State of the Planet

News from the Columbia Climate School

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  • Somali Drought; Harbinger of Hard Times

    Somali Drought; Harbinger of Hard Times

    For all its problems, Southern California has been a wonderful home for a lot of people over the past 100 or so years. It has nice beaches, good roads, plenty of places to eat, and, for now, a reliable supply of drinking water. Now imagine the L.A. riots had spread across the entire region, plunging…

  • Understanding GHG emissions: Stock vs. Flows

    Understanding GHG emissions: Stock vs. Flows

    In discussing climate change and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, a key distinction must be made between the stock of GHGs in the atmosphere, and the flow of GHGs, primarily emissions. Understanding this difference is crucial for designing and implementing policies to effectively address the problem. Because a bathtub is something that most of us are…

  • Ripple Effect Author Talks Efficiency; Cleanup

    Ripple Effect Author Talks Efficiency; Cleanup

    The outlook for global water is bleak, but Alex Prud’Homme still believes in the power of human ingenuity.

  • Climate Forecasting: Oceans, Droughts, Climate Change and Other Tools of the Trade

    Climate Forecasting: Oceans, Droughts, Climate Change and Other Tools of the Trade

    At the International Research Institute for Climate and Society’s monthly climate briefing, talk often focuses on the role that El Niño or La Niña play in driving global climate. With the collapse of La Niña last month, though, IRI’s forecasters now have to rely on different tools to offer forecasts for the coming year. That’s…

  • Yes, We Can Afford to Remove Carbon from Air

    Yes, We Can Afford to Remove Carbon from Air

    Recently, the American Physical Society (APS) released a report on the direct capture of carbon dioxide from air. The report concludes that air capture could be a powerful tool for mopping up carbon dioxide emissions that otherwise would escape to the air, for providing carbon dioxide for synthetic liquid fuels in the transportation sector, and…

  • Climate News Roundup: Week of 6/12

    Climate News Roundup: Week of 6/12

    California re-embraces carbon market, Reuters, June 13 After a court ordered California to consider alternatives to cap and trade, the Air Resources Board published a 120-page policy analysis on Monday, examining five approaches to cut emissions, including a carbon tax, direct regulation of power plants and big factories, and a cap-and-trade system. The report concludes…

  • Climate and Health Workshop Photo Wrap Up

    Climate and Health Workshop Photo Wrap Up

    Check out some pictures from IRI’s recently concluded Summer Institute on Climate Information for Public Health.

  • Switchyard Project: A Very Successful Year

    Switchyard Project: A Very Successful Year

    The 2011 field season has been a very very successful year, in fact the most successful one we have ever had. The weather has been great, the equipment proved to be mostly reliable, the people have been great and the samples are plenty.

  • A Focus on the Thinning Northwest Greenland Glaciers

    A Focus on the Thinning Northwest Greenland Glaciers

    Blog by Hakim Abdi, LDEO Satellite measures showing thinning ice on the Northwest Greenland glaciers prompted Operation IceBridge to include annual flights over this region. The area runs along the Baffin Bay coast, which is often covered in fog and low lying clouds forcing delays and reschedules. With the end of our season in sight…

  • Somali Drought; Harbinger of Hard Times

    Somali Drought; Harbinger of Hard Times

    For all its problems, Southern California has been a wonderful home for a lot of people over the past 100 or so years. It has nice beaches, good roads, plenty of places to eat, and, for now, a reliable supply of drinking water. Now imagine the L.A. riots had spread across the entire region, plunging…

  • Understanding GHG emissions: Stock vs. Flows

    Understanding GHG emissions: Stock vs. Flows

    In discussing climate change and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, a key distinction must be made between the stock of GHGs in the atmosphere, and the flow of GHGs, primarily emissions. Understanding this difference is crucial for designing and implementing policies to effectively address the problem. Because a bathtub is something that most of us are…

  • Ripple Effect Author Talks Efficiency; Cleanup

    Ripple Effect Author Talks Efficiency; Cleanup

    The outlook for global water is bleak, but Alex Prud’Homme still believes in the power of human ingenuity.

  • Climate Forecasting: Oceans, Droughts, Climate Change and Other Tools of the Trade

    Climate Forecasting: Oceans, Droughts, Climate Change and Other Tools of the Trade

    At the International Research Institute for Climate and Society’s monthly climate briefing, talk often focuses on the role that El Niño or La Niña play in driving global climate. With the collapse of La Niña last month, though, IRI’s forecasters now have to rely on different tools to offer forecasts for the coming year. That’s…

  • Yes, We Can Afford to Remove Carbon from Air

    Yes, We Can Afford to Remove Carbon from Air

    Recently, the American Physical Society (APS) released a report on the direct capture of carbon dioxide from air. The report concludes that air capture could be a powerful tool for mopping up carbon dioxide emissions that otherwise would escape to the air, for providing carbon dioxide for synthetic liquid fuels in the transportation sector, and…

  • Climate News Roundup: Week of 6/12

    Climate News Roundup: Week of 6/12

    California re-embraces carbon market, Reuters, June 13 After a court ordered California to consider alternatives to cap and trade, the Air Resources Board published a 120-page policy analysis on Monday, examining five approaches to cut emissions, including a carbon tax, direct regulation of power plants and big factories, and a cap-and-trade system. The report concludes…

  • Climate and Health Workshop Photo Wrap Up

    Climate and Health Workshop Photo Wrap Up

    Check out some pictures from IRI’s recently concluded Summer Institute on Climate Information for Public Health.

  • Switchyard Project: A Very Successful Year

    Switchyard Project: A Very Successful Year

    The 2011 field season has been a very very successful year, in fact the most successful one we have ever had. The weather has been great, the equipment proved to be mostly reliable, the people have been great and the samples are plenty.

  • A Focus on the Thinning Northwest Greenland Glaciers

    A Focus on the Thinning Northwest Greenland Glaciers

    Blog by Hakim Abdi, LDEO Satellite measures showing thinning ice on the Northwest Greenland glaciers prompted Operation IceBridge to include annual flights over this region. The area runs along the Baffin Bay coast, which is often covered in fog and low lying clouds forcing delays and reschedules. With the end of our season in sight…