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The Columbia Climate School’s mission is to further knowledge and educate leaders to achieve equitable and just solutions to the changing climate and related sustainability challenges.

News Highlights

From Marie Tharp to Seabed 2030: Marine Geophysicist Vicki Ferrini on Mapping the Ocean Floor
July 30, 2026

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.

Climate Scientist Marco Tedesco Examines What Responsible AI Could Look Like
July 28, 2026

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.

Better Data, Better Maps: Supporting Ebola Response in Eastern Congo
July 23, 2026

An effective Ebola response depends on knowing not only where cases are being reported, but also where people live, where health facilities are located and which health areas are responsible for reaching them.

Education

The Columbia Climate School educates future climate leaders to address the urgent challenges facing our planet with graduate degree programs and offers other powerful learning opportunities for students, educators, and professionals.

Research

The Columbia Climate School nurtures and supports innovative research in the science, consequences, and human dimensions of climate change, including the methods of achieving a more sustainable and just world.

Columbia Low Library and NYC skyline with text Research Centers and Programs

The Columbia Climate School encompasses Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory and more than 20 other centers and programs, supporting a continuum of research from basic discovery to societal solutions.

Collage of campus images and satellite view of Earth with text Office of Research

Our Office of Research nurtures our community of established and future environmental leaders through proposal development, programmatic engagement, and compliance support.

Impact

The Columbia Climate School turns bold ideas into real-world action, building partnerships to drive tangible change at scale.

In this Science for the Planet video, Columbia Climate School Dean Alexis Abramson shares her research on making buildings more efficient through data analytics, machine learning, and smart design. By studying thousands of buildings and analyzing their electricity use, she has been able to uncover ways to significantly cut energy consumption and emissions. Watch Engineering a Cooler Future Through Smarter Buildings.

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