State of the Planet

News from the Columbia Climate School

sustainable development34

  • Bryant Awards Honorary Degree to Sachs

    Bryant Awards Honorary Degree to Sachs

    By graduating with an education that has one foot in the business world and another foot in the liberal arts, Bryant students have learned that “business and society walk hand in hand,” Sachs told the graduates.

  • New Grants to Extend Reach of Africa’s Green Revolution

    New Grants to Extend Reach of Africa’s Green Revolution

    Two new programs in Ethiopia and Tanzania will adapt modern technology such as an innovative “lab-in-a-box,” smartphones and web-based communications, along with training for agricultural extension workers, to broaden the reach of Africa’s “Green Revolution.”

  • Drill Down into Africa Soils Projects

    Drill Down into Africa Soils Projects

    The Africa Soil Information Service has upgraded its website with a new layout, easier navigation and updates on project activities. A growing set of features provides information for managing soil and land in Africa, including an interactive map tool that allows you to choose layers and areas of interest that can be downloaded.

  • From Sendai to Rio: A Call for Action

    From Sendai to Rio: A Call for Action

    The people living on the northeast coast of Japan had learned to expect large earthquakes. But despite being one of the best-prepared nations, they were caught off-guard by the force of the March 11, 2011, earthquake and tsunami that devastated their coastline and led to the meltdown of reactors at the Fukushima nuclear power plant.

  • A Trip Along the High Line

    A Trip Along the High Line

    The Highline, a park built on an old rail line on the lower West Side of New York City, pays homage to the area’s industrial past while providing locals and tourists alike with a place for repose.

  • Growing Food, Protecting the Land in Africa

    Growing Food, Protecting the Land in Africa

    The new Africa Monitoring System aims to help land managers and policy makers identify and tackle tradeoffs between intensified food production on the African continent and the vital services provided by healthy ecosystems.

  • The W.K. Kellogg Foundation Contributes to the Port-à-Piment Millennium Village

    The W.K. Kellogg Foundation Contributes to the Port-à-Piment Millennium Village

    The Earth Institute has begun implementing an innovative project throughout the South Department of Haiti, and has added a new partner to this critical work, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. The work includes the Côte Sud Initiative, covering all communes within the South Department, and the recent launch of the first Millennium Village in the Western…

  • Deeper than Water — New Video and Infographics from the Columbia Water Center

    Deeper than Water — New Video and Infographics from the Columbia Water Center

    As population grows and demand for food and products increase, so does our demand for water. But in the face of growing pressure on our water resources from depletion, pollution and climate change, we need to make more of what we have.

  • Water, Water Everywhere, But Nary a Drop to Drink

    Water, Water Everywhere, But Nary a Drop to Drink

    It is a unique challenge of our generation that many in the developing world have cellular phones and TVs, but lack reliable access to water. Odd, perhaps, given that water is marketed as essential for life, a human right, and heart rending pictures of women and children walking miles to fetch water are routinely flashed…

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

  • Bryant Awards Honorary Degree to Sachs

    Bryant Awards Honorary Degree to Sachs

    By graduating with an education that has one foot in the business world and another foot in the liberal arts, Bryant students have learned that “business and society walk hand in hand,” Sachs told the graduates.

  • New Grants to Extend Reach of Africa’s Green Revolution

    New Grants to Extend Reach of Africa’s Green Revolution

    Two new programs in Ethiopia and Tanzania will adapt modern technology such as an innovative “lab-in-a-box,” smartphones and web-based communications, along with training for agricultural extension workers, to broaden the reach of Africa’s “Green Revolution.”

  • Drill Down into Africa Soils Projects

    Drill Down into Africa Soils Projects

    The Africa Soil Information Service has upgraded its website with a new layout, easier navigation and updates on project activities. A growing set of features provides information for managing soil and land in Africa, including an interactive map tool that allows you to choose layers and areas of interest that can be downloaded.

  • From Sendai to Rio: A Call for Action

    From Sendai to Rio: A Call for Action

    The people living on the northeast coast of Japan had learned to expect large earthquakes. But despite being one of the best-prepared nations, they were caught off-guard by the force of the March 11, 2011, earthquake and tsunami that devastated their coastline and led to the meltdown of reactors at the Fukushima nuclear power plant.

  • A Trip Along the High Line

    A Trip Along the High Line

    The Highline, a park built on an old rail line on the lower West Side of New York City, pays homage to the area’s industrial past while providing locals and tourists alike with a place for repose.

  • Growing Food, Protecting the Land in Africa

    Growing Food, Protecting the Land in Africa

    The new Africa Monitoring System aims to help land managers and policy makers identify and tackle tradeoffs between intensified food production on the African continent and the vital services provided by healthy ecosystems.

  • The W.K. Kellogg Foundation Contributes to the Port-à-Piment Millennium Village

    The W.K. Kellogg Foundation Contributes to the Port-à-Piment Millennium Village

    The Earth Institute has begun implementing an innovative project throughout the South Department of Haiti, and has added a new partner to this critical work, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. The work includes the Côte Sud Initiative, covering all communes within the South Department, and the recent launch of the first Millennium Village in the Western…

  • Deeper than Water — New Video and Infographics from the Columbia Water Center

    Deeper than Water — New Video and Infographics from the Columbia Water Center

    As population grows and demand for food and products increase, so does our demand for water. But in the face of growing pressure on our water resources from depletion, pollution and climate change, we need to make more of what we have.

  • Water, Water Everywhere, But Nary a Drop to Drink

    Water, Water Everywhere, But Nary a Drop to Drink

    It is a unique challenge of our generation that many in the developing world have cellular phones and TVs, but lack reliable access to water. Odd, perhaps, given that water is marketed as essential for life, a human right, and heart rending pictures of women and children walking miles to fetch water are routinely flashed…