State of the Planet

News from the Columbia Climate School

Climate280

  • Climate News Roundup – Week of 9/19

    Denver to Barcelona: Global Cities and Greenhouse Gas Emissions, ScienceDaily ACS’ Environmental Science & Technology is publishing a new study in October identifying which cities are producing the greatest levels of greenhouse gases. Denver was number one on the list, followed by Los Angeles, Toronto, Cape Town, and Bangkok. Researchers identified high electricity and heating…

  • Temperature trends since 1998: Puzzling evidence?

    In “Momentum on Climate Pact Is Elusive” (New York Times, 9/21/09) science reporter Andrew Revkin discusses the relative stability of temperatures over the last decade in the context of the UN climate summit this week. He posits that this short term trend may complicate efforts to achieve an international agreement on climate change this year.…

  • China, Japan, U.S. Star at U.N. Climate Change Summit

    China, Japan, U.S. Star at U.N. Climate Change Summit

    The U.N. Summit on Climate Change is underway today in NYC with nearly 100 heads of state in attendance to address carbon emissions and climate change.  Several leaders  — including the president of the Maldives and the prime minister of Japan — offered impassioned pleas to take action and make strong commitments to reducing carbon…

  • Climate News Roundup – Week of 9/12

    Schwarzenegger Boosts Clean Energy Plan, Reuters Governor Schwarzenegger issues executive order S-21-09, directing the California Air Resources Board to adopt regulations that would increase California’s Renewable Portfolio Standard to 33% of its power from renewable resources by 2020. Although the 33% standard was first established last year, S-21-09 aims to streamline the regulatory process and…

  • Sea Change

    Bärbel Hönisch, an expert on ocean acidification at Columbia, will speak after a screening of the film “A Sea Change” this Thursday.

  • Webcast With Jeffrey Sachs

    Tomorrow, Sept. 14 at 10am (EST), Jeff Sachs is participating in a webcast on “Globalization in the Era of Environmental Crisis.” The discussion is part of the Raul Prebisch lecture series and organized by the UN Commission on Trade and Development. Should be very interesting considering the current financial crisis and as a run-up to…

  • Warming Climate May Devastate Major U.S. Crops

    Study Suggests Tipping Points for Corn, Soybeans, Cotton

  • What does this El Niño mean for public health?

    The IRI has just published a short bulletin to provide an update on this year’s El Niño and what it could mean for the health in different regions of the world. The document gives decision makers key recommendations on how to monitor communities at risk and take steps to reduce their vulnerability. Visit this page…

  • Top misconceptions about El Niño and La Niña

    Forecasts by the International Research Institute for Climate and Society and other institutions show that a weak El Niño has developed in the equatorial Pacific, and is likely to continue evolving with warmer-than-normal conditions persisting there until early 2010. What exactly is this important climate phenomenon and why should society care about it? Who will…

Blue banner with NYC background: "Columbia Climate School Class Day 2025 -- Congratulations Graduates"
  • Climate News Roundup – Week of 9/19

    Denver to Barcelona: Global Cities and Greenhouse Gas Emissions, ScienceDaily ACS’ Environmental Science & Technology is publishing a new study in October identifying which cities are producing the greatest levels of greenhouse gases. Denver was number one on the list, followed by Los Angeles, Toronto, Cape Town, and Bangkok. Researchers identified high electricity and heating…

  • Temperature trends since 1998: Puzzling evidence?

    In “Momentum on Climate Pact Is Elusive” (New York Times, 9/21/09) science reporter Andrew Revkin discusses the relative stability of temperatures over the last decade in the context of the UN climate summit this week. He posits that this short term trend may complicate efforts to achieve an international agreement on climate change this year.…

  • China, Japan, U.S. Star at U.N. Climate Change Summit

    China, Japan, U.S. Star at U.N. Climate Change Summit

    The U.N. Summit on Climate Change is underway today in NYC with nearly 100 heads of state in attendance to address carbon emissions and climate change.  Several leaders  — including the president of the Maldives and the prime minister of Japan — offered impassioned pleas to take action and make strong commitments to reducing carbon…

  • Climate News Roundup – Week of 9/12

    Schwarzenegger Boosts Clean Energy Plan, Reuters Governor Schwarzenegger issues executive order S-21-09, directing the California Air Resources Board to adopt regulations that would increase California’s Renewable Portfolio Standard to 33% of its power from renewable resources by 2020. Although the 33% standard was first established last year, S-21-09 aims to streamline the regulatory process and…

  • Sea Change

    Bärbel Hönisch, an expert on ocean acidification at Columbia, will speak after a screening of the film “A Sea Change” this Thursday.

  • Webcast With Jeffrey Sachs

    Tomorrow, Sept. 14 at 10am (EST), Jeff Sachs is participating in a webcast on “Globalization in the Era of Environmental Crisis.” The discussion is part of the Raul Prebisch lecture series and organized by the UN Commission on Trade and Development. Should be very interesting considering the current financial crisis and as a run-up to…

  • Warming Climate May Devastate Major U.S. Crops

    Study Suggests Tipping Points for Corn, Soybeans, Cotton

  • What does this El Niño mean for public health?

    The IRI has just published a short bulletin to provide an update on this year’s El Niño and what it could mean for the health in different regions of the world. The document gives decision makers key recommendations on how to monitor communities at risk and take steps to reduce their vulnerability. Visit this page…

  • Top misconceptions about El Niño and La Niña

    Forecasts by the International Research Institute for Climate and Society and other institutions show that a weak El Niño has developed in the equatorial Pacific, and is likely to continue evolving with warmer-than-normal conditions persisting there until early 2010. What exactly is this important climate phenomenon and why should society care about it? Who will…