State of the Planet

News from the Columbia Climate School

Sustainability30

  • Students Assess City Greenhouse Gas Reduction Tools

    Students Assess City Greenhouse Gas Reduction Tools

    Students in the Master of Public Administration in Environmental Science and Policy (MPA-ESP) program worked this past semester to analyze city-level strategies for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

  • Global Philanthropy and Inequality

    Global Philanthropy and Inequality

    Recent trends now point towards global philanthropy becoming the new norm. Global philanthropy aims to reduce inequality in developing countries through many forms. But inequities persist, and different manifestations of global philanthropy will be challenged to increase impact and achieve a demonstrable shift in areas such as poverty, health, access to opportunity, and beyond.

  • As Predicted: A Rising Tide of Migration

    As Predicted: A Rising Tide of Migration

    “With sea levels on the rise, several island nations are scrambling to stay above water and ensure citizens will have a place to go when the ocean engulfs their homeland. The humanitarian-crisis phase of climate change has officially begun.”

  • How to Rethink Urban Transit, and Pay for It, Too

    How to Rethink Urban Transit, and Pay for It, Too

    “We have conflated mobility with access, but mobility is not the same as access. The best solution to a transportation problem is to not have to travel. The city itself was invented as a solution to a transportation problem. We have cities so we don’t have to travel.”

  • Conflict, Displaced Persons and the Built Environment

    Conflict, Displaced Persons and the Built Environment

    Changing personal and social narratives can address issues of internal displacement in the built environment, as in this case in Medellín, Colombia.

  • This Earth Day, Commute Another Way

    This Earth Day, Commute Another Way

    This Earth Day, April 22, 2016, New York City residents and commuters are encouraged to leave their car at home and use another means of travel as part of the city’s first year of Car-Free Day. Find out what Columbia University is doing in support of #CarFreeNYC.

  • Spring 2016 Earth Institute Research Showcase

    Spring 2016 Earth Institute Research Showcase

    Read Flusser studied bamboo and its potential as a feedstock for efficient, second-generation biofuels. Alixandra Prybyla conducted groundbreaking research on the genus Leptarctus, a long-extinct mammal. Marisol Rodriguez worked on a financial model for solar investing. These are just three of the student projects on display at the recent Student Research Showcase.

  • Making Fish Farming More Sustainable

    Making Fish Farming More Sustainable

    Global per capita fish consumption has almost doubled in the last 50 years. And today, about half of all the seafood we eat is produced through fish farming, aquaculture. Can it be done sustainably?

  • Philanthropy and Inequality

    Philanthropy and Inequality

    In the field of philanthropy, foundations have been confronted with how to address structural racism and various forms of systemic inequities. How can foundations play a greater role in reducing racial disparities, promoting criminal justice reform, and tackling any range of manifestations of inequality?

Colorful icons representing nature, sustainable living, and renewable energy with text "Earth Day 2026"

The first Earth Day in 1970 ignited a movement to stop polluting our planet. Today, our scientists and experts are tackling the most pressing challenges to achieve real-world impact. This Earth Day, 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.

  • Students Assess City Greenhouse Gas Reduction Tools

    Students Assess City Greenhouse Gas Reduction Tools

    Students in the Master of Public Administration in Environmental Science and Policy (MPA-ESP) program worked this past semester to analyze city-level strategies for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

  • Global Philanthropy and Inequality

    Global Philanthropy and Inequality

    Recent trends now point towards global philanthropy becoming the new norm. Global philanthropy aims to reduce inequality in developing countries through many forms. But inequities persist, and different manifestations of global philanthropy will be challenged to increase impact and achieve a demonstrable shift in areas such as poverty, health, access to opportunity, and beyond.

  • As Predicted: A Rising Tide of Migration

    As Predicted: A Rising Tide of Migration

    “With sea levels on the rise, several island nations are scrambling to stay above water and ensure citizens will have a place to go when the ocean engulfs their homeland. The humanitarian-crisis phase of climate change has officially begun.”

  • How to Rethink Urban Transit, and Pay for It, Too

    How to Rethink Urban Transit, and Pay for It, Too

    “We have conflated mobility with access, but mobility is not the same as access. The best solution to a transportation problem is to not have to travel. The city itself was invented as a solution to a transportation problem. We have cities so we don’t have to travel.”

  • Conflict, Displaced Persons and the Built Environment

    Conflict, Displaced Persons and the Built Environment

    Changing personal and social narratives can address issues of internal displacement in the built environment, as in this case in Medellín, Colombia.

  • This Earth Day, Commute Another Way

    This Earth Day, Commute Another Way

    This Earth Day, April 22, 2016, New York City residents and commuters are encouraged to leave their car at home and use another means of travel as part of the city’s first year of Car-Free Day. Find out what Columbia University is doing in support of #CarFreeNYC.

  • Spring 2016 Earth Institute Research Showcase

    Spring 2016 Earth Institute Research Showcase

    Read Flusser studied bamboo and its potential as a feedstock for efficient, second-generation biofuels. Alixandra Prybyla conducted groundbreaking research on the genus Leptarctus, a long-extinct mammal. Marisol Rodriguez worked on a financial model for solar investing. These are just three of the student projects on display at the recent Student Research Showcase.

  • Making Fish Farming More Sustainable

    Making Fish Farming More Sustainable

    Global per capita fish consumption has almost doubled in the last 50 years. And today, about half of all the seafood we eat is produced through fish farming, aquaculture. Can it be done sustainably?

  • Philanthropy and Inequality

    Philanthropy and Inequality

    In the field of philanthropy, foundations have been confronted with how to address structural racism and various forms of systemic inequities. How can foundations play a greater role in reducing racial disparities, promoting criminal justice reform, and tackling any range of manifestations of inequality?