State of the Planet

News from the Columbia Climate School

General138

  • 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…

  • Sustainability Management Student Inspired to Combat Climate Change

    Sustainability Management Student Inspired to Combat Climate Change

    Current M.S. in Sustainability Management (MSSM) student Emily Dawson credits her parents and undergraduate studies at Middlebury College with instilling an interest in sustainability and sense of urgency for our warming planet. As a student in the program, Emily hopes to gain the practical skills and managerial training necessary to launch a career in climate…

  • ESP Alum Scales Up Involvement with Earth Institute

    ESP Alum Scales Up Involvement with Earth Institute

    When MPA in Environmental Science and Policy alum Caroline Fox (’12) joined the program, she was seeking a career change and hoped that wherever she landed next would allow her to work on projects that would have a positive impact on the world. Now, as the Project Manager for the Nigeria Scale-Up Initiative at Columbia’s…

  • Brahmaputra chars

    Brahmaputra chars

    We traveled to the Brahmaputra River, one of the most active on the planet, to continue our fieldwork. We visited two places while working our way downstream and saw the rapid changes in the river bank and chars (islands). At one ghat (dock) the river had eroded a mile of the coast while in the…

  • Author: Haiti Relief Lacking in Long-Term Solutions

    Author: Haiti Relief Lacking in Long-Term Solutions

    Haiti Dialog Series: Author Jonathan M. Katz joined the Haiti Research and Policy Program’s dialogue series to discuss his new book and two years reporting on the Haitian recovery after the devastating 2010 earthquake. Katz argues within his book that the international aid money has become a missed opportunity to address core development challenges in…

  • Tensiometers in Punjab

    Tensiometers in Punjab

    So far, tensiometers have been tested in four central districts of Punjab, initially with more than 500 farmers the first year, and then peaking with an additional 4,500 farmers in 2011 before testing was scaled back. Data showed, on average, a 30 percent reduction in the water used in the test plots when compared with…

  • Extraordinary Support for Sustainable Development

    Extraordinary Support for Sustainable Development

    Visit the interactive digital Earth Institute 2012 Annual Donor Report to see some of the remarkable projects, initiatives and achievements that have been made possible through the support and advocacy of donors, students, faculty and staff in fiscal year 2012.

  • Study Environmental Sustainability in the Middle East this Summer

    This summer, 10 Columbia University students will have the opportunity spend two weeks in Jordan and Israel, learning about how environmental issues span geographical boundaries; how political conflicts create, sustain and escalate these problems; and the role the environment can play in future negotiations toward constructive and peaceful outcomes.

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

  • 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…

  • Sustainability Management Student Inspired to Combat Climate Change

    Sustainability Management Student Inspired to Combat Climate Change

    Current M.S. in Sustainability Management (MSSM) student Emily Dawson credits her parents and undergraduate studies at Middlebury College with instilling an interest in sustainability and sense of urgency for our warming planet. As a student in the program, Emily hopes to gain the practical skills and managerial training necessary to launch a career in climate…

  • ESP Alum Scales Up Involvement with Earth Institute

    ESP Alum Scales Up Involvement with Earth Institute

    When MPA in Environmental Science and Policy alum Caroline Fox (’12) joined the program, she was seeking a career change and hoped that wherever she landed next would allow her to work on projects that would have a positive impact on the world. Now, as the Project Manager for the Nigeria Scale-Up Initiative at Columbia’s…

  • Brahmaputra chars

    Brahmaputra chars

    We traveled to the Brahmaputra River, one of the most active on the planet, to continue our fieldwork. We visited two places while working our way downstream and saw the rapid changes in the river bank and chars (islands). At one ghat (dock) the river had eroded a mile of the coast while in the…

  • Author: Haiti Relief Lacking in Long-Term Solutions

    Author: Haiti Relief Lacking in Long-Term Solutions

    Haiti Dialog Series: Author Jonathan M. Katz joined the Haiti Research and Policy Program’s dialogue series to discuss his new book and two years reporting on the Haitian recovery after the devastating 2010 earthquake. Katz argues within his book that the international aid money has become a missed opportunity to address core development challenges in…

  • Tensiometers in Punjab

    Tensiometers in Punjab

    So far, tensiometers have been tested in four central districts of Punjab, initially with more than 500 farmers the first year, and then peaking with an additional 4,500 farmers in 2011 before testing was scaled back. Data showed, on average, a 30 percent reduction in the water used in the test plots when compared with…

  • Extraordinary Support for Sustainable Development

    Extraordinary Support for Sustainable Development

    Visit the interactive digital Earth Institute 2012 Annual Donor Report to see some of the remarkable projects, initiatives and achievements that have been made possible through the support and advocacy of donors, students, faculty and staff in fiscal year 2012.

  • Study Environmental Sustainability in the Middle East this Summer

    This summer, 10 Columbia University students will have the opportunity spend two weeks in Jordan and Israel, learning about how environmental issues span geographical boundaries; how political conflicts create, sustain and escalate these problems; and the role the environment can play in future negotiations toward constructive and peaceful outcomes.