State of the Planet

News from the Columbia Climate School

Climate209

  • Obama’s Climate Legacy Depends on EPA’s Gina McCarthy

    Obama’s Climate Legacy Depends on EPA’s Gina McCarthy

    Due to Congressional gridlock over greenhouse gas regulations, Obama will need the help of new EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy to pass crucial carbon emission standards.

  • Tackling an Ice Age Mystery

    Tackling an Ice Age Mystery

    In a new study in Nature, climate scientist Maureen Raymo and her colleagues show that variations in sunlight interact with Earth’s topography and the size of ice sheets to control Earth’s ice ages on 100,000 year cycles. One important finding: as ice sheets grow bigger, they also become more vulnerable to melting.

  • Ozone-Protection Treaty Had Climate Benefits, Too, Study Says

    The global treaty that headed off destruction of earth’s protective ozone layer has also prevented major disruption of global rainfall patterns, according to a new study in the Journal of Climate. The 1987 Montreal Protocol phased out the use of chloroflourocarbons, or CFCs, a class of chemicals that destroy ozone in the stratosphere, allowing more…

  • Only 144 Miles, Yet Worlds Apart

    Only 144 Miles, Yet Worlds Apart

    144 miles separates Kangerlussuaq from Raven Camp. Not far really, just 144 miles – like traveling from the southern tip of New York City up to Albany. Flying at 270 knots we can be there in about half an hour, no time at all, and yet to the casual observer they seem worlds apart.

  • Conservation & Environmental Sustainability – Fall 2013 Courses

    Conservation & Environmental Sustainability – Fall 2013 Courses

    The Earth Institute Center for Environmental Sustainability (EICES) at Columbia University provides executive training in environmental sustainability through courses in science, economics and policy. We invite you to join our leading experts and practitioners, strengthen your understanding of human-ecosystem interactions, and become an effective environmental leader and decision-maker.

  • Disaster Readiness Center Joins Earth Institute

    Shaping Local, Global Responses to Natural and Manmade Threats

  • Gone Fishing…Took IcePod!

    Gone Fishing…Took IcePod!

    When we sat down to map out the flight plan, our request to the crew for locating lakes met with an easy nod: No problem at all. It took only seconds to register that our definition of lakes might differ from theirs.

  • ‘Lipreading’ the Icesheet

    ‘Lipreading’ the Icesheet

    Even the most skilled of English language lipreaders are only able to tease apart about 30 percent of the information being shared, I read in a recent article. The author, herself deaf, noted that in some transmissions, the information capture is higher, while in others, nothing is collected. An average of 30 percent information transfer…most…

  • Climate Forecasts: A Vital Tool for Policymakers

    Climate Forecasts: A Vital Tool for Policymakers

    Focusing on near-term probabilities can also aid in decreasing vulnerability to future climate uncertainties.

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.

  • Obama’s Climate Legacy Depends on EPA’s Gina McCarthy

    Obama’s Climate Legacy Depends on EPA’s Gina McCarthy

    Due to Congressional gridlock over greenhouse gas regulations, Obama will need the help of new EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy to pass crucial carbon emission standards.

  • Tackling an Ice Age Mystery

    Tackling an Ice Age Mystery

    In a new study in Nature, climate scientist Maureen Raymo and her colleagues show that variations in sunlight interact with Earth’s topography and the size of ice sheets to control Earth’s ice ages on 100,000 year cycles. One important finding: as ice sheets grow bigger, they also become more vulnerable to melting.

  • Ozone-Protection Treaty Had Climate Benefits, Too, Study Says

    The global treaty that headed off destruction of earth’s protective ozone layer has also prevented major disruption of global rainfall patterns, according to a new study in the Journal of Climate. The 1987 Montreal Protocol phased out the use of chloroflourocarbons, or CFCs, a class of chemicals that destroy ozone in the stratosphere, allowing more…

  • Only 144 Miles, Yet Worlds Apart

    Only 144 Miles, Yet Worlds Apart

    144 miles separates Kangerlussuaq from Raven Camp. Not far really, just 144 miles – like traveling from the southern tip of New York City up to Albany. Flying at 270 knots we can be there in about half an hour, no time at all, and yet to the casual observer they seem worlds apart.

  • Conservation & Environmental Sustainability – Fall 2013 Courses

    Conservation & Environmental Sustainability – Fall 2013 Courses

    The Earth Institute Center for Environmental Sustainability (EICES) at Columbia University provides executive training in environmental sustainability through courses in science, economics and policy. We invite you to join our leading experts and practitioners, strengthen your understanding of human-ecosystem interactions, and become an effective environmental leader and decision-maker.

  • Disaster Readiness Center Joins Earth Institute

    Shaping Local, Global Responses to Natural and Manmade Threats

  • Gone Fishing…Took IcePod!

    Gone Fishing…Took IcePod!

    When we sat down to map out the flight plan, our request to the crew for locating lakes met with an easy nod: No problem at all. It took only seconds to register that our definition of lakes might differ from theirs.

  • ‘Lipreading’ the Icesheet

    ‘Lipreading’ the Icesheet

    Even the most skilled of English language lipreaders are only able to tease apart about 30 percent of the information being shared, I read in a recent article. The author, herself deaf, noted that in some transmissions, the information capture is higher, while in others, nothing is collected. An average of 30 percent information transfer…most…

  • Climate Forecasts: A Vital Tool for Policymakers

    Climate Forecasts: A Vital Tool for Policymakers

    Focusing on near-term probabilities can also aid in decreasing vulnerability to future climate uncertainties.