State of the Planet

News from the Columbia Climate School

Sustainability104

  • Summer Program Opens Door to the Life of a Scientist

    Summer Program Opens Door to the Life of a Scientist

    For Destiny Torres, a biology major at Brown University and a Gates Millennium Scholar, the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory’s Secondary School Field Research Program in 2010 offered her the perfect combination of research, mentorship, lab work, and a glimpse into the daily life of a scientist.

  • Education, Sustainability and the post-2015 Development Agenda

    Education, Sustainability and the post-2015 Development Agenda

    Starting in 2016, a new series of global monitoring reports will examine the state of education, using the framework of the anticipated Sustainable Development Goals that are to be finalized by the UN in September 2015. The first report in this series, the 2016 Report, will focus on “Education, Sustainability and the post-2015 Development Agenda.”

  • Sustainable Development through the Lens of NYC Government

    Sustainable Development through the Lens of NYC Government

    Have you ever wondered about how sustainability plans develop within local government? Michael Freedman-Schnapp, director of the New York City Council’s Policy & Innovation Division, recently spoke with students about this topic at a Sustainable Development Speaker Series event.

  • What Will You Leave Behind? How Personal Legacy Affects Pro-environmental Behavior

    What Will You Leave Behind? How Personal Legacy Affects Pro-environmental Behavior

    New research from the Center for Research on Environmental Decisions finds that personal legacy can be a motivator to encourage pro-environmental behaviors.

  • Paths to Decarbonization: A Live Twitter Q&A

    Paths to Decarbonization: A Live Twitter Q&A

    @UNSDSN is hosting a live Twitter Q&A on Friday, Dec. 19, from 1-2 p.m. EST with Jim Williams, chief scientist at Energy and Environmental Economics Inc. and lead author on the U.S. Deep Decarbonization Pathways Project report. You can send in your questions before and during the live chat on Twitter or Facebook by using…

  • 2015 Internships at Center for Sustainable Investment

    2015 Internships at Center for Sustainable Investment

    The Columbia Center on Sustainable Investment is accepting applications for internship positions for the spring 2015 and summer 2015 semesters. Interns are staffed to one or more specific research projects depending on the background and interests of the particular applicant. Internships are generally unpaid, though some paid opportunities are available. Select work-study administrative positions are…

  • Sustainable Development Fall 2014 Workshop Briefings

    Sustainable Development Fall 2014 Workshop Briefings

    This fall, students in the Undergraduate Program in Sustainable Development unveiled innovative solutions for sustainability issues as part of their Capstone Workshop. Under the guidance of professors Stuart Gaffin and Radley Horton, students worked as consultants for organizations such as the United States Military Academy at West Point, Sabin Center for Climate Change Law and…

  • Toxic Chemicals All Around Us: Is Green Chemistry the Answer?

    Toxic Chemicals All Around Us: Is Green Chemistry the Answer?

    We live in a world filled with synthetic chemicals, many with known or suspected health hazards. Can green chemistry, the design of chemical products without hazardous substances, provide a solution?

  • Rising Star Shows Passion for Sustainable Development Abroad

    Rising Star Shows Passion for Sustainable Development Abroad

    Alyssa Menz’ upbringing and interests have shaped her enthusiasm and fascination for environmental policy and human-environment interactions. Her studies in sustainable development and learning experiences abroad in Jordan, the Middle East and Kenya have further fueled her passion for international environmental policy and conflict resolution. After graduating from the program, Alyssa hopes to continue her…

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

  • Summer Program Opens Door to the Life of a Scientist

    Summer Program Opens Door to the Life of a Scientist

    For Destiny Torres, a biology major at Brown University and a Gates Millennium Scholar, the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory’s Secondary School Field Research Program in 2010 offered her the perfect combination of research, mentorship, lab work, and a glimpse into the daily life of a scientist.

  • Education, Sustainability and the post-2015 Development Agenda

    Education, Sustainability and the post-2015 Development Agenda

    Starting in 2016, a new series of global monitoring reports will examine the state of education, using the framework of the anticipated Sustainable Development Goals that are to be finalized by the UN in September 2015. The first report in this series, the 2016 Report, will focus on “Education, Sustainability and the post-2015 Development Agenda.”

  • Sustainable Development through the Lens of NYC Government

    Sustainable Development through the Lens of NYC Government

    Have you ever wondered about how sustainability plans develop within local government? Michael Freedman-Schnapp, director of the New York City Council’s Policy & Innovation Division, recently spoke with students about this topic at a Sustainable Development Speaker Series event.

  • What Will You Leave Behind? How Personal Legacy Affects Pro-environmental Behavior

    What Will You Leave Behind? How Personal Legacy Affects Pro-environmental Behavior

    New research from the Center for Research on Environmental Decisions finds that personal legacy can be a motivator to encourage pro-environmental behaviors.

  • Paths to Decarbonization: A Live Twitter Q&A

    Paths to Decarbonization: A Live Twitter Q&A

    @UNSDSN is hosting a live Twitter Q&A on Friday, Dec. 19, from 1-2 p.m. EST with Jim Williams, chief scientist at Energy and Environmental Economics Inc. and lead author on the U.S. Deep Decarbonization Pathways Project report. You can send in your questions before and during the live chat on Twitter or Facebook by using…

  • 2015 Internships at Center for Sustainable Investment

    2015 Internships at Center for Sustainable Investment

    The Columbia Center on Sustainable Investment is accepting applications for internship positions for the spring 2015 and summer 2015 semesters. Interns are staffed to one or more specific research projects depending on the background and interests of the particular applicant. Internships are generally unpaid, though some paid opportunities are available. Select work-study administrative positions are…

  • Sustainable Development Fall 2014 Workshop Briefings

    Sustainable Development Fall 2014 Workshop Briefings

    This fall, students in the Undergraduate Program in Sustainable Development unveiled innovative solutions for sustainability issues as part of their Capstone Workshop. Under the guidance of professors Stuart Gaffin and Radley Horton, students worked as consultants for organizations such as the United States Military Academy at West Point, Sabin Center for Climate Change Law and…

  • Toxic Chemicals All Around Us: Is Green Chemistry the Answer?

    Toxic Chemicals All Around Us: Is Green Chemistry the Answer?

    We live in a world filled with synthetic chemicals, many with known or suspected health hazards. Can green chemistry, the design of chemical products without hazardous substances, provide a solution?

  • Rising Star Shows Passion for Sustainable Development Abroad

    Rising Star Shows Passion for Sustainable Development Abroad

    Alyssa Menz’ upbringing and interests have shaped her enthusiasm and fascination for environmental policy and human-environment interactions. Her studies in sustainable development and learning experiences abroad in Jordan, the Middle East and Kenya have further fueled her passion for international environmental policy and conflict resolution. After graduating from the program, Alyssa hopes to continue her…