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2023

Migration and Forced Movement
Listen to Climate Change: America and the World, May 15

The implications of climate-change-induced migration are the subject of a London School of Economics and Political Science podcast, “Migration and Forced Movement.” The episode is number two in the series, “Listen to Climate Change: America and the World,” and features Susana Adamo, a research scientist at CIESIN, a center of the Columbia Climate School.


India Now the Country with the Largest Population: Social Services More Difficult to Manage
NOS Nieuws, April 30

A report that India has now become the most populous country, over China, according to tracking started by the UN in the 1950’s, includes an interview with Robbin Jan van Duijne, a postdoctoral scientist at the Columbia Climate School’s CIESIN. He points out that population data was not collected in India during the pandemic in 2021, as normally scheduled every ten years, so the most recent tally refers to 2011. “In those thirteen years, about 250 million people have been added,” he said. “So, the funding flows”—for example, welfare policy—“are no longer in line with the actual population numbers.”

2022

See the Scale of Pakistan’s Flooding in Maps, Photos, and Videos
The Washington Post, August 31

High-resolution population density data CIESIN developed with Facebook was used in a map showing the scale of Pakistan’s flooding.

Climate Change Has Made India’s Relentless Heat 100 Times More Likely
The Washington Post, May 18

A chart showing the increase of extreme hot-humid heat days for Kolkata and Delhi, based on the Urban Heat Extremes data set distributed by SEDAC, was featured in a Washington Post article. “India has experienced among the fastest increases in urban extreme heat exposure worldwide,” said Cascade Tuholske, a postdoctoral researcher at CIESIN, Columbia University, who led development of the data set.


30% of Americans Are Moving Because of Climate Change in 2022
Forbes.com, April 26

CIESIN postdoctoral scientist Cascade Tuholske comments on the phenomenon of people continuing to move to areas experiencing increased risk from climate change—in particular, cities experiencing extreme heat.


The Census Is Broken. Can AI Fix It?
Wired
, April 9

Where the Census is concerned, software and satellite imagery still benefit from human verification on the ground, says CIESIN asociate director for Geospatial applications Greg Yetman in a Wired.com article on the merits of AI in improving Census accuracy.


Can Blockchain Tech Help Farmers Get Climate Insurance?
Fast Company, March 29

A recent article reports on the Lemonade Crypto Climate Coalition, a new nonprofit arm of insurance tech firm Lemonade Foundation that wants to sustainably automate the payout process for subsistence farmers, leveraging weather monitoring and climate data to support “smart contracts.” Cascade Tuholske, a postdoctoral research scientist with CIESIN, comments on this innovative approach, pointing out the feasibility of resolving the general meteorological pattern for West Africa or sub-Saharan Africa in the case of large-scale drought.


The Great Climate Migration
Deseret News, February 23

Our inhouse expert on climate and migration, senior research scientist Alex de Sherbinin, is quoted in an article looking at migration caused by climate change.

The Thick of It: Delving into the Neglected Global Impacts of Human Waste
Mongabay, January 11

Postdoctoral research scientist Cascade Tuholske is quoted in an article on a new scientific model for analyzing global wastewater impacts, for which he was part of the research team, which mapped 135,000 watersheds worldwide.
2021

Risk of Dangerous Heat Exposure is Quickly Growing in Cities
Scientific American, October 14

An article examines how the intersection of population growth, climate change, and the urban heat island effect are combining to put more people at risk, with commentary by CIESIN post-doctoral scientist Cascade Tuholske, lead author of a study of global extreme heat in cities. “Our study is a jumping-off point to start helping those in need,” Tuholske notes, adding that the global database assembled by him and his team can be useful in helping cities learn adaptation strategies from one another.


Weather Disaster-Related Deaths are Down—Warming Could Undo That Trend
National Geographic, October 11

As our scientific understanding of weather-related events increases, deaths decrease—but warming trends could reverse that. CIESIN post-doctoral scientist Cascade Tuholske is interviewed about a recent study he was lead author of finding that between 1983 and 2016, exposure to potentially deadly extreme heat tripled worldwide due to population growth, climate change, and cities getting hotter as roads and other hard surfaces absorb heat from the sun. eing felt in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa—places that are already very hot and where urban populations are growing rapidly.


Deportations of Haitians Spark Concerns over Environmental Refugees
The Hill, September 30

In an article on the Biden administration’s lack of a plan to address migrants fleeing from climate impacts and attempting to enter the U.S., CIESIN senior research scientist Alex de Sherbinin called called climate change a “risk multiplier.” He added, “It’s like an additional straw on the camel’s proverbial back that is going to make — in some countries — bad situations become increasingly untenable,” de Sherbinin said.


Texas Workers Are Dying in the Summer Heat, and Companies Aren’t Being Held Accountable, Texas Public Radio
The Texas Newsroom, September 7

An analysis of federal data on worker heat deaths shows Texas’s numbers have nearly doubled in the last 10 years compared to the previous decade. The reporting by the Texas Newsroom with Columbia Journalism Investigations features OSHA challenges in enforcing safety against extreme heat, and lapses by employers in ensuring protections against heat hazards on the workplace. CIESIN’s Earth Institute post-doctoral research scientist Cascade Tuholske contributed data analysis to the story.


