State of the Planet

News from the Columbia Climate School

General84

  • Lake Goo Clue

    Lake Goo Clue

    The lands of Africa’s Horn, Great Valleys sliced by a Rift, By drought and famine are torn … What drives such a large rainfall shift?

  • Beyond Coal: Economic Alternatives for Kentucky

    Beyond Coal: Economic Alternatives for Kentucky

    Earth Institute students evaluated Kentucky’s physical, economic and cultural resources to identify ways to move the economy toward a more sustainable future—and to make recommendations for how the state’s community and technical college system could help.

  • CIRSD Joins New Earth Institute SDSN Advisory Group

    CIRSD Joins New Earth Institute SDSN Advisory Group

    To strengthen the collaboration between the Center of International Relations and Sustainable Development and the Earth Institute at Columbia University and the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, the Earth Institute and SDSN have established the Earth Institute-Sustainable Development Solutions Network Advisory Group on International Relations and designated the members as senior EI SDSN advisors.

  • Congratulations to the MPA in Environmental Science & Policy Class of 2014

    Congratulations to the MPA in Environmental Science & Policy Class of 2014

    The MPA in Environmental Science and Policy program bid farewell to the class of 2014 on May 22 as the students celebrated their graduation from the School of International and Public Affairs.

  • Mobile Maps Help Haitians Locate Government Offices

    Mobile Maps Help Haitians Locate Government Offices

    Until last month, Haitians had no way to search online to find the location of government offices. Now, thanks to a collaboration between the Earth Institute and Haiti’s government, there’s a registry of every government office accessible online and on mobile devices.

  • EPA’s Upcoming Carbon Rules: A Primer

    EPA’s Upcoming Carbon Rules: A Primer

    On Monday, June 2, President Obama will announce proposed federal rules aimed at curbing carbon emissions from existing U.S. power plants–possibly a landmark in U.S. climate policy. It is uncertain how far the rule will go, and the announcement is being closely watched around the world.

  • Some Do Not Like It Hot

    Some Do Not Like It Hot

    The Great Dying, The Big One — The Permo-Triassic! (In a time machine, not sure if that’s where I’d aim …) As extinctions go, this one’s a blockbuster classic, When most of Earth’s species dropped out of the game.

  • Project Aims to Strengthen Climate Resilience

    Project Aims to Strengthen Climate Resilience

    The Caribbean, Asia’s Indo-Gangetic Plain and West Africa are three regions known to be extremely vulnerable to climate variability and change, particularly to droughts, extreme weather events and stresses on food production, water resources and coastal areas. A new five-year project jointly led by the International Research Institute for Climate and Society and the University…

  • Combining Natural History Collections with Fisher Knowledge for Conservation in Fiji

    Combining Natural History Collections with Fisher Knowledge for Conservation in Fiji

    A team of researchers from Columbia University and the Republic of Fiji has found a unique and time-effective way to improve the design of marine protected areas in on coastal fisheries in Fiji—and, potentially, around the world. This method, which was used to assess a proposed temporary fishery closure in the village of Nagigi, Fiji,…

Composite banner with modern building at night and portrait of Dean Alexis Abramson that reads "Science for the Planet"

By studying thousands of buildings and analyzing their electricity use, Columbia Climate School Dean Alexis Abramson has been able to uncover ways to significantly cut energy consumption and emissions. Watch the Video: “Engineering a Cooler Future Through Smarter Buildings

  • Lake Goo Clue

    Lake Goo Clue

    The lands of Africa’s Horn, Great Valleys sliced by a Rift, By drought and famine are torn … What drives such a large rainfall shift?

  • Beyond Coal: Economic Alternatives for Kentucky

    Beyond Coal: Economic Alternatives for Kentucky

    Earth Institute students evaluated Kentucky’s physical, economic and cultural resources to identify ways to move the economy toward a more sustainable future—and to make recommendations for how the state’s community and technical college system could help.

  • CIRSD Joins New Earth Institute SDSN Advisory Group

    CIRSD Joins New Earth Institute SDSN Advisory Group

    To strengthen the collaboration between the Center of International Relations and Sustainable Development and the Earth Institute at Columbia University and the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, the Earth Institute and SDSN have established the Earth Institute-Sustainable Development Solutions Network Advisory Group on International Relations and designated the members as senior EI SDSN advisors.

  • Congratulations to the MPA in Environmental Science & Policy Class of 2014

    Congratulations to the MPA in Environmental Science & Policy Class of 2014

    The MPA in Environmental Science and Policy program bid farewell to the class of 2014 on May 22 as the students celebrated their graduation from the School of International and Public Affairs.

  • Mobile Maps Help Haitians Locate Government Offices

    Mobile Maps Help Haitians Locate Government Offices

    Until last month, Haitians had no way to search online to find the location of government offices. Now, thanks to a collaboration between the Earth Institute and Haiti’s government, there’s a registry of every government office accessible online and on mobile devices.

  • EPA’s Upcoming Carbon Rules: A Primer

    EPA’s Upcoming Carbon Rules: A Primer

    On Monday, June 2, President Obama will announce proposed federal rules aimed at curbing carbon emissions from existing U.S. power plants–possibly a landmark in U.S. climate policy. It is uncertain how far the rule will go, and the announcement is being closely watched around the world.

  • Some Do Not Like It Hot

    Some Do Not Like It Hot

    The Great Dying, The Big One — The Permo-Triassic! (In a time machine, not sure if that’s where I’d aim …) As extinctions go, this one’s a blockbuster classic, When most of Earth’s species dropped out of the game.

  • Project Aims to Strengthen Climate Resilience

    Project Aims to Strengthen Climate Resilience

    The Caribbean, Asia’s Indo-Gangetic Plain and West Africa are three regions known to be extremely vulnerable to climate variability and change, particularly to droughts, extreme weather events and stresses on food production, water resources and coastal areas. A new five-year project jointly led by the International Research Institute for Climate and Society and the University…

  • Combining Natural History Collections with Fisher Knowledge for Conservation in Fiji

    Combining Natural History Collections with Fisher Knowledge for Conservation in Fiji

    A team of researchers from Columbia University and the Republic of Fiji has found a unique and time-effective way to improve the design of marine protected areas in on coastal fisheries in Fiji—and, potentially, around the world. This method, which was used to assess a proposed temporary fishery closure in the village of Nagigi, Fiji,…