State of the Planet

News from the Columbia Climate School

Tag: CCSI Annual Conference

  • Toward a Carbon-Neutral Future: Why Land and Resource Rights Matter

    Toward a Carbon-Neutral Future: Why Land and Resource Rights Matter

    Climate change is a destabilizing force that touches all sectors of society, whether agriculture, forestry, infrastructure, energy, water or health. The inherently intertwined and complex nature of climate change impacts means that strong institutions, laws and policies are critical to ensuring that these impacts don’t impinge on the rights of local populations. Key among these…

  • Can Climate Litigation Support Global Action on Climate Change?

    Can Climate Litigation Support Global Action on Climate Change?

    The Paris Climate Agreement officially goes into effect Nov. 4. But it will take much more to achieve its goals. Legal challenges could well provide one way for individuals, civil society and governments to support and reinforce global action on climate change.

  • Protecting Intellectual Property While Mitigating Climate Change: Can We Do Both?

    Protecting Intellectual Property While Mitigating Climate Change: Can We Do Both?

    The Paris Climate Agreement officially goes into effect Nov. 4. But it will take much more to achieve its goals. Legal mechanisms could well provide one way for individuals, civil society and governments to support and reinforce global action on climate change.

  • No Free Passes: Making Renewable Energy Responsible

    No Free Passes: Making Renewable Energy Responsible

    As the world rushes to invest in clean energy, the potential impacts of these projects on the rights of local individuals and communities need to be properly addressed.

  • Leaving Fossil Fuels in the Ground: Who, What and When?

    Leaving Fossil Fuels in the Ground: Who, What and When?

    In order to promote a broader conversation on the issue of equity and stranded assets, Oxfam recently released a report discussing whether there is a reasonable case to be made that developing countries should get preferential treatment so that they bear less of the burden when it comes to having their assets stranded.

  • Stranding Equitably in the Current Market and Geopolitical Context

    Stranding Equitably in the Current Market and Geopolitical Context

    The Columbia Center on Sustainable Investment’s conference of early November will consider, notably, how world production of oil and gas could be significantly reduced in manners protecting the interests of lower-income producing countries, given that staying on carbon budget will require leaving two thirds of our fossil fuel reserves unburnt.

  • Shareholders Turn Up the Heat on Climate Change

    Shareholders Turn Up the Heat on Climate Change

    2016 was a hot year for climate change shareholder resolutions hitting the boardrooms of oil and gas companies. Although more familiar climate news headlines have carried calls to “keep it in the ground” and divest investment portfolios from fossil fuels, a patient strategy has been quietly gaining momentum: shareholder engagement on climate change.

  • Protecting Indigenous Land Rights Makes Good Economic Sense

    Protecting Indigenous Land Rights Makes Good Economic Sense

    Indigenous peoples and other communities hold and manage 50 to 65 percent of the world’s land, yet governments recognize only 10 percent as legally belonging to these groups, with another 8 percent designated by governments for communities. That’s bad economic policy.

  • Trade Deals and the Paris Climate Agreement

    Trade Deals and the Paris Climate Agreement

    With the approval of the Paris Climate Agreement comes a key question: Do our trade and investment agreements—current and proposed—create the space, send the right signals, and clear the path for the U.S. and other countries to meet their Paris commitments?

Science for the Planet: In these short video explainers, discover how scientists and scholars across the Columbia Climate School are working to understand the effects of climate change and help solve the crisis.
  • Toward a Carbon-Neutral Future: Why Land and Resource Rights Matter

    Toward a Carbon-Neutral Future: Why Land and Resource Rights Matter

    Climate change is a destabilizing force that touches all sectors of society, whether agriculture, forestry, infrastructure, energy, water or health. The inherently intertwined and complex nature of climate change impacts means that strong institutions, laws and policies are critical to ensuring that these impacts don’t impinge on the rights of local populations. Key among these…

  • Can Climate Litigation Support Global Action on Climate Change?

    Can Climate Litigation Support Global Action on Climate Change?

    The Paris Climate Agreement officially goes into effect Nov. 4. But it will take much more to achieve its goals. Legal challenges could well provide one way for individuals, civil society and governments to support and reinforce global action on climate change.

  • Protecting Intellectual Property While Mitigating Climate Change: Can We Do Both?

    Protecting Intellectual Property While Mitigating Climate Change: Can We Do Both?

    The Paris Climate Agreement officially goes into effect Nov. 4. But it will take much more to achieve its goals. Legal mechanisms could well provide one way for individuals, civil society and governments to support and reinforce global action on climate change.

  • No Free Passes: Making Renewable Energy Responsible

    No Free Passes: Making Renewable Energy Responsible

    As the world rushes to invest in clean energy, the potential impacts of these projects on the rights of local individuals and communities need to be properly addressed.

  • Leaving Fossil Fuels in the Ground: Who, What and When?

    Leaving Fossil Fuels in the Ground: Who, What and When?

    In order to promote a broader conversation on the issue of equity and stranded assets, Oxfam recently released a report discussing whether there is a reasonable case to be made that developing countries should get preferential treatment so that they bear less of the burden when it comes to having their assets stranded.

  • Stranding Equitably in the Current Market and Geopolitical Context

    Stranding Equitably in the Current Market and Geopolitical Context

    The Columbia Center on Sustainable Investment’s conference of early November will consider, notably, how world production of oil and gas could be significantly reduced in manners protecting the interests of lower-income producing countries, given that staying on carbon budget will require leaving two thirds of our fossil fuel reserves unburnt.

  • Shareholders Turn Up the Heat on Climate Change

    Shareholders Turn Up the Heat on Climate Change

    2016 was a hot year for climate change shareholder resolutions hitting the boardrooms of oil and gas companies. Although more familiar climate news headlines have carried calls to “keep it in the ground” and divest investment portfolios from fossil fuels, a patient strategy has been quietly gaining momentum: shareholder engagement on climate change.

  • Protecting Indigenous Land Rights Makes Good Economic Sense

    Protecting Indigenous Land Rights Makes Good Economic Sense

    Indigenous peoples and other communities hold and manage 50 to 65 percent of the world’s land, yet governments recognize only 10 percent as legally belonging to these groups, with another 8 percent designated by governments for communities. That’s bad economic policy.

  • Trade Deals and the Paris Climate Agreement

    Trade Deals and the Paris Climate Agreement

    With the approval of the Paris Climate Agreement comes a key question: Do our trade and investment agreements—current and proposed—create the space, send the right signals, and clear the path for the U.S. and other countries to meet their Paris commitments?