Why California Workers are Still Dying From Heat, Despite Protections
The California Newsroom, August 25

California farmworkers are in the spotlight in this feature on employer lapses in preventing workplace deaths from extreme heat. CIESIN's Earth Institute post-doctoral research scientist Cascade Tuholske contributed data analysis to the story.


Heat Is Killing Workers in the U.S.—And There Are No Federal Rules To Protect Them
NPR-Morning Edition, August 18

CIESIN’s Earth Institute post-doctoral research scientist Cascade Tuholske contributed data analysis to the first of several NPR pieces on a year-long investigation by the Columbia Journalism School on OSHA’s role in worker deaths from extreme heat. The chart visualizing the data is entitled, “Most Heat-Related Worker Deaths Happened On 90°-Plus, Hotter-Than-Average Days.” Three more print pieces and 12 audio pieces are forthcoming.

‘X’ Marks the Spot: Officials Map a Route Out of the Pandemic
The New York Times, August 1

“There were missing settlements, wrong settlement names,” said Emilie Schnarr, the Nigeria project manager for CIESIN's Geo-Referenced Infrastructure and Demographic Data for Development (GRID3) program. “And that was one of the reasons children were being missed. Schnarr was explaining how GRID3 geospatial data can support COVID vaccination campaigns, in an article on using geospatial data and digital mapping tools to guide COVID vaccination campaigns.


Wet-Bulb Temperature is Important, Climate Experts Say. So What is it?
Washington Post, July 24

Identifying the most vulnerable populations and providing resources can address the dangers of growing extremes of high heat and humidity, says CIESIN post-doctoral scientist Cascade Tuholske.


New Data Hub Improves the Features of over 250 Datasets
Esri Public Safety Blog, July 8

Marc Levy, director of the Georeferenced Infrastructure and Data for Development program (GRID3), talks about the important role of a new online repository for data developed by the program, that can be used to inform development interventions ranging from COVID-19 vaccination campaigns to longer-term development projects such as filling service provision gaps. Currently, the hub hosts over 250 unique GRID3 datasets, including gridded population estimates for six countries; settlement extents (or the geographic areal coverage) for all of sub-Saharan Africa; and operational and administrative boundaries, risk analyses, points of interest, and physical distancing (also known as social distancing) data for multiple African countries.


Increasing Numbers of U.S. Residents Live in High-Risk Wildfire and Flood Zones. Why?
State of the Planet, January 22

CIESIN associate director for Science Applications Alex de Sherbinin and postdoctoral research scientist Carolynne Hultquist are quoted in a blog exploring the complex reasons behind homeowner willingness to move to high-risk zones and buy-in from local government officials. The piece draws on material from an online panel, “In Crowding Climate Danger Zones, Seeking Paths to Managed Retreat,” held December 16, 2020 as part of the Sustain What? Webcast series.

2020
Does Climate Change Cause Migration? It’s Complicated
Changing Climate, Changing Migration, November 17

For this episode of a podcast produced by the Migration Policy Institute, CIESIN associate director for Science Applications Alex de Sherbinin discusses how climate change and environmental degradation are affecting human migration.

Keeping NASA EOSDIS Data Flowing (Even When the World is Telecommuting)
NASA EOSDIS Web site, August 24

Robert Chen, CIESIN director, talks about the proactive steps taken by the NASA Socioeconomic Data and Applications Center operated by CIESIN to maintain continuity of operations during the pandemic.

Behind the Scenes: Facebook Data for Good
LinkedIn, July 8

CIESINs role in the development of Facebook’s high-res population density maps is featured in this video story of the process behind the scenes. The video explains how they used satellite imagery and artificial intelligence to leverage the power of population data in creating a data product that better supports humanitarian assistance.


Gridded Population Datasets: Which One is Fit for Purpose?
Devex.com,
May 13

In an article on the new report from the POPGRID Data Collaborative/SDSN-TReNDS, Alex de Sherbinin, CIESIN associate director for Science Applications, offers guidance in assessing capacity requirements for using gridded population data.


New Earth Surveillance Tech Is About to Change Everything, Including Us
Vice, March 16

An article on how new high-resolution satellites, artificial intelligence, and data tools are going to let us study Earth, and ourselves, in greater detail than ever before; CIESIN director Robert Chen comments.


Are We Thinking About Climate Migration All Wrong?
Rolling Stone, March 14

Alex de Sherbinin, CIESIN associate director for Science Applications, is interviewed for an article on climate migration estimates.


Maps Show Where Coronavirus Started and Why Officials are So Worried
Washington Post Online, January 25

Data from our Gridded Population of the World collection, via the NASA SEDAC Population Estimation Service, was used in this map feature on the spread of the coronavirus.


Data as a Development Aid
Zeit Online, January 7

This profile of Facebook data scientist Andreas Gros and the Data for Good project describes his work with CIESIN on the high-resolution settlement layer (HRSL), using cutting-edge artificial intelligence to identify buildings from publicly available mapping services, and create the most accurate population records available.

2019

Study: FEMA Flood Buyouts Favor the Wealthy
U.S. News and World Report, October 9

In an article on FEMA’s flood buyout program, Alex de Sherbinin, CIESIN associate director for Science Applications, comments on the implications of an analysis of 40,000 voluntary buyouts from 1989–2017.


These Maps Show How Many Cities Are Much Hotter Than Their Surroundings
Buzzfeed News, July 19

In a discussion by Buzz Feed science writer Peter Aldhous of the implications of rising temperatures from climate change, global maps from the NASA Socioeoeconomic Data and Applications Center (SEDAC) Satellite-Derived Environmental Indicators data collection visualize the contemporary phenomenon of urban heat island effects.

