State of the Planet

News from the Columbia Climate School

sustainable development28

  • Is Sustainability Sustainable in a Post-Bloomberg NYC?

    Is Sustainability Sustainable in a Post-Bloomberg NYC?

    With the end of Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s tenure drawing near, many are speculating which of his policies will survive the next administration. New York City’s comprehensive environmental plan, PlaNYC 2030: A Greener, Greater New York, has been championed politically by Bloomberg, but is grounded in science and data, and performance management. It has demonstrated progress,…

  • Myanmar: a New Frontier for Sustainable Development

    Myanmar: a New Frontier for Sustainable Development

    The Center on Globalization and Sustainable Development is building a sustainable development program to provide policy support for the government of Myanmar, local NGOs and the donor community, accelerating growth that is both socially inclusive, sustainable and mindful of climate risks and opportunities. This video explains the project.

  • Lessons From Front Lines of Climate Change

    Lessons From Front Lines of Climate Change

    Cities already lead the action on responding to climate change. And cities are utilizing groups such as the Urban Climate Change Research Network to share lessons from implementation and scholarly research on urban climate change.

  • What Comes After 2015? The Next Set of Goals

    What Comes After 2015? The Next Set of Goals

    “The gains in fighting poverty, and indeed generations of economic gains, are at serious threat of reversal unless deep structural crises of rising social inequality and rapid environmental degradation are finally addressed.”

  • A Fellow’s Story: Crossing Oceans, Breaking Boundaries

    A Fellow’s Story: Crossing Oceans, Breaking Boundaries

    After working in tropical forests and coastal areas throughout college and graduate school, Manhattan did not seem like a natural place to migrate after completing my PhD. But pursuing an Earth Institute Postdoctoral Fellowship was was one of the best decisions I have ever made.

  • 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…

Collage of Turkiye beach scene and Columbia University Campus with text: UN Climate Change Conference COP31, Antalya, Turkiye, Nov 9-20, 2026

COP31, the 2026 United Nations Climate Change Conference, aims to advance dialogue, strengthen consensus, and accelerate climate action on a global scale. From November 9–20, 2026 in Antalya, Türkiye, heads of state, ministers, scientists, business leaders, and civil society will gather to advance efforts in emission targets, climate finance, and adaptation and resilience. Once again, our experts, students, and global thought leaders from Columbia Climate School and across Columbia University are contributing to key events, sharing insights, and helping shape the dialogue toward ambitious, science-based solutions. Learn More

  • Is Sustainability Sustainable in a Post-Bloomberg NYC?

    Is Sustainability Sustainable in a Post-Bloomberg NYC?

    With the end of Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s tenure drawing near, many are speculating which of his policies will survive the next administration. New York City’s comprehensive environmental plan, PlaNYC 2030: A Greener, Greater New York, has been championed politically by Bloomberg, but is grounded in science and data, and performance management. It has demonstrated progress,…

  • Myanmar: a New Frontier for Sustainable Development

    Myanmar: a New Frontier for Sustainable Development

    The Center on Globalization and Sustainable Development is building a sustainable development program to provide policy support for the government of Myanmar, local NGOs and the donor community, accelerating growth that is both socially inclusive, sustainable and mindful of climate risks and opportunities. This video explains the project.

  • Lessons From Front Lines of Climate Change

    Lessons From Front Lines of Climate Change

    Cities already lead the action on responding to climate change. And cities are utilizing groups such as the Urban Climate Change Research Network to share lessons from implementation and scholarly research on urban climate change.

  • What Comes After 2015? The Next Set of Goals

    What Comes After 2015? The Next Set of Goals

    “The gains in fighting poverty, and indeed generations of economic gains, are at serious threat of reversal unless deep structural crises of rising social inequality and rapid environmental degradation are finally addressed.”

  • A Fellow’s Story: Crossing Oceans, Breaking Boundaries

    A Fellow’s Story: Crossing Oceans, Breaking Boundaries

    After working in tropical forests and coastal areas throughout college and graduate school, Manhattan did not seem like a natural place to migrate after completing my PhD. But pursuing an Earth Institute Postdoctoral Fellowship was was one of the best decisions I have ever made.

  • 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…