Peace and Conflict
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25 Years After September 11th, New York City Changed the Way We Prepare for Disasters
The strongest response is rarely about one institution having all the answers. It is about people knowing whom to call, trusting one another, and being willing to share what they know.
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Columbia Climate School Welcomes Environmental Social Scientist Garrett Albistegui Adler
Albistegui Adler is an interdisciplinary environmental social scientist whose research examines the political and social impacts of climate change and climate variability.
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The Environmental Cost of War
Daryush Nourbaha, an M.S. in Sustainability Science alum, reflects on the heavy toll of global conflict.
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Ecuador’s High-Stakes Vote: Will the Galápagos Become a U.S. Navy Outpost?
Ecuadorians will vote whether or not to overturn the current constitution. If the referendum passes, it will likely dismantle the Rights of Nature, which is indirectly on the ballot, and also formally allow Ecuador to host foreign bases.
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China Authorizes Controversial Hydropower Project in Landslide-Prone Region of Tibet
Recent Chinese approval to construct the world’s largest hydropower dam in Tibet has sparked concerns on local displacement, downstream impacts and infrastructure longevity.
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How Word Choices in the Mainstream News Media Signal a Country’s Level of Peace
By analyzing the frequency of certain words within news media from any country, a machine learning algorithm can produce a quantitative “peace index” that captures the level of peace within that country.
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With Drones, Geophysics and ArtificiaI Intelligence, Researchers Prepare to Do Battle Against Land Mines
Finding land mines the old-fashioned way—on foot, with a metal detector—is agonizingly slow and dangerous. Scientists are working to make the process faster and safer.
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New York City’s Resilience and Post-COVID Recovery
New York City has its problems, but the energy, work ethic, brainpower, and sheer determination of the people who live here always ensure its revival.
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Memorial Day, Patriotism, and the Search for American Political Consensus
Political polarization is a trap that is easy to fall into, but many Americans are looking for a sense of unity and leadership that represents our common values and shared sense of community.
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
