State of the Planet

News from the Columbia Climate School

General146

  • Seminar on the History of Science and Sustainable Development

    The focus of sustainable development is international and collaborative, as much focused on innovations in research as on education and practice. There is an effort from sustainably-minded organizations, such as the Earth Institute, to bring together multidisciplinary experts to research, educate and solve problems.

  • The Double-Edged Sword of Geoengineering

    The Double-Edged Sword of Geoengineering

    Shooting sulfur particles into the stratosphere to reflect the sun? Dumping iron into the ocean to boost the absorption of carbon dioxide? Could these far-fetched and dangerous-sounding schemes—geoengineering—help avert potentially catastrophic effects of climate change, or would they exacerbate conditions on our ever warming planet?

  • Diatoms and Dessert

    Diatoms and Dessert

    The lovely spring weather in New York City as I prepared for this cruise was difficult to leave behind, and it will be nearly summer once we return. In the Bering Sea, it still feels like winter. For the past two days we have sampled water out on deck with snowflakes falling from the sky.

  • World Climate Policies: Substantial Progress But Enormous Challenges Remain

    World Climate Policies: Substantial Progress But Enormous Challenges Remain

    Recent analysis by Deutsche Bank Climate Change Advisory (DBCCA) in conjunction with the Columbia Climate Center, shows that the existing world climate policies have the potential to substantially reduce CO2 emissions, but are not aggressive enough to meet the suggested 450 ppm stabilization pathways.

  • Clues to Sea Level Rise Are Hidden In and Below Greenland’s Ice

    Clues to Sea Level Rise Are Hidden In and Below Greenland’s Ice

    Greenland is surrounded by a ring of high mountains that work like fingers encircling the ice to hold it in place. Ice sliding from between these “fingers” into the surrounding waters results in a major human impact – Sea Level Rise.

  • Passing Through

    Passing Through

    The sun rose above the back decks this morning as we traveled towards Pavlof Bay for our station. As we made our way through the Aleutian Islands, the peaks of active volcanoes Mount Pavlof and Pavlof’s Sister became visible above the clouds. The Aleutians are part of the Pacific Ring of Fire, home to about…

  • For Better or for Worse: A Decade of Global Environmental Performance Trends Examined

    For Better or for Worse: A Decade of Global Environmental Performance Trends Examined

    The Pilot Trend Environmental Performance Index (Trend EPI) ranks countries on improvement or decline in their environmental performance, over the past decade.

  • Sustainability Management Students Present Innovative Solutions to Clients’ Challenges

    Sustainability Management Students Present Innovative Solutions to Clients’ Challenges

    “We are incredibly proud of our work as well as the work of our classmates whose presentations highlighted our ability to use the skills that we have learned in the classroom to address contemporary sustainability challenges in the clearest possible way,” stated Pamela Quinlan, presenter for the Workshop Project “Development of a New Communications Strategy…

  • There’s No One-Size-Fits-All Green Roof, Studies Show

    There’s No One-Size-Fits-All Green Roof, Studies Show

    Two recent studies suggest that grasses or taller shrubs may actually be more effective than such typical green-roof plantings as sedums at reducing storm water runoff, often a major selling point for green roofs. These studies suggest there is no one-size-fits-all green roof.

Banner: Climate Week NYC 2025, September 21-28, 2025
  • Seminar on the History of Science and Sustainable Development

    The focus of sustainable development is international and collaborative, as much focused on innovations in research as on education and practice. There is an effort from sustainably-minded organizations, such as the Earth Institute, to bring together multidisciplinary experts to research, educate and solve problems.

  • The Double-Edged Sword of Geoengineering

    The Double-Edged Sword of Geoengineering

    Shooting sulfur particles into the stratosphere to reflect the sun? Dumping iron into the ocean to boost the absorption of carbon dioxide? Could these far-fetched and dangerous-sounding schemes—geoengineering—help avert potentially catastrophic effects of climate change, or would they exacerbate conditions on our ever warming planet?

  • Diatoms and Dessert

    Diatoms and Dessert

    The lovely spring weather in New York City as I prepared for this cruise was difficult to leave behind, and it will be nearly summer once we return. In the Bering Sea, it still feels like winter. For the past two days we have sampled water out on deck with snowflakes falling from the sky.

  • World Climate Policies: Substantial Progress But Enormous Challenges Remain

    World Climate Policies: Substantial Progress But Enormous Challenges Remain

    Recent analysis by Deutsche Bank Climate Change Advisory (DBCCA) in conjunction with the Columbia Climate Center, shows that the existing world climate policies have the potential to substantially reduce CO2 emissions, but are not aggressive enough to meet the suggested 450 ppm stabilization pathways.

  • Clues to Sea Level Rise Are Hidden In and Below Greenland’s Ice

    Clues to Sea Level Rise Are Hidden In and Below Greenland’s Ice

    Greenland is surrounded by a ring of high mountains that work like fingers encircling the ice to hold it in place. Ice sliding from between these “fingers” into the surrounding waters results in a major human impact – Sea Level Rise.

  • Passing Through

    Passing Through

    The sun rose above the back decks this morning as we traveled towards Pavlof Bay for our station. As we made our way through the Aleutian Islands, the peaks of active volcanoes Mount Pavlof and Pavlof’s Sister became visible above the clouds. The Aleutians are part of the Pacific Ring of Fire, home to about…

  • For Better or for Worse: A Decade of Global Environmental Performance Trends Examined

    For Better or for Worse: A Decade of Global Environmental Performance Trends Examined

    The Pilot Trend Environmental Performance Index (Trend EPI) ranks countries on improvement or decline in their environmental performance, over the past decade.

  • Sustainability Management Students Present Innovative Solutions to Clients’ Challenges

    Sustainability Management Students Present Innovative Solutions to Clients’ Challenges

    “We are incredibly proud of our work as well as the work of our classmates whose presentations highlighted our ability to use the skills that we have learned in the classroom to address contemporary sustainability challenges in the clearest possible way,” stated Pamela Quinlan, presenter for the Workshop Project “Development of a New Communications Strategy…

  • There’s No One-Size-Fits-All Green Roof, Studies Show

    There’s No One-Size-Fits-All Green Roof, Studies Show

    Two recent studies suggest that grasses or taller shrubs may actually be more effective than such typical green-roof plantings as sedums at reducing storm water runoff, often a major selling point for green roofs. These studies suggest there is no one-size-fits-all green roof.