The Earth Institute’s annual donor report for fiscal year 2011 is now available in an interactive digital format. We remain committed to finding extraordinary support to unprecedented global challenges, many of which are outlined in this report. We have highlighted some of our innovative projects in research, policy, and education, as well as the partnerships that are helping to support them.
Professor Sachs mentioned feed-in tariffs as an innovative way to decrease our dependency on fossil fuels and increase investments in renewables. They are a fairly simple and cost-effective way to jump-start production of renewable energy. Feed-in tariffs have been used to transition many European countries, particularly Germany, away from fossil fuels.
Jeffrey Sachs’ discusses what it will take to kick start the US economy and the possible links between climate change and this summer’s weather on CNN’s “GPS with Fareed Zakaria”.
Tomorrow, Sept. 14 at 10am (EST), Jeff Sachs is participating in a webcast on “Globalization in the Era of Environmental Crisis.” The discussion is part of the Raul Prebisch lecture series and organized by the UN Commission on Trade and Development. Should be very interesting considering the current financial crisis and as a run-up to [...]
Something that many people wonder about climate change, especially in light of the current economic crisis, is whether we can afford to focus on the climate when there are so many other pressing global issues like the economy, terrorism, and major public health crises. Part of our mission here at the Columbia Climate Center is [...]
Decreased access to a safe, stable water supply in Asia “will have a profound impact on security throughout the region,” warns an Asia Society Leadership Group report released on April 17. In response to the cascading set of consequences reduced access to fresh water will trigger—including impaired food production, the loss of livelihood security, large-scale migration within and across borders, and increased economic and geopolitical tensions and instabilities—the report recommends a comprehensive strategy to avert a regional crisis.
A slot machine turning up three lemons is how Jeffrey Sachs described the global economic crisis at Haverford College last week. “Three ‘uns’: It is unstable, unfair, and unsustainable,” he said. “It’s the life-and-death struggle of the poor, and the plight of the planet.” “You are the answers,” he told the audience. “This crisis is [...]
State of the Planet is a forum for discussion on varying viewpoints. The opinions expressed by the authors and those providing comments are theirs alone, and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Earth Institute or Columbia University.
