State of the Planet

News from the Columbia Climate School

General121

  • A Road Map Toward Better Understanding of Global Environmental Change

    A Road Map Toward Better Understanding of Global Environmental Change

    The Social Process Diagram published in 1992 was an attempt to map out the key systems and interactions among systems that were seen as underpinning the human drivers of global environmental change.

  • Sustainability Skills Seminar: Lifecyle Assessment

    Sustainability Skills Seminar: Lifecyle Assessment

    Christoph Meinrenken, Associate Research Scientist with the Lenfest Center for Sustainable Energy led a seminar on Product Lifecycle Assessment and Carbon Footprinting. This seminar is part of the Sustainability Skills Series available to students in the Earth Institute education programs.

  • ‘Are You Using This Idea for Your Thesis Research?’ [UPDATE]

    ‘Are You Using This Idea for Your Thesis Research?’ [UPDATE]

    “Are you using this idea for your thesis research?” I heard this as I stood in front of a classroom full of old-growth forest ecology students. The question had come from Neil Pederson, who was sitting directly in front of me. He was asking this question because I had just spent the past 12 minutes…

  • MPA Student Has Eye on Future in Sustainable Development

    MPA Student Has Eye on Future in Sustainable Development

    Prior to joining the MPA in Environmental Science and Policy (MPA-ESP) program, class of 2013 member Pablo Antón Díaz combined his management skills background in economics to evaluate the effects of a financial literacy training project in Mexico City. Working on this project gave Pablo an appreciation of how poverty and development issues were closely…

  • Sustainability Management Alumna Presents a Post-Sandy Flood Insurance Perspective

    Sustainability Management Alumna Presents a Post-Sandy Flood Insurance Perspective

    On Wednesday, February 20, M.S. in Sustainability Management (MSSM) alum Julia Ragragio-Ruiz (’12) joined fellow urban planning professionals Albert Wei of Kohn Pederson Fox, and Lance Jay Brown, of Lance Jay Brown Architecture and Urban Design, at GreenHomeNYC’s monthly Greenbuilding forum. The event, entitled “Building in Flood Zones” discussed Sandy relief efforts and the work…

  • Overcoming Challenges to Local Development in Haiti

    Overcoming Challenges to Local Development in Haiti

    Haiti Dialogue Series: Should funds be more effectively channeled through the Haitian government, a decentralized finance program could help streamline financing and reinforce local government planning efforts. As part of the Haiti Research and Policy Program dialogue series, Tatiana Wah was joined by Leslie Pean to discuss possible approaches to achieving the call for decentralization…

  • Growing A Green Career

    Poor weather conditions don’t stop Columbia undergraduates from learning about career prospects in sustainability. Rebecca Schnall, Senior Associate Director of the Columbia’s Center for Career Education, talks to students about what to do with a degree in sustainable development.

  • Valentine’s Day at the Newtown Wastewater Treatment Plant

    Living in New York City where everything is accessible, it is easy to take things for granted. However, the proper treatment of wastewater is necessary for maintaining a healthy society and is something every NYC resident should be grateful for.

  • Jamuna River

    Jamuna River

    The last part of our river work was on the Jamuna River, as the Brahmaputra is called south of where if diverges from its former course. It shifted up to 100 km to this course about 200 years ago. We visited Sirajganj where an embankment protects the city from the migrating river and Aricha near…

Blue banner with kids and Earth photos. Text: "Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory Open House, Saturday, October 17, 2026, 10am-4pm.

On Saturday, October 17, 2026 from 10am to 4pm, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory Open House—our biggest, best science fun and discovery event of the year—will take place on our beautiful campus in Palisades, NY. Mark your calendar and join us for this free, family-friendly celebration of science! RSVP Today!

  • A Road Map Toward Better Understanding of Global Environmental Change

    A Road Map Toward Better Understanding of Global Environmental Change

    The Social Process Diagram published in 1992 was an attempt to map out the key systems and interactions among systems that were seen as underpinning the human drivers of global environmental change.

  • Sustainability Skills Seminar: Lifecyle Assessment

    Sustainability Skills Seminar: Lifecyle Assessment

    Christoph Meinrenken, Associate Research Scientist with the Lenfest Center for Sustainable Energy led a seminar on Product Lifecycle Assessment and Carbon Footprinting. This seminar is part of the Sustainability Skills Series available to students in the Earth Institute education programs.

  • ‘Are You Using This Idea for Your Thesis Research?’ [UPDATE]

    ‘Are You Using This Idea for Your Thesis Research?’ [UPDATE]

    “Are you using this idea for your thesis research?” I heard this as I stood in front of a classroom full of old-growth forest ecology students. The question had come from Neil Pederson, who was sitting directly in front of me. He was asking this question because I had just spent the past 12 minutes…

  • MPA Student Has Eye on Future in Sustainable Development

    MPA Student Has Eye on Future in Sustainable Development

    Prior to joining the MPA in Environmental Science and Policy (MPA-ESP) program, class of 2013 member Pablo Antón Díaz combined his management skills background in economics to evaluate the effects of a financial literacy training project in Mexico City. Working on this project gave Pablo an appreciation of how poverty and development issues were closely…

  • Sustainability Management Alumna Presents a Post-Sandy Flood Insurance Perspective

    Sustainability Management Alumna Presents a Post-Sandy Flood Insurance Perspective

    On Wednesday, February 20, M.S. in Sustainability Management (MSSM) alum Julia Ragragio-Ruiz (’12) joined fellow urban planning professionals Albert Wei of Kohn Pederson Fox, and Lance Jay Brown, of Lance Jay Brown Architecture and Urban Design, at GreenHomeNYC’s monthly Greenbuilding forum. The event, entitled “Building in Flood Zones” discussed Sandy relief efforts and the work…

  • Overcoming Challenges to Local Development in Haiti

    Overcoming Challenges to Local Development in Haiti

    Haiti Dialogue Series: Should funds be more effectively channeled through the Haitian government, a decentralized finance program could help streamline financing and reinforce local government planning efforts. As part of the Haiti Research and Policy Program dialogue series, Tatiana Wah was joined by Leslie Pean to discuss possible approaches to achieving the call for decentralization…

  • Growing A Green Career

    Poor weather conditions don’t stop Columbia undergraduates from learning about career prospects in sustainability. Rebecca Schnall, Senior Associate Director of the Columbia’s Center for Career Education, talks to students about what to do with a degree in sustainable development.

  • Valentine’s Day at the Newtown Wastewater Treatment Plant

    Living in New York City where everything is accessible, it is easy to take things for granted. However, the proper treatment of wastewater is necessary for maintaining a healthy society and is something every NYC resident should be grateful for.

  • Jamuna River

    Jamuna River

    The last part of our river work was on the Jamuna River, as the Brahmaputra is called south of where if diverges from its former course. It shifted up to 100 km to this course about 200 years ago. We visited Sirajganj where an embankment protects the city from the migrating river and Aricha near…