State of the Planet

News from the Columbia Climate School

Water48

  • Professor Jeffrey Sachs Extends Term as Director of the Earth Institute

    Professor Jeffrey Sachs Extends Term as Director of the Earth Institute

    The Earth Institute, Columbia University announced that Professor Jeffrey Sachs has agreed to extend his term as its director. Since his tenure began in 2002, Sachs has led the Earth Institute to become a leading scientific authority on sustainable development while simultaneously expanding its reach worldwide. Through his guidance, the Earth Institute and its scientists…

  • Portland Opposes a Federal Rule due to a “Unique Water Source”

    Portland Opposes a Federal Rule due to a “Unique Water Source”

    In Portland, Oregon Federal Water Treatment Rule LT2 faces opposition due to high water costs and what its City Commissioner describes as its “unique water source”.

  • Paulie, Jimmy and Vinny on NYC’s Water Future

    Paulie, Jimmy and Vinny on NYC’s Water Future

    New York City’s trio of water and sewer czars, explain the reasons behind rising rates.

  • The Middle East Dries Up—Another Case Study in the Water-Energy-Food Nexus

    The Middle East Dries Up—Another Case Study in the Water-Energy-Food Nexus

    As seductive as it is, depleting non-renewable aquifers to grow food is fundamentally unsustainable for the long term, as Saudi Arabia and other nations are finding out. According to a recent article by Lester Brown, in the 1970s the world’s largest oil producer realized it could use oil-drilling technology to tap deep underwater aquifers and—amazingly,…

  • Pennsylvania’s Gasland Spill

    Pennsylvania’s Gasland Spill

    Pennsylvania well spills tens of thousands of gallons of fracking fluid into a nearby creek; Gasland director Josh Fox talks to Columbia University about renewable energy.

  • “You are Misinformed”–Planning for Flood Regime Change

    “You are Misinformed”–Planning for Flood Regime Change

    Lately a lot of people are wondering just how helpful the 100-year flood benchmark really is, as places seem to be getting hit by 100-year floods all the time.

  • Southern Louisiana’s Vanishing Act

    Southern Louisiana’s Vanishing Act

    Louisiana’s wetlands — the largest system in the United States — are shrinking at an alarming rate.

  • Update: Youth-led Project H2O Continues to Inspire

    Update: Youth-led Project H2O Continues to Inspire

    We first reported about the project by a group of Puerto Rican high school students, Project H2O (Help to Others), and the documentary film about the project being made by the parents of one of the students, in August 2010. The students are continuing to develop Project H2O in their school, in an educational phase…

  • Growing Up: Water Efficiency and Sunless Farming

    Growing Up: Water Efficiency and Sunless Farming

    As Earth’s population continues to grow and a dynamic global climate shifts our expectations of where and when food can be grown, scientists are trying to find new ways to get more from less.

Composite banner with modern building at night and portrait of Dean Alexis Abramson that reads "Science for the Planet"

By studying thousands of buildings and analyzing their electricity use, Columbia Climate School Dean Alexis Abramson has been able to uncover ways to significantly cut energy consumption and emissions. Watch the Video: “Engineering a Cooler Future Through Smarter Buildings

  • Professor Jeffrey Sachs Extends Term as Director of the Earth Institute

    Professor Jeffrey Sachs Extends Term as Director of the Earth Institute

    The Earth Institute, Columbia University announced that Professor Jeffrey Sachs has agreed to extend his term as its director. Since his tenure began in 2002, Sachs has led the Earth Institute to become a leading scientific authority on sustainable development while simultaneously expanding its reach worldwide. Through his guidance, the Earth Institute and its scientists…

  • Portland Opposes a Federal Rule due to a “Unique Water Source”

    Portland Opposes a Federal Rule due to a “Unique Water Source”

    In Portland, Oregon Federal Water Treatment Rule LT2 faces opposition due to high water costs and what its City Commissioner describes as its “unique water source”.

  • Paulie, Jimmy and Vinny on NYC’s Water Future

    Paulie, Jimmy and Vinny on NYC’s Water Future

    New York City’s trio of water and sewer czars, explain the reasons behind rising rates.

  • The Middle East Dries Up—Another Case Study in the Water-Energy-Food Nexus

    The Middle East Dries Up—Another Case Study in the Water-Energy-Food Nexus

    As seductive as it is, depleting non-renewable aquifers to grow food is fundamentally unsustainable for the long term, as Saudi Arabia and other nations are finding out. According to a recent article by Lester Brown, in the 1970s the world’s largest oil producer realized it could use oil-drilling technology to tap deep underwater aquifers and—amazingly,…

  • Pennsylvania’s Gasland Spill

    Pennsylvania’s Gasland Spill

    Pennsylvania well spills tens of thousands of gallons of fracking fluid into a nearby creek; Gasland director Josh Fox talks to Columbia University about renewable energy.

  • “You are Misinformed”–Planning for Flood Regime Change

    “You are Misinformed”–Planning for Flood Regime Change

    Lately a lot of people are wondering just how helpful the 100-year flood benchmark really is, as places seem to be getting hit by 100-year floods all the time.

  • Southern Louisiana’s Vanishing Act

    Southern Louisiana’s Vanishing Act

    Louisiana’s wetlands — the largest system in the United States — are shrinking at an alarming rate.

  • Update: Youth-led Project H2O Continues to Inspire

    Update: Youth-led Project H2O Continues to Inspire

    We first reported about the project by a group of Puerto Rican high school students, Project H2O (Help to Others), and the documentary film about the project being made by the parents of one of the students, in August 2010. The students are continuing to develop Project H2O in their school, in an educational phase…

  • Growing Up: Water Efficiency and Sunless Farming

    Growing Up: Water Efficiency and Sunless Farming

    As Earth’s population continues to grow and a dynamic global climate shifts our expectations of where and when food can be grown, scientists are trying to find new ways to get more from less.