{{Infobox organization , name = The Earth Institute , image = Ei blue1.gif , map_size = , map_alt = , map_caption = , map2 = , type = , tax_id = , registration_id = , founded_date = {{Start date and age, 1995 , founder =

Peter B. de Menocal Peter B. de Menocal is an oceanographer and paleoclimatologist. He is the president and director of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, a research facility in Massachusetts. Education De Menocal earned a B.S. in geology from St. Lawrenc ...

, predecessor = , dissolved = , merged = , successor = , location =

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the U ...

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., federal district, five ma ...

, addnl_location = 2910 Broadway,

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

, NY 10025 , coordinates = , origins = , key_people =

Alex N. Halliday Sir Alexander Norman Halliday (born 11 August 1952) is a British geochemist, an academic who is the Founding Dean of the Columbia Climate School, and Director of the Earth Institute at Columbia University. He joined the Earth Institute in Apr ...

(director) , area_served = , products = , services = , focus = , mission = , method = , revenue = , disbursed = , expenses = , endowment = , num_volunteers = , num_employees = , num_members = , affiliations =

Columbia University Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manha ...

, subsid = , owner = , motto = , formerly = , website = {{URL, http://www.earth.columbia.edu/ , footnotes = The Earth Institute is a research institute at

that was established in 1995. Its stated mission is to address complex issues facing the planet and its inhabitants, with a focus on sustainable development. With an interdisciplinary approach, this includes research in

climate change In common usage, climate change describes global warming—the ongoing increase in global average temperature—and its effects on Earth's climate system. Climate change in a broader sense also includes previous long-term changes to ...

geology Geology () is a branch of natural science concerned with Earth and other astronomical objects, the features or rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which they change over time. Modern geology significantly overlaps all other Ea ...

global health Global health is the health of the populations in the worldwide context; it has been defined as "the area of study, research and practice that places a priority on improving health and achieving equity in health for all people worldwide". Problem ...

economics Economics () is the social science that studies the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. Economics focuses on the behaviour and interactions of economic agents and how economies work. Microeconomics analy ...

management Management (or managing) is the administration of an organization, whether it is a business, a nonprofit organization, or a government body. It is the art and science of managing resources of the business. Management includes the activities ...

agriculture Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that enabled peop ...

ecosystem An ecosystem (or ecological system) consists of all the organisms and the physical environment with which they interact. These biotic and abiotic components are linked together through nutrient cycles and energy flows. Energy enters the syst ...

urbanization Urbanization (or urbanisation) refers to the population shift from rural to urban areas, the corresponding decrease in the proportion of people living in rural areas, and the ways in which societies adapt to this change. It is predominantly t ...

energy In physics, energy (from Ancient Greek: ἐνέργεια, ''enérgeia'', “activity”) is the quantitative property that is transferred to a body or to a physical system, recognizable in the performance of work and in the form of hea ...

hazard A hazard is a potential source of harm. Substances, events, or circumstances can constitute hazards when their nature would allow them, even just theoretically, to cause damage to health, life, property, or any other interest of value. The probab ...

s, and

water Water (chemical formula ) is an inorganic, transparent, tasteless, odorless, and nearly colorless chemical substance, which is the main constituent of Earth's hydrosphere and the fluids of all known living organisms (in which it acts as ...

. The Earth Institute's activities are guided by the idea that science and technological tools that already exist could be applied to greatly improve conditions for the world's poor, while preserving the natural systems that support life on Earth. The Earth Institute supports pioneering projects in the biological, engineering, social, and health sciences, while actively encouraging interdisciplinary projects—often combining natural and social sciences—in pursuit of solutions to real world problems and a sustainable planet. In its work, the Earth Institute remains mindful of the staggering disparities between rich and poor nations, and the tremendous impact that global-scale problems—such as the

HIV/AIDS Human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is a spectrum of conditions caused by infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), a retrovirus. Following initial infection an individual ...

pandemic, climate change and extreme poverty—have on all nations.

Research Units

Lamont–Doherty Earth Observatory (LDEO)

{{main, Lamont–Doherty Earth Observatory Lamont–Doherty Earth Observatory was established in 1949 and is a world-class research institution specializing in the

Earth sciences Earth science or geoscience includes all fields of natural science related to the planet Earth. This is a branch of science dealing with the physical, chemical, and biological complex constitutions and synergistic linkages of Earth's four spher ...

