State of the Planet

News from the Columbia Climate School

General128

  • Open House: Professional Development Program in Environmental Sustainability

    Open House: Professional Development Program in Environmental Sustainability

    The Earth Institute’s Professional Development Program in Environmental Sustainability provides three graduate credits in human ecology coupled with curriculum development for the secondary school classroom. The Program is designed to support educators in increasing their understanding of the inquiry process and environmental sustainability in the urban context that is New York City; and, then integrate…

  • Now Accepting Applications for Spring 2013 Sustainability Management Curriculum Grading Assistants

    Columbia University’s Columbia’s School of Continuing Education and the Earth Institute are seeking Curriculum and Grading Assistants (CGAs) for a number of Sustainability Management courses for the spring 2013 semester. CGAs are responsible for attending class sessions, holding weekly office hours for students, addressing student inquiries, reviewing course material with the instructor, and assisting in…

  • Cotopaxi Skies

    Cotopaxi Skies

    Because of Cotopaxi’s almost perfectly conic shape, the climb appears be a straight line to the top. It isn’t. In fact, the climb winds past spires of ice and vast blue crevasses the size of small canyons. Cotopaxi is a beautiful mountain.

  • Reflections on an Ecological Study Abroad Experience

    Reflections on an Ecological Study Abroad Experience

    “Everything is so alive in the forest. After a nice summer rain it teems with insects, birds and the famous coquis, Puerto Rico’s native frogs. The song of the coquis take a little getting used to, but they soon lull you to sleep in the humid nights,” says Jennifer Mendez, a student in the first…

  • Sachs Receives ‘Inspiration’ Award

    Sachs Receives ‘Inspiration’ Award

    Prof. Jeffrey Sachs, director of the Earth Institute, received the Dag Hammarskjold Inspiration Award of the Dag Hammarskjold Fund for Journalists at the United Nations on Nov. 13. He joins a list of recipients that includes UN Deputy Secretary General Jan Eliasson, Her Majesty Queen Noor, and Mia Farrow, among others.

  • Map Publisher to Global Resource Manager

    Map Publisher to Global Resource Manager

    “Over the course of the last five years, I became more sensitive to the topographical changes and shifting cultural identities of the Caribbean countries that I was promoting. I sensed a deepening crisis regarding our natural resources and the use of them in the pursuit of development.” Current student Jessica Bensley joined the MPA in…

  • Getting Better Prepared for the Next Big Storm

    Getting Better Prepared for the Next Big Storm

    Super Storm Sandy was an unusually powerful and destructive storm because of a rare constellation of factors, but scientists predict that we can expect more extreme weather events due to the effects of climate change. Has the super storm made us take warnings about extreme weather more seriously?

  • Expanding Our Vision Brings the Big Picture Into Focus

    Expanding Our Vision Brings the Big Picture Into Focus

    1500 feet above the ground surface is where our suite of instruments normally operates, but for this flight we are taking them up higher, much higher, in fact over 20 times our normal range to 33,000 feet. Our flight plan is to repeat lines surveyed in a previous years by NASA’s Land, Vegetation Ice Sensor…

  • Next, Imbabura

    Next, Imbabura

    Today was a much longer climb up Imbabura, passing through more páramo until reaching our first Polylepis trees. Conveniently, they were marked by a little wooden sign. These are the trees that I hope to sample next week on Chimborazo.

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!

  • Open House: Professional Development Program in Environmental Sustainability

    Open House: Professional Development Program in Environmental Sustainability

    The Earth Institute’s Professional Development Program in Environmental Sustainability provides three graduate credits in human ecology coupled with curriculum development for the secondary school classroom. The Program is designed to support educators in increasing their understanding of the inquiry process and environmental sustainability in the urban context that is New York City; and, then integrate…

  • Now Accepting Applications for Spring 2013 Sustainability Management Curriculum Grading Assistants

    Columbia University’s Columbia’s School of Continuing Education and the Earth Institute are seeking Curriculum and Grading Assistants (CGAs) for a number of Sustainability Management courses for the spring 2013 semester. CGAs are responsible for attending class sessions, holding weekly office hours for students, addressing student inquiries, reviewing course material with the instructor, and assisting in…

  • Cotopaxi Skies

    Cotopaxi Skies

    Because of Cotopaxi’s almost perfectly conic shape, the climb appears be a straight line to the top. It isn’t. In fact, the climb winds past spires of ice and vast blue crevasses the size of small canyons. Cotopaxi is a beautiful mountain.

  • Reflections on an Ecological Study Abroad Experience

    Reflections on an Ecological Study Abroad Experience

    “Everything is so alive in the forest. After a nice summer rain it teems with insects, birds and the famous coquis, Puerto Rico’s native frogs. The song of the coquis take a little getting used to, but they soon lull you to sleep in the humid nights,” says Jennifer Mendez, a student in the first…

  • Sachs Receives ‘Inspiration’ Award

    Sachs Receives ‘Inspiration’ Award

    Prof. Jeffrey Sachs, director of the Earth Institute, received the Dag Hammarskjold Inspiration Award of the Dag Hammarskjold Fund for Journalists at the United Nations on Nov. 13. He joins a list of recipients that includes UN Deputy Secretary General Jan Eliasson, Her Majesty Queen Noor, and Mia Farrow, among others.

  • Map Publisher to Global Resource Manager

    Map Publisher to Global Resource Manager

    “Over the course of the last five years, I became more sensitive to the topographical changes and shifting cultural identities of the Caribbean countries that I was promoting. I sensed a deepening crisis regarding our natural resources and the use of them in the pursuit of development.” Current student Jessica Bensley joined the MPA in…

  • Getting Better Prepared for the Next Big Storm

    Getting Better Prepared for the Next Big Storm

    Super Storm Sandy was an unusually powerful and destructive storm because of a rare constellation of factors, but scientists predict that we can expect more extreme weather events due to the effects of climate change. Has the super storm made us take warnings about extreme weather more seriously?

  • Expanding Our Vision Brings the Big Picture Into Focus

    Expanding Our Vision Brings the Big Picture Into Focus

    1500 feet above the ground surface is where our suite of instruments normally operates, but for this flight we are taking them up higher, much higher, in fact over 20 times our normal range to 33,000 feet. Our flight plan is to repeat lines surveyed in a previous years by NASA’s Land, Vegetation Ice Sensor…

  • Next, Imbabura

    Next, Imbabura

    Today was a much longer climb up Imbabura, passing through more páramo until reaching our first Polylepis trees. Conveniently, they were marked by a little wooden sign. These are the trees that I hope to sample next week on Chimborazo.