State of the Planet

News from the Columbia Climate School

flowers

  • Retreating Glaciers Threaten Herbs Used to Make Iconic Alpine Liqueurs

    Retreating Glaciers Threaten Herbs Used to Make Iconic Alpine Liqueurs

    As glaciers recede in the Italian Alps, a shift toward grasslands is threatening native herbs like Artemisia genipi, a key ingredient in the region’s traditional liqueurs.

  • Spring Sprang Early: Should We Worry?

    Spring Sprang Early: Should We Worry?

    While studies do show that flowers and other plants are blooming earlier on average because of warming trends, this year’s early fireworks were “certainly well within the realm of experience for the species native to this area,” says Robert Naczi of the New York Botanical Garden.

Composite banner with modern building at night and portrait of Dean Alexis Abramson that reads "Science for the Planet"

By studying thousands of buildings and analyzing their electricity use, Columbia Climate School Dean Alexis Abramson has been able to uncover ways to significantly cut energy consumption and emissions. Watch the Video: “Engineering a Cooler Future Through Smarter Buildings“

  • Retreating Glaciers Threaten Herbs Used to Make Iconic Alpine Liqueurs

    Retreating Glaciers Threaten Herbs Used to Make Iconic Alpine Liqueurs

    As glaciers recede in the Italian Alps, a shift toward grasslands is threatening native herbs like Artemisia genipi, a key ingredient in the region’s traditional liqueurs.

  • Spring Sprang Early: Should We Worry?

    Spring Sprang Early: Should We Worry?

    While studies do show that flowers and other plants are blooming earlier on average because of warming trends, this year’s early fireworks were “certainly well within the realm of experience for the species native to this area,” says Robert Naczi of the New York Botanical Garden.