. LDEO conducts research on all aspects of the planet both above and below ground, on land and sea, with topics that include

earthquake An earthquake (also known as a quake, tremor or temblor) is the shaking of the surface of the Earth resulting from a sudden release of energy in the Earth's lithosphere that creates seismic waves. Earthquakes can range in intensity, from ...

volcano A volcano is a rupture in the crust of a planetary-mass object, such as Earth, that allows hot lava, volcanic ash, and gases to escape from a magma chamber below the surface. On Earth, volcanoes are most often found where tectonic plates ...

es, global

resources Resource refers to all the materials available in our environment which are technologically accessible, economically feasible and culturally sustainable and help us to satisfy our needs and wants. Resources can broadly be classified upon their ...

, and environmental hazards. The current interim director of Lamont is Maureen Raymo.

Advanced Consortium on Cooperation, Conflict, and Complexity (AC⁴)

AC⁴ strives to foster sustainable peace through innovation and integration. The center works to enable and support integrative research and practice on sustainable peace, constructive conflict engagement, and sustainable development. AC⁴'s current director is Joshua Fisher who joined in 2014. The center is organized around four focus areas: Complexity, Peace and Sustainability; Environment, Peace, and Sustainability; Youth, Peace and Security; and Women, Peace and Security which is led by Nobel Laureate

Leymah Gbowee Leymah Roberta Gbowee (born 1 February 1972) is a Liberian peace activist responsible for leading a women's nonviolent peace movement, Women of Liberia Mass Action for Peace that helped bring an end to the Second Liberian Civil War in 2003. Her ...

as executive director.

Center for Climate and Life

{{main, Center for Climate and Life The Center for Climate and Life is a multidisciplinary

climate science Climatology (from Greek , ''klima'', "place, zone"; and , '' -logia'') or climate science is the scientific study of Earth's climate, typically defined as weather conditions averaged over a period of at least 30 years. This modern field of stud ...

research initiative based at

Lamont–Doherty Earth Observatory The Lamont–Doherty Earth Observatory (LDEO) is the scientific research center of the Columbia Climate School, and a unit of The Earth Institute at Columbia University. It focuses on climate and earth sciences and is located on a 189-acre (64 ...

. The center advances research focused on how

affects access to basic resources such as food, water, shelter and energy. The center's founder and director is

, a

paleoclimatologist Paleoclimatology (British spelling, palaeoclimatology) is the study of climates for which direct measurements were not taken. As instrumental records only span a tiny part of Earth's history, the reconstruction of ancient climate is important to ...

and Columbia University Dean of Science in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences.

Center for Climate Systems Research (CCSR)

Established in 1994, the Center for Climate Systems Research is a key Earth Institute center that has 25+ scientists and staff researching the Earth's climate. As ''Columbia's Gateway to

NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agency of the US federal government responsible for the civil space program, aeronautics research, and space research. NASA was established in 1958, succeedi ...

and Beyond'', the center has a special relationship with the NASA

Goddard Institute for Space Studies The Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) is a laboratory in the Earth Sciences Division of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center affiliated with the Columbia University Earth Institute. The institute is located at Columbia University in N ...

, as it is co-located with

GISS The Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) is a laboratory in the Earth Sciences Division of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center affiliated with the Columbia University Earth Institute. The institute is located at Columbia University in Ne ...

in Columbia University's Armstrong Hall above

Tom's Restaurant Tom's Restaurant is a diner located at 2880 Broadway (on the corner of West 112th Street) in the Morningside Heights neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City. It is on the ground floor of Columbia University's Armstrong Hall, home to the God ...

in New York City. Here, Columbia and NASA scientists jointly work together to gain a greater understanding of

climate sensitivity Climate sensitivity is a measure of how much Earth's surface will cool or warm after a specified factor causes a change in its climate system, such as how much it will warm for a doubling in the atmospheric carbon dioxide () concentration. In te ...

and variability including the forcing and feedback mechanisms that influence climate, particularly with regard to how this can impact humanity and environmental stability. The director of CCSR is Dr. Michael J. Puma.

Columbia Water Center (CWC)

{{main, Columbia Water Center The Columbia Water Center was founded in 2008 and is looking into the assessment, understanding and resolution of the global crisis of

water scarcity Water scarcity (closely related to water stress or water crisis) is the lack of fresh water resources to meet the standard water demand. There are two types of water scarcity: physical or economic water scarcity. Physical water scarcity is whe ...

. The center aims to design reliable, sustainable models of

water management Water resources are natural resources of water that are potentially useful for humans, for example as a source of drinking water supply or irrigation water. 97% of the water on the Earth is salt water and only three percent is fresh water; sligh ...

and development that can be implemented on local, regional and global levels. The Columbia Water Center conducts projects both domestically and internationally, with projects currently underway in

India India, officially the Republic of India ( Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the ...

