Sustainability89
-
President Obama Continues to Build His Environmental Legacy
There are limits to how much a president can do without a congress willing to legislate. Barack Obama produced his environmental legacy through the creative and determined use of his executive authority.
-
“We All Cherish Our Children’s Future. And We Are All Mortal.”
It is very important that our politics reflect the universality of human experience as well as the distinctiveness of this place we call America. Let’s treasure our common values and distinctiveness and make a world safe for both.
-
Rules Would Require More Environmental Risk Disclosure in Mining
The Securities and Exchange Commission has proposed changes to its disclosure requirements for mining companies that could increase the liability potential of companies that fail to accurately disclose environmentally related risks to their investors.
-
California’s First In The Nation Climate Plan
The goal of the energy transition is to create a renewable energy system that is as effective and reliable as the current fossil fuel-based system. Microgrids provide backup capacity and vastly increase the reliability of power systems for consumers. A second goal of the energy transition is to switch off of fossil fuels and rely…
-
Veterinarian Joins MPA-ESP to Work for Wildlife Conservation
“Reading of species after species declared extinct, like the west African black rhinoceros, made me realize that if I ever want to take part in wildlife conservation efforts, the time to take action and to take part in conservation efforts is now.”
-
Climate Change and the Complexity of Science
The diplomatic debate about phasing out HFCs has been underway for seven years, but the technology of refrigerant coolants appears to have finally caught up with the need for replacement technology. Once replacement technology is available, diplomacy becomes possible.
-
Changing Environmental Values and a Changing World
I believe that concern over tap water is part of the growing movement for locally-sourced food, physical fitness, and what has been termed “wellness.” The underlying source of support for environmental protection is a growing understanding of the relationship between a toxic environment and human health.
-
Shareholder Litigation Puts a Spotlight on Environmental Risk
Lawsuits based on corporate misrepresentations to investors are gaining attention from those who want to see companies held more accountable for environmental damage–including risks associated with climate change.
-
Interdependence, Sustainability, and a Sense of Place
As important as global economic and cultural forces may be, I see the push for distinctive identity and a sense of place ensuring that communities and nation states will maintain their power in a more globally interconnected world. Part of it is expressed in Not in My Back Yard (NIMBY) local politics that resists development…
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
