Climate Programs at Universities
New York
Whether you’re interested in starting your career in climate, expanding your knowledge, hiring talent, or building a business with the latest innovations from research labs, universities are the best place to start.
Columbia’s Climate School and its associated programs make it one of the largest academic hubs for climate in the US. Meanwhile, public institutions like Stony Brook leading groundbreaking institutions like the Governor’s Island Climate Exchange.
Read on for a starter guide to some of the major university programs in New York (and yes, New Jersey).
Columbia University
Columbia Climate School
The Columbia Climate School is a new school at Columbia University that is dedicated to addressing climate change. The school offers a variety of programs, including undergraduate and graduate degrees, as well as research and outreach initiatives.
Earth Institute
The Earth Institute is a research institute at Columbia University that focuses on the Earth and its environment. The institute has a number of programs that focus on climate change, including the Center for Climate and Life, the Global Energy Policy Center, and the Center on Sustainable Investment.
Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory
Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory is a research center at Columbia University that focuses on the Earth's natural systems. The observatory has a number of programs that focus on climate change, including the Climate and Life Institute, the Center for Climate and Society, and the Center for Climate Policy.
Center on Global Energy Policy
The Center on Global Energy Policy is a research center at Columbia University that focuses on energy and climate change. The center has a number of programs that focus on developing and implementing policies to address climate change.
Center for Sustainable Investment
The Center for Sustainable Investment is a research center at Columbia University that focuses on sustainable investing. The center has a number of programs that focus on developing and implementing sustainable investment strategies.
NYU
NYU Climate Action Plan
The NYU Climate Action Plan sets a goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2040. The plan outlines a number of strategies for reducing the university's emissions, including investing in renewable energy, improving energy efficiency, and reducing waste.
NYU Office of Sustainability
The NYU Sustainability Office is responsible for implementing the NYU Climate Action Plan. The office works with students, faculty, and staff to develop and implement sustainability initiatives on campus.
NYU Green Grants
The NYU Green Grants program provides funding to student and faculty projects that promote sustainability. The program has funded a wide range of projects, including solar panel installations, energy efficiency upgrades, and composting programs.
CUNY
Sustainable CUNY
A program of the Office of Sustainability and Energy Conservation that leads transformational change on CUNY campuses and in NYC through initiatives such as CleanTech Scholars, Smart DG Hub, and Solarize NYC.
Master of Sustainability in the Urban Environment
An interdisciplinary graduate program offered jointly by the Spitzer School of Architecture, the Grove School of Engineering, the City College Science Division, and the Colin Powell School for Civic and Global Leadership. It prepares students to devise new generations of buildings, urban infrastructure, and open spaces while considering rapid urbanization, climate change, resource limitations, and potential environmental degradation.
Sustainability in the Urban Environment Program
A program that accepts applications for students who begin the program each fall and spring. It offers courses on topics such as urban ecology, environmental policy and planning, green design and engineering, renewable energy systems, and urban resilience.
Pratt
Graduate Center for Planning and the Environment
The Graduate Center for Planning and the Environment is a school of architecture that offers four graduate-level programs that work in partnership to build asset-based solutions at the intersection of environment, equity, and economy. The programs are City and Regional Planning, MS; Historic Preservation, MS; Sustainable Environmental Systems, MS; and Urban Placemaking and Management, MS.
Sustainable Environmental Systems
The Sustainable Environmental Systems interdisciplinary graduate program that teaches students the skills and systems-thinking approach needed to assess contemporary environmental issues; catalyze innovative environmental problem-solving; uphold environmental and social justice; and engage diverse stakeholders in designing and developing sustainable plans, policies, and communities.
Pratt Center for Community Development
The Pratt Center for Community Development is an institute that works with community-based organizations, small businesses, and public agencies to support equitable and sustainable development in New York City. The center offers services such as community planning, policy advocacy, research and analysis, technical assistance, and capacity building.
Governor’s Island Climate Exchange
Governor’s Island Climate Exchange
The Governor’s Island Climate Exchange is a planned climate solutions center that will be built on Governor’s Island in New York City.
The center will be led by Stony Brook University and a consortium of 15 partners from academia, business, and non-profit sectors. It will conduct research, innovation, education, and collaboration on developing and deploying dynamic and equitable solutions to the global climate crisis.
The center will also host green job training and skills-building programs for local residents, partner with local institutions on addressing the social and practical challenges of climate change, and create a public laboratory that simulates an urban environment.
Rutgers
Rutgers Center for Urban Environmental Sustainability
The Center for Urban Environmental Sustainability develops innovative solutions to urban environmental problems through research, design, education, and outreach. The center focuses on issues such as urban parks, environmental planning, restoration, and resilience.
New Jersey Climate Change Resource Center
The NJ Climate Change Resource Center helps New Jersey adapt to and mitigate climate change with actionable science, planning tools, technical guidance, and support for policymakers, practitioners, and communities. The center provides reports, data, events, and educational resources on topics related to climate change in New Jersey.
Office of Climate Action
The Office of Climate Action coordinates and oversees Rutgers' efforts to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030 and enhance resilience to climate impacts. The office implements the university's Climate Action Plan and tracks progress on reducing greenhouse gas emissions.