State of the Planet

News from the Columbia Climate School

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  • One Planet, Too Many People?

    One Planet, Too Many People?

    Can we manage the needs of 9 billion people for water, food and energy without depleting our resources and ruining the environment? “The solutions,” says Tim Fox, “are all within the capability of existing technology.”

  • Summer 2012 SEE-U Study Abroad Experience

    Summer 2012 SEE-U Study Abroad Experience

    Summer 2012 applications for the Student Ecosystem Experiences for Undergraduate program are now being accepted. Undergraduate students of all majors can apply for the opportunity to conduct field work and study unique ecosystems abroad.

  • Can Intensive Farming Save Tropical Forests?

    Can Intensive Farming Save Tropical Forests?

    With 7 billion people on the planet and some 40 percent of earth’s land surface already covered with croplands and pastures, the only remaining frontiers for agricultural expansion are dwindling tropical forests. Some see high-yield industrial-scale farming as a way to take the pressure off; the theory goes that if more produce can be grown…

  • Opening the Door to More Rooftop Farming?

    Opening the Door to More Rooftop Farming?

    The NYC Department of City Planning has proposed new zoning rules to make it easier to retrofit buildings for energy efficiency – including a provision on rooftop greenhouses.

  • One Billion Gallons a Day, Naturally

    One Billion Gallons a Day, Naturally

    If not for the amazing feats of planning and engineering that provide access to clean water, New York City would never have become the essential node in the many meshworks of the world that it is today.

  • Online Course – Introduction to Environmental Policy

    Online Course – Introduction to Environmental Policy

    We are excited to let you know that CERC is offering a piloted version of Introduction to Environmental Policy online as part of our Executive Education Program in Conservation and Environmental Sustainability.

  • Ecosystem Services for Conservation

    Ecosystem Services for Conservation

    Register for Ecosystem Services for Conservation and Poverty Reduction.

  • Greenbuilding in Riverside Park

    Greenbuilding in Riverside Park

    Preview of carbon-neutral facility, built of recycled materials that will operate entirely off the grid in Riverside Park.

  • The Buzz on Elephants

    The Buzz on Elephants

    African-born, Oxford-trained biologist Lucy King recently won an award for a promising solution to a longstanding problem in Africa—elephants raiding crops.

Columbia Climate School Giving Day on October 28, 2026, featuring students and renewable energy imagery

October 28, 2026 is Columbia Giving Day! Your gift to Columbia Climate School helps advance interdisciplinary research, educate the next generation of leaders, and transform bold ideas into real-world solutions for climate, Earth, and society.

  • One Planet, Too Many People?

    One Planet, Too Many People?

    Can we manage the needs of 9 billion people for water, food and energy without depleting our resources and ruining the environment? “The solutions,” says Tim Fox, “are all within the capability of existing technology.”

  • Summer 2012 SEE-U Study Abroad Experience

    Summer 2012 SEE-U Study Abroad Experience

    Summer 2012 applications for the Student Ecosystem Experiences for Undergraduate program are now being accepted. Undergraduate students of all majors can apply for the opportunity to conduct field work and study unique ecosystems abroad.

  • Can Intensive Farming Save Tropical Forests?

    Can Intensive Farming Save Tropical Forests?

    With 7 billion people on the planet and some 40 percent of earth’s land surface already covered with croplands and pastures, the only remaining frontiers for agricultural expansion are dwindling tropical forests. Some see high-yield industrial-scale farming as a way to take the pressure off; the theory goes that if more produce can be grown…

  • Opening the Door to More Rooftop Farming?

    Opening the Door to More Rooftop Farming?

    The NYC Department of City Planning has proposed new zoning rules to make it easier to retrofit buildings for energy efficiency – including a provision on rooftop greenhouses.

  • One Billion Gallons a Day, Naturally

    One Billion Gallons a Day, Naturally

    If not for the amazing feats of planning and engineering that provide access to clean water, New York City would never have become the essential node in the many meshworks of the world that it is today.

  • Online Course – Introduction to Environmental Policy

    Online Course – Introduction to Environmental Policy

    We are excited to let you know that CERC is offering a piloted version of Introduction to Environmental Policy online as part of our Executive Education Program in Conservation and Environmental Sustainability.

  • Ecosystem Services for Conservation

    Ecosystem Services for Conservation

    Register for Ecosystem Services for Conservation and Poverty Reduction.

  • Greenbuilding in Riverside Park

    Greenbuilding in Riverside Park

    Preview of carbon-neutral facility, built of recycled materials that will operate entirely off the grid in Riverside Park.

  • The Buzz on Elephants

    The Buzz on Elephants

    African-born, Oxford-trained biologist Lucy King recently won an award for a promising solution to a longstanding problem in Africa—elephants raiding crops.