International Research Institute for Climate and Society31
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Welcome Back, La Niña
The components of La Niña are getting ready to tango. But will their performance break any climate records this time around?
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Climate Information, Meet Public Health Problems
IRI convened the fourth Summer Institute on Climate Information for Public Health. How did it help bring the two fields closer together?
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Insuring Against Drought
Research economist Dan Osgood discusses index insurance and how it is helping some poor rural communities reduce hardships caused by drought in East Africa.
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A Famine Foretold
Climate and food security expert Jim Hansen lays out the root causes of food insecurity in East Africa.
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Fears of a Double Dip…La Niña
You’d be forgiven for thinking its 2008 and not just because of the economic uncertainty. Is there a dreaded double dip La Niña in store, too?
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Remote Sensing Critical for Monitoring Drought
Remote sensing scientist Pietro Ceccato talks about how satellite information is being used to monitor conditions in East Africa.
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Climate Underpinnings of East Africa Drought
Watch a video interview of climate scientist Brad Lyon on the conditions leading up to the ongoing drought in East Africa. He says there’s a chance of La Niña forming later in the year, which could have devastating consequences for a region already plagued by widespread famine.
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The Role of Drought in the Horn of Africa Famine
Let’s get this out of the way. The current famine in the Horn of Africa isn’t caused by drought. Rather, a complex mix of societal and political factors created a dangerous situation. The worst drought in 60 years (pdf) is what pushed that situation over the edge into a humanitarian crisis. However, just as these…
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Climate information and disasters: two interviews
Jan Egeland and Madeleen Helmer talk about the value of forecasts in disaster preparation.
AGU25, the premier Earth and space science conference, takes place December 15-19, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana. This year’s theme—Where Science Connects Us—puts in focus how science depends on connection, from the lab to the field to the ballot box. Once again, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory and Columbia Climate School scientists, experts, students, and educators are playing an active role, sharing our research and helping shape the future of our planet. #AGU25 Learn More
