The Challenge of Climate Change
The climate challenge threads through every aspect of our lives, from energy policy to changing precipitation patterns, from the spread of disease vectors to higher sea level, from shifts in ecosystem structure to diminished snowpack.
Addressing the challenge requires basic and applied research to:
- Quantify the sinks and sources of atmospheric carbon (carbon dioxide and methane are important greenhouse gases).
- Improve our understanding of climate processes.
- Identify the intensity, duration, location and timing of anticipated impacts.
- Evaluate strategies to mitigate climate change by reducing atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases.
- Understand the factors that determine how humans make decisions about the environment.
- Develop and analyze policy instruments and options.
Check out the links at the left for highlights of research being conducted at Columbia in these areas. We will update these pages with new research results on a regular basis. See our Blog and News & Events for exciting new research.