State of the Planet

News from the Columbia Climate School

Sustainability90

  • Zero Waste in San Francisco and New York: A Tale of Two Cities

    Each city is different, and New York’s pace, diversity, and size make comparisons to San Francisco difficult. Still, large-scale behavior changes can be achieved with leadership, strategy and creativity.

  • The Presidency and Sustainability

    The president’s accomplishments are particularly noteworthy given the toxic political environment he must operate within. Flint, Michigan’s water crisis provides an example of how partisan politics is dominating federal environmental policy.

  • Alumni Recruit Students for Sustainability Jobs

    Alumni Recruit Students for Sustainability Jobs

    Earth Institute alumni, who were on the job market only one or two years ago themselves, returned to the Columbia University campus in early March to recruit students for sustainability jobs.

  • The Technological World and the Risk of Nuclear Power

    The modern economy and our way of life depend on new and advancing technology. It especially depends on energy technology.

  • Slowly Moving to Protect the Environment

    In some cases we do not understand the impact of human actions on the planet and we need to do more observation and analysis to understand those impacts. In other cases we don’t really know how to repair the damage once it has been done.

  • Competition Challenges Students to Limit Global Warming

    Competition Challenges Students to Limit Global Warming

    Can the global community devise a solution to save the planet from the worst impacts of global climate change? How about doing it in seven hours?

  • Using Data to Assess Progress of Sustainable Development Goals

    Using Data to Assess Progress of Sustainable Development Goals

    The 17 Sustainable Development Goals adopted by all member states of the United Nations in September 2015 set an ambitious global sustainable development agenda. The goals span the three dimensions of sustainable development—economic development, social inclusion and environmental sustainability, underpinned by good governance. In order to operationalize this cross-cutting agenda in the varied contexts of…

  • Protecting Our Drinking Water

    The reason we have federal water quality standards is to ensure that local economic issues, politics, racism or other factors do not control decisions about water supply. But in Flint, decisions on water supply were not subject to effective federal review.

  • Working with Facebook to Create Better Population Maps

    Working with Facebook to Create Better Population Maps

    Knowing how settlements are distributed across the landscape—e.g., in clusters, along roads or waterways, or scattered widely—has important implications for designing infrastructure, improving access, and promoting sustainability.

Earth Month Graphic Collage: "Our Power, Our Planet - April 2025"

The first Earth Day in 1970 ignited a movement to stop polluting our planet. This Earth Month, 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.

  • Zero Waste in San Francisco and New York: A Tale of Two Cities

    Each city is different, and New York’s pace, diversity, and size make comparisons to San Francisco difficult. Still, large-scale behavior changes can be achieved with leadership, strategy and creativity.

  • The Presidency and Sustainability

    The president’s accomplishments are particularly noteworthy given the toxic political environment he must operate within. Flint, Michigan’s water crisis provides an example of how partisan politics is dominating federal environmental policy.

  • Alumni Recruit Students for Sustainability Jobs

    Alumni Recruit Students for Sustainability Jobs

    Earth Institute alumni, who were on the job market only one or two years ago themselves, returned to the Columbia University campus in early March to recruit students for sustainability jobs.

  • The Technological World and the Risk of Nuclear Power

    The modern economy and our way of life depend on new and advancing technology. It especially depends on energy technology.

  • Slowly Moving to Protect the Environment

    In some cases we do not understand the impact of human actions on the planet and we need to do more observation and analysis to understand those impacts. In other cases we don’t really know how to repair the damage once it has been done.

  • Competition Challenges Students to Limit Global Warming

    Competition Challenges Students to Limit Global Warming

    Can the global community devise a solution to save the planet from the worst impacts of global climate change? How about doing it in seven hours?

  • Using Data to Assess Progress of Sustainable Development Goals

    Using Data to Assess Progress of Sustainable Development Goals

    The 17 Sustainable Development Goals adopted by all member states of the United Nations in September 2015 set an ambitious global sustainable development agenda. The goals span the three dimensions of sustainable development—economic development, social inclusion and environmental sustainability, underpinned by good governance. In order to operationalize this cross-cutting agenda in the varied contexts of…

  • Protecting Our Drinking Water

    The reason we have federal water quality standards is to ensure that local economic issues, politics, racism or other factors do not control decisions about water supply. But in Flint, decisions on water supply were not subject to effective federal review.

  • Working with Facebook to Create Better Population Maps

    Working with Facebook to Create Better Population Maps

    Knowing how settlements are distributed across the landscape—e.g., in clusters, along roads or waterways, or scattered widely—has important implications for designing infrastructure, improving access, and promoting sustainability.