State of the Planet

News from the Columbia Climate School

resource scarcity

  • Resource Consumption — the Ultimate Bubble?

    Resource Consumption — the Ultimate Bubble?

    “Basically, the instinct of civilizations in the past has been to run off a cliff. This time it’s different. We have one global civilization, so we have to be very careful not to run off a cliff.”

  • Rare Earth Metals: Will We Have Enough?

    Rare Earth Metals: Will We Have Enough?

    Cell phones, iPads, laptops, televisions, hybrid cars, wind turbines, solar cells and many more products depend on rare earth metals to function. Will there be enough for us to continue our high-tech lifestyle and transition to a renewable energy economy?

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“

  • Resource Consumption — the Ultimate Bubble?

    Resource Consumption — the Ultimate Bubble?

    “Basically, the instinct of civilizations in the past has been to run off a cliff. This time it’s different. We have one global civilization, so we have to be very careful not to run off a cliff.”

  • Rare Earth Metals: Will We Have Enough?

    Rare Earth Metals: Will We Have Enough?

    Cell phones, iPads, laptops, televisions, hybrid cars, wind turbines, solar cells and many more products depend on rare earth metals to function. Will there be enough for us to continue our high-tech lifestyle and transition to a renewable energy economy?