State of the Planet

News from the Columbia Climate School

climate change106

  • Mt. Everest Not Safe from Climate Change

    Mt. Everest Not Safe from Climate Change

    Climate change has many asking if the days of being able to summit the world’s highest peak are numbered.

  • Tapping into Earth’s Secret History

    Tapping into Earth’s Secret History

    In a study published last week, Lamont post-doctoral scholar Heather Ford and coauthors used 4 million-year-old fossils from the Pliocene to reconstruct the physical features of the Pacific Ocean that would have shaped the environment during a critical juncture in Earth history.

  • The Road to Make It Work

    The Road to Make It Work

    Students throughout Columbia University were notified of a once-in-a-lifetime chance to attend a student simulation in anticipation of the upcoming United Nations Climate Conference in Paris. Two words jumped out at me immediately: climate and Paris.

  • In a Melting Iceland, Drilling Deep to Stem Climate Change

    In a Melting Iceland, Drilling Deep to Stem Climate Change

    Iceland is pioneering a new technology to deal with climate change. Its Hellisheidi geothermal power plant, the world’s largest, hosts arguably the world’s most advanced program to capture and lock away globe-warming carbon dioxide.

  • Photo Essay: Iceland at the Cutting Edge of Climate Change

    Photo Essay: Iceland at the Cutting Edge of Climate Change

    Iceland has a complicated relationship with climate change. As in much of the far north, global warming is already exerting many effects here–arguably both good and bad. Yet the country contributes relatively little to the warming, since most of its energy comes from geothermal and hydro plants, which produce little carbon dioxide. Now, it is…

  • Creating a ‘Safe Space’ for Iconic Ecosystems

    Creating a ‘Safe Space’ for Iconic Ecosystems

    Important global ecosystems like the Amazon rainforest and Great Barrier Reef are in danger of breaking down because of a combination of local pressures and climate change, but better local management could help make these areas more resilient.

  • MPA Students Partner with Raritan Headwaters Association

    MPA Students Partner with Raritan Headwaters Association

    As part of the Workshop in applied Earth Systems Policy Analysis, students in the MPA in Environmental Science and Policy program are partnering with the Raritan Headwaters Association (RHA) to help address emerging water quality and watershed resiliency issues related to climate change.

  • Did Climate Change Help Spark The Syrian War?

    Scientists Link Warming Trend to Record Drought and Later Unrest

  • Initiative on Extreme Weather and Climate Kick-Off

    Initiative on Extreme Weather and Climate Kick-Off

    This week marks the launch of the new Columbia Initiative on Extreme Weather and Climate, a cross-disciplinary collaboration between a variety of centers, research groups and individuals from across Columbia University. The Initiative, led by Adam Sobel, kicked off on Monday evening with a World Leaders Forum panel event in Low Library. Panelists discussed a…

Colorful icons representing nature, sustainable living, and renewable energy with text "Earth Day 2026"

The first Earth Day in 1970 ignited a movement to stop polluting our planet. Today, our scientists and experts are tackling the most pressing challenges to achieve real-world impact. This Earth Day, join us in our commitment to realizing a just and sustainable future for our planet. Visit our Earth Day website for ideas, resources, and inspiration.

  • Mt. Everest Not Safe from Climate Change

    Mt. Everest Not Safe from Climate Change

    Climate change has many asking if the days of being able to summit the world’s highest peak are numbered.

  • Tapping into Earth’s Secret History

    Tapping into Earth’s Secret History

    In a study published last week, Lamont post-doctoral scholar Heather Ford and coauthors used 4 million-year-old fossils from the Pliocene to reconstruct the physical features of the Pacific Ocean that would have shaped the environment during a critical juncture in Earth history.

  • The Road to Make It Work

    The Road to Make It Work

    Students throughout Columbia University were notified of a once-in-a-lifetime chance to attend a student simulation in anticipation of the upcoming United Nations Climate Conference in Paris. Two words jumped out at me immediately: climate and Paris.

  • In a Melting Iceland, Drilling Deep to Stem Climate Change

    In a Melting Iceland, Drilling Deep to Stem Climate Change

    Iceland is pioneering a new technology to deal with climate change. Its Hellisheidi geothermal power plant, the world’s largest, hosts arguably the world’s most advanced program to capture and lock away globe-warming carbon dioxide.

  • Photo Essay: Iceland at the Cutting Edge of Climate Change

    Photo Essay: Iceland at the Cutting Edge of Climate Change

    Iceland has a complicated relationship with climate change. As in much of the far north, global warming is already exerting many effects here–arguably both good and bad. Yet the country contributes relatively little to the warming, since most of its energy comes from geothermal and hydro plants, which produce little carbon dioxide. Now, it is…

  • Creating a ‘Safe Space’ for Iconic Ecosystems

    Creating a ‘Safe Space’ for Iconic Ecosystems

    Important global ecosystems like the Amazon rainforest and Great Barrier Reef are in danger of breaking down because of a combination of local pressures and climate change, but better local management could help make these areas more resilient.

  • MPA Students Partner with Raritan Headwaters Association

    MPA Students Partner with Raritan Headwaters Association

    As part of the Workshop in applied Earth Systems Policy Analysis, students in the MPA in Environmental Science and Policy program are partnering with the Raritan Headwaters Association (RHA) to help address emerging water quality and watershed resiliency issues related to climate change.

  • Did Climate Change Help Spark The Syrian War?

    Scientists Link Warming Trend to Record Drought and Later Unrest

  • Initiative on Extreme Weather and Climate Kick-Off

    Initiative on Extreme Weather and Climate Kick-Off

    This week marks the launch of the new Columbia Initiative on Extreme Weather and Climate, a cross-disciplinary collaboration between a variety of centers, research groups and individuals from across Columbia University. The Initiative, led by Adam Sobel, kicked off on Monday evening with a World Leaders Forum panel event in Low Library. Panelists discussed a…