State of the Planet

News from the Columbia Climate School

solar power2

  • NatureNet Science Fellowship Now Accepting Applications for 2019

    NatureNet Science Fellowship Now Accepting Applications for 2019

    Apply for NatureNet Science Fellowships at Columbia University by September 7, 2018.

  • How India is Striking a Balance Between Energy and Emissions

    How India is Striking a Balance Between Energy and Emissions

    Ajay Mathur, a member of the Indian Prime Minister’s Council on Climate Change, discusses the outlook for energy supply and demand in India, including the critical role that solar power could play in coming years.

  • How Much Do Renewables Actually Depend on Tax Breaks?

    How Much Do Renewables Actually Depend on Tax Breaks?

    The shift to renewable energy is key to combating climate change and reducing our dependence on fossil fuels. But critics argue it won’t be possible without financial support from the government. How important are special tax breaks and other subsides, and do they really work?

  • Lamont to Harvest Sunshine from Solar Farm

    Lamont to Harvest Sunshine from Solar Farm

    Two solar arrays in Upstate New York will be up and ready at the end of November, poised to provide power and to help to reduce the Lamont campus’ carbon footprint.

  • Will China Take the Green Mantle From the U.S.?

    Will China Take the Green Mantle From the U.S.?

    While President Trump has promised to pull the U.S. out of the Paris climate accord, China’s President Xi Jinxing has vowed to continue to tackle climate change and honor his country’s obligations. Will China become the global leader in combating climate change?

  • For Climate Change, Carbon Pricing is No Silver Bullet

    For Climate Change, Carbon Pricing is No Silver Bullet

    Many economists and policy experts believe carbon pricing is the most effective way to deal with global warming. But others argue that carbon pricing is not a silver bullet for dealing with climate change. Here’s why.

  • The How and Why of Green Building

    The How and Why of Green Building

    Buildings account for almost a third of global greenhouse gas emissions and the U.N. Environment Programme projects that if we continue with business as usual in the building sector, these emissions will double by 2030. Fortunately, green building is on the rise around the world.

  • Before Paris, Cause for Optimism

    Before Paris, Cause for Optimism

    If the international community were to fully understand the threat of climate change, and the likely cost of mitigation and adaptation, perhaps we would commit to continued tax breaks and incentives, and propel the renewable energy transition toward completion. In the long run, I am sure this would be less expensive than coping with the…

  • Science, Powered by the Sun

    Science, Powered by the Sun

    Two solar farms will soon power 75 percent of Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, whose high-tech labs are home to some of the world’s leading Earth scientists. The new power sources are expected to cut the campus’s carbon dioxide emissions by half.

  • NatureNet Science Fellowship Now Accepting Applications for 2019

    NatureNet Science Fellowship Now Accepting Applications for 2019

    Apply for NatureNet Science Fellowships at Columbia University by September 7, 2018.

  • How India is Striking a Balance Between Energy and Emissions

    How India is Striking a Balance Between Energy and Emissions

    Ajay Mathur, a member of the Indian Prime Minister’s Council on Climate Change, discusses the outlook for energy supply and demand in India, including the critical role that solar power could play in coming years.

  • How Much Do Renewables Actually Depend on Tax Breaks?

    How Much Do Renewables Actually Depend on Tax Breaks?

    The shift to renewable energy is key to combating climate change and reducing our dependence on fossil fuels. But critics argue it won’t be possible without financial support from the government. How important are special tax breaks and other subsides, and do they really work?

  • Lamont to Harvest Sunshine from Solar Farm

    Lamont to Harvest Sunshine from Solar Farm

    Two solar arrays in Upstate New York will be up and ready at the end of November, poised to provide power and to help to reduce the Lamont campus’ carbon footprint.

  • Will China Take the Green Mantle From the U.S.?

    Will China Take the Green Mantle From the U.S.?

    While President Trump has promised to pull the U.S. out of the Paris climate accord, China’s President Xi Jinxing has vowed to continue to tackle climate change and honor his country’s obligations. Will China become the global leader in combating climate change?

  • For Climate Change, Carbon Pricing is No Silver Bullet

    For Climate Change, Carbon Pricing is No Silver Bullet

    Many economists and policy experts believe carbon pricing is the most effective way to deal with global warming. But others argue that carbon pricing is not a silver bullet for dealing with climate change. Here’s why.

  • The How and Why of Green Building

    The How and Why of Green Building

    Buildings account for almost a third of global greenhouse gas emissions and the U.N. Environment Programme projects that if we continue with business as usual in the building sector, these emissions will double by 2030. Fortunately, green building is on the rise around the world.

  • Before Paris, Cause for Optimism

    Before Paris, Cause for Optimism

    If the international community were to fully understand the threat of climate change, and the likely cost of mitigation and adaptation, perhaps we would commit to continued tax breaks and incentives, and propel the renewable energy transition toward completion. In the long run, I am sure this would be less expensive than coping with the…

  • Science, Powered by the Sun

    Science, Powered by the Sun

    Two solar farms will soon power 75 percent of Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, whose high-tech labs are home to some of the world’s leading Earth scientists. The new power sources are expected to cut the campus’s carbon dioxide emissions by half.