State of the Planet

News from the Columbia Climate School

education19

  • The Days of Greenwashing Are Over

    The Days of Greenwashing Are Over

    “The days of greenwashing are over,” remarked Kevin Parker, CEO of Sustainable Insight Capital Management, during a panel discussion on sustainable finance. Parker was among five panelists who discussed the topic of sustainable finance and sustainable investing, including trends and major players, and what skills are needed for jobs in these areas.

  • MS Alum Leads Green Initiatives at McGraw Hill Financial

    MS Alum Leads Green Initiatives at McGraw Hill Financial

    Master of Science in Sustainability Management alum, Jaclyn Bouchard (’14) came into the program with an academic background in biology and energy management and professional experience working for sustainability-focused startup companies. The analytical and collaborative skills that Jaclyn acquired from the program propelled her to become the Manager of Corporate Responsibility at McGraw Hill Financial,…

  • Earth Institute Offers Funding for Student Initiatives

    In an effort to better support students in their efforts to raise awareness about sustainability on campus, the Earth Institute is making available funding for the new Student Initiatives Support Program, offering grants of up to $250 each semester to support students who wish to host conferences, panels and other events at Columbia University that…

  • A Who’s Who of Sustainability Practitioners Headed to Campus

    A Who’s Who of Sustainability Practitioners Headed to Campus

    Sustainability is often about changing how organizations work. The Practicum in Innovative Sustainability Leadership course, added to the M.S. in Sustainability Management curriculum this spring, provides a forum where some of the world’s leading practitioners teach students how to make these changes.

  • New Data Website Helps Nigeria’s Campaign to Achieve Millennium Development Goals

    Site Tracks Data About Health Clinics, Schools, Other Facilities

  • NYC, Gulf Coast Teens Talk About Life After Disaster

    NYC, Gulf Coast Teens Talk About Life After Disaster

    At the two-year anniversary of Superstorm Sandy, high school students in New York City posed questions about life during and after a catastrophe to a very particular group of experts – high school students in the Gulf Coast who had experienced the BP oil spill and had lived through as many as six hurricanes in…

  • An Evening with the Writers of the Clean Air Act: Insight into the ‘Golden Age’ of Environmental Law

    An Evening with the Writers of the Clean Air Act: Insight into the ‘Golden Age’ of Environmental Law

    At a panel discussion this week, Leon Billings and Thomas Jorling, two senior staff members who helped craft the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, and other major environmental legislation in the 1970s, spoke about the bipartisan effort to pass that legislation, and the partisan divide that stymies Congress today.

  • Photo Essay: A Day in the Life of the Hudson River

    Photo Essay: A Day in the Life of the Hudson River

    Once a year, Piermont Pier becomes a field station, and local students, a team of environmental investigators. On Tuesday, scientists at Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory led students through a series of field experiments designed to teach them more about the Hudson River.

  • MPA Program Announces Full Fellowship Opportunity—Apply Now

    MPA Program Announces Full Fellowship Opportunity—Apply Now

    The Master of Public Administration in Environmental Science and Policy program now offers its first full-tuition grant, the Dean’s Environmental Science and Policy Fellowship. Apply by Nov. 1 for early admission.

Collage of Turkiye beach scene and Columbia University Campus with text: UN Climate Change Conference COP31, Antalya, Turkiye, Nov 9-20, 2026

COP31, the 2026 United Nations Climate Change Conference, aims to advance dialogue, strengthen consensus, and accelerate climate action on a global scale. From November 9–20, 2026 in Antalya, Türkiye, heads of state, ministers, scientists, business leaders, and civil society will gather to advance efforts in emission targets, climate finance, and adaptation and resilience. Once again, our experts, students, and global thought leaders from Columbia Climate School and across Columbia University are contributing to key events, sharing insights, and helping shape the dialogue toward ambitious, science-based solutions. Learn More

  • The Days of Greenwashing Are Over

    The Days of Greenwashing Are Over

    “The days of greenwashing are over,” remarked Kevin Parker, CEO of Sustainable Insight Capital Management, during a panel discussion on sustainable finance. Parker was among five panelists who discussed the topic of sustainable finance and sustainable investing, including trends and major players, and what skills are needed for jobs in these areas.

  • MS Alum Leads Green Initiatives at McGraw Hill Financial

    MS Alum Leads Green Initiatives at McGraw Hill Financial

    Master of Science in Sustainability Management alum, Jaclyn Bouchard (’14) came into the program with an academic background in biology and energy management and professional experience working for sustainability-focused startup companies. The analytical and collaborative skills that Jaclyn acquired from the program propelled her to become the Manager of Corporate Responsibility at McGraw Hill Financial,…

  • Earth Institute Offers Funding for Student Initiatives

    In an effort to better support students in their efforts to raise awareness about sustainability on campus, the Earth Institute is making available funding for the new Student Initiatives Support Program, offering grants of up to $250 each semester to support students who wish to host conferences, panels and other events at Columbia University that…

  • A Who’s Who of Sustainability Practitioners Headed to Campus

    A Who’s Who of Sustainability Practitioners Headed to Campus

    Sustainability is often about changing how organizations work. The Practicum in Innovative Sustainability Leadership course, added to the M.S. in Sustainability Management curriculum this spring, provides a forum where some of the world’s leading practitioners teach students how to make these changes.

  • New Data Website Helps Nigeria’s Campaign to Achieve Millennium Development Goals

    Site Tracks Data About Health Clinics, Schools, Other Facilities

  • NYC, Gulf Coast Teens Talk About Life After Disaster

    NYC, Gulf Coast Teens Talk About Life After Disaster

    At the two-year anniversary of Superstorm Sandy, high school students in New York City posed questions about life during and after a catastrophe to a very particular group of experts – high school students in the Gulf Coast who had experienced the BP oil spill and had lived through as many as six hurricanes in…

  • An Evening with the Writers of the Clean Air Act: Insight into the ‘Golden Age’ of Environmental Law

    An Evening with the Writers of the Clean Air Act: Insight into the ‘Golden Age’ of Environmental Law

    At a panel discussion this week, Leon Billings and Thomas Jorling, two senior staff members who helped craft the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, and other major environmental legislation in the 1970s, spoke about the bipartisan effort to pass that legislation, and the partisan divide that stymies Congress today.

  • Photo Essay: A Day in the Life of the Hudson River

    Photo Essay: A Day in the Life of the Hudson River

    Once a year, Piermont Pier becomes a field station, and local students, a team of environmental investigators. On Tuesday, scientists at Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory led students through a series of field experiments designed to teach them more about the Hudson River.

  • MPA Program Announces Full Fellowship Opportunity—Apply Now

    MPA Program Announces Full Fellowship Opportunity—Apply Now

    The Master of Public Administration in Environmental Science and Policy program now offers its first full-tuition grant, the Dean’s Environmental Science and Policy Fellowship. Apply by Nov. 1 for early admission.