State of the Planet

News from the Columbia Climate School

Climate169

  • As Predicted: A Rising Tide of Migration

    As Predicted: A Rising Tide of Migration

    “With sea levels on the rise, several island nations are scrambling to stay above water and ensure citizens will have a place to go when the ocean engulfs their homeland. The humanitarian-crisis phase of climate change has officially begun.”

  • Learning from El Niño as La Niña Odds Rise

    Learning from El Niño as La Niña Odds Rise

    Although El Niño is weakening, its ramifications continue to be felt around the world. Drought and resulting food insecurity is one of the major implications for southeast Asia, eastern and southern Africa, Central America and the Caribbean. Sixty million are in need of emergency relief today, according to the United Nations.

  • ESP Alumna Joins Climate Leadership Corps

    ESP Alumna Joins Climate Leadership Corps

    Olivia Owre-Bell, a recent alumna of Columbia’s MPA in Environmental Science and Policy program, attended the Climate Reality Leadership Corps 31st training in the Philippines this March.

  • The Climate Crisis and the Transition to a Renewable Economy

    What I am betting on is the growing sense of awareness and understanding of environmental issues among the people of the world. It could be that my personal perspective is a little warped. I’ve seen the environmental issue move from the outer fringes to the center of our political agenda.

  • In Greenland, Exactly Where Meltwater Enters the Ocean Matters

    In Greenland, Exactly Where Meltwater Enters the Ocean Matters

    In southern Greenland in summer, rivers have been streaming off the ice sheet, pouring cold fresh water into the fjords. A new study tracks where that meltwater goes—with surprising results.

  • Accounting for Volcanoes Using Tools of Economics

    Accounting for Volcanoes Using Tools of Economics

    Climate scientists teamed up with an econometrics expert to develop an innovative new method for picking out past volcanic eruptions in temperature reconstructions going back millennia and gauging their impact on the climate.

  • Fossil Fuel Companies Need to Become Renewable Energy Companies

    No one should underestimate the scale of the challenge that confronts humanity. It will require new technologies and changes in infrastructure, organizational capacity, economic incentives and public policy.

  • Could Global Warming’s Top Culprit Help Crops?

    Study Looks at How Carbon Dioxide Might Cut Effects of Rising Heat

  • Climate Change and the Paris Agreement: What’s Next?

    Climate Change and the Paris Agreement: What’s Next?

    “Climate change is an extreme example of what happens when you do not have sustainable development. We will not address climate change unless we change the patterns of production and consumption that drove us to this situation in the first place.”

Colorful icons representing nature, sustainable living, and renewable energy with text "Earth Day 2026"

The first Earth Day in 1970 ignited a movement to stop polluting our planet. Today, our scientists and experts are tackling the most pressing challenges to achieve real-world impact. This Earth Day, join us in our commitment to realizing a just and sustainable future for our planet. Visit our Earth Day website for ideas, resources, and inspiration.

  • As Predicted: A Rising Tide of Migration

    As Predicted: A Rising Tide of Migration

    “With sea levels on the rise, several island nations are scrambling to stay above water and ensure citizens will have a place to go when the ocean engulfs their homeland. The humanitarian-crisis phase of climate change has officially begun.”

  • Learning from El Niño as La Niña Odds Rise

    Learning from El Niño as La Niña Odds Rise

    Although El Niño is weakening, its ramifications continue to be felt around the world. Drought and resulting food insecurity is one of the major implications for southeast Asia, eastern and southern Africa, Central America and the Caribbean. Sixty million are in need of emergency relief today, according to the United Nations.

  • ESP Alumna Joins Climate Leadership Corps

    ESP Alumna Joins Climate Leadership Corps

    Olivia Owre-Bell, a recent alumna of Columbia’s MPA in Environmental Science and Policy program, attended the Climate Reality Leadership Corps 31st training in the Philippines this March.

  • The Climate Crisis and the Transition to a Renewable Economy

    What I am betting on is the growing sense of awareness and understanding of environmental issues among the people of the world. It could be that my personal perspective is a little warped. I’ve seen the environmental issue move from the outer fringes to the center of our political agenda.

  • In Greenland, Exactly Where Meltwater Enters the Ocean Matters

    In Greenland, Exactly Where Meltwater Enters the Ocean Matters

    In southern Greenland in summer, rivers have been streaming off the ice sheet, pouring cold fresh water into the fjords. A new study tracks where that meltwater goes—with surprising results.

  • Accounting for Volcanoes Using Tools of Economics

    Accounting for Volcanoes Using Tools of Economics

    Climate scientists teamed up with an econometrics expert to develop an innovative new method for picking out past volcanic eruptions in temperature reconstructions going back millennia and gauging their impact on the climate.

  • Fossil Fuel Companies Need to Become Renewable Energy Companies

    No one should underestimate the scale of the challenge that confronts humanity. It will require new technologies and changes in infrastructure, organizational capacity, economic incentives and public policy.

  • Could Global Warming’s Top Culprit Help Crops?

    Study Looks at How Carbon Dioxide Might Cut Effects of Rising Heat

  • Climate Change and the Paris Agreement: What’s Next?

    Climate Change and the Paris Agreement: What’s Next?

    “Climate change is an extreme example of what happens when you do not have sustainable development. We will not address climate change unless we change the patterns of production and consumption that drove us to this situation in the first place.”