State of the Planet

News from the Columbia Climate School

Sustainability86

  • Seeking an Urban Sustainability Graduate Research Assistant

    Seeking an Urban Sustainability Graduate Research Assistant

    Are you a full-time Columbia graduate student interested in urban sustainability and equity? Do you have superb writing, analytic and research skills? Apply by December 9 for this part-time research assistant position.

  • New York Lets a Thousand Bioswales Bloom

    New York Lets a Thousand Bioswales Bloom

    In an effort to curb sewage overflows, New York City has turned to green infrastructure: right-of-way bioswales, green roofs and rain gardens, among other practices. These measures help decrease stormwater runoff by increasing pervious areas and introducing water-loving plants that can absorb some of the water and encourage evaporation.

  • Leon Billings, Tom Jorling and the Origins of U.S. Environmental Law

    Leon Billings, Tom Jorling and the Origins of U.S. Environmental Law

    If you had the experience of hearing Leon Billings teach and tell stories, it is hard to believe his voice is no longer with us. He was a great American and an important figure in American environmental history.

  • President-Elect Trump’s Environmental Agenda

    As we face a Donald Trump administration, we must reflect on the development of environmental policy and politics of the past. Despite the skepticism that President-elect Trump could halt progress on sustainability efforts such as research and development for renewable energy, it seems that the average person values a clean and safe environment. Donald Trump…

  • Past This Absurd Election and Toward the Sustainable City

    Past This Absurd Election and Toward the Sustainable City

    Our cities can bring us together in wonderful shared experiences; now it’s time for our political processes to reflect rather than refute that reality.

  • The Candidates Agree: America’s Aging Infrastructure Needs a Fix

    The Candidates Agree: America’s Aging Infrastructure Needs a Fix

    Once infrastructure decisions are made, they are locked in place, often for decades, sometimes for centuries. Recognizing this fact, there is an urgency to think in new ways, rather than simply stick with established practices and systems.

  • Mass Transit in the Sustainable City

    Mass Transit in the Sustainable City

    An effective transportation system is to the sustainable city what a well-functioning circulatory system is to a healthy human being. New York City has developed along the path of its subway system.

  • Toward a Carbon-Neutral Future: Why Land and Resource Rights Matter

    Toward a Carbon-Neutral Future: Why Land and Resource Rights Matter

    Climate change is a destabilizing force that touches all sectors of society, whether agriculture, forestry, infrastructure, energy, water or health. The inherently intertwined and complex nature of climate change impacts means that strong institutions, laws and policies are critical to ensuring that these impacts don’t impinge on the rights of local populations. Key among these…

  • The Urgency Of Adapting To Climate Change

    The Urgency Of Adapting To Climate Change

    While ideologues continue to deny the reality of climate change, local governments do not have the luxury of indulging in the Tea Party and Koch Brothers’ favorite environmental fantasy. The impacts are real. We don’t need to shut down the economy, but we need to learn to run it without burning the place down or…

Colorful icons representing nature, sustainable living, and renewable energy with text "Earth Day 2026"

The first Earth Day in 1970 ignited a movement to stop polluting our planet. Today, our scientists and experts are tackling the most pressing challenges to achieve real-world impact. This Earth Day, join us in our commitment to realizing a just and sustainable future for our planet. Visit our Earth Day website for ideas, resources, and inspiration.

  • Seeking an Urban Sustainability Graduate Research Assistant

    Seeking an Urban Sustainability Graduate Research Assistant

    Are you a full-time Columbia graduate student interested in urban sustainability and equity? Do you have superb writing, analytic and research skills? Apply by December 9 for this part-time research assistant position.

  • New York Lets a Thousand Bioswales Bloom

    New York Lets a Thousand Bioswales Bloom

    In an effort to curb sewage overflows, New York City has turned to green infrastructure: right-of-way bioswales, green roofs and rain gardens, among other practices. These measures help decrease stormwater runoff by increasing pervious areas and introducing water-loving plants that can absorb some of the water and encourage evaporation.

  • Leon Billings, Tom Jorling and the Origins of U.S. Environmental Law

    Leon Billings, Tom Jorling and the Origins of U.S. Environmental Law

    If you had the experience of hearing Leon Billings teach and tell stories, it is hard to believe his voice is no longer with us. He was a great American and an important figure in American environmental history.

  • President-Elect Trump’s Environmental Agenda

    As we face a Donald Trump administration, we must reflect on the development of environmental policy and politics of the past. Despite the skepticism that President-elect Trump could halt progress on sustainability efforts such as research and development for renewable energy, it seems that the average person values a clean and safe environment. Donald Trump…

  • Past This Absurd Election and Toward the Sustainable City

    Past This Absurd Election and Toward the Sustainable City

    Our cities can bring us together in wonderful shared experiences; now it’s time for our political processes to reflect rather than refute that reality.

  • The Candidates Agree: America’s Aging Infrastructure Needs a Fix

    The Candidates Agree: America’s Aging Infrastructure Needs a Fix

    Once infrastructure decisions are made, they are locked in place, often for decades, sometimes for centuries. Recognizing this fact, there is an urgency to think in new ways, rather than simply stick with established practices and systems.

  • Mass Transit in the Sustainable City

    Mass Transit in the Sustainable City

    An effective transportation system is to the sustainable city what a well-functioning circulatory system is to a healthy human being. New York City has developed along the path of its subway system.

  • Toward a Carbon-Neutral Future: Why Land and Resource Rights Matter

    Toward a Carbon-Neutral Future: Why Land and Resource Rights Matter

    Climate change is a destabilizing force that touches all sectors of society, whether agriculture, forestry, infrastructure, energy, water or health. The inherently intertwined and complex nature of climate change impacts means that strong institutions, laws and policies are critical to ensuring that these impacts don’t impinge on the rights of local populations. Key among these…

  • The Urgency Of Adapting To Climate Change

    The Urgency Of Adapting To Climate Change

    While ideologues continue to deny the reality of climate change, local governments do not have the luxury of indulging in the Tea Party and Koch Brothers’ favorite environmental fantasy. The impacts are real. We don’t need to shut down the economy, but we need to learn to run it without burning the place down or…