State of the Planet

News from the Columbia Climate School

Climate162

  • Climate Denial and Sea Level Rise

    Climate Denial and Sea Level Rise

    The need to adapt to the current impact of climate change is already obvious in many cities and work is already underway to make cities more resilient to extreme weather events. New York City has begun to implement a resiliency plan that will cost at least $20 billion over the next decade.

  • Extreme-Weather Winters Becoming More Common in U.S., Study Shows

    Extreme-Weather Winters Becoming More Common in U.S., Study Shows

    This past July was Earth’s hottest month since record keeping began, but warming isn’t the only danger climate change holds in store. Recent years have seen a dramatic increase in the simultaneous occurrence of extremely cold winter days in the Eastern United States and extremely warm winter days in the Western U.S., according to a…

  • How Does the Ocean Drive Weather and Climate Extremes?

    How Does the Ocean Drive Weather and Climate Extremes?

    Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory scientists Ryan Abernathey and Richard Seager are investigating how processes in the ocean create extreme weather and climate conditions over land.

  • By Mid-Century, More Antarctic Snowfall May Help Offset Sea-Level Rise

    Increasing Precipitation Masked by Natural Variability—For Now

  • The Role Of Government In Rebuilding After Disasters

    The Role Of Government In Rebuilding After Disasters

    The fundamental job of government is to provide security and safety for its people. Natural disasters may be predictable to some degree, but they are unavoidable. What is avoidable is the sense of economic hopelessness that follows these events.

  • Drought and Fire Activity: What’s Climate Change Got to Do with It?

    Drought and Fire Activity: What’s Climate Change Got to Do with It?

    Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory scientist Park Williams, recipient of a Center for Climate and Life Fellowship, is investigating the influence of climate change on droughts and wildfires.

  • As Louisiana Floods, Measuring the Climate Change Effect

    As Louisiana Floods, Measuring the Climate Change Effect

    The heavy rains and flooding in Louisiana have been devastating. Can we attribute the severity of it to climate change? How you measure that depends on the questions you ask.

  • Construction in the Swamp

    Construction in the Swamp

    Despite the miserable weather and ongoing rain, we constructed a wooden structure to hold the GPS receivers, solar panels and other electronic equipment between the three wells. We worked out how and where to mount the antennas and had parts made to accomplish it. Although I had to leave before it was completed, the team…

  • Visit to a Different Delta: the Mississippi

    Visit to a Different Delta: the Mississippi

    This summer I am in the Mississippi Delta in southern Louisiana helping to install an updated version of the compaction meters that we have in Bangladesh. The environment is quite different and we have arrived in the midst of an historic storm. Luckily for us the brunt of the storm is NW of us. So…

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

  • Climate Denial and Sea Level Rise

    Climate Denial and Sea Level Rise

    The need to adapt to the current impact of climate change is already obvious in many cities and work is already underway to make cities more resilient to extreme weather events. New York City has begun to implement a resiliency plan that will cost at least $20 billion over the next decade.

  • Extreme-Weather Winters Becoming More Common in U.S., Study Shows

    Extreme-Weather Winters Becoming More Common in U.S., Study Shows

    This past July was Earth’s hottest month since record keeping began, but warming isn’t the only danger climate change holds in store. Recent years have seen a dramatic increase in the simultaneous occurrence of extremely cold winter days in the Eastern United States and extremely warm winter days in the Western U.S., according to a…

  • How Does the Ocean Drive Weather and Climate Extremes?

    How Does the Ocean Drive Weather and Climate Extremes?

    Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory scientists Ryan Abernathey and Richard Seager are investigating how processes in the ocean create extreme weather and climate conditions over land.

  • By Mid-Century, More Antarctic Snowfall May Help Offset Sea-Level Rise

    Increasing Precipitation Masked by Natural Variability—For Now

  • The Role Of Government In Rebuilding After Disasters

    The Role Of Government In Rebuilding After Disasters

    The fundamental job of government is to provide security and safety for its people. Natural disasters may be predictable to some degree, but they are unavoidable. What is avoidable is the sense of economic hopelessness that follows these events.

  • Drought and Fire Activity: What’s Climate Change Got to Do with It?

    Drought and Fire Activity: What’s Climate Change Got to Do with It?

    Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory scientist Park Williams, recipient of a Center for Climate and Life Fellowship, is investigating the influence of climate change on droughts and wildfires.

  • As Louisiana Floods, Measuring the Climate Change Effect

    As Louisiana Floods, Measuring the Climate Change Effect

    The heavy rains and flooding in Louisiana have been devastating. Can we attribute the severity of it to climate change? How you measure that depends on the questions you ask.

  • Construction in the Swamp

    Construction in the Swamp

    Despite the miserable weather and ongoing rain, we constructed a wooden structure to hold the GPS receivers, solar panels and other electronic equipment between the three wells. We worked out how and where to mount the antennas and had parts made to accomplish it. Although I had to leave before it was completed, the team…

  • Visit to a Different Delta: the Mississippi

    Visit to a Different Delta: the Mississippi

    This summer I am in the Mississippi Delta in southern Louisiana helping to install an updated version of the compaction meters that we have in Bangladesh. The environment is quite different and we have arrived in the midst of an historic storm. Luckily for us the brunt of the storm is NW of us. So…