Urban Environment Lab
Today's Research on the Challenges of Sustainable Development
The current social context surrounding climate change is ushering in a new era of land use, planning, and development, one that reconsiders the role of natural disasters, natural resources, and environmental impacts on the communities in which we live. The Urban Environment Lab engages students, policy-makers, and research partners in collaborative projects and discussions on the determinants of hazard vulnerability, community resilience, sustainable development, and infrastructure adaptation at the intersection of the natural, social, and built environments.
State of the Planet
- The Changing Shape of Extreme Rain in the U.S. August 20, 2026A recent study led by researchers at Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory asks how and why the spatial footprint of extreme rainfall in the U.S. has changed since 1980.Guest
- Columbia Climate School Welcomes Inaugural Cohort of Climate, Earth and Society Distinguished Fellows August 17, 2026The new initiative is bringing five renowned experts and changemakers to campus this year. Their work spans climate science, public service, finance, entrepreneurship and the arts.Columbia Climate School
- Climate School Students Analyze Extreme Heat Risk and Mitigation Efforts at the 2026 FIFA World Cup August 17, 2026A Columbia Climate School student team examined extreme heat, poor air quality and emergency management at MetLife Stadium during the FIFA World Cup in New York/New Jersey.Guest
- You Asked: Is There a Community Prepared To Withstand a Wildfire? August 14, 2026A Palisades resident lost her home. Now she wants to know what model she and her neighbors should follow as they rebuild to be more climate resilient.Guest
- Columbia Climate School Welcomes Environmental Social Scientist Garrett Albistegui Adler August 13, 2026Albistegui Adler is an interdisciplinary environmental social scientist whose research examines the political and social impacts of climate change and climate variability.Columbia Climate School