Mali Mali (; ), officially the Republic of Mali,, , ff, 𞤈𞤫𞤲𞥆𞤣𞤢𞥄𞤲𞤣𞤭 𞤃𞤢𞥄𞤤𞤭, Renndaandi Maali, italics=no, ar, جمهورية مالي, Jumhūriyyāt Mālī is a landlocked country in West Africa. Ma ...

Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...

, and China. The current director of CWC is

Upmanu Lall Upmanu Lall is an Indian-American engineer and the Alan and Carol Silberstein Professor of Engineering at Columbia University. He serves as Director of the Columbia Water Center. Lall studies water scarcity and how to predict and mitigate floods ...

Center for Rivers and Estuaries

The Center for River and Estuaries is focused on the better understanding of

river A river is a natural flowing watercourse, usually freshwater Fresh water or freshwater is any naturally occurring liquid or frozen water containing low concentrations of dissolved salts and other total dissolved solids. Although the ...

s and

estuaries An estuary is a partially enclosed coastal body of brackish water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea. Estuaries form a transition zone between river environments and maritime environme ...

worldwide. This includes the distribution, transport, and flux of

contaminants Contamination is the presence of a constituent, impurity, or some other undesirable element that spoils, corrupts, infects, makes unfit, or makes inferior a material, physical body, natural environment, workplace, etc. Types of contamination W ...

sediments Sediment is a naturally occurring material that is broken down by processes of weathering and erosion, and is subsequently transported by the action of wind, water, or ice or by the force of gravity acting on the particles. For example, sand a ...

nutrients A nutrient is a substance used by an organism to survive, grow, and reproduce. The requirement for dietary nutrient intake applies to animals, plants, fungi, and protists. Nutrients can be incorporated into cells for metabolic purposes or excr ...

organic material Organic matter, organic material, or natural organic matter refers to the large source of carbon-based compounds found within natural and engineered, terrestrial, and aquatic environments. It is matter composed of organic compounds that have c ...

carbon Carbon () is a chemical element with the symbol C and atomic number 6. It is nonmetallic and tetravalent—its atom making four electrons available to form covalent chemical bonds. It belongs to group 14 of the periodic table. Carbon makes ...

, and

aerosols An aerosol is a suspension (chemistry), suspension of fine solid particles or liquid Drop (liquid), droplets in air or another gas. Aerosols can be natural or Human impact on the environment, anthropogenic. Examples of natural aerosols are fog o ...

. The center also studies the evolution and linkage of

marshes A marsh is a wetland that is dominated by herbaceous rather than woody plant species.Keddy, P.A. 2010. Wetland Ecology: Principles and Conservation (2nd edition). Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK. 497 p Marshes can often be found at ...

and

wetlands A wetland is a distinct ecosystem that is flooded or saturated by water, either permanently (for years or decades) or seasonally (for weeks or months). Flooding results in oxygen-free ( anoxic) processes prevailing, especially in the soils. The ...

. The center is divided into three main areas of research: maintenance of the

Hudson River The Hudson River is a river that flows from north to south primarily through eastern New York. It originates in the Adirondack Mountains of Upstate New York and flows southward through the Hudson Valley to the New York Harbor between Ne ...

and New York Harbor, finding solutions to use the water system without harming the

s of the watershed, and maintaining the diverse estuary fisheries for commercial and recreational use.

Earth Institute Center for Environmental Sustainability (EICES)

{{main, Earth Institute Center for Environmental Sustainability The Earth Institute Center for Environmental Sustainability (EICES), formerly known as the Center for Environmental Research and Conservation (CERC), has been actively involved in protecting biodiversity and ecosystems. The Earth Institute Center for Environmental Sustainability is dedicated to the development of a rich, robust and vibrant world within which we can secure a sustainable future. Through a diverse array of strategic partners in science, education and outreach, the center builds unique programs that promote human well-being through the preservation, restoration and management of biodiversity and the services our ecosystems provide.