Jay Inslee Is Actually Taking the Climate Refugee Crisis Seriously
Gizmodo Earther, June 6

Alex de Sherbinin, associate director for Science Applications at CIESIN, is interviewed in a story for a story on presidential hopeful Jay Inslee and his stance on immigration and climate change. Climate change will trigger more migration, de Sherbinin says. “And particularly it may trigger more distressed migration from countries where other factors are already propelling people to leave—Central America being one of those regions,” de Sherbinin told Earther.

Air Pollution Remains a Major Global Threat
CGTN America, June 5

In a story on global air pollution, Alex de Sherbinin, associate director with CIESIN, references the Environmental Performance Index (EPI) that CIESIN produces every two years with the Yale Center for Environmental Law and Policy. He discusses the countries assessed by the EPI as critical air polluters, noting, “Our own ranking found that India and China are basically neck and neck in terms of their air quality issues. It’s basically a function of heavy reliance on coal burning and other technology.”

Get Ready for Tens of Millions of Climate Refugees
MIT Technology Review, April 24

CIESIN associate director for Science Applications Alex de Sherbinin is interviewed for an article examining the migration models used in the report Groundswell: Preparing for Internal Climate Migration, of which de Sherbinin is a co-author. “We’re never going to get exact numbers,” he says, “but if people understand what the model is doing, they can get very useful information out of it.”

2018
Technology and Satellite Companies Open Up a World of Data
Nature, May 29

In an article in Nature, CIESIN director Robert Chen discusses CIESIN’s recent collaborative work with Facebook producing high-resolution population data for rural areas in 18 countries around the world.

Darren Aronofsky’s New TV Series Breaks With the Hollywood Playbook On Climate Change
The Huffington Post, March 25

A 10-part series, “One Strange Rock, by filmmaker Darren Aronofsky uses technically complex cinematography to bring new insights into aspects of the Earth that deem it inhabitable. In this article on the new show produced by National Geographic, Alex de Sherbinin, CIESIN associate director for Science Applications, cautions that Hollywood depictions of climate change that focus too much on scientists’ most dire warnings risk alienating viewers. He says, “I think movies need to be careful about the shock value, which can breed a kind of helplessness or ‘Why bother?’” de Sherbinin told HuffPost. “I have seen art exhibits that create a sort of sadness. That may be a more effective emotion to trigger, as long as it is not completely hopeless.” He is co-author of a report released March 2018, Groundswell: Preparing for Internal Climate Migration. The study is the first to focus on longer-term climate impacts on crop and water resources and the ways in which they may influence internal migration.

El Exilio Climático: Habrá Millones de Nuevos Sin
ambito.com, March 24

An extensive interview with CIESIN research scientist Susana Adamo, who discusses the report, Groundswell:Preparing for Internal Climate Migration, the first to focus on longer-term climate impacts on crop and water resources and the ways in which they may influence internal migration. Adamo is a co-author of the report. In Spanish.


Wave of Climate Migration Looms, but It ‘Doesn't Have to Be a Crisis’
Scientific American, March 23

Slow-onset climate impacts could displace 140 million in their own countries by 2050, according to a report that is the first to focus on longer-term climate impacts on crop and water resources and the ways in which they may influence internal migration. The novel approach to modeling used in the report is is useful “not because any one scenario is going to give us the answer” but because it illuminates the various forces influencing migration, says report co-author Alex De Sherbinin, deputy manager of the NASA Socioeconomic Data and Applications Center at Columbia University.


El Cambio Climático Desplazará a 17 Millones de Latino Americanos
Las Voces del Mundo, March 21

Susana Adamo, CIESIN research scientist, is quoted in this article on the report, Groundswell: Preparing for Internal Climate Migration. The innovative approach to modeling used in the report illuminates the various forces influencing migration. She is a co-author. In Spanish.


La Banque Mondiale S’inquiète du sort des Déplacés Climatiques
Le Monde, March 19

Alex de Sherbinin, CIESIN associate director for Science Applications, is quoted on the report, Groundswell: Preparing for Internal Climate Migration, which uses an innovative approach to climate modelling. He is a co-author of the study. In French.

The Role of Climate Change and Human Mismanagement in the Lake Chad Environmental Disaster
Voice of America
, March 2

Alex de Sherbinin, associate director for Science Applications, is interviewed for a podcast on the environmental disaster caused by the shrinking of Lake Chad, affecting roughly 30 million people in Nigeria, Niger, Cameroon, and Chad who depend on it for their drinking water and livelihoods. Climate change and human mismanagement, he says, are among the many reasons Lake Chad is drying up. A transcript is also available.

2017
The United States is Polluting the World and Locking Refugees Out
The Nation, December 7

An article on climate-induced migration quotes a report by CIESIN with CARE, UNHCR, UNU-EHS, and The World Bank, “In Search of Shelter: Mapping the Effects of Climate Change on Human Migration and Displacement.” The report, written in 2009, stated: “Although the exact number of people that will be on the move by mid-century is uncertain, the scope and scale could vastly exceed anything that has occurred before.”

