State of the Planet

News from the Columbia Climate School

education27

  • Setting up camp 184 miles from the South Pole

    Setting up camp 184 miles from the South Pole

    Our field team flies from McMurdo to their first base camp, named CTAM, which stands for Central Transantarctic Mountains. This camp is set up by the US National Science Foundation every 5 to 10 years, with input from scientists on the cutting edge research that can be done in the region.

  • Survival training in Antarctica – aka Happy Camper

    Survival training in Antarctica – aka Happy Camper

    Mike Kaplan and Nicole Bader, first-timers in Antarctica, report from taking their basic survival training at McMurdo Station in Antarctica, aka ‘Happy Campers’

  • Antarctic Impressions

    Antarctic Impressions

    Kathy Licht, an “old hat” of Antarctic field research and part of the Antarctica’s Secrets team, shares her impressions how it feels to be back on the ice.

  • A beautiful day in Antarctica

    A beautiful day in Antarctica

    Having picked up their extreme weather gear in New Zealand, our Antarctica’s Secrets team lands on Antarctica and settles in McMurdo station where they will be trained and prepared for their camping trip to the Transantarctic mountains.

  • Gearing up in New Zealand

    Gearing up in New Zealand

    After months of waiting, our Antarctica’s Secrets team leaves Los Angeles on a non stop 12 hour flight to New Zealand. Their first stop is Christchurch, New Zealand, where they pick up their extreme weather clothing for the trip to Antarctica.

  • Antarctica’s Secrets

    Antarctica’s Secrets

    Understanding the historical context and dynamics of Antarctica’s massive ice sheets is critical for modeling future changes that have the potential to impact the globe, including significant contributions to sea level rise.

  • Connecting Development Practitioners and Students Online

    Connecting Development Practitioners and Students Online

    Imagine an online community that provides development practitioners in the field opportunities to communicate with one another and share best practices in real-time. Now imagine that same community enabling aspiring practitioners the chance to learn from these exchanges right in the classroom. An exciting partnership between DAI (Development Alternatives, Inc.) and our Master of Public…

  • Geography Awareness Week: Freshwater is Serious Fun

    Geography Awareness Week: Freshwater is Serious Fun

    For adults concerned about environmental issues, particularly the growing water crisis, it can be hard to know where to start to educate and involve the children in their lives, those who will ultimately be facing the consequences of what we do or don’t do now. How do you frame serious, complicated issues in a way…

  • Sachs Student Lecture: America’s Economic Crisis – Where Do We Go From Here?

    Sachs Student Lecture: America’s Economic Crisis – Where Do We Go From Here?

    Jeffrey D. Sachs will give his fifth annual student lecture on Tuesday, November 23 on Columbia University’s Morningside campus.

Overhead view of Columbia campus with text Columbia Climate School Class Day 2026: Congratulations Graduates

Congratulations to our Columbia Climate School Class of 2026 and all of our 2026 Columbia University graduates! Learn more about our May 15 Climate School Class Day celebration. 💙 #Columbia2026 #ColumbiaClimate2026

  • Setting up camp 184 miles from the South Pole

    Setting up camp 184 miles from the South Pole

    Our field team flies from McMurdo to their first base camp, named CTAM, which stands for Central Transantarctic Mountains. This camp is set up by the US National Science Foundation every 5 to 10 years, with input from scientists on the cutting edge research that can be done in the region.

  • Survival training in Antarctica – aka Happy Camper

    Survival training in Antarctica – aka Happy Camper

    Mike Kaplan and Nicole Bader, first-timers in Antarctica, report from taking their basic survival training at McMurdo Station in Antarctica, aka ‘Happy Campers’

  • Antarctic Impressions

    Antarctic Impressions

    Kathy Licht, an “old hat” of Antarctic field research and part of the Antarctica’s Secrets team, shares her impressions how it feels to be back on the ice.

  • A beautiful day in Antarctica

    A beautiful day in Antarctica

    Having picked up their extreme weather gear in New Zealand, our Antarctica’s Secrets team lands on Antarctica and settles in McMurdo station where they will be trained and prepared for their camping trip to the Transantarctic mountains.

  • Gearing up in New Zealand

    Gearing up in New Zealand

    After months of waiting, our Antarctica’s Secrets team leaves Los Angeles on a non stop 12 hour flight to New Zealand. Their first stop is Christchurch, New Zealand, where they pick up their extreme weather clothing for the trip to Antarctica.

  • Antarctica’s Secrets

    Antarctica’s Secrets

    Understanding the historical context and dynamics of Antarctica’s massive ice sheets is critical for modeling future changes that have the potential to impact the globe, including significant contributions to sea level rise.

  • Connecting Development Practitioners and Students Online

    Connecting Development Practitioners and Students Online

    Imagine an online community that provides development practitioners in the field opportunities to communicate with one another and share best practices in real-time. Now imagine that same community enabling aspiring practitioners the chance to learn from these exchanges right in the classroom. An exciting partnership between DAI (Development Alternatives, Inc.) and our Master of Public…

  • Geography Awareness Week: Freshwater is Serious Fun

    Geography Awareness Week: Freshwater is Serious Fun

    For adults concerned about environmental issues, particularly the growing water crisis, it can be hard to know where to start to educate and involve the children in their lives, those who will ultimately be facing the consequences of what we do or don’t do now. How do you frame serious, complicated issues in a way…

  • Sachs Student Lecture: America’s Economic Crisis – Where Do We Go From Here?

    Sachs Student Lecture: America’s Economic Crisis – Where Do We Go From Here?

    Jeffrey D. Sachs will give his fifth annual student lecture on Tuesday, November 23 on Columbia University’s Morningside campus.