State of the Planet

News from the Columbia Climate School

Climate254

  • Climate News Roundup: Week of 3/06

    Climate News Roundup: Week of 3/06

    NASA Reels From Climate Science Setbacks, AFP, Mar. 6 NASA’s $424 million Glory satellite, meant to monitor aerosols and solar radiation, crashed into the Pacific last week. Climate scientists were relying on the satellite data to fill critical information gaps. The accident comes at an inopportune time, as Congress is in the process of determining…

  • Video: Climate and Public Health

    Video: Climate and Public Health

    Climate and public-health communities are learning to speak each other’s language to improve decision making. Watch our short video to learn more.

  • Climate News Roundup: Week of 2/27

    Climate News Roundup: Week of 2/27

    Fact-Free Science, New York Times, Feb. 25 President Obama, advocating science as the means to a better future, requested increases in his budget proposal for scientific research and education, especially for developing alternative energy. According to research completed by the Center for American Progress, a majority of Republicans in Congress do not consider climate change…

  • Biodiversity and Health Extinction by Infection: Biodiversity makes a difference.

    Biodiversity and Health Extinction by Infection: Biodiversity makes a difference.

    Throughout the past several decades, countless species have been infected by non-native deadly diseases and ultimately crashed in numbers. A survey of important case studies highlight the importance of mitigating the virulence of the planet’s pathogens.

  • EPA Under Attack

    EPA Under Attack

    On February 19th, the House approved spending legislation that, if also passed in the Senate, would mean major cuts to climate and environmental initiatives. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is hit hard, with cuts targeting its general budget, and specifically addressing its ability to regulate mercury and other toxic pollutants, to set new health standards…

  • Climate News Roundup: Week of 2/20

    Climate News Roundup: Week of 2/20

    Climate Change Affecting Owl Color in Finland, USA Today, Feb. 22 A longitudinal study of 28 years found that the brown variant of the Finnish tawny owl is surviving at a better rate than the grey owl. Milder winters with less snow cover allow the brown owls to better camouflage themselves from predators. Researchers from…

  • Flood Impacts: Don’t Forget Other Factors

    Flood Impacts: Don’t Forget Other Factors

    As scientists continue to try to sort out climate change effects, it’s important to remember also that when it comes to the impact of floods, there are many factors outside of global climate change that affect outcomes for people. Here are a few.

  • Climate News Roundup: Week of 2/13

    Climate News Roundup: Week of 2/13

    Republicans Gut EPA Climate Rules, Slash Deeply into Climate Research, Aid and Technology Programs, NY Times, Feb. 14 On Friday, Feb. 11, House Republicans introduced a continuing resolution (CR) on spending legislation which would fund government operations through Sept. 30. Aiming to trim $100 billion from the Obama administration’s 2011 fiscal budget, the bill proposes cuts…

  • La Niña Begins to Weaken

    La Niña Begins to Weaken

    The current moderate-strength La Niña is now weakening and is expected to dissipate by late spring, said Tony Barnston, the lead forecaster at the International Research Institute for Climate and Society, which holds a monthly climate briefing. Early February showed the first easing in strength of the cool sea-surface temperatures in the central and eastern…

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

  • Climate News Roundup: Week of 3/06

    Climate News Roundup: Week of 3/06

    NASA Reels From Climate Science Setbacks, AFP, Mar. 6 NASA’s $424 million Glory satellite, meant to monitor aerosols and solar radiation, crashed into the Pacific last week. Climate scientists were relying on the satellite data to fill critical information gaps. The accident comes at an inopportune time, as Congress is in the process of determining…

  • Video: Climate and Public Health

    Video: Climate and Public Health

    Climate and public-health communities are learning to speak each other’s language to improve decision making. Watch our short video to learn more.

  • Climate News Roundup: Week of 2/27

    Climate News Roundup: Week of 2/27

    Fact-Free Science, New York Times, Feb. 25 President Obama, advocating science as the means to a better future, requested increases in his budget proposal for scientific research and education, especially for developing alternative energy. According to research completed by the Center for American Progress, a majority of Republicans in Congress do not consider climate change…

  • Biodiversity and Health Extinction by Infection: Biodiversity makes a difference.

    Biodiversity and Health Extinction by Infection: Biodiversity makes a difference.

    Throughout the past several decades, countless species have been infected by non-native deadly diseases and ultimately crashed in numbers. A survey of important case studies highlight the importance of mitigating the virulence of the planet’s pathogens.

  • EPA Under Attack

    EPA Under Attack

    On February 19th, the House approved spending legislation that, if also passed in the Senate, would mean major cuts to climate and environmental initiatives. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is hit hard, with cuts targeting its general budget, and specifically addressing its ability to regulate mercury and other toxic pollutants, to set new health standards…

  • Climate News Roundup: Week of 2/20

    Climate News Roundup: Week of 2/20

    Climate Change Affecting Owl Color in Finland, USA Today, Feb. 22 A longitudinal study of 28 years found that the brown variant of the Finnish tawny owl is surviving at a better rate than the grey owl. Milder winters with less snow cover allow the brown owls to better camouflage themselves from predators. Researchers from…

  • Flood Impacts: Don’t Forget Other Factors

    Flood Impacts: Don’t Forget Other Factors

    As scientists continue to try to sort out climate change effects, it’s important to remember also that when it comes to the impact of floods, there are many factors outside of global climate change that affect outcomes for people. Here are a few.

  • Climate News Roundup: Week of 2/13

    Climate News Roundup: Week of 2/13

    Republicans Gut EPA Climate Rules, Slash Deeply into Climate Research, Aid and Technology Programs, NY Times, Feb. 14 On Friday, Feb. 11, House Republicans introduced a continuing resolution (CR) on spending legislation which would fund government operations through Sept. 30. Aiming to trim $100 billion from the Obama administration’s 2011 fiscal budget, the bill proposes cuts…

  • La Niña Begins to Weaken

    La Niña Begins to Weaken

    The current moderate-strength La Niña is now weakening and is expected to dissipate by late spring, said Tony Barnston, the lead forecaster at the International Research Institute for Climate and Society, which holds a monthly climate briefing. Early February showed the first easing in strength of the cool sea-surface temperatures in the central and eastern…