Sustainability
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Mining is Essential. It Doesn’t Have to be Wasteful.
Greeshma Gadikota is developing a wide range of new approaches for sustainably acquiring and refining the raw inputs that become hardware and energy.
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A New Tool for Matching Water Solutions to Community Needs
Sustainable development alum Dylan Dettloff used his Columbia Climate School Collaborative Research Grant to develop a Python-based decision tool to help rural and water-scarce communities identify the most suitable desalination technologies.
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New Environmental Performance Index Highlights Sustainability Gains and the Challenges Ahead
The 2026 EPI, produced by Yale and Columbia Climate School, finds that Europe leads in environmental performance but few countries are on track for net-zero by 2050.
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Beyond Borders: What It Takes to Build a Climate-Resilient Megalopolis
The Greater Bay Area in China is implementing nature-based solutions to build climate resilience amid rapid urbanization, biodiversity loss and worsening storms.
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Climate School Alumni Aim for Sustainability Goals in the 2026 World Cup and Beyond
As the 2026 FIFA World Cup plays out in North America, M.A. in Climate and Society graduates are working behind the scenes to drive sustainability efforts in sporting events.
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What I’ve Learned From ‘The End of Poverty,’ 20 Years Later
The author reflects on Jeffrey Sachs, the U.N., and the need to redesign global institutions for a world shaped by climate change, poverty and geopolitical strain.
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Regenerative Travel: Students Field Test What’s Next in Climate-Conscious Tourism
The Wild Tomorrow capstone workshop and Cuttyhunk Practicum are two examples of Climate School initiatives that focus on climate-conscious travel.
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Columbia Beautiful Planet 2026
Once again, we honor Earth Day by sharing some amazing photos celebrating the beauty and magic of our planet, as captured by the Columbia community.
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Science for the Planet: Turning Waste Into Critical Materials
Greeshma Gadikota and her team explore how materials that might otherwise be landfilled can be transformed into products needed for solar energy and other critical technologies.
On Saturday, October 17, 2026 from 10am to 4pm, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory Open House—our biggest, best science fun and discovery event of the year—will take place on our beautiful campus in Palisades, NY. Mark your calendar and join us for this free, family-friendly celebration of science! RSVP Today!