Too Sunny in Philadelphia? Satellites Zero In on Dangerous Urban Heat Islands
Scientific American, July 19

For a paper published in Applied Geography, CIESIN researcher and associate director for Science Applications Alex de Sherbinin and colleagues from Battelle Memorial Institute studied air temperature data for Philadelphia to identify the populations there most vulnerable to heat.


Robert Chen Profile
Ubique—American Geographical Society Newsletter, June 21

For the “Getting to Know” spotlight of the American Geographical Society Newletter, CIESIN director and American Geographical Society Councilor Robert Chen talks about how geography is the thread throughout decades of work bridging the gap between research and applications, from research on sea level rise to helping develop the first global gridded data set on population distribution to innovative approaches to using data in collaboration with Facebook and Connected Worlds.

Climate Stress and the Next Global Conflict
ABC-TV, May 26

In conjunction with a segment of the ABC-TV news show Nightline, “Climate for Conflict: Fighting to Survive in Somalia Plagued by Drought,“ that aired May 30, CIESIN deputy director Marc Levy was interviewed by Amna Nawaz on the the intersection of climate change and conflict in Somalia.


Satellite Images Reveal Gaps in Global Population Data

Nature | News, May 9

A new article in Nature | News features the innovative collaborative work of two projects: the Global High Resolution Population Denominators project, in which CIESIN is partnering with WorldPop and University of Louisville in Missouri, using a statistical model based on census and biophysical data to create a high-resolution (100 m) global surface of population; and the High Resolution Settlement layer project, where CIESIN is partnering with the Facebook Connectivity Lab to produce 30 m surfaces of population for select countries using high-resolution (0.5m) satellite data and census data. Greg Yetman, CIESIN associate director for geospatial applications is leading the WorldPop project and is involved with the data development for the Facebook project. He is quoted in the article, which describes a range of efforts in this area, including other projects from participants in a series of meetings on innovations in population research and data development organized by CIESIN.


The Briefing Powered by Dartmouth
SiriusXM Insight Channel 121, February 18

Susana Adamo, CIESIN research scientist, was interviewed February 18 on a new radio show from Dartmouth College, “The Briefing,” broadcast on SiriusXM Insight Channel 121. Speaking with the host, Mike Mastanduno, dean of faculty at Dartmouth, Adamo discussed current research and concerns about climate change and human migration. To hear an excerpt from the interview, go here.

2016
Obama Just Tied Climate Change to National Security
Climate Central, September 22

In an article featured on Climate Central, CIESIN deputy director Marc Levy comments on the presidential memorandum released September 21, which establishes a timetable for more than 20 U.S. federal agencies to incorporate climate science into national security plans. “Climate change has contributed to the emergence of civil war, refugee flow,s and other elements of instability,” Levy said. “But the follow-on impacts from climate-triggered instability extend worldwide, as seen in the European refugee crisis, which has strong connections to the Syrian conflict, which in turn has strong connections to climate stress.”

A Changing Climate Will Continue to Put People out of Their Homes
Washingtonpost.com, August 18

In an article at Washingtonpost.com, Alex de Sherbinin, CIESIN associate director for science applications, says it’s important to question the frequency, spatial area, intensity and duration of fires/floods under climate change—are they increasing?


Researchers Study Threat to Mangroves in Sierra Leone and Ivory Coast
Voice of America, March 10

CIESIN associate director for science applications Alex de Sherbinin discusses a new research study by CIESIN that addresses threats to the mangrove forests of Sierra Leone and Ivory Coast, from climate change-induced sea level rise, human-caused deforestation, and other factors.


Facebook Is Making a Map of Everyone in the World
The Atlantic, February 23

CIESIN is teaming with Facebook to create detailed new population distribution maps, as part of Facebook’s larger initiative to bring connectivity to the entire world. CIESIN Director Robert Chen is interviewed.


Facebook’s New Map of World Population Could Help Get Billions Online
MIT Technology Review, February 22

Software that scours satellite images for signs of human habitation could build the most accurate map of the world’s population yet, says Tom Simonite in this article on new collaboration between Facebook and CIESIN.


Facebook is Using AI to Make Detailed Maps of Where People Live
The Verge, February 22

New population maps via a collaboration between CIESIN and Facebook are expected to help determine which types of connectivity solutions work best for the 10 percent of the world’s population without Internet access.


Facebook Launches Project to Open Source Hardware, Designs for Cell Networks
ars technica, February 22

Facebook’s new population maps; plans for a global cellular network.

2015
Global Warming Linked to Syrian Refugee Crisis
Public Radio International, September 11

An audio interview and written transcript, with Marc Levy, deputy director of CIESIN, about the current refugee crisis and the future of climate-related conflicts and migrations.

A Signal From the Noise
trajectorymagazine.com, September 2

An article on links between national security and climate change includes remarks by CIESIN deputy director Marc Levy. “It’s easy to imagine how a political hotspot layered with a climate hotspot could result in disaster,” he said, citing examples of regions where prior grievances coupled with an unprecedented drought or flood has led to unrest.

It’s Only a Game, but Even Earth Scientists Struggle to Defeat Global Warming
Science Insider, February 26

Alex de Sherbinin, associate director for science applications at CIESIN, is quoted in an article about a simulation game on international climate negotiations that was held in conjunction with the fall American Geophysical Union meeting in late 2014.


