Water77
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ILAS and the IRI Meet, Look Ahead to Copenhagen
Researchers from across Columbia in early May at a faculty seminar entitled Climate Change, Public Policy, and Development. The event was jointly organized by the Institute of Latin American Studies (ILAS) and the International Research Institute for Climate and Society (IRI). The purpose of the meeting was to explore ways in which Columbia University could…
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NYS agencies phasing out bottled water
On March 10th Ju Young posted an extremely informative entry on bottled water, “Do you still drink bottled water?” The message to cut down on bottled water is still big in advertising, environmental groups, the media, politics, and just about everywhere else. It’s also an ongoing topic of discussion in the Water Center offices. In…
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Water Security in Asia
Decreased access to a safe, stable water supply in Asia “will have a profound impact on security throughout the region,” warns an Asia Society Leadership Group report released on April 17. In response to the cascading set of consequences reduced access to fresh water will trigger—including impaired food production, the loss of livelihood security, large-scale…
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The Heat is On: Can Mass Transit Adapt?
Even on a sunny day, nearly 13 million gallons of water are pumped from New York City subways. As global warming brings rising sea levels and stormier weather, more flooding is expected for New York’s transit system. To adapt, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority needs to develop a master plan that lays out the costs of…
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Central Asian Water Summit
This week five leaders of Central Asian nations are holding a summit to try and achieve a solution to their bitter dispute over water use in one of the driest regions of the world. According to Reuters, the trouble over sharing water across borders has been bubbling to new heights with its growing scarcity. Presidents…
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Shriveling Rivers
The ramifications of climate change are often discussed in terms of rising sea levels, atmospheric changes, desertification, and worsening, more frequent natural disasters. Another impact of climate change could have immediate and disastrous effects on water availability both here in the US and abroad. Recent research increasingly suggests that the world’s major rivers are essentially…
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India’s “Revolution”
Last week, NPR ran a two part story on water status in Punjab state in northern India. This is an area where the Columbia Water Center is doing a lot of work, and the article hit on several themes important to us, particularly the fact that current policies, while promoting food security, have had devastating…
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Tampa Bay Water has Bleak Outlook
Tampa Bay is probably most known in the water community for having one of the largest desalinization plants in the nation, and is looked upon by many as the model to see if desal is a feasible alternative for the future. So far, the plant has been full of issues, such as costing $40 million…
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Water Center Conference: Water Security in India
Last night (Wednesday, April 15) the Water Center kicked off its conference on Water Security in India with a lecture and reception at the Asia Society in New York. Led by a formal talk given by Alok Sikka (see here for more information about Sikka and the other panelists), the evening addressed pressing water issues…
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