The Earth Engineering Center (EEC)

The Earth Engineering Center was established in 1996 and serves as the principal

engineering Engineering is the use of scientific method, scientific principles to design and build machines, structures, and other items, including bridges, tunnels, roads, vehicles, and buildings. The discipline of engineering encompasses a broad rang ...

unit of the Earth Institute. The EEC aims to find solutions to achieve sustainable development of Earth's resources including

minerals In geology and mineralogy, a mineral or mineral species is, broadly speaking, a solid chemical compound with a fairly well-defined chemical composition and a specific crystal structure that occurs naturally in pure form.John P. Rafferty, ed. ( ...

material Material is a substance or mixture of substances that constitutes an object. Materials can be pure or impure, living or non-living matter. Materials can be classified on the basis of their physical and chemical properties, or on their geolo ...

s, and the environment at large. It includes over 20 members of the

Engineering School Engineering is the use of scientific principles to design and build machines, structures, and other items, including bridges, tunnels, roads, vehicles, and buildings. The discipline of engineering encompasses a broad range of more specializ ...

faculty at Columbia and specialists from other Columbia schools as well as environmental organizations and other universities. The EEC is a part of the

Henry Krumb School of Mines Henry Krumb School of Mines encompasses the Earth and Environmental Engineering department of Columbia University's School of Engineering and Applied Science. The school is named in honor of Henry Krumb, an American mining Mining is the ext ...

and linked to the earth and

environmental engineering Environmental engineering is a professional engineering discipline that encompasses broad scientific topics like chemistry, biology, ecology, geology, hydraulics, hydrology, microbiology, and mathematics to create solutions that will protect and ...

department. Its current director is Professor Nickolas Themelis.{{citation needed, date=July 2018

Lenfest Center for Sustainable Energy (LCSE)

The mission of the Lenfest Center for Sustainable Energy (LCSE) is to advance science and develop innovative technologies that provide

sustainable energy Energy is sustainable if it "meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs". Most definitions of sustainable energy include considerations of environmental aspects such as green ...

for all humanity while maintaining the stability of the Earth’s natural systems. Lenfest research areas include advanced fuel concepts,

carbon sequestration Carbon sequestration is the process of storing carbon in a carbon pool. Carbon dioxide () is naturally captured from the atmosphere through biological, chemical, and physical processes. These changes can be accelerated through changes in land ...

, and small scale

energy conversion systems Energy transformation, also known as energy conversion, is the process of changing energy from one form to another. In physics, energy is a quantity that provides the capacity to perform work or moving, (e.g. Lifting an object) or provides heat. ...

(e.g.,

Fischer–Tropsch process The Fischer–Tropsch process is a collection of chemical reactions that converts a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen, known as syngas, into liquid hydrocarbons. These reactions occur in the presence of metal catalysts, typically at temperatu ...

). The current director i
Ah-Hyung (Alissa) Park

The Center for Sustainable Development (CSD)

Th
Center for Sustainable Development
is a research unit of The Earth Institute of

charged with managing

social science Social science is one of the branches of science, devoted to the study of societies and the relationships among individuals within those societies. The term was formerly used to refer to the field of sociology, the original "science of soc ...

activities. The mission of CGSD is to apply social science approaches to international development problems. The center collaborates with the faculty of the social science departments of Columbia University and is primarily focused on interdisciplinary research and policy application. The center is operated on the principle that solutions must cross many disciplines because the problems do as well, including the environment,

public health Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals". Analyzing the det ...

, disaster preparedness, and economic planning.

The Center for the Study of Science and Religion (CSSR)

{{main, Center for the Study of Science and Religion The Center for the Study of Science and Religion is a collaborative forum designed to examine the issues "lying at the boundary of scientific and religious ways of comprehending the world." CSSR works across disciplines and schools in an effort to have social scientists incorporate

religion Religion is usually defined as a social- cultural system of designated behaviors and practices, morals, beliefs, worldviews, texts, sanctified places, prophecies, ethics, or organizations, that generally relates humanity to supernatural ...

and

rituals A ritual is a sequence of activities involving gestures, words, actions, or objects, performed according to a set sequence. Rituals may be prescribed by the traditions of a community, including a religious community. Rituals are characterized, b ...

in the modeling and prediction of

human behavior Human behavior is the potential and expressed capacity ( mentally, physically, and socially) of human individuals or groups to respond to internal and external stimuli throughout their life. Kagan, Jerome, Marc H. Bornstein, and Richard ...

, particularly in the areas of social planning, research and policy. The director is Robert Pollack.

