News from the Columbia Climate School

Decarbonization

Decarbonization refers to the process of reducing carbon dioxide emissions, primarily by transitioning from fossil fuels to clean, renewable energy sources like wind, solar and hydropower. This shift is crucial for combating climate change and limiting global warming. Decarbonization efforts also involve improving energy efficiency, transforming industrial processes and enhancing carbon capture technologies. Current scientific research focuses on innovative technologies, sustainable practices and policy frameworks needed to accelerate the transition to a low-carbon economy. Achieving decarbonization on a global scale requires coordinated action from governments, industries and communities to build a sustainable, resilient future.

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What Is Decarbonization, and How Do We Make It Happen?

In The Media

Why Banks Keep Lowering Their Climate Targets
Financial Post | March 6, 2025
Citing the slow pace of global decarbonization, Morgan Stanley explained that it would instead be targeting a range of temperature outcomes, with a lower bound of 1.7C. … While efforts to reach net-zero emissions by the middle of the century are “ecologically and economically essential,” the standard also has been “terribly misapplied” in the financial and corporate sectors, said Lisa Sachs, who heads Columbia University’s Center on Sustainable Investment.
Caught in a Climate Bind, New York State Is Reconsidering Nuclear Power
Inside Climate News | January 9, 2025
While decarbonization is a primary driver of the nuclear resurgence, energy security is another critical factor, said Rama Ponangi, who researches nuclear policies at Columbia University’s Center on Global Energy Policy (CGEP). “New York is highly electricity intensive. … Most of the advanced nuclear technology deployments in the country are not expected until after 2030, and Columbia’s Ponangi thinks it may take even longer, cautioning that construction and deployment delays are common in nuclear projects, making it difficult to meet deadlines.
True Or False? Better Diesel Fuel Economy Is An Efficient Form Of Decarbonization
CleanTechnica | December 30, 2024
Renée Cho wrote on the Columbia Climate School site in 2022 that decarbonization entails reducing the greenhouse gas emissions produced by the combustion of fossil fuels.