development Archives - State of the Planet

indigenous woman and child stand near a dam

Leaving No One Behind? How Development Finance Can Better Reduce Poverty

Investment projects often promise to reduce poverty, but they can have the opposite effect. To improve outcomes, communities need more support and information.

by Erin Kitchell and Sam Szoke-Burke |October 26, 2021

Vanishing Glaciers: The Future of Water in Peru’s High Andes

In the high Andes of Peru, glacial retreat poses a complex set of challenges related to water supply.

by |June 12, 2018

Past This Absurd Election and Toward the Sustainable City

Our cities can bring us together in wonderful shared experiences; now it’s time for our political processes to reflect rather than refute that reality.

by |November 7, 2016

“We All Cherish Our Children’s Future. And We Are All Mortal.”

It is very important that our politics reflect the universality of human experience as well as the distinctiveness of this place we call America. Let’s treasure our common values and distinctiveness and make a world safe for both.

by |August 15, 2016

Balancing Development and Preservation in an Urban National Park

Nairobi National Park is the only wildlife park in the world within a city’s administrative boundaries. However, the park’s value to its greater ecosystem, as well as its role in promoting conservation throughout Kenya, are under threat due to recent urban and infrastructure developments.

by |July 14, 2016

Program Backs Start-up Competition at Dhaka University

The Sustainable Development program at the Earth Institute is helping to sponsor a start-up competition for students at Dhaka University in Bangladesh.

by |September 29, 2015

Warming Streams Have Cascading Impacts in the Amazon

To protect a river, you must preserve its headwaters. Agricultural development is warming streams at the headwaters of the Xingu River, in Mato Grosso, Brazil. Rising temperatures have local impacts that could cascade into regional changes, highlighting the importance of responsible land use outside of protected areas.

by |October 13, 2014

Climate Training for Development Professionals

The International Research Institute for Climate and Society and the U.S. Agency for International Development will launch a new set of training webcasts geared for development professionals who want to be more fluent in the science that underpins their climate change adaptation projects.

by |December 4, 2013

The Significance of Stunting

It is estimated that 165 million children around the world are stunted. That is to say 165 million children are stunted in their growth, development and future potential.

by |June 19, 2013
screenshot showing settlements in Port-a-Piment, Haitia, watershed area

Mapping Flood Exposure in Southwest Haiti

Mapping flood exposure in Haiti is part of ongoing research at CIESIN on environmental risks and integrated development there.