State of the Planet

News from the Columbia Climate School

Natural Disasters27

  • Building Resilience in Vieques, Puerto Rico

    Building Resilience in Vieques, Puerto Rico

    In the two years since Hurricane Maria, the Urban Design Lab has been working with the small island community to design resilient homes, community centers, and sustainable infrastructure.

  • Economists Are Downplaying Many Major Climate Risks, Says Report

    Economists Are Downplaying Many Major Climate Risks, Says Report

    Researchers warn that world leaders are being misled by economic assessments of future climate-change impacts.

  • Is New York Ready for the Next Superstorm?

    Is New York Ready for the Next Superstorm?

    For New York City climate resistance is not an option, but a matter of municipal survival.

  • North to Patuakhali and Barisal for the End of Our Fieldwork

    North to Patuakhali and Barisal for the End of Our Fieldwork

    We added a campaign monument to the tide gauge at Khepupara on the way to our last GPS and SET installation site at Patuakhali. We faced challenges such as bad roads and broken bridges, and leeches, but got the work done. The field work was now coming to a close.

  • What Moody’s Recent Acquisition Means for Assessing the Costs of the Climate Crisis

    What Moody’s Recent Acquisition Means for Assessing the Costs of the Climate Crisis

    The acquisition of Four Twenty Seven, a leading provider of insight on economic climate risk, stands out as an indicator that the climate crisis is seen as a material risk that corporations and governments must consider.

  • Khulna to Barishal and Kuakata

    Khulna to Barishal and Kuakata

    We replaced the GPS at Khulna University, then met some colleagues in Barisal. We continued to Khepupara and the beach at Kuakata for more installations. The beach on the Bay of Bengal is fresh water in the summer due to the enormous water discharge at the Ganges-Brahmaputra Delta.

  • Finishing on the Boat

    Finishing on the Boat

    Silting rivers and bad roads made it difficult to find a last site. After a successful installation and an upgrade to an existing GPS site, we left the boat for land. We then discovered the local river had washed away some of our equipment.

  • Hiron Point Once More

    Hiron Point Once More

    We sailed to Hiron Point in the Sundarban Mangrove Forest to upgrade old and install new equipment. I have been to this beautiful remote site several times before. After competing the work, we sailed for over a day to reach our next site on a primary school roof.

  • Climate Change Could Revive Medieval Megadroughts in U.S. Southwest

    Climate Change Could Revive Medieval Megadroughts in U.S. Southwest

    Study picks apart factors that caused severe, long-lasting droughts and suggests increased risk for future.

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

  • Building Resilience in Vieques, Puerto Rico

    Building Resilience in Vieques, Puerto Rico

    In the two years since Hurricane Maria, the Urban Design Lab has been working with the small island community to design resilient homes, community centers, and sustainable infrastructure.

  • Economists Are Downplaying Many Major Climate Risks, Says Report

    Economists Are Downplaying Many Major Climate Risks, Says Report

    Researchers warn that world leaders are being misled by economic assessments of future climate-change impacts.

  • Is New York Ready for the Next Superstorm?

    Is New York Ready for the Next Superstorm?

    For New York City climate resistance is not an option, but a matter of municipal survival.

  • North to Patuakhali and Barisal for the End of Our Fieldwork

    North to Patuakhali and Barisal for the End of Our Fieldwork

    We added a campaign monument to the tide gauge at Khepupara on the way to our last GPS and SET installation site at Patuakhali. We faced challenges such as bad roads and broken bridges, and leeches, but got the work done. The field work was now coming to a close.

  • What Moody’s Recent Acquisition Means for Assessing the Costs of the Climate Crisis

    What Moody’s Recent Acquisition Means for Assessing the Costs of the Climate Crisis

    The acquisition of Four Twenty Seven, a leading provider of insight on economic climate risk, stands out as an indicator that the climate crisis is seen as a material risk that corporations and governments must consider.

  • Khulna to Barishal and Kuakata

    Khulna to Barishal and Kuakata

    We replaced the GPS at Khulna University, then met some colleagues in Barisal. We continued to Khepupara and the beach at Kuakata for more installations. The beach on the Bay of Bengal is fresh water in the summer due to the enormous water discharge at the Ganges-Brahmaputra Delta.

  • Finishing on the Boat

    Finishing on the Boat

    Silting rivers and bad roads made it difficult to find a last site. After a successful installation and an upgrade to an existing GPS site, we left the boat for land. We then discovered the local river had washed away some of our equipment.

  • Hiron Point Once More

    Hiron Point Once More

    We sailed to Hiron Point in the Sundarban Mangrove Forest to upgrade old and install new equipment. I have been to this beautiful remote site several times before. After competing the work, we sailed for over a day to reach our next site on a primary school roof.

  • Climate Change Could Revive Medieval Megadroughts in U.S. Southwest

    Climate Change Could Revive Medieval Megadroughts in U.S. Southwest

    Study picks apart factors that caused severe, long-lasting droughts and suggests increased risk for future.