State of the Planet

News from the Columbia Climate School

sustainable development28

  • After Sandy: Climate and Our Coastal Future

    After Sandy: Climate and Our Coastal Future

    Shortly after Hurricane Sandy, Columbia University convened a forum featuring faculty researchers from The Earth Institute, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, NASA-Goddard Institute for Space Studies, the Mailman School of Public Health, the Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science, and the School of International and Public Affairs. This university-wide conversation, co-sponsored by The Earth Institute,…

  • From Laughter to Linear Regressions

    From Laughter to Linear Regressions

    What was obvious to a Malaysian studying in Singapore was slightly less clear to a California-born New Yorker, but as my knowledge on the subject grew, I quickly understood my colleague’s enthusiasm for studying oil palm.

  • Charting the Course to a Renewable Energy Future

    Charting the Course to a Renewable Energy Future

    As environmentalists have pushed for greater investment in wind and solar energy, critics have insisted that renewable sources of power could never provide more than a fraction of world energy demand. Evidence is mounting, however, that the critics are wrong.

  • A Moon Holiday to Get Away From It All

    A Moon Holiday to Get Away From It All

    A national park on the moon? Preposterous? Not if the Apollo Lunar Landing Legacy Act, put forward by Congresswomen Donna Reed (D – Maryland) and Eddie Bernice Johnson (D – Texas) passes. We could very well be on our way to having a national park on the Moon protecting sites of historical value – where…

  • Sustainable Intensification, Jumbo Shrimp, and Peacekeeper Missile:  Which of these is an Oxymoron?

    Sustainable Intensification, Jumbo Shrimp, and Peacekeeper Missile: Which of these is an Oxymoron?

    Lists are immensely popular these days and there are lists for almost anything. I was curious if there is a list for oxymora, or contradictions in terms, and sure enough there is – oxymoronlist.com. I was prompted on my search because of the recent appearance of the term “sustainable intensification” and I wanted to see…

  • Climate Effects on NYC May Move Faster Than Previously Forecast

    Climate Effects on NYC May Move Faster Than Previously Forecast

    The impact of climate change on New York City could be even more severe than previously thought, putting more people at risk from increasingly frequent floods and heat waves, according to a report by the New York City Panel on Climate Change that was released Monday.

  • Red to Dead: Not As Simple As It Seems

    Red to Dead: Not As Simple As It Seems

    The Dead Sea is shrinking as a result of mining for raw materials and the loss of fresh water inflow from the diversion of the Jordan River for drinking water by Syria, Israel and Jordan. This shrinkage is problematic for economic, environmental and cultural reasons for both Jordan and Israel, the two countries which share…

  • Unpacking Preconceptions

    Unpacking Preconceptions

    After a late arrival in Amman, Jordan on Sunday night, students in the Regional Environmental Sustainability in the Middle East program hit the ground running on Monday morning. An orientation at the Columbia University Middle East Center was followed by presentations at the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature office.

  • Students Travel to Jordan and Israel to Learn About Environmental Issues

    Students Travel to Jordan and Israel to Learn About Environmental Issues

    Nine Columbia students traveled to the Middle East last weekend to learn about how two countries in the region, Jordan and Israel, are cooperating on environmental issues and managing shared natural resources such as water. The students, led by Beth Fisher Yoshida, academic director of the Negotiation and Conflict Resolution program, and Shahar Sadeh, academic…

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

  • After Sandy: Climate and Our Coastal Future

    After Sandy: Climate and Our Coastal Future

    Shortly after Hurricane Sandy, Columbia University convened a forum featuring faculty researchers from The Earth Institute, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, NASA-Goddard Institute for Space Studies, the Mailman School of Public Health, the Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science, and the School of International and Public Affairs. This university-wide conversation, co-sponsored by The Earth Institute,…

  • From Laughter to Linear Regressions

    From Laughter to Linear Regressions

    What was obvious to a Malaysian studying in Singapore was slightly less clear to a California-born New Yorker, but as my knowledge on the subject grew, I quickly understood my colleague’s enthusiasm for studying oil palm.

  • Charting the Course to a Renewable Energy Future

    Charting the Course to a Renewable Energy Future

    As environmentalists have pushed for greater investment in wind and solar energy, critics have insisted that renewable sources of power could never provide more than a fraction of world energy demand. Evidence is mounting, however, that the critics are wrong.

  • A Moon Holiday to Get Away From It All

    A Moon Holiday to Get Away From It All

    A national park on the moon? Preposterous? Not if the Apollo Lunar Landing Legacy Act, put forward by Congresswomen Donna Reed (D – Maryland) and Eddie Bernice Johnson (D – Texas) passes. We could very well be on our way to having a national park on the Moon protecting sites of historical value – where…

  • Sustainable Intensification, Jumbo Shrimp, and Peacekeeper Missile:  Which of these is an Oxymoron?

    Sustainable Intensification, Jumbo Shrimp, and Peacekeeper Missile: Which of these is an Oxymoron?

    Lists are immensely popular these days and there are lists for almost anything. I was curious if there is a list for oxymora, or contradictions in terms, and sure enough there is – oxymoronlist.com. I was prompted on my search because of the recent appearance of the term “sustainable intensification” and I wanted to see…

  • Climate Effects on NYC May Move Faster Than Previously Forecast

    Climate Effects on NYC May Move Faster Than Previously Forecast

    The impact of climate change on New York City could be even more severe than previously thought, putting more people at risk from increasingly frequent floods and heat waves, according to a report by the New York City Panel on Climate Change that was released Monday.

  • Red to Dead: Not As Simple As It Seems

    Red to Dead: Not As Simple As It Seems

    The Dead Sea is shrinking as a result of mining for raw materials and the loss of fresh water inflow from the diversion of the Jordan River for drinking water by Syria, Israel and Jordan. This shrinkage is problematic for economic, environmental and cultural reasons for both Jordan and Israel, the two countries which share…

  • Unpacking Preconceptions

    Unpacking Preconceptions

    After a late arrival in Amman, Jordan on Sunday night, students in the Regional Environmental Sustainability in the Middle East program hit the ground running on Monday morning. An orientation at the Columbia University Middle East Center was followed by presentations at the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature office.

  • Students Travel to Jordan and Israel to Learn About Environmental Issues

    Students Travel to Jordan and Israel to Learn About Environmental Issues

    Nine Columbia students traveled to the Middle East last weekend to learn about how two countries in the region, Jordan and Israel, are cooperating on environmental issues and managing shared natural resources such as water. The students, led by Beth Fisher Yoshida, academic director of the Negotiation and Conflict Resolution program, and Shahar Sadeh, academic…