State of the Planet

News from the Columbia Climate School

Water48

  • Clean Water vs. Cheap Energy: Can We Have Both?

    Clean Water vs. Cheap Energy: Can We Have Both?

    The social fabric of a water quality debate: Anti-fracking protesters converge on Albany… again. A battle of wills between advocates of clean water and cheap energy ensues.

  • How China Is Dealing With Its Water Crisis

    How China Is Dealing With Its Water Crisis

    Recently I traveled to Southeast Yunnan in China to see the spectacular Yuan Yang rice terraces, flooded and ready for spring planting. Rice is a very water-hungry crop and China is the world’s largest producer of rice and grain. Yet China is facing a perilous water crisis.

  • Reusing Dirty Water

    Reusing Dirty Water

    Columbia Water Center guest lecturer Raymond Farinato talks about increasing water supply by reusing wastewater in industrial applications.

  • Here Comes the Flood: The Army Corps Prepares to Blow the Levees to Save Cairo, Illinois

    Here Comes the Flood: The Army Corps Prepares to Blow the Levees to Save Cairo, Illinois

    The US Army corps of Engineers is preparing to blow up levees on the Ohio River near Bird’s Point Missouri in order to save the town of Cairo, Illinois.

  • British Royals’ Green Wedding

    British Royals’ Green Wedding

    The Royal wedding used up a lot of resources, but Will and Kate did their best to keep it green.

  • 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,…

Banner with images representing environmental issues and text "You Asked: Our Scientists and Experts Answer Your Burning Questions."

You Asked invites you to share your most pressing questions about climate, science, and sustainability. Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory and Columbia Climate School experts will respond with clear, evidence-based answers. Pose your questions and story ideas!

  • Clean Water vs. Cheap Energy: Can We Have Both?

    Clean Water vs. Cheap Energy: Can We Have Both?

    The social fabric of a water quality debate: Anti-fracking protesters converge on Albany… again. A battle of wills between advocates of clean water and cheap energy ensues.

  • How China Is Dealing With Its Water Crisis

    How China Is Dealing With Its Water Crisis

    Recently I traveled to Southeast Yunnan in China to see the spectacular Yuan Yang rice terraces, flooded and ready for spring planting. Rice is a very water-hungry crop and China is the world’s largest producer of rice and grain. Yet China is facing a perilous water crisis.

  • Reusing Dirty Water

    Reusing Dirty Water

    Columbia Water Center guest lecturer Raymond Farinato talks about increasing water supply by reusing wastewater in industrial applications.

  • Here Comes the Flood: The Army Corps Prepares to Blow the Levees to Save Cairo, Illinois

    Here Comes the Flood: The Army Corps Prepares to Blow the Levees to Save Cairo, Illinois

    The US Army corps of Engineers is preparing to blow up levees on the Ohio River near Bird’s Point Missouri in order to save the town of Cairo, Illinois.

  • British Royals’ Green Wedding

    British Royals’ Green Wedding

    The Royal wedding used up a lot of resources, but Will and Kate did their best to keep it green.

  • 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,…