State of the Planet

News from the Columbia Climate School

Climate214

  • A New Primer on Sea Level

    A New Primer on Sea Level

    The threat of sea-level rise–actually, its ongoing reality–has been on many more minds since New York and surrounding areas were walloped during Hurricane Sandy by a record-high storm surge, abetted by a water level that has risen steadily over the last century. That level will keep rising if climate keeps warming, and so, probably, will…

  • Discussing Climate, Cities and Food

    Discussing Climate, Cities and Food

    Last week, the Earth Institute and the International Research Institute for Climate and Society hosted a discussion on cities, food and climate. What were people saying? Find out in this Storify recap of reactions from across Twitter!

  • Keeping Track: the State of the Planet

    Keeping Track: the State of the Planet

    Watch highlights of last October’s “State of the Planet” summit, which brought experts together to discuss the challenges of sustainable development, climate change and the environment, as well as some of the solutions.

  • Urban Agriculture and the Damage From Storm Sandy

    Urban Agriculture and the Damage From Storm Sandy

    Urban agriculture faces unique growing challenges due to the peculiarities of farming in a densely built environment. Storm Sandy highlighted additional challenges New York City farmers and gardeners must face as a result of increasingly extreme weather.

  • Extraordinary Support for Sustainable Development

    Extraordinary Support for Sustainable Development

    Visit the interactive digital Earth Institute 2012 Annual Donor Report to see some of the remarkable projects, initiatives and achievements that have been made possible through the support and advocacy of donors, students, faculty and staff in fiscal year 2012.

  • Making Sense of Climate’s Impact on Food Security

    Making Sense of Climate’s Impact on Food Security

    From warmer temperatures to natural disasters such as flooding and drought, changing patterns of climate are having billion-dollar impacts on our food-growing systems. But scientists are struggling to find ways to measure and predict what may happen in the future—and to translate that into policies to help feed a bulging world population.

  • Extreme Weather Adds Up to Troubling Future

    Extreme Weather Adds Up to Troubling Future

    Extreme weather and climate-related events already have cost the United States billions of dollars. A recent symposium focused on what we know about the causes and how changing climate affects agriculture, water supplies, wildlife and our economy.

  • Decision Making Under Uncertainty at AAAS

    Decision Making Under Uncertainty at AAAS

    Researchers from the Center for Research on Environmental Decisions will participate in a poster session featuring the work of each center funded under the National Science Foundation’s “Decision Making Under Uncertainty” grant. Nada Petrovic and Lisa Zaval will present the poster “What’s in a frame when it comes to fossil fuels: Does health matter more…

  • Migration in Risk-Prone Areas

    Migration in Risk-Prone Areas

    Access to data that lets us analyze global migration patterns is critical to climate change adaptation planning, among other applications.

Composite banner with modern building at night and portrait of Dean Alexis Abramson that reads "Science for the Planet"

By studying thousands of buildings and analyzing their electricity use, Columbia Climate School Dean Alexis Abramson has been able to uncover ways to significantly cut energy consumption and emissions. Watch the Video: “Engineering a Cooler Future Through Smarter Buildings

  • A New Primer on Sea Level

    A New Primer on Sea Level

    The threat of sea-level rise–actually, its ongoing reality–has been on many more minds since New York and surrounding areas were walloped during Hurricane Sandy by a record-high storm surge, abetted by a water level that has risen steadily over the last century. That level will keep rising if climate keeps warming, and so, probably, will…

  • Discussing Climate, Cities and Food

    Discussing Climate, Cities and Food

    Last week, the Earth Institute and the International Research Institute for Climate and Society hosted a discussion on cities, food and climate. What were people saying? Find out in this Storify recap of reactions from across Twitter!

  • Keeping Track: the State of the Planet

    Keeping Track: the State of the Planet

    Watch highlights of last October’s “State of the Planet” summit, which brought experts together to discuss the challenges of sustainable development, climate change and the environment, as well as some of the solutions.

  • Urban Agriculture and the Damage From Storm Sandy

    Urban Agriculture and the Damage From Storm Sandy

    Urban agriculture faces unique growing challenges due to the peculiarities of farming in a densely built environment. Storm Sandy highlighted additional challenges New York City farmers and gardeners must face as a result of increasingly extreme weather.

  • Extraordinary Support for Sustainable Development

    Extraordinary Support for Sustainable Development

    Visit the interactive digital Earth Institute 2012 Annual Donor Report to see some of the remarkable projects, initiatives and achievements that have been made possible through the support and advocacy of donors, students, faculty and staff in fiscal year 2012.

  • Making Sense of Climate’s Impact on Food Security

    Making Sense of Climate’s Impact on Food Security

    From warmer temperatures to natural disasters such as flooding and drought, changing patterns of climate are having billion-dollar impacts on our food-growing systems. But scientists are struggling to find ways to measure and predict what may happen in the future—and to translate that into policies to help feed a bulging world population.

  • Extreme Weather Adds Up to Troubling Future

    Extreme Weather Adds Up to Troubling Future

    Extreme weather and climate-related events already have cost the United States billions of dollars. A recent symposium focused on what we know about the causes and how changing climate affects agriculture, water supplies, wildlife and our economy.

  • Decision Making Under Uncertainty at AAAS

    Decision Making Under Uncertainty at AAAS

    Researchers from the Center for Research on Environmental Decisions will participate in a poster session featuring the work of each center funded under the National Science Foundation’s “Decision Making Under Uncertainty” grant. Nada Petrovic and Lisa Zaval will present the poster “What’s in a frame when it comes to fossil fuels: Does health matter more…

  • Migration in Risk-Prone Areas

    Migration in Risk-Prone Areas

    Access to data that lets us analyze global migration patterns is critical to climate change adaptation planning, among other applications.