What Haiti Needs to Do Next
Time, January 12

In this Op-Ed reflection on progress in Haiti since the earthquake, CIESIN program director Alex Fischer and deputy director Marc Levy discuss the national-scale development plan (PSDH) implemented in Haiti since the earthquake. They point out that the PSDH is is an emerging model of development planning for a fragile country, an encouraging step, but with several flaws, chief among them the lack of baseline data.


Monday Marks Five Years Since Devastating Earthquake
Al Jazeera America News, January 12

For an Al Jazeera show, “The Week Ahead,” CIESIN deputy director Marc Levy was interviewed about Haiti's status five years following the earthquake. He refers to Haiti as a “fragile than a failed state.”
2014
In Jakarta, That Sinking Feeling is All Too Real
Reuters, December 23

A Reuters analysis of data developed by the NASA Socioeconomic Data and Applications Center operated by CIESIN on the number of people worldwide who live in low-elevation coastal zones shows that Asian nations accounted for the biggest increases during the period between 1990 and 2010. This article is one in a 5-part series on the global impacts of rising sea level, “Water’s Edge: The Crisis of Rising Sea Levels.”

Facebook’s Plan to Wire the World
Time, December 11
In his interview with Time magazine, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg calls SEDAC’s Gridded Population of the World data set a “fascinating data set.” CIESIN GIS staff have been interacting with Internet.org, Facebook’s non-profit entity that facilitates global connectivity.

Are Megacities Friend or Foe in the Fight Against Climate Change?
Smithsonian.com, November 21

Senior research associate Alex de Sherbinin is quoted in an article exploring the positive and negative aspects of so-called megacities—cities with populations of 10 million or greater—in adapting to climate change.


Capacity-Building Workshop in Vulnerability
Regional Centre for Mapping of Resources for Development, May 12

A Nairobi training led by CIESIN geospatial specialists was featured in an article by the Regional Centre for Mapping of Resources for Development. Participants used advanced geospatial processing techniques to creat a preliminary vulnerability map using Kenya as a case study to be replicated in other countries.

2013

American Experts Provide Support for SL-EPA
thestandardtimespress.org, April 9

An article in an online Sierra Leonian newspaper reports on the visit by CIESIN associate director Mark Becker and program manager Alex Fischer to the Sierra Leone Environmental Protection Agency in Freetown. Becker and Fischer were there to conduct a needs assessment towards the goal of establishing a robust GIS system and spatial data infrastructure for the agency and government-wide.


At Data Symposium, Presentation Emphasized
Columbia Spectator, March 1

A Research Data Symposium was held February 27 at Columbia University, hosted by Columbia’s Center for Digital Research Scholarship and Columbia University Libraries. CIESIN Director Robert Chen was quoted in a panel discussion on how to make data more accessible: “I’m very supportive that open data is key to being more efficient, but it is still a means to an end,” Chen said. “We do have to keep the perspective that the goal of science is to benefit people, and to use this science in the best way possible is to make it most efficient.”


Migration: From Drought to Flooding
environmentalresearchweb, February 1

CIESIN senior research associate Alex de Sherbinin is quoted in an article reporting research on migration patterns involving movement from drylands and mountainous areas towards large coastal cities. “This is good news in the sense that people are leaving drought-prone areas that are likely to see increasing vulnerabilities owing to climate change and variability,” de Sherbinin said in the article. "But on the flip side, people are moving towards coasts, which depending on the region, can put them at far greater risk of cyclones and floods.” For more information on the modeling methods used in the research, read the full report for the Foresight Project, and for a more detailed examination of migration in marginal and risk prone regions, read the article on Migration and Risk in Environmental Research Letters.


Sandy’s Wake
Columbia Magazine, Winter 2012–13

Klaus Jacob, Cynthia Rosenzweig, Robert Chen, and other scientists discuss climate change, adaptation, and environmental issues related to the Hurricane Sandy event that struck the East Coast of the U.S. on October 29. Discussing climate change adaptation, Chen, director of the Center for International Earth Science Information Network, says: “People are aware of the immediate event, but they may not be aware of longer-term issues of adaptation” [....]“Adaptation isn’t just engineering; it’s education, it’s adoption of new building standards that take climate change into account, it’s ecologically based policy, it’s environmental justice. And since climate change is not completely predictable, you need adaptive social learning so you’re not just proposing solutions good for the next fifty years, but ones that will allow continuous flexibility.”


Understanding How Rainfall Affects Food Security and Migration
Climate & Development Knowledge Network, January 1

An in-depth discussion of the Where the Rainfalls initiative, by Kevin Henry of CARE. The project explored the relationships among rainfall, food security and migration by undertaking field research at district level in Guatemala, Peru, Ghana, Tanzania, India, Bangladesh, Thailand, and Vietnam during 2011–2012. CIESIN developed original maps for each research site.


2012
Africa’s Disappearing Savannahs Threaten Lion Populations
Redorbit.com, December 5

An article on the threat to lion habitats in Africa notes that human population density data developed by CIESIN contributed to an understanding of which areas were still favorable for lions.


Green, White, Greener: Nigeria and Its Environment at 52
The Huffington Post, October 3

A blog about environmental protection in Nigeria references the Environmental Performance Index (EPI), published every two years by CIESIN and the Yale Center for Environmental Law and Policy.


Initiative to Establish Research Data Alliance Moves Forward
Eos, vol. 93, no. 37, September 11

CIESIN director Robert Chen is quoted on the growing challenges to sharing data, including the importance of “building digital bridges” between institutional silos of information, in an article referring to a symposium on global scientific data infrastructures, sponsored by the National Academy of Sciences’ Board on Research Data and Information (BRDI) August 29, which addressed this issue while focusing on a new initiative to establish a Research Data Alliance (RDA).


