State of the Planet

News from the Columbia Climate School

Agriculture43

  • Vertical Farms: From Vision to Reality

    Vertical Farms: From Vision to Reality

    Dr. Dickson Despommier believes vertical farming—the growing of crops indoors in multi-story urban buildings—can help feed the growing global population and undo the environmental damage caused by conventional agriculture.

  • The 7 Billion Challenge

    The 7 Billion Challenge

    The rapid rise in the world’s population to 7 billion — from 6 billion a dozen years ago — poses enormous challenges. In this video, Earth Institute Director Jeffrey D. Sachs talks about the stresses our population already puts on the planet, and the mission of the institute to promote sustainable development.

  • Join a Conversation About 7 Billion People

    Join a Conversation About 7 Billion People

    The world’s population will reach 7 billion this year, and the UN estimates continued growth, primarily in less-developed regions. What will this steep population growth mean for our environmental, economic and social systems? Join the conversation on Oct. 17.

  • Hybrid Climate Data for East Africa

    Hybrid Climate Data for East Africa

    In our latest video interview, climate scientist Tufa Dinku talks about his work on combining weather station data with satellite information to generate high-resolution data sets. These data could be used for making more accurate forecasts and can feed into other climate risk management activities, such as early-warning systems. With funding from Google.org, Dinku and…

  • Conservation of Biodiversity in Orquídeas National Park

    Conservation of Biodiversity in Orquídeas National Park

    Researchers from The New York Botanical Garden are working to document the plant life in Las Orquídeas National Park, one of the last remaining prized and unexplored rainforests that borders Columbia’s Pacific coast.

  • Crossing Sectors, Growing Economies

    Crossing Sectors, Growing Economies

    Coordinating the resources of academia, government, non-profits and the private sector can promote industrial innovation and create jobs; it also can improve education, limit the spread of diseases and increase access to food.

  • Insuring Against Drought

    Insuring Against Drought

    Research economist Dan Osgood discusses index insurance and how it is helping some poor rural communities reduce hardships caused by drought in East Africa.

  • A Famine Foretold

    A Famine Foretold

    Climate and food security expert Jim Hansen lays out the root causes of food insecurity in East Africa.

  • Getting to the Root of Africa’s Agriculture Challenges: TropAg and AfSIS Partner to Improve Soil Fertility

    Getting to the Root of Africa’s Agriculture Challenges: TropAg and AfSIS Partner to Improve Soil Fertility

    Agrium Incorporated and The Mosaic Company have partnered with the Earth Institute’s Tropical Agriculture and Rural Environment Program (TropAg) to improve soil measurement and fertility throughout Sub-Saharan Africa.  The program will link the Millennium Villages Project to the African Soil and Information Systems Project (AfSIS) with the aim of assessing nutrient depletion in soil and…

Overhead view of Columbia campus with text Columbia Climate School Class Day 2026: Congratulations Graduates

Congratulations to our Columbia Climate School Class of 2026 and all of our 2026 Columbia University graduates! Learn more about our May 15 Climate School Class Day celebration. 💙 #Columbia2026 #ColumbiaClimate2026

  • Vertical Farms: From Vision to Reality

    Vertical Farms: From Vision to Reality

    Dr. Dickson Despommier believes vertical farming—the growing of crops indoors in multi-story urban buildings—can help feed the growing global population and undo the environmental damage caused by conventional agriculture.

  • The 7 Billion Challenge

    The 7 Billion Challenge

    The rapid rise in the world’s population to 7 billion — from 6 billion a dozen years ago — poses enormous challenges. In this video, Earth Institute Director Jeffrey D. Sachs talks about the stresses our population already puts on the planet, and the mission of the institute to promote sustainable development.

  • Join a Conversation About 7 Billion People

    Join a Conversation About 7 Billion People

    The world’s population will reach 7 billion this year, and the UN estimates continued growth, primarily in less-developed regions. What will this steep population growth mean for our environmental, economic and social systems? Join the conversation on Oct. 17.

  • Hybrid Climate Data for East Africa

    Hybrid Climate Data for East Africa

    In our latest video interview, climate scientist Tufa Dinku talks about his work on combining weather station data with satellite information to generate high-resolution data sets. These data could be used for making more accurate forecasts and can feed into other climate risk management activities, such as early-warning systems. With funding from Google.org, Dinku and…

  • Conservation of Biodiversity in Orquídeas National Park

    Conservation of Biodiversity in Orquídeas National Park

    Researchers from The New York Botanical Garden are working to document the plant life in Las Orquídeas National Park, one of the last remaining prized and unexplored rainforests that borders Columbia’s Pacific coast.

  • Crossing Sectors, Growing Economies

    Crossing Sectors, Growing Economies

    Coordinating the resources of academia, government, non-profits and the private sector can promote industrial innovation and create jobs; it also can improve education, limit the spread of diseases and increase access to food.

  • Insuring Against Drought

    Insuring Against Drought

    Research economist Dan Osgood discusses index insurance and how it is helping some poor rural communities reduce hardships caused by drought in East Africa.

  • A Famine Foretold

    A Famine Foretold

    Climate and food security expert Jim Hansen lays out the root causes of food insecurity in East Africa.

  • Getting to the Root of Africa’s Agriculture Challenges: TropAg and AfSIS Partner to Improve Soil Fertility

    Getting to the Root of Africa’s Agriculture Challenges: TropAg and AfSIS Partner to Improve Soil Fertility

    Agrium Incorporated and The Mosaic Company have partnered with the Earth Institute’s Tropical Agriculture and Rural Environment Program (TropAg) to improve soil measurement and fertility throughout Sub-Saharan Africa.  The program will link the Millennium Villages Project to the African Soil and Information Systems Project (AfSIS) with the aim of assessing nutrient depletion in soil and…