State of the Planet

News from the Columbia Climate School

Climate178

  • Study Undercuts Idea That ‘Medieval Warm Period’ Was Global

    Vikings May Not Have Colonized Greenland in Nice Weather

  • India Steps Up on Climate Change

    India Steps Up on Climate Change

    As a nation still in its developing phase, with 1.25 billion citizens and counting, India can’t afford to forego even part of its industrial progress. But we also cannot go on developing without taking into account the emissions produced by industries that are major contributors to global warming.

  • From Good Intentions to Deep Decarbonization

    From Good Intentions to Deep Decarbonization

    The most important issue is whether countries will achieve their 2030 targets in a way that helps them to get to zero emissions by 2070. If they merely pursue measures aimed at reducing emissions in the short term, they risk locking their economies into high levels of emissions after 2030. The critical issue, in short,…

  • Watch and Learn: Climate Countdown

    Watch and Learn: Climate Countdown

    Wondering what’s going on in Paris? And why you should care? A team of young people working on climate issues from many perspectives—policy, science, media, activism—have created Climate Countdown, a video web series that follows the people who are crafting paths toward a meaningful climate agreement at the Paris climate summit.

  • From Waterloo to Paris: Students Serve as Delegates for Kiribati

    From Waterloo to Paris: Students Serve as Delegates for Kiribati

    Students from 28 masters in development practice programs, including the Earth Institute’s Masters in Public Administration-Development Practice at Columbia, are participating in various ways at the climate talks in Paris.

  • From Copenhagen to Paris: Moving From Talk to Action on Climate Change

    Globally, individual nations have volunteered greenhouse gas reduction targets in anticipation of the Paris meetings. Unlike Copenhagen, where calls for mandatory reductions and transfer payments to the developing world caused the collapse of any potential agreements, the world community seems more realistic as it approaches the Paris meetings.

  • 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.

  • Six Tough Questions About Climate Change

    Six Tough Questions About Climate Change

    People often ask certain tough questions about climate change— about the costs of cutting carbon emissions, the feasibility of transitioning to renewable energy, and whether it’s already too late to do anything about climate change. Laura Segafredo, manager of the Deep Decarbonization Pathways Project, answers these questions.

  • Conversations with a Climatologist

    Conversations with a Climatologist

    Tony Barnston, a scientist at the International Research Institute for Climate and Society, took a few hours out of his day and answered questions on a Reddit “Ask Me Anything” session.

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.

  • Study Undercuts Idea That ‘Medieval Warm Period’ Was Global

    Vikings May Not Have Colonized Greenland in Nice Weather

  • India Steps Up on Climate Change

    India Steps Up on Climate Change

    As a nation still in its developing phase, with 1.25 billion citizens and counting, India can’t afford to forego even part of its industrial progress. But we also cannot go on developing without taking into account the emissions produced by industries that are major contributors to global warming.

  • From Good Intentions to Deep Decarbonization

    From Good Intentions to Deep Decarbonization

    The most important issue is whether countries will achieve their 2030 targets in a way that helps them to get to zero emissions by 2070. If they merely pursue measures aimed at reducing emissions in the short term, they risk locking their economies into high levels of emissions after 2030. The critical issue, in short,…

  • Watch and Learn: Climate Countdown

    Watch and Learn: Climate Countdown

    Wondering what’s going on in Paris? And why you should care? A team of young people working on climate issues from many perspectives—policy, science, media, activism—have created Climate Countdown, a video web series that follows the people who are crafting paths toward a meaningful climate agreement at the Paris climate summit.

  • From Waterloo to Paris: Students Serve as Delegates for Kiribati

    From Waterloo to Paris: Students Serve as Delegates for Kiribati

    Students from 28 masters in development practice programs, including the Earth Institute’s Masters in Public Administration-Development Practice at Columbia, are participating in various ways at the climate talks in Paris.

  • From Copenhagen to Paris: Moving From Talk to Action on Climate Change

    Globally, individual nations have volunteered greenhouse gas reduction targets in anticipation of the Paris meetings. Unlike Copenhagen, where calls for mandatory reductions and transfer payments to the developing world caused the collapse of any potential agreements, the world community seems more realistic as it approaches the Paris meetings.

  • 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.

  • Six Tough Questions About Climate Change

    Six Tough Questions About Climate Change

    People often ask certain tough questions about climate change— about the costs of cutting carbon emissions, the feasibility of transitioning to renewable energy, and whether it’s already too late to do anything about climate change. Laura Segafredo, manager of the Deep Decarbonization Pathways Project, answers these questions.

  • Conversations with a Climatologist

    Conversations with a Climatologist

    Tony Barnston, a scientist at the International Research Institute for Climate and Society, took a few hours out of his day and answered questions on a Reddit “Ask Me Anything” session.