The Center on Capitalism and Society

The Center on Capitalism and Society seeks to determine the means by which a country can successfully achieve economic success through its ability to generate and develop sound commercial ideas. The center's work is based upon a theory of

capitalism Capitalism is an economic system based on the private ownership of the means of production and their operation for profit. Central characteristics of capitalism include capital accumulation, competitive markets, price system, private ...

where entrepreneurs and financiers are the key

actor An actor or actress is a person who portrays a character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. The analogous Greek term is (), l ...

s and the discovery of viable ideas is the essential activity. The director is Professor of Economics and Nobel-Laureate

Edmund Phelps Edmund Strother Phelps (born July 26, 1933) is an American economist and the recipient of the 2006 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences. Early in his career, he became known for his research at Yale's Cowles Foundation in the first half of ...

The Center for Sustainable Urban Development (CSUD)

The Center for Sustainable Urban Development was established in 2004 by the Volvo Research and Education Foundations and seeks the creation of sustainable cities, both physically and socially. The center's first project was to develop land use and transport planning in developing countries that promote

sustainable growth Sustainable development is an organizing principle for meeting human development goals while also sustaining the ability of natural systems to provide the natural resources and ecosystem services on which the economy and society depend. The d ...

. The director is Elliott Sclar.

Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN)

The Center for International Earth Science Information Network was established in 1989 as an independent

NGO A non-governmental organization (NGO) or non-governmental organisation (see spelling differences) is an organization that generally is formed independent from government. They are typically nonprofit entities, and many of them are active in ...

to research the interaction between man and the environment. In 1998, CIESIN became part of the Columbia University Earth Institute. Offices are located at the

in Palisades, New York. CIESIN provides a large amount of data and information about the Earth to meet the needs of both scientists and decision makers by means of education, consultation, and training. The center is focused on applying modern

information technology Information technology (IT) is the use of computers to create, process, store, retrieve, and exchange all kinds of data . and information. IT forms part of information and communications technology (ICT). An information technology system ...

towards many research problems to meet this goal. Specifically CIESIN was one of the first groups that developed and provided interactive Informatics tools using the internet. The current Office of Directors include directo
Robert S. Chen
Deputy Director

and Communications Coordinator Elisabeth Sydor.

International Research Institute for Climate and Society (IRI)

The International Research Institute for Climate and Society was established in 1996 and became part of the Earth Institute in 2005. The IRI's mission is to enhance society's capability to understand, anticipate and manage the impacts of climate in order to improve human welfare and the environment, especially in developing countries. (see

Effects of global warming The effects of climate change impact the physical environment, ecosystems and human societies. The environmental effects of climate change are broad and far-reaching. They affect the water cycle, oceans, sea and land ice ( glaciers), sea l ...

) The IRI conducts this mission through strategic and applied research, education, capacity building, and by providing forecasts and information products, with an emphasis on practical and verifiable utility and partnership. The institute was directed by

Lisa Goddard Lisa Marie Goddard (September 23, 1966 – January 13, 2022) was an American climate scientist who was director at the International Research Institute for Climate and Society (IRI). She joined the institute in 1995 and served as IRI's director ...

who led efforts to forecast climate change.

The Center for Hazards and Risk Research (CHRR)

The Center for Hazards and Risk Research is focused on

assessment and risk management by advancing predictive capability and integrating core sciences to that effort.

Physical Physical may refer to: *Physical examination In a physical examination, medical examination, or clinical examination, a medical practitioner examines a patient for any possible medical signs or symptoms of a medical condition. It generally cons ...

and

social Social organisms, including human(s), live collectively in interacting populations. This interaction is considered social whether they are aware of it or not, and whether the exchange is voluntary or not. Etymology The word "social" derives from ...

scientists work to reduce impacts on society from hazards, both

natural Nature, in the broadest sense, is the physical world or universe. "Nature" can refer to the phenomena of the physical world, and also to life in general. The study of nature is a large, if not the only, part of science. Although humans are ...

and man-made. Its director is Art Lerner-Lam.

National Center for Disaster Preparedness

The National Center for Disaster Preparedness's mission is to understand and improve the nation's ability to prepare for, respond and recover from disasters with a special interest in vulnerable populations. The center is an academic center which focuses on the areas of research, policy, and practice. The center's 20 affiliated faculty represent a broad range of expertise in multiple disciplines including,

medicine Medicine is the science and Praxis (process), practice of caring for a patient, managing the diagnosis, prognosis, Preventive medicine, prevention, therapy, treatment, Palliative care, palliation of their injury or disease, and Health promotion ...

nursing Nursing is a profession within the health care sector focused on the care of individuals, families, and communities so they may attain, maintain, or recover optimal health and quality of life. Nurses may be differentiated from other health ...

, and The Earth Institute. The center is led by

Irwin Redlener Irwin Redlener is an American pediatrician and public health activist who specializes in health care for underserved children and disaster planning, response, and recovery. He is the author of ''The Future of Us: What the Dreams of Children Mean f ...

