Climate237
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A Changing Climate for Small Island States
Small island states are uniquely vulnerable to climate change because of their geography and socioeconomic characteristics. As the physical impacts of climate change interact with social and economic vulnerabilities, climate change poses a significant threat to the islands’ physical, social, and economic well-being.
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A Chat With Shahid Naeem, CERC’s Director of Science
In candid conversation, wrought with his usual humor and wit, Dr. Shahid Naeem, CERC’s Director of Science, discusses topics ranging from the critical role of life on Earth and trends in sustainability to Taylor Swift, his own personal “Science Hall of Fame” and being called a tree-hugger.
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Climate Change On The Street
Two students in CERC’s Executive Education Program explore public perceptions of climate change and science communication.
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Nature & Naturalists, an Ode to Adirondack Color
There was a nice article in the NY Times on the Adirondack State Park whose title initially focused readers on how climate change could alter the park’s ecosystems. However, by the time you get to the end of the article, and luckily for us, you get to know Jerry Jenkins, one of the best naturalists…
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From Distant Past, Lessons on Ocean Acidification
Oceans turned more acidic during a period of great warming some 56 million years ago, causing an extinction of bottom-dwelling marine species known as foraminifera, a scenario that may be happening again now, only much more quickly.
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High Hopes and Low Expectations for 17th UN Climate Change Conference
Numerous please for comprehensive action aimed at the 17th United Nations Climate Change Conference in Durban, South Africa have been issued. However, many doubt that meaningful policies will be passed and have criticized the United States’ position in these talks.
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Energy and emissions in a post-recession world
On November 29th Dr. Fatih Birol, Chief Economist of the International Energy Agency, gave a lecture at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) as part of the school’s “Leaders in Global Energy” lecture series. Dr. Birol presented the highlights of the IEA’s recently released “World Energy Outlook 2011”, an annual analysis of…
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A Meeting of Science and Human Impact
A talk Monday by Cynthia Rosenzweig of the Center for Climate Systems Research serves as a good example of how some of the hard science being discussed at the American Geophysical Union’s fall meeting intersects directly with human welfare. She outlined the progress of a new global project that will help scientists produce more accurate…
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Ancient Dry Spells, Future Risk?
The last major drought to hit the northeastern U.S. lasted three years and shrunk New York City’s reservoirs by nearly three quarters. But as bad as that drought was, the region has seen at least three dry spells in the last 6,000 years that were far worse, says Dorothy Peteet, a climate scientist at Columbia…
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“