China’s Population and Economy are a Double Whammy for the World
Los Angeles Times, July 23

A map of CIESIN’s Human Footprint data, developed by its NASA program SEDAC, shows where Earth has been most altered by humans. This appears in part four of a five-part series, “Beyond 7 Billion,” that looks at impacts of rapid population growth.

2011
Population Researchers Look for Room in Academe
The Chronicle in Higher Education, October 30

Alex de Sherbinin, CIESIN senior research associate and co-leader of the Population-Environment Research Network sponsored by CIESIN, comments, in an article discussing the value of university research in addressing pressing issues related to global population growth.

Countries Must Plan for Climate Refugees - Report
Reuters, October 27

Governments and relief agencies should anticipate climate change displacement, according to a new report in Science written by CIESIN senior research associate Alex de Sherbinin and others.

CU-Haiti Relationship Remains Strong, Profs Say
Columbia Spectator
, October 13

An article exploring Haiti President Michel Martelly’s absence from the recent World Leader’s Forum sponsored by Columbia University emphasizes the continuation of a strong relationship between the the Haiti Regeneration Initiative (HRI) project and the Haitian government. CIESIN staff and project leaders Marc Levy and Alex Fischer are interviewed.


Global Geospatial Group to Promote Equitable Data Access
SciDevNet, August 18

In an article on the new UN Initiative on Global Geospatial Information Management, CIESIN associate director of Geospatial Applications Division Mark Becker is quoted on the value of geospatial information and analysis, and how the new committee could increase the efficient use of spatial information in projects for developing countries.

Worldview’s Annual Earth Day Quiz
Chicago Public Media, WBEZ 91.5, April 22

The 2010 Environmental Performance Index is the basis for a segment of questions in the radio station's annual Earth Day Quiz. Senior staff associate Alex de Sherbinin explains some of the answers.

UN Climate Change Chief Says World Needs Plan for Scarce Resources
The National, March 7

CIESIN deputy director Marc Levy comments on food scarcity issues, as a UN panel on sustainability prepares to meet in Helsinki in May to draft a plan to address the problems of global warming, poverty and water scarcity.


Could People From Kiribati Be ‘Climate Change Refugees?’
NPR News Blog, February 17

The phenomenon of climate change as a cause of migration is complex, and raises questions about categorizing such migrants as refugees.

Return to Haiti
Eyewitness News-WABC-TV,
January 16

In a status report on Haiti resoration efforts following the earthquake, program coordinator of the Haiti Regeneration Initiative, Alex Fischer, discusses project activities.


Cholera and Cooperation Play into Haiti Reforestation
National Geographic Daily News,
January 13

A discussion of a relationship of water issues to reforestation efforts in Haiti, with comments by Haiti Regeneration Initiative program coordinator Alex Fischer. Part of a National Geographic News series on global water issues.

2010

Climate-Security Linkages Lost in Translation
The New Security Beat, September 13

CIESIN deputy director Marc Levy shows how an interpretation of new study results refuting climate and security inkages jumps to an unsupported conclusion.


Climate Impact on Corn Farming Could Influence Border Crossing
ClimateWire, July 27

CIESIN senior research associate Alex de Sherbinin comments on a study of the relationship of climate change to corn farming in Mexico and possible implications for increased border crossings into U.S. He says the part of the study that focuses on historical data is most useful.


Library of Congress Takes Leadership
ArcNews Online, Summer 2010

An article about efforts on the part of the Library of Congress to preserve digital data via the National Digital Information Infrastructure and Preservation Program (NDIIPP) features CIESIN’s role in helping to develop a Geospatial Data Preservation Web portal; CIESIN senior digital archivist Robert Downs comments.


Parks Not Burdening Poor Neighbors, Study Says
Science News, May 25

Although a “well-constructed” study, the data used are from just two countries, and relatively well-off ones at that, notes CIESIN senior research associate Alex de Sherbinin in this article about the effect of protected areas on people living in the park margins.


What Country is the Best at Protecting the Environment?
LiveScience.com,
April 21

CIESIN deputy director Marc Levy discusses country ranking in the 2010 Environmental Performance Index (EPI).


A Future for Haiti: Science and Solutions for a Beleaguered Nation (video)
The Earth Institute, March 19

CIESIN deputy director Marc Levy and program coordinator Alex Fischer talk about the Haiti Regeneration Initiative, a collaborative project to restore Haiti’s degraded ecosystems.


The Climate Change Report under Scrutiny
Uptown Radio, March 12

Columbia University’s radio station interviews CIESIN director Robert Chen in a discussion of the independent body that will review UN work on climate change.


Disaster Awaits Cities in Earthquake Zones
The New York Times, February 24

Data and maps compiled by CIESIN and the Center for Hazards and Risk Research are featured in a front-page news article in the New York Times (print version February 25) assessing the vulnerability of buildings in earthquake zones. Where Shoddy Construction Could Mean Death shows a map (top) that depicts the predicted number of deaths in Instanbul from a magnitude 7.5 earthquake, depending on the type of construction of the building. The second map (bottom) ranks the vulnerability of other urban areas in earthquake zones with more than one million people.        


