State of the Planet

News from the Columbia Climate School

General90

  • The Dawn of Plate Tectonics

    The Dawn of Plate Tectonics

    An ancient grain of zircon found In Jack Hill sandstone north of Perth, Inside its crystal lattice bound: Secrets of our planet’s birth.

  • MS Students Tackle Tough Environmental Problems

    MS Students Tackle Tough Environmental Problems

    Working on real-world sustainability projects for actual clients is integral to the Master of Science in Sustainability Management program. Students made presentations earlier this week about projects that they are conducting on renewable energy, climate resilience, sustainable investment, urban agriculture, and environmental management systems. The clients range from the Federal Transit Administration to the Newark…

  • Certificate Program: Black Rock Forest Case Study

    Certificate Program: Black Rock Forest Case Study

    Forests are a vitally important habitat for much of the world’s terrestrial biodiversity. During this class you will learn key issues in forest ecology and management through an all-day field trip to Black Rock Forest, and study how pathogens and other invasive species affect forest structure and function.

  • Deep Sea Mining: Out of Sight, Out of Mind?

    Deep Sea Mining: Out of Sight, Out of Mind?

    Are we willing to compromise deep sea ecosystems and biodiversity for prodigious amounts of mineral materials? Will deep sea mining have the largest footprint of any single human activity on the planet? The race is on to create more progressive, environmental regulations concerning deep sea mining, but much more scientific research is still necessary to…

  • ESP Students Present Initial Findings for Clients

    ESP Students Present Initial Findings for Clients

    On March 5, students in the Master of Public Administration in Environmental Science and Policy presented their initial findings for the Workshop in Applied Earth Systems Policy Analysis to fellow students, staff, and invited guests at Columbia’s School of International and Public Affairs.

  • Helping Consumers See the Green Behind Fuel Economy

    Helping Consumers See the Green Behind Fuel Economy

    New research from the Center for Research on Environmental Decisions sheds light on how best to present information on U.S. fuel economy labels. Consumers choose fuel-efficient vehicles more frequently when fuel economy is expressed in terms of the cost of gas on a long term, 100,000-mile scale. The scale currently used on the U.S. fuel…

  • Keeping an Eye on Coastal Erosion

    Keeping an Eye on Coastal Erosion

    Searching for a fast, simple and low-cost way to monitor Earth’s changing coastlines, a team of scientists, including Lamont-Doherty Observatory postdoctoral researcher and marine scientist Alessio Rovere, has found an innovative use for drones.

  • Diminishing Ice Intensifies Spotlight on Arctic

    Diminishing Ice Intensifies Spotlight on Arctic

    As the arctic region loses ice in a changing climate, the economic and social tradeoffs are unclear. How will we balance economic, social and environmental functions? The Center on Global Energy Policy and the Consulate General of Canada in New York will examine these questions in a discussion on March 26: “Understanding the Arctic Resource…

  • ‘Oysters, Pearls of Long Island Sound’ at The Bruce Museum

    ‘Oysters, Pearls of Long Island Sound’ at The Bruce Museum

    “Oysters, Pearls of Long Island Sound,” on display now at The Bruce Museum of Arts and Sciences, is both informative and visually engaging. Running until March 23, the exhibition introduces the ecology and evolutionary history of these mollusks, but that’s not all. True to a museum of both art and science, The Bruce has drawn…

Photo of the Earth from space with the text "Lamont at AGU25" on top.

AGU25, the premier Earth and space science conference, takes place December 15-19, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana. This year’s theme—Where Science Connects Us—puts in focus how science depends on connection, from the lab to the field to the ballot box. Once again, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory and Columbia Climate School scientists, experts, students, and educators are playing an active role, sharing our research and helping shape the future of our planet. #AGU25 Learn More

  • The Dawn of Plate Tectonics

    The Dawn of Plate Tectonics

    An ancient grain of zircon found In Jack Hill sandstone north of Perth, Inside its crystal lattice bound: Secrets of our planet’s birth.

  • MS Students Tackle Tough Environmental Problems

    MS Students Tackle Tough Environmental Problems

    Working on real-world sustainability projects for actual clients is integral to the Master of Science in Sustainability Management program. Students made presentations earlier this week about projects that they are conducting on renewable energy, climate resilience, sustainable investment, urban agriculture, and environmental management systems. The clients range from the Federal Transit Administration to the Newark…

  • Certificate Program: Black Rock Forest Case Study

    Certificate Program: Black Rock Forest Case Study

    Forests are a vitally important habitat for much of the world’s terrestrial biodiversity. During this class you will learn key issues in forest ecology and management through an all-day field trip to Black Rock Forest, and study how pathogens and other invasive species affect forest structure and function.

  • Deep Sea Mining: Out of Sight, Out of Mind?

    Deep Sea Mining: Out of Sight, Out of Mind?

    Are we willing to compromise deep sea ecosystems and biodiversity for prodigious amounts of mineral materials? Will deep sea mining have the largest footprint of any single human activity on the planet? The race is on to create more progressive, environmental regulations concerning deep sea mining, but much more scientific research is still necessary to…

  • ESP Students Present Initial Findings for Clients

    ESP Students Present Initial Findings for Clients

    On March 5, students in the Master of Public Administration in Environmental Science and Policy presented their initial findings for the Workshop in Applied Earth Systems Policy Analysis to fellow students, staff, and invited guests at Columbia’s School of International and Public Affairs.

  • Helping Consumers See the Green Behind Fuel Economy

    Helping Consumers See the Green Behind Fuel Economy

    New research from the Center for Research on Environmental Decisions sheds light on how best to present information on U.S. fuel economy labels. Consumers choose fuel-efficient vehicles more frequently when fuel economy is expressed in terms of the cost of gas on a long term, 100,000-mile scale. The scale currently used on the U.S. fuel…

  • Keeping an Eye on Coastal Erosion

    Keeping an Eye on Coastal Erosion

    Searching for a fast, simple and low-cost way to monitor Earth’s changing coastlines, a team of scientists, including Lamont-Doherty Observatory postdoctoral researcher and marine scientist Alessio Rovere, has found an innovative use for drones.

  • Diminishing Ice Intensifies Spotlight on Arctic

    Diminishing Ice Intensifies Spotlight on Arctic

    As the arctic region loses ice in a changing climate, the economic and social tradeoffs are unclear. How will we balance economic, social and environmental functions? The Center on Global Energy Policy and the Consulate General of Canada in New York will examine these questions in a discussion on March 26: “Understanding the Arctic Resource…

  • ‘Oysters, Pearls of Long Island Sound’ at The Bruce Museum

    ‘Oysters, Pearls of Long Island Sound’ at The Bruce Museum

    “Oysters, Pearls of Long Island Sound,” on display now at The Bruce Museum of Arts and Sciences, is both informative and visually engaging. Running until March 23, the exhibition introduces the ecology and evolutionary history of these mollusks, but that’s not all. True to a museum of both art and science, The Bruce has drawn…