State of the Planet

News from the Columbia Climate School

Viewpoints10

  • Getting Sustainability Done in New York City

    Getting Sustainability Done in New York City

    Just in time for Earth Day, New York City has issued a new sustainability plan; Mayor Adams deserves enormous credit for empowering his team to develop and issue this plan and for deploying his political capital in support of practical, real-world-oriented sustainability planning, policy, programs, and management.

  • The Impact of Regulation on Automobile Innovation

    The Impact of Regulation on Automobile Innovation

    The transition to environmental sustainability in America requires rapid, widespread adoption of electric vehicles. Regulation driving technological innovation may help expedite this process.

  • My Experience as a Fellow With the New York City Panel on Climate Change

    My Experience as a Fellow With the New York City Panel on Climate Change

    A Climate and Society alum and former fellow with the Health Working Group reflects on what she learned and how it opened the door to future career opportunities.

  • Overcoming Obstacles to Electric Vehicles: Charging Stations and Lower Prices

    Overcoming Obstacles to Electric Vehicles: Charging Stations and Lower Prices

    The technology of electric vehicles is poised to displace the internal combustion engine, but it will take time to transition away from a century’s worth of infrastructure and investment.

  • We Need to Advance Solid Waste Technology

    We Need to Advance Solid Waste Technology

    To implement a true circular economy, we need to systematically and automatically reuse most of the material placed in our trash bags.

  • What Tracking Mountain Lions Taught Me About Adaptability

    What Tracking Mountain Lions Taught Me About Adaptability

    A student in the M.S. in Sustainability Management program discusses the importance of mountain lions to the California ecosystem and how changes in climate and human behavior are getting in their way.

  • The Pros and Cons of Working from Home

    The Pros and Cons of Working from Home

    Looking at remote work from the perspective of management, one can see advantages and disadvantages; organizations will continue to search for the balance of in-person and remote work that best fits their operation.

  • The Squeeze on Powering the Open Road

    The Squeeze on Powering the Open Road

    Transitioning to electric vehicles and renewable energy will require us to use limited, difficult-to-attain natural resources. Extracting those minerals has environmental consequences, and we don’t even know if the planetary supply can meet such a vast demand.

  • The False Trade-off Between Green Energy and Toxic Chemical Regulation

    The False Trade-off Between Green Energy and Toxic Chemical Regulation

    The long and tortuous effort to regulate toxic chemicals in America has now come up against an ironic obstacle: anti-environmental lobbying by the manufacturers of batteries and other renewable energy technologies that rely on toxic substances.

Blue banner with NYC background: "Columbia Climate School Class Day 2025 -- Congratulations Graduates"
  • Getting Sustainability Done in New York City

    Getting Sustainability Done in New York City

    Just in time for Earth Day, New York City has issued a new sustainability plan; Mayor Adams deserves enormous credit for empowering his team to develop and issue this plan and for deploying his political capital in support of practical, real-world-oriented sustainability planning, policy, programs, and management.

  • The Impact of Regulation on Automobile Innovation

    The Impact of Regulation on Automobile Innovation

    The transition to environmental sustainability in America requires rapid, widespread adoption of electric vehicles. Regulation driving technological innovation may help expedite this process.

  • My Experience as a Fellow With the New York City Panel on Climate Change

    My Experience as a Fellow With the New York City Panel on Climate Change

    A Climate and Society alum and former fellow with the Health Working Group reflects on what she learned and how it opened the door to future career opportunities.

  • Overcoming Obstacles to Electric Vehicles: Charging Stations and Lower Prices

    Overcoming Obstacles to Electric Vehicles: Charging Stations and Lower Prices

    The technology of electric vehicles is poised to displace the internal combustion engine, but it will take time to transition away from a century’s worth of infrastructure and investment.

  • We Need to Advance Solid Waste Technology

    We Need to Advance Solid Waste Technology

    To implement a true circular economy, we need to systematically and automatically reuse most of the material placed in our trash bags.

  • What Tracking Mountain Lions Taught Me About Adaptability

    What Tracking Mountain Lions Taught Me About Adaptability

    A student in the M.S. in Sustainability Management program discusses the importance of mountain lions to the California ecosystem and how changes in climate and human behavior are getting in their way.

  • The Pros and Cons of Working from Home

    The Pros and Cons of Working from Home

    Looking at remote work from the perspective of management, one can see advantages and disadvantages; organizations will continue to search for the balance of in-person and remote work that best fits their operation.

  • The Squeeze on Powering the Open Road

    The Squeeze on Powering the Open Road

    Transitioning to electric vehicles and renewable energy will require us to use limited, difficult-to-attain natural resources. Extracting those minerals has environmental consequences, and we don’t even know if the planetary supply can meet such a vast demand.

  • The False Trade-off Between Green Energy and Toxic Chemical Regulation

    The False Trade-off Between Green Energy and Toxic Chemical Regulation

    The long and tortuous effort to regulate toxic chemicals in America has now come up against an ironic obstacle: anti-environmental lobbying by the manufacturers of batteries and other renewable energy technologies that rely on toxic substances.