succeeded?

    Has the Green Revolution Really Succeeded?

    Over the past 50 years, human population has more than doubled, but cereal-crop production has grown even faster. Unfortunately, newer high-yield crops are less nutritious.