Programs of the Earth Institute

Earth Institute Initiative on Communication and Sustainability

The Earth Institute Initiative on Communication and Sustainability works to boost the capacity of scientists, journalists, educators, students and citizens to communicate in ways that can speed progress toward a more sustainable relationship between our species, our planet and each other.

Climate Science, Awareness and Solutions

The aim of the program Climate Science, Awareness and Solutions is to help people understand global climate change — and how the factors that drive climate are changing. They are working to continue to “connect the dots” from advancing basic climate science to promoting public awareness to advocating policy actions. The research areas that the team intends to focus on are as follows: # Data on Ongoing Climate Variability and Change # Global Climate Forcings and Planetary Energy Balance # Earth’s Climate History and Climate Sensitivity # Climate Dynamics # Energy Choices and CO₂ Emissions

Program on Child Well-Being and Resilience

The Program on Child Well-Being and Resilience will serve as an academic center for Columbia University faculty and researchers, across various academic departments and schools, to support greater understanding of the issues, challenges, and opportunities involving children and youth.

Program on Sustainability Policy and Management

The Research Program on Sustainability Policy and Management researches public policy, management and financial tools that can enable organizations to incorporate the physical dimensions of sustainability into routine organizational decision making.

Joint Units of the Earth Institute

The following unites were established jointly by the Earth Institute and another entity

Center for Research on Environmental Decisions (CRED)

The Center for Research on Environmental Decisions was established under the

National Science Foundation The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent agency of the United States government that supports fundamental research and education in all the non-medical fields of science and engineering. Its medical counterpart is the National ...

's Decision Making Under Uncertainty (DMUU) program. CRED serves to research

decision making In psychology, decision-making (also spelled decision making and decisionmaking) is regarded as the cognitive process resulting in the selection of a belief or a course of action among several possible alternative options. It could be either ra ...

under climate uncertainty and environmental risk. The center's objectives include promoting scientific information and communication for a collective response to climate change and variability. CRED is also affiliated with the

Institute for Social and Economic Research and Policy The Institute for Social and Economic Research and Policy (ISERP) is the research arm of the social sciences at Columbia University, formerly known as the ''Paul F. Lazarsfeld Center for the Social Sciences''. ISERP works to produce pioneering soci ...

(ISERP). Its directors are David Krantz, Elke Weber, Benjamin Orlove, and Kenneth Broad.

Laboratory of Populations

The Laboratory of Populations is a joint venture between

Rockefeller University The Rockefeller University is a Private university, private Medical research, biomedical Research university, research and graduate-only university in New York City, New York (state), New York. It focuses primarily on the biological and medica ...

and Columbia that researches

population Population typically refers to the number of people in a single area, whether it be a city or town, region, country, continent, or the world. Governments typically quantify the size of the resident population within their jurisdiction using ...

s and their changes, including the spread of disease and social structures. Sciences used to that effort include

demography Demography () is the statistical study of populations, especially human beings. Demographic analysis examines and measures the dimensions and dynamics of populations; it can cover whole societies or groups defined by criteria such as ed ...

epidemiology Epidemiology is the study and analysis of the distribution (who, when, and where), patterns and determinants of health and disease conditions in a defined population. It is a cornerstone of public health, and shapes policy decisions and evide ...

, and

statistical modeling A statistical model is a mathematical model that embodies a set of statistical assumptions concerning the generation of sample data (and similar data from a larger population). A statistical model represents, often in considerably idealized form, ...

to best measure the various changes in populations that are always in flux. Its director is Joel Cohen.

Sabin Center for Climate Change Law

The Sabin Center for Climate Change Law develops legal techniques to fight climate change, trains law students and lawyers in their use, and provides the public with up-to-date resources on key topics in climate law and regulation. It works closely with the scientists at

's Earth Institute and with governmental, nongovernmental and academic organizations. Its activities are spearheaded by

Michael Gerrard Michael Burr Gerrard is an American legal scholar. He is the Andrew Sabin Professor of Professional Practice at Columbia Law School. Biography Gerrard was born in New York City, where his parents were graduate students at Columbia University, an ...

, director of the Sabin Center and Andrew Sabin Professor of Professional Practice at

Columbia Law School Columbia Law School (Columbia Law or CLS) is the law school of Columbia University, a private Ivy League university in New York City. Columbia Law is widely regarded as one of the most prestigious law schools in the world and has always ranked ...