Earthquakes and Aftershocks
CNN, February 23

An interactive map shows impacts from the recent Haiti earthquake.


People Reported Missing via IReport
CNN, February 23

The population density of people missing as a result of the recent Haiti earthquake is shown on this interactive map.


Haiti’s Tomorrow May Be Rooted in Trees, Fertilizer
The Huffington Post, February 12

A discussion of the Haiti Regeneration Initiative and how its aims to restore Haiti’s ecology are fundamental to the nation’s progress.


Defining Environmental Migrants, Policy Innovations, February 11

The difficulties involved in distinguishing migrants forced to move by climate change from those who move for more traditional reasons is discussed by    .


From the Bottom Up
Science, February 2010

In an article on rebuilding Haiti following the earthquake, CIESIN deputy director Marc Levy talks about the shifting pattern of risk.


Iceland Leads Environmental Index as U.S. Falls
The New York Times, January 27

The 2010 Environmental Performance Index (EPI), which ranks 163 countries on environmental performance and has been produced every two years since 2006 by researchers at CIESIN and Yale University’s Center for Environmental Law and Policy, was released at the recent World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2010 in Davos, Switzerland.


A Próxima Tragédia do Haiti? (The Next Tragedy for Haiti?)
Epoca, January 27

Interview with CIESIN director Robert Chen, focused on natural disaster prevention and related issues in terms of the Haiti recent earthquake. In Portuguese.


Devastation in Haiti: The Looming Threat
Newsweek, January 25

CIESIN program coordinator Alexander Fischer and deputy director Marc Levy discuss the work that brought them to Haiti, the Haiti Restoration Initiative.


New City Man Recalls Desperation of Poor
The Rockland Journal News, January 22

Rockland County, New York, native and CIESIN deputy director Marc Levy was in Haiti for fieldwork on a major project aiming to regenerate the environmental degration there. This article describes his experience during the Haiti earthquake and offers some insights into the factors exacerbating the consequences of the earthquake.


Rebuilding Haiti from the Roots Up
Living on Earth/Public Radio International, January 22

CIESIN deputy director Marc Levy is interviewed about his ecological restoration work in Haiti and related issues in the context of the recent earthquake.


Experts: Aid Must Target Haiti’s Underlying Issues
All Things Considered/National Public Radio, January 22

The radio station’s flagship show features CIESIN program coordinator Alexander Fischer discussing his work in consideration of future concerns for restoring Haiti after the earthquake.


Earthquake in Haiti Shattered Efforts to Restore Resources, Boost Agriculture
The New York Times, January 18

The Haiti Regeneration Initiative, collaboration between CIESIN and other partners, is discussed by CIESIN program coordinator Alexander Fischer in the context of the Haiti earthquake.


Vt. Natives Remember Day Haiti Broke Apart
RutlandHerald.com, January 19

CIESIN program coordinator Alexander Fischer recounts his experiences in Haiti during the earthquake.


Caught in the Danger Zone
The Wall Street Journal, January 13

CIESIN supplied population density data for a map of the Haiti earthquake.


A Catalog of Change
Sensing Our Planet: NASA Earth Science Research Features 2009

CIESIN’s role in making climate change data freely available to the public is noted in an article in this annual collection articles about how scientists use earth science data to learn about the planet.

2009

The (Welcome) End of Unanimity
State of the Planet, December 21

CIESIN deputy director, Marc Levy, blogs about why the failure to reach binding emission reduction targets at the Copenhagen talks is really a positive step.


Sea Level Rise May Exceed Worst Expectations
Nature News, December 16

Marc Levy comments on a new study of sea level rise that examines the most recent previous interglacial stage, when the climate was similar to that predicted for our future.


The Pitfalls of ‘Saving' the Rainforest
State of the Planet,
December 16

CIESIN senior research associate Alex de Sherbinin discusses a United National program for reducing deforestation emissions, known as REDD, whereby polluters in the North would pay rainforest countries to keep from cutting forests, in one of a series of blogs offering insights on the World Climate Summit.


Terra Viva! SEDAC Viewer: Map Tutorial
YouTube, December 15

A three-part video tutorial explaining how to use the map viewer, Terra Viva! SEDAC Viewer, has been made available through the YouTube Web site.


The Military-Climatological Complex
State of the Planet, December 11

As part of a special blog series on the World Climate Summit, CIESIN deputy director, Marc Levy, suggests international action on potential security issues related to climate change.

To the Lifeboats: What Happens When Your Country Drowns?
Mother Jones, November/December 2009

CIESIN senior research associate Alex de Sherbinin is interviewed on climate and migration issues.


Missives from Marrakech: Enter the Environment
The New Security Beat
, October 2

CIESIN associate research scientist, Susana Adamo, talks about possible links between population and climate change in her plenary presentation at the most recent IUSSP conference, covered on this Wilson Center blog.


Natural Disasters Displace Millions, Report Says, but Climate Change’s Role Remains Murky
ClimateWire, September 28

A discussion of the complexity of determining the causes of natural disasters and the role of climate change, with comments by CIESIN senior research associate and co-author of climate and migration report, Alex de Sherbinin.

Mapping Population and Geographic Data
The New Security Beat, September 24

In this blog by the Center Environmental and Security Program (ECSP), CIESIN deputy director Marc Levy talks with ECSP director Geoff Dabelko, about using the Gridded Population of the World (GPW) data product to aid in combining population and geographic data.

