GUIDING PRINCIPLES
Addressing the intertwined challenges of sustainability and climate change is one of humanity’s most urgent tasks. As global demands for food, energy, water, and other essential resources continue to grow, we must find ways to meet these needs without compromising the health of the planet’s ecosystems, climate, oceans, and atmosphere. These challenges span a wide range of interconnected issues—including poverty alleviation, climate change, environmental justice, and food security—that cannot be addressed in isolation. Central to this effort is the pursuit of sustainable development and climate-focused solutions: fostering inclusive social, economic, and political progress that improves global well-being while advancing our understanding of the climate system and safeguarding Earth’s natural systems for future generations.
PROGRAMS FOCUS
One of the first programs of its kind in the U.S., the Sustainable Development major focuses on equipping students with a broad, interdisciplinary foundation in both the natural and social sciences to prepare them as future leaders in sustainable development. The program is built on the principle that addressing complex global issues—such as poverty, environmental degradation, and resource management—requires fluency across multiple disciplines.
Complementing this focus, the Climate and Sustainability major emphasizes a deeper integration of climate science with policy, justice, and economic frameworks to address the specific dimensions of the climate crisis. Together, the two programs reflect Columbia’s commitment to training students who can understand and act on the intertwined challenges of sustainability and climate change from different, but complementary, perspectives.
Students enrolled in one of the undergraduate programs offered through the Climate School confer their degrees from Columbia College or the School of General Studies. Students should complement the advising provided by the Undergraduate Program Office at the Climate School regarding majors and minors with guidance from their advising deans in Columbia College and the School of General Studies.