, and Michael Burger, Executive Director of the Sabin Center.

Urban Design Lab

{{main, Urban Design Lab The Urban Design Lab is an interdisciplinary research unit of Columbia University’s Earth Institute in New York City. Established in 2005, it advances design-based solutions to issues in sustainable development and global urbanization. Richard Plunz, founder of the UDL, currently directs the program.

Columbia Centre on Sustainable Investment (CCSI)

The Columbia Centre on Sustainable Investment is a joint center of the Earth Institute and

. CCSI conducts research, performs policy and advisory work, facilitates multi-stakeholder dialogues and teaches about issues related to sustainable investment. In particular, these issues include the

sustainability Specific definitions of sustainability are difficult to agree on and have varied in the literature and over time. The concept of sustainability can be used to guide decisions at the global, national, and individual levels (e.g. sustainable livin ...

of investments in

extractive industries Extractivism is the process of extracting natural resources from the Earth to sell on the world market. It exists in an economy that depends primarily on the extraction or removal of natural resources that are considered valuable for exportation w ...

, land and

, their relationship with investment policy and law, and cross-cutting topics such as the relationship between sustainable investment and climate change. CCSI is led by Lisa Sachs.Staff webpage at CCSI. Retrieved February 18th, 2018.
/ref>

Affiliates and Consortia

The Earth Institute is a member of or closely affiliated with the below entities.

The Black Rock Forest Consortium

The Black Rock Forest Consortium is a collection of universities, schools, and institutions that operate the {{convert, 3750, acre, km2, adj=on Black Rock Forest in the

Hudson Highlands The Hudson Highlands are mountains on both sides of the Hudson River in New York state lying primarily in Putnam County on its east bank and Orange County on its west. They continue somewhat to the south in Westchester County and Rockland County ...

. The forest acts as a field station for research, education, and conservation. Its director is William Schuster.

The Columbia Electrochemical Energy Center (CEEC) (at
SEAS This is a list of seas of the World Ocean, including marginal seas, areas of water, various gulfs, bights, bays, and straits. Terminology * Ocean – the four to seven largest named bodies of water in the World Ocean, all of which have "Ocean ...
)

The Columbia Electrochemical Energy Center (CEEC) is using a multiscale approach to discover groundbreaking technology and accelerate commercialization. CEEC joins faculty and researchers from across the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences who study electrochemical energy with interests ranging from electrons to devices to systems. Industry partnerships enable the realization of breakthroughs in electrochemical energy storage and conversion. Its co-directors are Alan West and Daniel Steingart.

Center for Environmental Economics and Policy (CEEP) (at
SIPA Sipa (literally, "kick") is the Philippines' traditional native sport which predates the Spanish rule. The game is related to Sepak Takraw. Similar games include Footbag net, Footvolley, Bossaball and Jianzi. The game is both played by ...
)

CEEP undertakes original research into the causes of environmental change, the consequences of this change for humanity, and the policies that can prevent and – where possible – reverse harmful environmental change to ensure sustainable development. CEEP’s goal is to share this knowledge with policymakers, fellow researchers, students, and concerned citizens worldwide. A defining feature of the center's research is the integration of analytic approaches from economics with the natural sciences and engineering. Its co-directors are Douglas Almond and Wolfram Schlenker.

Center for Earth Ethics (at Union Theological Seminary)

The Center for Earth Ethics envisions a world where value is measured according to the sustained well-being of all people and our planet. The center works to cultivate the public consciousness needed to make changes in policy and culture that will establish a new value system that is based on this vision of the world. This mission is advanced through four core programs that complement and connect to each other in all our public programs, academics and movement-building: Eco-ministry; Environmental Justice and Civic Engagement; Original Caretakers; Sustainability and Global Affairs. Its director is

Karenna Gore Karenna Aitcheson Gore (born August 6, 1973) is an American author, lawyer, and climate activist. She is the eldest daughter of former U.S. vice president Al Gore and Tipper Gore and the sister of Kristin Gore, Sarah Gore Maiani, and Albert Gor ...

