State of the Planet

News from the Columbia Climate School

Climate245

  • Richard Seager

    Richard Seager

    “What I like,” says Richard Seager, “is the fact that the Earth Institute has so many people working on the climate change and variability issue – from people like me doing the straight climate research to others working on how to build resilience to climate variability and change, to others working on how to prevent…

  • Climate News Roundup: Week of 1/22

    Climate News Roundup: Week of 1/22

    Signs of New Life as U.N. Searches for a Climate Accord, New York Times, Jan 24 The recently concluded meeting in Durban, South Africa, which established a new mandate for concluding a binding agreement of some sort by 2015, has given the process new life and hushed many of its critics. Christina Figueres, the Costa…

  • Climate News Roundup: Week of 1/17

    Climate News Roundup: Week of 1/17

    Rejecting Pipeline Proposal, Obama Blames Congress; Five Myths About the Keystone Pipeline; GM microbe breakthrough paves way for large-scale seaweed farming for biofuels; Clean Energy Investment Rises to $260 Billion, Boosted by Solar.

  • African Forests, Threatened, but Resilient

    African Forests, Threatened, but Resilient

    Forests and climate change are fundamentally interrelated.  Forests play a role in mitigating climate change by trapping and storing carbon in their trees.  Currently, the world’s forests and forest soils store more than one trillion tons of carbon – twice the amount in the atmosphere. The African continent is home to 30% of the world’s…

  • Scientists Make Progress in Assessing Tornado Seasons

    Study Offers First Step in Short-Term Forecasting

  • Does La Niña Lead to Flu Pandemics?

    Does La Niña Lead to Flu Pandemics?

    Four major flu pandemics of the last century, including the deadly 1918 flu, were all proceeded by La Niña conditions in the Pacific, according to a recent paper.

  • Building NYC’s Resilience to Climate Change With Green Infrastructure

    Building NYC’s Resilience to Climate Change With Green Infrastructure

    Climate change will impact New York City through more frequent heavy precipitation, sea level rise and rising temperatures. To strengthen its resilience, the city is planting trees and mini-parks, restoring wetlands and installing more permeable surfaces.

  • Climate News Roundup: Week of 1/09

    Climate News Roundup: Week of 1/09

    To Slow Climate Change, Cut Down on Soot, Ozone; Investors Say Private Sector Must Tackle Climate Change; US Teachers Offered Support for Climate Change Lessons;Massive ecological change predicted for Canada: NASA

  • Fast & Cheap: Shortcuts to Curb Global Warming

    Fast & Cheap: Shortcuts to Curb Global Warming

    Relatively cheap, simple steps using existing technologies could cut projected global warming by one degree Fahrenheit – a substantial amount — by focusing on sources of methane and soot, concludes a new study by an international team of scientists.

Collage of Turkiye beach scene and Columbia University Campus with text: UN Climate Change Conference COP31, Antalya, Turkiye, Nov 9-20, 2026

COP31, the 2026 United Nations Climate Change Conference, aims to advance dialogue, strengthen consensus, and accelerate climate action on a global scale. From November 9–20, 2026 in Antalya, Türkiye, heads of state, ministers, scientists, business leaders, and civil society will gather to advance efforts in emission targets, climate finance, and adaptation and resilience. Once again, our experts, students, and global thought leaders from Columbia Climate School and across Columbia University are contributing to key events, sharing insights, and helping shape the dialogue toward ambitious, science-based solutions. Learn More

  • Richard Seager

    Richard Seager

    “What I like,” says Richard Seager, “is the fact that the Earth Institute has so many people working on the climate change and variability issue – from people like me doing the straight climate research to others working on how to build resilience to climate variability and change, to others working on how to prevent…

  • Climate News Roundup: Week of 1/22

    Climate News Roundup: Week of 1/22

    Signs of New Life as U.N. Searches for a Climate Accord, New York Times, Jan 24 The recently concluded meeting in Durban, South Africa, which established a new mandate for concluding a binding agreement of some sort by 2015, has given the process new life and hushed many of its critics. Christina Figueres, the Costa…

  • Climate News Roundup: Week of 1/17

    Climate News Roundup: Week of 1/17

    Rejecting Pipeline Proposal, Obama Blames Congress; Five Myths About the Keystone Pipeline; GM microbe breakthrough paves way for large-scale seaweed farming for biofuels; Clean Energy Investment Rises to $260 Billion, Boosted by Solar.

  • African Forests, Threatened, but Resilient

    African Forests, Threatened, but Resilient

    Forests and climate change are fundamentally interrelated.  Forests play a role in mitigating climate change by trapping and storing carbon in their trees.  Currently, the world’s forests and forest soils store more than one trillion tons of carbon – twice the amount in the atmosphere. The African continent is home to 30% of the world’s…

  • Scientists Make Progress in Assessing Tornado Seasons

    Study Offers First Step in Short-Term Forecasting

  • Does La Niña Lead to Flu Pandemics?

    Does La Niña Lead to Flu Pandemics?

    Four major flu pandemics of the last century, including the deadly 1918 flu, were all proceeded by La Niña conditions in the Pacific, according to a recent paper.

  • Building NYC’s Resilience to Climate Change With Green Infrastructure

    Building NYC’s Resilience to Climate Change With Green Infrastructure

    Climate change will impact New York City through more frequent heavy precipitation, sea level rise and rising temperatures. To strengthen its resilience, the city is planting trees and mini-parks, restoring wetlands and installing more permeable surfaces.

  • Climate News Roundup: Week of 1/09

    Climate News Roundup: Week of 1/09

    To Slow Climate Change, Cut Down on Soot, Ozone; Investors Say Private Sector Must Tackle Climate Change; US Teachers Offered Support for Climate Change Lessons;Massive ecological change predicted for Canada: NASA

  • Fast & Cheap: Shortcuts to Curb Global Warming

    Fast & Cheap: Shortcuts to Curb Global Warming

    Relatively cheap, simple steps using existing technologies could cut projected global warming by one degree Fahrenheit – a substantial amount — by focusing on sources of methane and soot, concludes a new study by an international team of scientists.