State of the Planet

News from the Columbia Climate School

General87

  • Lessons From Germany: Can the US Succeed With Its Own Energiewende?

    Lessons From Germany: Can the US Succeed With Its Own Energiewende?

    Last month, M.S. in Sustainability Management alum Katrina Prutzman (’14) was selected to be a part of the Transatlantic Program for Young Technology Leaders organized by the German American Chamber of Commerce. As a member of this group, Katrina took part in a delegation trip to Germany in which attendees focused on the theme of…

  • Copy Cat!: Fighting the Global Water Scarcity Issue

    Copy Cat!: Fighting the Global Water Scarcity Issue

    According to the World Water Management Institute, over one-third of the human population is affected by water scarcity. Advances in physical understanding, its applications, and the study of our environment and bio-mimicry help us develop more effective ways to fight freshwater scarcity around the world.

  • Faculty Profile: Sara Tjossem

    Faculty Profile: Sara Tjossem

    For Sara Tjossem, a Senior Lecturer at the School of International and Public Affairs, the MPA in Environmental Science and Policy program is an exciting opportunity for her to engage with tomorrow’s environmental leaders. Tjossem says one of her favorite parts of the program is watching students form professional and personal connections they may not…

  • Alma Mater’s Other Secret: a Way Forward on Climate

    Alma Mater’s Other Secret: a Way Forward on Climate

    Sitting on the iconic front steps of Low Library, Alma Mater rests on a plinth that offers a clue to a possible method of carbon sequestration, a vital technology for addressing our problem of too much CO2.

  • An Evening with the Writers of the Clean Air Act: Insight into the ‘Golden Age’ of Environmental Law

    An Evening with the Writers of the Clean Air Act: Insight into the ‘Golden Age’ of Environmental Law

    At a panel discussion this week, Leon Billings and Thomas Jorling, two senior staff members who helped craft the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, and other major environmental legislation in the 1970s, spoke about the bipartisan effort to pass that legislation, and the partisan divide that stymies Congress today.

  • The Ebola Crisis: What It Means for West Africa and the World

    The Ebola Crisis: What It Means for West Africa and the World

    “The Ebola epidemic … should be viewed akin to a world war whose outcome matters crucially for all of us,” said Dr. Ranu Dhillon; he and other health experts will speak at a forum on Ebola at Columbia University Monday.

  • Photo Essay: A Day in the Life of the Hudson River

    Photo Essay: A Day in the Life of the Hudson River

    Once a year, Piermont Pier becomes a field station, and local students, a team of environmental investigators. On Tuesday, scientists at Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory led students through a series of field experiments designed to teach them more about the Hudson River.

  • MS Student Advocates for Sustainable Fashion

    MS Student Advocates for Sustainable Fashion

    After working in the University of Arizona’s Laboratory of Tree Ring Research, current Master of Science in Sustainability Management student Ruth Penniston joined the program with the intention of helping to bridge the gap between scientists and the rest of the world. Recently, Ruth began an internship at a sustainable fashion company, Modavanti, where she…

  • Eco-Theater Engages Visitors at Lamont-Doherty’s Open House

    Eco-Theater Engages Visitors at Lamont-Doherty’s Open House

    Visitors to Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory’s open house on Oct. 11 could tune in to a performance of “Salty Folk” by Superhero Clubhouse, a collective of artists and environmental advocates. Created by Jeremy Pickard and Nate Weida, the play uses music and humor to illustrate the history and importance of New York Harbor through the “eyes”…

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

  • Lessons From Germany: Can the US Succeed With Its Own Energiewende?

    Lessons From Germany: Can the US Succeed With Its Own Energiewende?

    Last month, M.S. in Sustainability Management alum Katrina Prutzman (’14) was selected to be a part of the Transatlantic Program for Young Technology Leaders organized by the German American Chamber of Commerce. As a member of this group, Katrina took part in a delegation trip to Germany in which attendees focused on the theme of…

  • Copy Cat!: Fighting the Global Water Scarcity Issue

    Copy Cat!: Fighting the Global Water Scarcity Issue

    According to the World Water Management Institute, over one-third of the human population is affected by water scarcity. Advances in physical understanding, its applications, and the study of our environment and bio-mimicry help us develop more effective ways to fight freshwater scarcity around the world.

  • Faculty Profile: Sara Tjossem

    Faculty Profile: Sara Tjossem

    For Sara Tjossem, a Senior Lecturer at the School of International and Public Affairs, the MPA in Environmental Science and Policy program is an exciting opportunity for her to engage with tomorrow’s environmental leaders. Tjossem says one of her favorite parts of the program is watching students form professional and personal connections they may not…

  • Alma Mater’s Other Secret: a Way Forward on Climate

    Alma Mater’s Other Secret: a Way Forward on Climate

    Sitting on the iconic front steps of Low Library, Alma Mater rests on a plinth that offers a clue to a possible method of carbon sequestration, a vital technology for addressing our problem of too much CO2.

  • An Evening with the Writers of the Clean Air Act: Insight into the ‘Golden Age’ of Environmental Law

    An Evening with the Writers of the Clean Air Act: Insight into the ‘Golden Age’ of Environmental Law

    At a panel discussion this week, Leon Billings and Thomas Jorling, two senior staff members who helped craft the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, and other major environmental legislation in the 1970s, spoke about the bipartisan effort to pass that legislation, and the partisan divide that stymies Congress today.

  • The Ebola Crisis: What It Means for West Africa and the World

    The Ebola Crisis: What It Means for West Africa and the World

    “The Ebola epidemic … should be viewed akin to a world war whose outcome matters crucially for all of us,” said Dr. Ranu Dhillon; he and other health experts will speak at a forum on Ebola at Columbia University Monday.

  • Photo Essay: A Day in the Life of the Hudson River

    Photo Essay: A Day in the Life of the Hudson River

    Once a year, Piermont Pier becomes a field station, and local students, a team of environmental investigators. On Tuesday, scientists at Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory led students through a series of field experiments designed to teach them more about the Hudson River.

  • MS Student Advocates for Sustainable Fashion

    MS Student Advocates for Sustainable Fashion

    After working in the University of Arizona’s Laboratory of Tree Ring Research, current Master of Science in Sustainability Management student Ruth Penniston joined the program with the intention of helping to bridge the gap between scientists and the rest of the world. Recently, Ruth began an internship at a sustainable fashion company, Modavanti, where she…

  • Eco-Theater Engages Visitors at Lamont-Doherty’s Open House

    Eco-Theater Engages Visitors at Lamont-Doherty’s Open House

    Visitors to Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory’s open house on Oct. 11 could tune in to a performance of “Salty Folk” by Superhero Clubhouse, a collective of artists and environmental advocates. Created by Jeremy Pickard and Nate Weida, the play uses music and humor to illustrate the history and importance of New York Harbor through the “eyes”…