CIESIN Demographer Awarded Grant from Argentina
Environmental Expert.com, August 11

CIESIN associate research scientist, Susana Adamo, who received a research grant from the Argentine government to encourage collaborative connections with its researchers living abroad, is profiled.


A New (Under) Class of Travellers
The Economist, June 25

An article in the print edition of The Economist about issues raised by the new climate and migration report.


A New Report Says Climate Change Could Spur Unprecedented Migration
Climate Matters@Columbia, June 18

Earth Institute blog on climate-related issues features the new climate and migration report.


Packing Up, Due to Climate Change
Word of Mouth/New Hampshire Public Radio, June 16

New climate report co-author Alex de Sherbinin is interviewed.


Making the Case for Climate as a Migration Driver
The New York Times, June 14

Green Inc., an energy blog, features new climate and migration report.

Report Disperses Migration Myth
Nature.com, June 11

Nature reports on the need for climate refugees to be considered in ongoing policy negotiations, outlined in the new climate and migration report.

Habra Migrantes sin Retorno (People May Have to Leave Their Homes)
Radio Netherlands, June 11

Spanish-language radio interview with Susana Adamo, co-author of the new report on climate and migration.

Geo Quiz
PRI’s The World
, June 10 

The climate and migration report is featured in the radio show’s daily geography quiz.

Climate Change Will Force Millions to Move
Scientific American.com, June 10

Security implications of migration from climate change, based on the new climate and migration report.


Climate Change May Displace Up to 200 Million
CNN.com, June 10

Discussion of a new report, In Search of Shelter: Mapping the Effects of Climate Change on Human Migration and Displacement, co-authored by CIESIN with CARE and UN University.


Taliban Wages War on Police in Its New Front in Pakistan
The Wall Street Journal, May 28

Map of Pakistan, illustrating areas of escalating violence in the Punjab, the country’s most populous province.


The World’s Cleanest Countries
Forbes.com, April 15

The 2008 Environmental Performance Index performance and the U.S. ranking relative to Europe’s, discussed by CIESIN’s Marc Levy.

Has the Economic Meltdown Made Us Rethink Our Needs?
Your Call series podcast, March 30

CIESIN’s Marc Levy and Eric Sanderson of the Wildlife Conservation Society feature The Human Footprint and Last of the Wild data in a discussion of the implications of the current global financial crisis for human consumption and the environment.

Intel Chief: Climate Change Threatens U.S. Security
UPI, February 18

CIESIN’s Marc Levy talks about the role of richer nations in dealing with carbon dioxide emissions.


Scorecard on the Environment
NASA DAAC Alliance Web Site

Sensing Our Planet: NASA Earth Science Research Features 2008 features an article on how SEDAC data used for the 2008 Environmental Performance Index and other environmental assessments; CIESIN’s Marc Levy is interviewed.


Climate Change to Prompt Migration
Earth and Sky Radio Series podcast, January 6

Audio interview with CIESIN senior research associate Alex de Sherbinin.

2008
Adapting to Climate Change
Earth and Sky Radio Series podcast, December 22

Audio interview with CIESIN senior research associate Alex de Sherbinin.

Where Species Live and Scientists Develop Species Distribution Grids
Earth and Sky Radio Series podcasts, December 16

Audio interviews with CIESIN geographic information specialist Malanding Jaiteh.

Environmental Researcher Issues Warning
Poughkeepsie Journal, December 11

The erratic nature of climate change makes it easy to disrupt the delicate balance for populations already living in vulnerable situations, and possibly give rise to conflict, says CIESIN deputy director Marc Levy in a public talk at SUNY-New Paltz.


Climate Change and National Security
PRI’s The World, December 4

CIESIN deputy director Marc Levy is interviewed (radio)


Jack Dangermond Shows Human Footprint in Address to Western Governor’s Association
ESRI blog, July 9, 2008

Climate Change May Challenge National Security
Princeton’s Environmental Sciences Information blog, July 8

Discusses National Intelligence Council Report on climate change and national security, to which CIESIN contributed data.


Green Countries
Newsweek, July 7

The 2008 Environmental Performance Index measures how well countries are maintaining the environment.


NASA Data Helps Pinpoint Impacted Populations in Disaster Aftermath
Space & Earth science/Earth Sciences, June 13


Turning Schools from Death Traps into Havens
Science Times section of The New York Times, May 27

Map of school-age children in earthquake zones illustrates article: following the recent earthquakes in China, experts assess school safety and the vulnerability of children to earthquakes.

Earthquake Rocks China
WSJ Online, May 13

Map of China illustrates an article comparing the location of the Sichuan province earthquakes with population centers in China.

Map describing the path of Cyclone Nargis through the Irrawaddy Delta and the populations affected
CNN Video Newscast (requires Flash), May 7

Study Shows Emerging Diseases on Rise
NPR Morning Edition, February 21

A new study appearing in the Feb. 21 issue of Nature presents the first scientific evidence that emerging diseases are on the rise and that zoonoses—diseases from wildlife—are the prime threat, due to encroachment of wild areas by human population growth and related impacts.


Emerging Infectious Diseases on the Rise
ScienceDaily, February 21

Britain is Hotspot of New Germs Says New Study
The Telegraph (London), February 21

Disease Monitors ‘Looking in the Wrong Places’
Nature News, February 20

   

This page last modified: May 29, 2023