State of the Planet

News from the Columbia Climate School

desalination

  • A 1,000 Year Drought is Hitting the West. Could Desalination Be a Solution?

    A 1,000 Year Drought is Hitting the West. Could Desalination Be a Solution?

    Filtering salt out of water is used in many parts of the world that deal with severe drought, but it can come with its own set of problems.

  • Studying Sustainability in Israel: It’s Complicated

    Studying Sustainability in Israel: It’s Complicated

    MPA in Environmental Science and Policy students travel to Israel to learn more about the geopolitical climate and resource management as a tool for peace.

  • How to Wrap Your Head Around Dead Sea Rehabilitation

    How to Wrap Your Head Around Dead Sea Rehabilitation

    The Dead Sea has been receding at an average rate of 1 meter per year. How can this important historic, cultural and environmental landmark be rehabilitated in one of the world’s driest regions while improving water access for Israel, Palestine and Jordan?

  • Trouble in America’s Water Paradise

    Trouble in America’s Water Paradise

    America’s strong water infrastructure has been key to its success as a nation. Yet the nation’s continual waste of water and lack of commitment to long-term water investments has halted its progress.

  • Desalination: Yesterdayʼs Solution (part 3)

    Desalination: Yesterdayʼs Solution (part 3)

    Worldwide, humans have quickly and wastefully consumed water from the cheapest sources by over-pumping aquifers and over-allocating rivers. Weʼve turned to technology to eek out more but technology is not without its costs. Every remaining incremental gallon of water will come at a higher and higher price. Are we nearing a breaking point?

  • Desalination: Yesterdayʼs Solution (part 2)

    Desalination: Yesterdayʼs Solution (part 2)

    Everyone has skeletons in their closets, desalination is no exception. Burying them does a disservice to the millions of public dollars that have been invested. Letʼs celebrate their weaknesses so that we may never repeat their mistakes. There may be many dozens of such projects, but here are a few that have experienced their share…

  • Desalination: Unlocking Lessons from Yesterday’s Solution (part 1)

    Desalination: Unlocking Lessons from Yesterday’s Solution (part 1)

    There is powerful information waiting to be unleashed in water data. If it were set free it would force us to re-think how we use, develop, sell, transfer, and dispose of water.

  • Seawater desalination: the solution?

    Water is an increasingly scarce commodity in many parts of the world, and it seems seawater desalination is one of very attractive solutions available to these regions. Of all the Earth’s water, 94 percent is saltwater from the oceans and only 6% is fresh. If plenty and easily accessible seawater could turn into fresh drinking…

  • A 1,000 Year Drought is Hitting the West. Could Desalination Be a Solution?

    A 1,000 Year Drought is Hitting the West. Could Desalination Be a Solution?

    Filtering salt out of water is used in many parts of the world that deal with severe drought, but it can come with its own set of problems.

  • Studying Sustainability in Israel: It’s Complicated

    Studying Sustainability in Israel: It’s Complicated

    MPA in Environmental Science and Policy students travel to Israel to learn more about the geopolitical climate and resource management as a tool for peace.

  • How to Wrap Your Head Around Dead Sea Rehabilitation

    How to Wrap Your Head Around Dead Sea Rehabilitation

    The Dead Sea has been receding at an average rate of 1 meter per year. How can this important historic, cultural and environmental landmark be rehabilitated in one of the world’s driest regions while improving water access for Israel, Palestine and Jordan?

  • Trouble in America’s Water Paradise

    Trouble in America’s Water Paradise

    America’s strong water infrastructure has been key to its success as a nation. Yet the nation’s continual waste of water and lack of commitment to long-term water investments has halted its progress.

  • Desalination: Yesterdayʼs Solution (part 3)

    Desalination: Yesterdayʼs Solution (part 3)

    Worldwide, humans have quickly and wastefully consumed water from the cheapest sources by over-pumping aquifers and over-allocating rivers. Weʼve turned to technology to eek out more but technology is not without its costs. Every remaining incremental gallon of water will come at a higher and higher price. Are we nearing a breaking point?

  • Desalination: Yesterdayʼs Solution (part 2)

    Desalination: Yesterdayʼs Solution (part 2)

    Everyone has skeletons in their closets, desalination is no exception. Burying them does a disservice to the millions of public dollars that have been invested. Letʼs celebrate their weaknesses so that we may never repeat their mistakes. There may be many dozens of such projects, but here are a few that have experienced their share…

  • Desalination: Unlocking Lessons from Yesterday’s Solution (part 1)

    Desalination: Unlocking Lessons from Yesterday’s Solution (part 1)

    There is powerful information waiting to be unleashed in water data. If it were set free it would force us to re-think how we use, develop, sell, transfer, and dispose of water.

  • Seawater desalination: the solution?

    Water is an increasingly scarce commodity in many parts of the world, and it seems seawater desalination is one of very attractive solutions available to these regions. Of all the Earth’s water, 94 percent is saltwater from the oceans and only 6% is fresh. If plenty and easily accessible seawater could turn into fresh drinking…