sustainable development32
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Watering the World’s Crops, Drop by Drop
Dr. Daniel Hillel was recently honored with the World Food Prize for his pioneering work in sustainable agriculture.
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Partnering for Impact
Our highly interconnected and interdependent world has given rise to an extraordinary collaborative effort to design a future that is sustainable, prosperous and empowering. The recently concluded Clinton Global Initiative 2012 annual meeting’s theme, “Designing for Impact,” focused on designing our lives, environments and the global systems that can create more opportunity and equality.
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Nature’s Toxic Crusaders
Can mushrooms help clean up oil spills? Can oysters filter sewage pollution? Industrial waste is being injected into the planet’s soil and water as a result of human activity. Pioneers in the field of conservation and sustainability are employing nature’s own biological task force to help clean up.
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Joanna Rubinstein Named Assistant Director for International Programs
Dr. Joanna Rubinstein has been appointed today to the position of assistant director of the Earth Institute for international programs. Rubinstein will help to lead the Earth Institute’s international programs for sustainable development, with a key role in coordinating the Earth Institute’s new role as Secretariat of the UN Sustainable Development Solution Network, an initiative…
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Rio 2016 Olympics: Another Reason to Watch Brazil’s Rise
If public-private partnerships are essential to successfully carrying out the Olympics and using it to catalyze positive change for the host city, then Rio could have an important advantage for hosting the games in 2016.
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Sustainable Development Grad Puts Theory to Practice in SE Asia
Within two weeks of graduating from the Undergraduate Program in Sustainable Development in May 2012, Patrick Blute found himself launched into a management trainee program with the non-profit Rustic Pathways and on his way to Southeast Asia.
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London Olympics: How the Games Help Urban Development
The Olympics symbolize unity and friendship: The whole world comes together for the Games, playing by the same rules, honoring the same Olympian spirit of excellence and fair play. But today’s Olympics are notable for another type of collaboration—between the public and private sectors.
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Forecasting Climate’s Effects on Global Food Production
The worst drought to hit the U.S. in decades has already brought corn yields to a 17-year low and will almost certainly raise food prices. Wealth will soften the blow in the U.S., but in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, prolonged drought has often had deadly consequences. Is there a better way to anticipate climate’s…
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Cities Are Where the Action Is, Post-Rio
Representatives of the worlds’ cities came to Rio in June for a series of events focused on the problems pressing in on the burgeoning urban population. Mayors around the world already are working on solutions and came out of Rio with concrete commitments for the future.
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
