Columbia Climate School

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Columbia Climate School The Columbia Climate School is a multidisciplinary academic unit at Columbia University focused on climate science, climate policy, climate justice, and climate solutions. Founded to unify research and education across Earth science, engineering, public policy, and public health, the School draws on long-standing programs at Lamont–Doherty Earth Observatory, Earth Institute, and the Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science. It partners with international organizations such as the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change to translate research into global action.

History and establishment

The School was announced amid institutional evolutions at Columbia University and formalized in 2020 after planning efforts involving leaders from Lamont–Doherty Earth Observatory, Earth Institute, Columbia Business School, and the School of International and Public Affairs. Early contributors included scholars associated with the American Geophysical Union, participants in the Paris Agreement discussions, and advisors from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Its creation consolidated legacy programs dating to the founding of Lamont Geological Observatory and built upon collaborations with The Earth Institute at Columbia University and initiatives tied to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The School’s establishment responded to recommendations from panels linked to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and was announced alongside commitments to expand climate teaching, research funding, and public engagement across the Columbia network.

The School oversees graduate and undergraduate offerings developed jointly with the Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science, School of International and Public Affairs, Columbia College, and Mailman School of Public Health. Degree pathways include Master of Science programs with emphases in climate science and climate policy, joint degrees with the School of International and Public Affairs and Columbia Business School, and certificate programs co-administered with Teachers College and the Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation. Curriculum draws on courses historically offered by Lamont–Doherty Earth Observatory, the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, and the Statistics Department, while incorporating training models used by programs at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford University, and University of Cambridge. Students can pursue research practicum placements with partner institutions such as the World Bank, United Nations Environment Programme, and national laboratories affiliated with the U.S. Department of Energy.

Research is organized through affiliated centers including legacy units like Lamont–Doherty Earth Observatory, the Earth Institute, and newer initiatives established by the School to address climate modeling, resilience, and equity. The School hosts programs collaborating with the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies and research networks connected to the Global Carbon Project and the Climate and Clean Air Coalition. Specialized centers focus on polar science with ties to the Arctic Council research community and Antarctic programs aligned with the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research. Urban resilience work leverages partnerships with the New York City Mayor’s Office, links to the Rockefeller Foundation, and comparative work with metropolitan research programs at University College London and the National University of Singapore. The School’s research portfolio spans paleoceanography projects associated with the International Ocean Discovery Program to contemporary climate risk assessments used by the European Commission and multinational finance institutions.

Faculty includes scholars appointed jointly with departments such as the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, the Department of Applied Physics and Applied Mathematics, and the School of International and Public Affairs. Senior administrators have professional histories involving the National Science Foundation, the United Nations, and advisory roles to governments and NGOs including the World Health Organization and the Inter-American Development Bank. The faculty roster comprises recipients of awards such as the Vega Medal, members of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and authors contributing assessment chapters for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Teaching and research appointments encourage cross-appointments with institutions like the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering and collaborative chairs linked to international universities including University of Oxford and Université PSL.

The School maintains active partnerships with multilateral and bilateral organizations including the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, World Bank, European Commission, and national research agencies like the National Science Foundation and Natural Environment Research Council. It collaborates with NGOs such as the Nature Conservancy and World Resources Institute and industry partners in energy and finance including alliances with the International Energy Agency and major climate-focused philanthropic organizations such as the Rockefeller Foundation and the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation. Academic collaborations extend globally to institutions including University of Cape Town, Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, Peking University, and Australian National University, facilitating student exchanges, joint grants, and shared field campaigns.

Primary facilities include offices and labs in Manhattan and research infrastructure at Lamont–Doherty Earth Observatory in Palisades, New York, along with computational resources tied to Columbia’s high-performance computing centers and data services interoperable with the World Meteorological Organization data frameworks. Field stations and vessels used in oceanographic research align with fleets associated with the International Ocean Discovery Program and shiptime consortia coordinating with the National Science Foundation and Office of Naval Research. Library support is provided through Columbia University Libraries with special collections that complement climate archives maintained by institutions such as the National Archives and Records Administration and the American Museum of Natural History. The School’s convening spaces host forums linked to major climate events including sessions timed with Conference of the Parties meetings and symposia attended by delegations from agencies like the United States Agency for International Development.