From the Director: Director Steven Cohen's most recent State of the Planet blog articles on sustainability & politics
Program News:
How can science be used and transferred effectively by decision-makers? How can we manage scientific uncertainty? These are some of the questions tackled on Monday at the event, ‘Speaking Science to Power.’
Last week, Canada hosted the world’s first climate change summit for urban leaders. It looks like it will have a lasting impact on how we think about and take action on climate change.
How do you encourage cities to race to the top in sustainability performance?
The Research Program on Sustainability Policy and Management recently released the China Sustainable Development Indicator System, a new sustainability indicator framework and annual ranking of the sustainability performance of Chinese cities.
Columbia University, New York State, and others will host the former Federal Advisory Committee for the National Climate Assessment.
Sustainability isn’t just about the environment. Guo explains how social and economic factors, like employment and education, fit in.
Get a sneak peek at the major takeaways from The Sustainable City, the latest book by Earth Institute executive director Steve Cohen. Available now from Columbia University Press.
During a talk on Wednesday, panelists discussed the benefits and challenges of this emerging industry.
As cities begin to rebuild infrastructure ravaged by hurricanes, now is the time to adopt climate-resilient energy systems. Innovative collaborations between public and private stakeholders can help.
“It costs 20,000 liters of water to produce one kilogram of cotton, which is just enough to produce a pair of jeans,” observed Guo—a stark measure of the importance of incorporating sustainability into fashion enterprises.
On March 7, 2016, Charles Chen, co-founder of China’s largest internet service portal, Tencent, gave a presentation on the impact of the internet on Chinese society. He talked about everything from the economic impacts of the internet, to education models that use mobile internet platforms.
The Earth Institute hosted a panel focused on how New York City, and other cities like it, can take steps to become stronger and more resilient in the face of climate change.
As part of a generous $2 million donation to Columbia University, the Earth Institute’s Research Program on Sustainability Policy and Management will receive $700,000 to expand its research efforts on sustainability in China.
The problem of air pollution in China continues to reach new heights. To combat the problem in any real way stringent regulation is needed. A new paper from Columbia University’s Earth Institute finds that this can be done without hurting job creation.
What role does public policy play in encouraging and facilitating the green economy? What are the policy tools and incentives that steer green investment effectively?