State of the Planet

News from the Columbia Climate School

Natural Disasters36

  • Rivers Predicted to Jump Banks More Often as World Warms

    Rivers Predicted to Jump Banks More Often as World Warms

    Rainfall changes caused by global warming will increase river flooding risks across the globe by the 2040s, says a new study.

  • Seismic Sensors Record Hurricane Intensity, Study Finds

    Seismic Sensors Record Hurricane Intensity, Study Finds

    New line of information could help predict the storms’ future strength under climate change.

  • Puerto Rico Faces a Long Road to a Sustainable Future

    Puerto Rico Faces a Long Road to a Sustainable Future

    Puerto Rico suffered an estimated $94 billion or more in damage, on top of an already sagging economy and $74 billion in debt. The island needs a total reboot. Can it do it sustainably?

  • Why Do Floods Sometimes Happen on Sunny Days?

    Why Do Floods Sometimes Happen on Sunny Days?

    Some towns and cities can get soaked even when the skies are dry—and these so-called sunny day floods are on the rise thanks to climate change.

  • Catastrophe and Community

    Catastrophe and Community

    Natural disaster reconstruction will not be easy, but our greatest assets in the rebuilding efforts are our communities and our common values.

  • The Disaster of Disaster Reconstruction

    The Disaster of Disaster Reconstruction

    First responders have learned how to reduce the death toll from natural disasters, but America’s long-term response and approach to reconstruction suffers from uncertainty, bureaucracy and inadequate resources of every kind. Until we understand that disaster reconstruction is not part of emergency response, it will remain a disaster.

  • New York Is Still Feeling the Effects of Hurricane Sandy, Five Years Later

    New York Is Still Feeling the Effects of Hurricane Sandy, Five Years Later

    In October 2012, Sandy devastated large swaths of the city with floods and fire. How well have we recovered? And will we be ready for the next big storm?

  • Mumbai May Be Vulnerable to Future Hurricanes

    Mumbai May Be Vulnerable to Future Hurricanes

    If a serious cyclone were to strike Mumbai, the results could be catastrophic, says a study underway at Columbia.

  • Puerto Rico’s Peril and Potential

    Puerto Rico’s Peril and Potential

    The federal response to Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico was far too slow and small to deal with the massive scale of the disaster, but the future potential for Puerto Rico could be achieved by constructing a more resilient, storm-resistant built environment.

Overhead view of Columbia campus with text Columbia Climate School Class Day 2026: Congratulations Graduates

Congratulations to our Columbia Climate School Class of 2026 and all of our 2026 Columbia University graduates! Learn more about our May 15 Climate School Class Day celebration. 💙 #Columbia2026 #ColumbiaClimate2026

  • Rivers Predicted to Jump Banks More Often as World Warms

    Rivers Predicted to Jump Banks More Often as World Warms

    Rainfall changes caused by global warming will increase river flooding risks across the globe by the 2040s, says a new study.

  • Seismic Sensors Record Hurricane Intensity, Study Finds

    Seismic Sensors Record Hurricane Intensity, Study Finds

    New line of information could help predict the storms’ future strength under climate change.

  • Puerto Rico Faces a Long Road to a Sustainable Future

    Puerto Rico Faces a Long Road to a Sustainable Future

    Puerto Rico suffered an estimated $94 billion or more in damage, on top of an already sagging economy and $74 billion in debt. The island needs a total reboot. Can it do it sustainably?

  • Why Do Floods Sometimes Happen on Sunny Days?

    Why Do Floods Sometimes Happen on Sunny Days?

    Some towns and cities can get soaked even when the skies are dry—and these so-called sunny day floods are on the rise thanks to climate change.

  • Catastrophe and Community

    Catastrophe and Community

    Natural disaster reconstruction will not be easy, but our greatest assets in the rebuilding efforts are our communities and our common values.

  • The Disaster of Disaster Reconstruction

    The Disaster of Disaster Reconstruction

    First responders have learned how to reduce the death toll from natural disasters, but America’s long-term response and approach to reconstruction suffers from uncertainty, bureaucracy and inadequate resources of every kind. Until we understand that disaster reconstruction is not part of emergency response, it will remain a disaster.

  • New York Is Still Feeling the Effects of Hurricane Sandy, Five Years Later

    New York Is Still Feeling the Effects of Hurricane Sandy, Five Years Later

    In October 2012, Sandy devastated large swaths of the city with floods and fire. How well have we recovered? And will we be ready for the next big storm?

  • Mumbai May Be Vulnerable to Future Hurricanes

    Mumbai May Be Vulnerable to Future Hurricanes

    If a serious cyclone were to strike Mumbai, the results could be catastrophic, says a study underway at Columbia.

  • Puerto Rico’s Peril and Potential

    Puerto Rico’s Peril and Potential

    The federal response to Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico was far too slow and small to deal with the massive scale of the disaster, but the future potential for Puerto Rico could be achieved by constructing a more resilient, storm-resistant built environment.