NYC Parks
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In Morningside Park, a Restored Waterfall, a Renewed Pond, and a Blueprint for Climate-Resilient Public Space
Leaders from Columbia and NYC gathered in Morningside Park to celebrate a partnership to clear the park’s pond of toxic algal blooms, repair broken water pumps, and restore its iconic waterfall.
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Planting Some Tree Species May Worsen, Not Improve, NYC Air, Says New Study
New York is planting large numbers of trees in order to improve the city’s livability. But emissions from some species interact with tailpipe and building pollutants to form smog.
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Finding Public Space in a Crowded New York City
In a world where over 70% of humanity will become urban dwellers by 2050, the creative use of land for rest, recreation and community-gathering is essential.
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Questioning Mayor Adams’ Commitment to Protecting NYC’s Environment
Mayor Adams is a superb advocate for environmental quality and environmental justice, but the city government he runs doesn’t always seem to follow through: New York City’s water infrastructure, decarbonization, and parks need additional staffing and funding if the promises made are to be fulfilled.
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People Power and New York City Parks
The parks may not get 1% of NYC’s $100 billion budget, but if 1% of the city’s 8.4 million people volunteered to work in their local park, those 84,000 people could clean up a lot of trash and weeds.
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It’s Time to Invest in New York City’s Parks
Mayor Adams understands the importance of parks and is committed to enhanced parks equity.
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An Environmental Agenda for NYC’s New Mayor
Our new mayor should let our environmental actions do the talking for the next eight years. It would be a refreshing change.
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The Mayor’s Shameful Mismanagement of New York City’s Parks
For a mayor who talks about equity and income inequality, he should remember that parks are one of the few services we already have that provide a measure of equality, access and opportunity for all. They should be treasured rather than trashed.
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The Necessity of New York City’s Parks
A functioning park system helps address a wide variety of sustainability and social problems.
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
