Center on Global Energy Policy Archives - State of the Planet

Supermarket freezer aisle

Expanding Global Cold Chains: Effective Adaptation, or Dangerous Contribution to Climate Change?

Cooling technologies, including refrigerators and industrial chillers, can prevent food waste and are increasingly necessary in our warming climate. Are there ways to minimize their climate impacts?

by Benjamin Ritter, Carolyne Barker, and Kevin Karl |January 27, 2023
researchers sitting on ice with equipment

Year in Review: Our Top Stories of 2022

A list of some of our most popular articles and videos, plus some of our favorites that you shouldn’t miss.

by |December 22, 2022
tubes and blue light in a narrow room

Fusion-Fueled Clean Energy May Be Closer Than You Think

A Columbia Climate School expert shares his thoughts on the new fusion breakthrough, next steps, and why he’s optimistic about the future of fusion.

by |December 16, 2022
man sits at a fruit stand

COP27: Meaningful Progress and Missed Opportunities on Food System Emissions

Did the conference deliver on its billing as the first “food COP”?

by Benjamin Ritter and Kevin Karl |December 16, 2022
people talking at a table

Photos, Tweets, and More: Columbia Climate School at COP27

Learn more about how Columbia Climate School has been advancing the conversation at the world’s most important climate change summit.

by |November 17, 2022
a woman sits next to a cookstove with an open flame and smoke

Traditional Cookstoves: Fueling a Health and Climate Crisis?

Switching to cleaner cookstoves can save lives, cut carbon emissions, and promote gender equality. At COP27, world leaders should take steps to ensure universal clean cooking access by 2030.

by Benjamin Ritter and Kevin Karl |November 14, 2022
protest against wind farm development in Oaxaca

Mining, Land Grabs, and More: When Decarbonization Conflicts With Human Rights

Transitioning off fossil fuels isn’t all sunshine and roses. Experts from around Columbia Climate School weigh in on how governments and developers can move forward responsibly.

by |September 22, 2022
a child wades through floodwaters in pakistan

The Flood Seen From Space: Pakistan’s Apocalyptic Crisis

Flooding is not uncommon for Pakistan, but the current crisis is simply unprecedented.

by Hadia A. Sheerazi |September 12, 2022

Columbia University at Davos 2022

At this year’s World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, Switzerland, Columbia experts provided analysis and actionable ideas on how to address the climate and energy crises.

by |June 1, 2022
Warning signs about heat exhaustion and heat stroke.

Warning: Pakistan Is at the Broiling Point

There has never been a clearer call to climate action, nor more compelling evidence that climate change is an acute threat multiplier in the poorest, most vulnerable frontline countries in the world.

by Hadia Sheerazi |May 20, 2022