State of the Planet

News from the Columbia Climate School

seabed mining

  • The Squeeze on Powering the Open Road

    The Squeeze on Powering the Open Road

    Transitioning to electric vehicles and renewable energy will require us to use limited, difficult-to-attain natural resources. Extracting those minerals has environmental consequences, and we don’t even know if the planetary supply can meet such a vast demand.

  • Deep Sea Drilling Rules and the Transition from Fossil Fuels

    The now reorganized Minerals Management Service (MMS) was responsible for generating revenues by leasing federal lands for mining, or drilling, and then regulating the same mining operations it sold leases to. That is an inherent conflict of interest, but it gets worse: The MMS was a revolving door for fossil fuel companies.

  • 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?

Rainforest and Columbia campus collage banner with text "UN COP30, Belem, Brazil, Nov 10-21, 2025"

During COP30—the 2025 UN Climate Change Conference taking place November 10–21 in Belém, Brazil—experts from Columbia Climate School and Columbia University will be contributing to key events, sharing insights, and helping shape the dialogue toward ambitious, science-based solutions. Learn More

  • The Squeeze on Powering the Open Road

    The Squeeze on Powering the Open Road

    Transitioning to electric vehicles and renewable energy will require us to use limited, difficult-to-attain natural resources. Extracting those minerals has environmental consequences, and we don’t even know if the planetary supply can meet such a vast demand.

  • Deep Sea Drilling Rules and the Transition from Fossil Fuels

    The now reorganized Minerals Management Service (MMS) was responsible for generating revenues by leasing federal lands for mining, or drilling, and then regulating the same mining operations it sold leases to. That is an inherent conflict of interest, but it gets worse: The MMS was a revolving door for fossil fuel companies.

  • 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?