State of the Planet

News from the Columbia Climate School

Climate224

  • Cold Spell Gripped Europe 3,000 Years before ‘Little Ice Age,’ Says Study

    Cold Spell Gripped Europe 3,000 Years before ‘Little Ice Age,’ Says Study

    Human civilization arose during the relatively balmy climate of the last 10,000 years. Even so, evidence is accumulating that at least two cold spells gripped the northern hemisphere during this time, and that the cooling may have coincided with drought in the tropics. Emerging research on climate during this Holocene period suggests that temperature swings…

  • The Intersection of Population and Elevation Examined

    The Intersection of Population and Elevation Examined

    This map shows the estimated number of people in 2010 living at different elevation levels across several Southern Asian countries. The database it’s taken from lets users without specialized geospatial training or software compare populations in various environmental contexts in different countries.

  • Brief Broadleaf Forest Happenings: tulip goodness, delighted about Turkey, and drought

    Brief Broadleaf Forest Happenings: tulip goodness, delighted about Turkey, and drought

    I have to call myself out. Earlier I had professed to being a former coniferphile. That was, of course, silly. I like coniferous trees very much. Half of my business is made from this lovely branch of the tree family. This introduction is a lead in to say that this blog will be quieter while…

  • Tropical Plankton Invade Arctic Waters

    Researchers See Natural Cycle; But Questions Arise on Climate Change

  • For Tomorrow’s Leaders, a Tool Box for a Complex World

    For Tomorrow’s Leaders, a Tool Box for a Complex World

    How are the global leaders of tomorrow going to secure renewable sources of energy, solve the problems of water scarcity, and maintain our standard of living – all while improving health, ending poverty, and accommodating a growing population and changing environment? The World Economic Forum, with its commitment to “improving the state of the world,”…

  • China Burns up the Clean Energy Race

    China Burns up the Clean Energy Race

    Although China dominates in the race to be the leading global manufacturer of clean renewable energy, they are not necessarily doing the most for the environment. China, consistently pushing the clean energy market towards an economic future, was expected to be a leading developing country in negotiations at Rio+20. Meanwhile, the United States, without a…

  • Investigating Impacts of Increased Fertilizer Use in Africa

    Investigating Impacts of Increased Fertilizer Use in Africa

    The rains came late this year in Kenya. I was there for several months in the winter and spring to conduct research for a post-doctoral fellowship, examining the consequences of increases in fertilizer use on soil fertility, maize yields, nitrogen gas emissions and nitrogen leaching losses.

  • Pulling CO2 From Air Vital To Curb Global Warming, Say Researchers

    But Lower-Cost Technology a Stumbling Block So Far

  • Shrinking Glaciers: A Chronology of Climate Change

    Shrinking Glaciers: A Chronology of Climate Change

    During the last ice age, glaciers dominated New Zealand’s Southern Alps until warming temperatures some 20,000 years ago sent them into retreat. Scientists at Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, with their colleagues, are investigating the rocky remnants these glaciers left behind to learn precisely when the ice withdrew, and what glacier retreats globally can tell us about…

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.

  • Cold Spell Gripped Europe 3,000 Years before ‘Little Ice Age,’ Says Study

    Cold Spell Gripped Europe 3,000 Years before ‘Little Ice Age,’ Says Study

    Human civilization arose during the relatively balmy climate of the last 10,000 years. Even so, evidence is accumulating that at least two cold spells gripped the northern hemisphere during this time, and that the cooling may have coincided with drought in the tropics. Emerging research on climate during this Holocene period suggests that temperature swings…

  • The Intersection of Population and Elevation Examined

    The Intersection of Population and Elevation Examined

    This map shows the estimated number of people in 2010 living at different elevation levels across several Southern Asian countries. The database it’s taken from lets users without specialized geospatial training or software compare populations in various environmental contexts in different countries.

  • Brief Broadleaf Forest Happenings: tulip goodness, delighted about Turkey, and drought

    Brief Broadleaf Forest Happenings: tulip goodness, delighted about Turkey, and drought

    I have to call myself out. Earlier I had professed to being a former coniferphile. That was, of course, silly. I like coniferous trees very much. Half of my business is made from this lovely branch of the tree family. This introduction is a lead in to say that this blog will be quieter while…

  • Tropical Plankton Invade Arctic Waters

    Researchers See Natural Cycle; But Questions Arise on Climate Change

  • For Tomorrow’s Leaders, a Tool Box for a Complex World

    For Tomorrow’s Leaders, a Tool Box for a Complex World

    How are the global leaders of tomorrow going to secure renewable sources of energy, solve the problems of water scarcity, and maintain our standard of living – all while improving health, ending poverty, and accommodating a growing population and changing environment? The World Economic Forum, with its commitment to “improving the state of the world,”…

  • China Burns up the Clean Energy Race

    China Burns up the Clean Energy Race

    Although China dominates in the race to be the leading global manufacturer of clean renewable energy, they are not necessarily doing the most for the environment. China, consistently pushing the clean energy market towards an economic future, was expected to be a leading developing country in negotiations at Rio+20. Meanwhile, the United States, without a…

  • Investigating Impacts of Increased Fertilizer Use in Africa

    Investigating Impacts of Increased Fertilizer Use in Africa

    The rains came late this year in Kenya. I was there for several months in the winter and spring to conduct research for a post-doctoral fellowship, examining the consequences of increases in fertilizer use on soil fertility, maize yields, nitrogen gas emissions and nitrogen leaching losses.

  • Pulling CO2 From Air Vital To Curb Global Warming, Say Researchers

    But Lower-Cost Technology a Stumbling Block So Far

  • Shrinking Glaciers: A Chronology of Climate Change

    Shrinking Glaciers: A Chronology of Climate Change

    During the last ice age, glaciers dominated New Zealand’s Southern Alps until warming temperatures some 20,000 years ago sent them into retreat. Scientists at Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, with their colleagues, are investigating the rocky remnants these glaciers left behind to learn precisely when the ice withdrew, and what glacier retreats globally can tell us about…