State of the Planet

News from the Columbia Climate School

New York2

  • Replacing the Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant with Energy Efficiency

    Replacing the Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant with Energy Efficiency

    Many people who are concerned about fossil fuels and climate change argue for nuclear power as a viable solution to carbon pollution. I am not one of those people.

  • How Climate Change Affects New York’s Plants and Animals

    How Climate Change Affects New York’s Plants and Animals

    Climate change is already affecting New York, and these changes will have profound effects on its ecosystems, plants and animals. What are the implications of these projected changes?

  • Solar New York

    Solar New York

    Governor Cuomo has set the goal that in less than a decade and a half, 50% of New York State’s energy will come from renewable resources. To some, that goal seems to be a stretch, but the chatter I’m starting to hear indicates we might even do better.

  • Charting the Course to a Renewable Energy Future

    Charting the Course to a Renewable Energy Future

    As environmentalists have pushed for greater investment in wind and solar energy, critics have insisted that renewable sources of power could never provide more than a fraction of world energy demand. Evidence is mounting, however, that the critics are wrong.

  • New York State May Soon Suffer Outsize Effects from Climate, Says Report

    From Farms to Subways, Many Sectors Could Be Affected

  • Earthquake Chasers in Upstate New York

    Following a series of small, mysterious earthquakes in the rural town of Berne, southwest of Albany, N.Y., seismologists from Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory have placed three temporary seismometers in the area, in an attempt to understand what is driving the tremors and assess whether there is a risk of larger events. Occasional small quakes have been recorded…

Earth Month Graphic Collage: "Our Power, Our Planet - April 2025"

The first Earth Day in 1970 ignited a movement to stop polluting our planet. This Earth Month, join us in our commitment to realizing a just and sustainable future for our planet. Visit our Earth Day website for ideas, resources, and inspiration.

  • Replacing the Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant with Energy Efficiency

    Replacing the Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant with Energy Efficiency

    Many people who are concerned about fossil fuels and climate change argue for nuclear power as a viable solution to carbon pollution. I am not one of those people.

  • How Climate Change Affects New York’s Plants and Animals

    How Climate Change Affects New York’s Plants and Animals

    Climate change is already affecting New York, and these changes will have profound effects on its ecosystems, plants and animals. What are the implications of these projected changes?

  • Solar New York

    Solar New York

    Governor Cuomo has set the goal that in less than a decade and a half, 50% of New York State’s energy will come from renewable resources. To some, that goal seems to be a stretch, but the chatter I’m starting to hear indicates we might even do better.

  • Charting the Course to a Renewable Energy Future

    Charting the Course to a Renewable Energy Future

    As environmentalists have pushed for greater investment in wind and solar energy, critics have insisted that renewable sources of power could never provide more than a fraction of world energy demand. Evidence is mounting, however, that the critics are wrong.

  • New York State May Soon Suffer Outsize Effects from Climate, Says Report

    From Farms to Subways, Many Sectors Could Be Affected

  • Earthquake Chasers in Upstate New York

    Following a series of small, mysterious earthquakes in the rural town of Berne, southwest of Albany, N.Y., seismologists from Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory have placed three temporary seismometers in the area, in an attempt to understand what is driving the tremors and assess whether there is a risk of larger events. Occasional small quakes have been recorded…