State of the Planet

A recent study led by researchers at Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory asks how and why the spatial footprint of extreme rainfall in the U.S. has changed since 1980.

The new initiative is bringing five renowned experts and changemakers to campus this year. Their work spans climate science, public service, finance, entrepreneurship and the arts.

A Columbia Climate School student team examined extreme heat, poor air quality and emergency management at MetLife Stadium during the FIFA World Cup in New York/New Jersey.

A Palisades resident lost her home. Now she wants to know what model she and her neighbors should follow as they rebuild to be more climate resilient.

Albistegui Adler is an interdisciplinary environmental social scientist whose research examines the political and social impacts of climate change and climate variability.

A global partnership between the Columbia Climate School and UNICEF leaders is building climate knowledge and capacity to protect more than a billion children worldwide.

Lisa Sachs believes Ethiopia and the African Union can make this year's COP more effective by focusing on scalable plans for energy systems, finance reform, food security and nature restoration.

Climate researchers Marco Tedesco and David Sathuluri reflect on how a single week of heat, smoke and flooding exposed the vulnerability of NYC.

Lamont scientists Terry Plank and Einat Lev worked with partners in Chile to install a new suite of sensors on the summit of Villarrica, bringing real-time monitoring to one of Chile’s most active volcanoes.

Born and raised in Burundi, East Africa, Ningabo is one of three recipients of the prestigious Stanley Park Climate Finance Scholarship for the M.S. in Climate Finance. He shares more about his journey and what keeps him motivated.

Yao's arrival advances the university's shared mission to develop innovative solutions at the intersection of energy, sustainability and the environment.

The study used continuous ground-based measurements to determine that landfill methane emissions are likely much higher than current assessments.

This month, we covered the 2026 Environmental Performance Index; how gas bubbles shaped Kīlauea’s lava flow; and the Pacific’s contrasting effects on wildfires. Here are some additional studies worth noting.

Recent studies show that the deposition of nutrients on glaciers and ice sheets is causing rapid algal growth, reducing glacier albedo and warming the planet.

Explore Marie Tharp's groundbreaking 1977 World Ocean Floor map and discover how it transformed our understanding of the Earth.

In honor of Tharp's birthday, Ferrini discusses the geologist's pioneering work and how it paved the way for her own collaborative efforts to map the ocean floor.

Two of the world’s most fire-prone regions have followed strikingly different wildfire trajectories despite both experiencing a warming climate.

New York State has joined a growing movement to make climate education a required part of K-12 learning, following years of student demand and widespread support from teachers and parents.

The Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory researcher is helping launch an AI working group to explore how AI can support climate research without undermining ethics, equity or scientific judgment.

The Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory researcher is helping launch an AI working group to explore how AI can support climate research without undermining ethics, equity or scientific judgment.