Center for the Study of Social Difference (CSSD) (in
Arts and Sciences The arts are a very wide range of human practices of creative expression, storytelling and cultural participation. They encompass multiple diverse and plural modes of thinking, doing and being, in an extremely broad range of media. Both h ...
)

The Center for the Study of Social Difference is an interdisciplinary research center supporting collaborative projects that address gender, race, sexuality, and other forms of inequality to foster ethical and progressive social change. Bringing Arts and Sciences faculty into conversation with faculty from Columbia’s professional schools and Global Centers, along with scholars, artists, writers, and policymakers in the United States and abroad, CSSD deepens Columbia’s partnerships at home and abroad. The center's work has two overarching research themes: Women Creating Change and Imagining Justice. Its co-directors are

Paige West Paige West is Claire Tow Professor of Anthropology at Barnard College. She also serves on the faculty of Columbia University. She earned a Guggenheim Fellowship in 2021. Biography West received her B.A. from Wofford College, her M.A. from Unive ...

and Catherine LaSota.

NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS)

{{main, Goddard Institute for Space Studies The

Goddard Institute for Space Studies was established in 1961 as the Goddard Space Flight Center Institute for Space Studies. It is a component laboratory of NASA's

Goddard Space Flight Center The Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) is a major NASA space research laboratory located approximately northeast of Washington, D.C. in Greenbelt, Maryland, United States. Established on May 1, 1959 as NASA's first space flight center, GSFC emp ...

Earth Sciences Division. Research at GISS emphasizes a broad study of global

. Goals include basic research in space sciences in support of Goddard programs. Its director is

Gavin Schmidt Gavin A. Schmidt is a climatologist, climate modeler and Director of the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) in New York, and co-founder of the award-winning climate science blog RealClimate. Work He was educated at The Corsham Schoo ...

References

External links

The Earth Institute at Columbia University

Research Units

Agriculture and Food Security Center, Columbia UniversityLamont–Doherty Earth Observatory (LDEO)Center for Rivers and EstuariesCenter for Climate Systems Research (CCSR)Earth Institute Center for Environmental Sustainability (EICES)Lenfest Center for Sustainable Energy (LCSE)The Center for Global Health and Economic Development (CGHED)The Center for National Health Development in Ethiopia (CNHDE)The Center on Globalization and Sustainable Development (CGSD)The Center for the Study of Science and Religion (CSSR)The Center on Capitalism and SocietyThe Center for Sustainable Urban Development (CSUD)Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN)International Research Institute for Climate and Society (IRI)The Center for Hazards and Risk Research (CHRR)Urban Design Lab (UDL)

Programs of the Earth Institute

Earth Institute Initiative on Communication and Sustainability

Research

Climate Change, Awareness, and Solutions

Program on Child Well-Being and Resilience

Program on Sustainability Policy and Management

Partnership Institutions

The Black Rock Forest Consortium

Center for Research on Environmental Decisions (CRED)

Cooperative Institute for Climate Applications and Research (CICAR)

Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS)
**{{cite web , url=http://www.rockefeller.edu/labheads/cohenje/cohenje.html , title=Laboratory of Populations , author= , website=rockefeller.edu , publisher=

{{The Earth Institute {{Columbia {{coord, 40, 48, 27, N, 73, 57, 43, W, type:edu_scale:5000_source:ruwiki, display=title {{authority control {{DEFAULTSORT:Earth Institute Columbia University Research institutes in New York (state) Columbia University research institutes Sustainability organizations 1995 establishments in New York City

Research Units

Lamont–Doherty Earth Observatory (LDEO)

Advanced Consortium on Cooperation, Conflict, and Complexity (AC4)

Center for Climate and Life

Center for Climate Systems Research (CCSR)

Columbia Water Center (CWC)

Center for Rivers and Estuaries

Earth Institute Center for Environmental Sustainability (EICES)

The Earth Engineering Center (EEC)

Lenfest Center for Sustainable Energy (LCSE)

The Center for Sustainable Development (CSD)

The Center for the Study of Science and Religion (CSSR)

The Center on Capitalism and Society

The Center for Sustainable Urban Development (CSUD)

Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN)

International Research Institute for Climate and Society (IRI)

The Center for Hazards and Risk Research (CHRR)

National Center for Disaster Preparedness

Programs of the Earth Institute

Earth Institute Initiative on Communication and Sustainability

Climate Science, Awareness and Solutions

Program on Child Well-Being and Resilience

Program on Sustainability Policy and Management

Joint Units of the Earth Institute

Center for Research on Environmental Decisions (CRED)

Laboratory of Populations

Sabin Center for Climate Change Law

Urban Design Lab

Columbia Centre on Sustainable Investment (CCSI)

Affiliates and Consortia

The Black Rock Forest Consortium

Center for Earth Ethics (at Union Theological Seminary)

NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS)

See also

References

External links

Research Units

Programs of the Earth Institute

Research

Partnership Institutions

Advanced Consortium on Cooperation, Conflict, and Complexity (AC⁴)