State of the Planet

News from the Columbia Climate School

Agriculture35

  • From Birmingham to Bamako: How Farmers Deal with Drought

    From Birmingham to Bamako: How Farmers Deal with Drought

    A look at the tools and technologies farmers in Mali use to enhance their decision making in the face of droughts and other climate risks.

  • Forecasting Climate’s Effects on Global Food Production

    Forecasting Climate’s Effects on Global Food Production

    The worst drought to hit the U.S. in decades has already brought corn yields to a 17-year low and will almost certainly raise food prices. Wealth will soften the blow in the U.S., but in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, prolonged drought has often had deadly consequences. Is there a better way to anticipate climate’s…

  • Preparing for a Future of Perpetual Drought

    Preparing for a Future of Perpetual Drought

    The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change projects that droughts will likely increase in central North America this century. How can we prepare for a future of perpetual drought?

  • UN Secretary General Names EI Director Jeffrey Sachs to Lead Sustainability Project

    UN Secretary General Names EI Director Jeffrey Sachs to Lead Sustainability Project

    The Sustainable Development Solutions Network will bring together public and private research centers to address some of the urgent social, environmental and economic problems raised during the recent Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro.

  • Green Certified Restaurants

    Green Certified Restaurants

    According to the 2012 Zagat dining survey, New Yorkers eat out an average of three times a week. Since people in the city eat out so often, they may be able to reduce their carbon footprint by supporting more green certified restaurants.

  • New Program in Tropical Biology and Sustainability

    The Tropical Biology and Sustainability Program will allow students the opportunity to study ecology, evolutionary biology, conservation biology, environmental engineering, and sustainable development in the environmental hub of East Africa.

  • Investigating Impacts of Increased Fertilizer Use in Africa

    Investigating Impacts of Increased Fertilizer Use in Africa

    The rains came late this year in Kenya. I was there for several months in the winter and spring to conduct research for a post-doctoral fellowship, examining the consequences of increases in fertilizer use on soil fertility, maize yields, nitrogen gas emissions and nitrogen leaching losses.

  • Water Center, PepsiCo Foundation Present Sustainable Water Successes at Rio+20

    Water Center, PepsiCo Foundation Present Sustainable Water Successes at Rio+20

    The rural communities of Ceará, Brazil, had long been accustomed to drought and the problems that result: food insecurity, death of livestock, and conflict over scarce water resources. While Ceara’s problems may have been typical of a water scarce region in the developing world, the work of the Columbia Water Center and PepsiCo Foundation has…

  • Water Shortages in Jordan

    Water Shortages in Jordan

    By Melissa von Mayrhauser Jordan is the third most water scarce country in the world, while its population is rising at approximately 3% annually. Columbia’s SEE-U Jordan program is investigating the reasons behind the country’s lack of water security while also considering possible solutions. We dove into our studies by swimming in the Red and…

Composite banner with modern building at night and portrait of Dean Alexis Abramson that reads "Science for the Planet"

By studying thousands of buildings and analyzing their electricity use, Columbia Climate School Dean Alexis Abramson has been able to uncover ways to significantly cut energy consumption and emissions. Watch the Video: “Engineering a Cooler Future Through Smarter Buildings

  • From Birmingham to Bamako: How Farmers Deal with Drought

    From Birmingham to Bamako: How Farmers Deal with Drought

    A look at the tools and technologies farmers in Mali use to enhance their decision making in the face of droughts and other climate risks.

  • Forecasting Climate’s Effects on Global Food Production

    Forecasting Climate’s Effects on Global Food Production

    The worst drought to hit the U.S. in decades has already brought corn yields to a 17-year low and will almost certainly raise food prices. Wealth will soften the blow in the U.S., but in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, prolonged drought has often had deadly consequences. Is there a better way to anticipate climate’s…

  • Preparing for a Future of Perpetual Drought

    Preparing for a Future of Perpetual Drought

    The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change projects that droughts will likely increase in central North America this century. How can we prepare for a future of perpetual drought?

  • UN Secretary General Names EI Director Jeffrey Sachs to Lead Sustainability Project

    UN Secretary General Names EI Director Jeffrey Sachs to Lead Sustainability Project

    The Sustainable Development Solutions Network will bring together public and private research centers to address some of the urgent social, environmental and economic problems raised during the recent Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro.

  • Green Certified Restaurants

    Green Certified Restaurants

    According to the 2012 Zagat dining survey, New Yorkers eat out an average of three times a week. Since people in the city eat out so often, they may be able to reduce their carbon footprint by supporting more green certified restaurants.

  • New Program in Tropical Biology and Sustainability

    The Tropical Biology and Sustainability Program will allow students the opportunity to study ecology, evolutionary biology, conservation biology, environmental engineering, and sustainable development in the environmental hub of East Africa.

  • Investigating Impacts of Increased Fertilizer Use in Africa

    Investigating Impacts of Increased Fertilizer Use in Africa

    The rains came late this year in Kenya. I was there for several months in the winter and spring to conduct research for a post-doctoral fellowship, examining the consequences of increases in fertilizer use on soil fertility, maize yields, nitrogen gas emissions and nitrogen leaching losses.

  • Water Center, PepsiCo Foundation Present Sustainable Water Successes at Rio+20

    Water Center, PepsiCo Foundation Present Sustainable Water Successes at Rio+20

    The rural communities of Ceará, Brazil, had long been accustomed to drought and the problems that result: food insecurity, death of livestock, and conflict over scarce water resources. While Ceara’s problems may have been typical of a water scarce region in the developing world, the work of the Columbia Water Center and PepsiCo Foundation has…

  • Water Shortages in Jordan

    Water Shortages in Jordan

    By Melissa von Mayrhauser Jordan is the third most water scarce country in the world, while its population is rising at approximately 3% annually. Columbia’s SEE-U Jordan program is investigating the reasons behind the country’s lack of water security while also considering possible solutions. We dove into our studies by swimming in the Red and…