State of the Planet

News from the Columbia Climate School

climate change124

  • U.S., 5 Nations to Cut Methane, Soot Emissions

    U.S., 5 Nations to Cut Methane, Soot Emissions

    The United States and five other countries agreed this week to fund an effort to cut emissions of methane, soot and other pollutants to start to slow the rate of human-induced climate change.

  • Climate Change in Haiti

    Climate Change in Haiti

    By Tracy Slagle and Madeleine Rubenstein Of the many countries at risk from the effects of climate change, small island states are widely considered to be among the most vulnerable. Not only are these countries exposed to direct impacts of climate change, particularly sea level rise, they are also highly sensitive to existing environmental stresses…

  • Climate News Roundup: Week of 1/22

    Climate News Roundup: Week of 1/22

    Signs of New Life as U.N. Searches for a Climate Accord, New York Times, Jan 24 The recently concluded meeting in Durban, South Africa, which established a new mandate for concluding a binding agreement of some sort by 2015, has given the process new life and hushed many of its critics. Christina Figueres, the Costa…

  • African Forests, Threatened, but Resilient

    African Forests, Threatened, but Resilient

    Forests and climate change are fundamentally interrelated.  Forests play a role in mitigating climate change by trapping and storing carbon in their trees.  Currently, the world’s forests and forest soils store more than one trillion tons of carbon – twice the amount in the atmosphere. The African continent is home to 30% of the world’s…

  • Scientists Make Progress in Assessing Tornado Seasons

    Study Offers First Step in Short-Term Forecasting

  • Does La Niña Lead to Flu Pandemics?

    Does La Niña Lead to Flu Pandemics?

    Four major flu pandemics of the last century, including the deadly 1918 flu, were all proceeded by La Niña conditions in the Pacific, according to a recent paper.

  • Building NYC’s Resilience to Climate Change With Green Infrastructure

    Building NYC’s Resilience to Climate Change With Green Infrastructure

    Climate change will impact New York City through more frequent heavy precipitation, sea level rise and rising temperatures. To strengthen its resilience, the city is planting trees and mini-parks, restoring wetlands and installing more permeable surfaces.

  • Fast & Cheap: Shortcuts to Curb Global Warming

    Fast & Cheap: Shortcuts to Curb Global Warming

    Relatively cheap, simple steps using existing technologies could cut projected global warming by one degree Fahrenheit – a substantial amount — by focusing on sources of methane and soot, concludes a new study by an international team of scientists.

  • Cuts in Non-CO2 Pollutants May Slow Climate Change

    Reducing Soot and Methane Would Bring Fast Results, Says Study

Photo of the Earth from space with the text "Lamont at AGU25" on top.

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

  • U.S., 5 Nations to Cut Methane, Soot Emissions

    U.S., 5 Nations to Cut Methane, Soot Emissions

    The United States and five other countries agreed this week to fund an effort to cut emissions of methane, soot and other pollutants to start to slow the rate of human-induced climate change.

  • Climate Change in Haiti

    Climate Change in Haiti

    By Tracy Slagle and Madeleine Rubenstein Of the many countries at risk from the effects of climate change, small island states are widely considered to be among the most vulnerable. Not only are these countries exposed to direct impacts of climate change, particularly sea level rise, they are also highly sensitive to existing environmental stresses…

  • Climate News Roundup: Week of 1/22

    Climate News Roundup: Week of 1/22

    Signs of New Life as U.N. Searches for a Climate Accord, New York Times, Jan 24 The recently concluded meeting in Durban, South Africa, which established a new mandate for concluding a binding agreement of some sort by 2015, has given the process new life and hushed many of its critics. Christina Figueres, the Costa…

  • African Forests, Threatened, but Resilient

    African Forests, Threatened, but Resilient

    Forests and climate change are fundamentally interrelated.  Forests play a role in mitigating climate change by trapping and storing carbon in their trees.  Currently, the world’s forests and forest soils store more than one trillion tons of carbon – twice the amount in the atmosphere. The African continent is home to 30% of the world’s…

  • Scientists Make Progress in Assessing Tornado Seasons

    Study Offers First Step in Short-Term Forecasting

  • Does La Niña Lead to Flu Pandemics?

    Does La Niña Lead to Flu Pandemics?

    Four major flu pandemics of the last century, including the deadly 1918 flu, were all proceeded by La Niña conditions in the Pacific, according to a recent paper.

  • Building NYC’s Resilience to Climate Change With Green Infrastructure

    Building NYC’s Resilience to Climate Change With Green Infrastructure

    Climate change will impact New York City through more frequent heavy precipitation, sea level rise and rising temperatures. To strengthen its resilience, the city is planting trees and mini-parks, restoring wetlands and installing more permeable surfaces.

  • Fast & Cheap: Shortcuts to Curb Global Warming

    Fast & Cheap: Shortcuts to Curb Global Warming

    Relatively cheap, simple steps using existing technologies could cut projected global warming by one degree Fahrenheit – a substantial amount — by focusing on sources of methane and soot, concludes a new study by an international team of scientists.

  • Cuts in Non-CO2 Pollutants May Slow Climate Change

    Reducing Soot and Methane Would Bring Fast Results, Says Study