Consilience: The Journal of Sustainable Development

05/04/2021

Urban forestry finds itself facing a “pernicious paradox” where communities must choose between rejecting environmental amenities in order to resist the gentrification that is bound to follow. Click the link to find out more and read Renata's article on briefings! https://journals.library.columbia.edu/index.php/consilience/blog/view/355

Urban forestry finds itself facing a “pernicious paradox” where communities must choose between rejecting environmental amenities in order to resist the gentrification that is bound to follow. Click the link to find out more and read Renata's article on briefings! https://journals.library.columbia.edu/index.php/consilience/blog/view/355

04/11/2021

Increased demand for cryptocurrencies has led to a substantial rise in energy consumption for cryptocurrency mining. The resulting swell of carbon emissions is ripe for analysis as the environmental impacts largely negate the benefits of virtual, decentralized currencies. Click the link to find out more and read Ben's new briefings article!
https://journals.library.columbia.edu/index.php/consilience/blog/view/349

Increased demand for cryptocurrencies has led to a substantial rise in energy consumption for cryptocurrency mining. The resulting swell of carbon emissions is ripe for analysis as the environmental impacts largely negate the benefits of virtual, decentralized currencies. Click the link to find out more and read Ben's new briefings article!
https://journals.library.columbia.edu/index.php/consilience/blog/view/349

04/03/2021

What to learn more about how shadow conservation of Ethiopian church forests offers insight into global sustainability challenges? Read our new Briefings article by Shloka here!

https://journals.library.columbia.edu/index.php/consilience/blog/view/346

What to learn more about how shadow conservation of Ethiopian church forests offers insight into global sustainability challenges? Read our new Briefings article by Shloka here!

https://journals.library.columbia.edu/index.php/consilience/blog/view/346

03/27/2021

When we think of a zero waster, an image of a white, upper-middle class blogger with a mason jar of a year’s worth of waste comes to mind. While the movement began as a way to combat excessive consumption and plastic pollution, it has become whitewashed and gentrified, leaving out critical BIPOC voices and indigenous environmental contributions. How can we reduce waste without breaking our bank accounts for plastic-free products? How can the zero waste movement become more inclusive and intersectional? Read Sorah's briefings article to find out more! https://journals.library.columbia.edu/index.php/consilience/blog/view/343

When we think of a zero waster, an image of a white, upper-middle class blogger with a mason jar of a year’s worth of waste comes to mind. While the movement began as a way to combat excessive consumption and plastic pollution, it has become whitewashed and gentrified, leaving out critical BIPOC voices and indigenous environmental contributions. How can we reduce waste without breaking our bank accounts for plastic-free products? How can the zero waste movement become more inclusive and intersectional? Read Sorah's briefings article to find out more! https://journals.library.columbia.edu/index.php/consilience/blog/view/343

03/21/2021

One of the changes to our daily lives that has become second nature to us is the use of PPE, such as masks, on a daily basis. But with millions of people using masks everyday, there is an incredible amount of waste generated. What is happening to all the waste generated from the pandemic? Read Briefings new article by Arooba here to find out!

https://journals.library.columbia.edu/index.php/consilience/blog/view/326

One of the changes to our daily lives that has become second nature to us is the use of PPE, such as masks, on a daily basis. But with millions of people using masks everyday, there is an incredible amount of waste generated. What is happening to all the waste generated from the pandemic? Read Briefings new article by Arooba here to find out!

https://journals.library.columbia.edu/index.php/consilience/blog/view/326

03/12/2021

Consilience is proud to introduce a new bi-weekly newsletter. Sign up to receive the latest updates on new sustainable development research and ways to help your own community.

For those interested sign up here: https://lb.benchmarkemail.com/listbuilder/signupnew?JAxkftwYca21wFi7J46czf5pwVnAjsSIgwutXHI4a9TtO5iNRn8gS049TyW7spdJ

Consilience is proud to introduce a new bi-weekly newsletter. Sign up to receive the latest updates on new sustainable development research and ways to help your own community.

For those interested sign up here: https://lb.benchmarkemail.com/listbuilder/signupnew?JAxkftwYca21wFi7J46czf5pwVnAjsSIgwutXHI4a9TtO5iNRn8gS049TyW7spdJ

02/08/2021

Issue XXIII is here!

Read the issue: https://consiliencejournal.org

Issue XXIII is here!

Read the issue: https://consiliencejournal.org

12/02/2020

Although carbon emissions have decreased during the pandemic, it is evident that the climate change crisis is just as dire as it has always been. Want to learn more? Click the link to read the lastest briefings article by new writer Leila Belgaid!

https://journals.library.columbia.edu/index.php/consilience/blog/view/286

11/20/2020

Interested in the intersection between climate change and public policy? Check out briefing's new article by writer Eric Scheuch as he tackles SIPA visiting faculty and UCSB Professor Dr. Leah Stokes' propositions in her book, Short Circuiting Policy: https://journals.library.columbia.edu/index.php/consilience/blog

11/17/2020

Consilience: The Journal of Sustainable Development's cover photo

11/13/2020

The COVID-19 pandemic is part of a much larger problem that will continue to cause drastic changes to our society if it is not addressed. Want to find out more? Click the link to read our new article by briefings writer Arooba!
https://journals.library.columbia.edu/index.php/consilience/blog

10/02/2020

Join us at the Columbia virtual Activities Days on Friday 10/02 and Sunday 10/04!

Link for Consilience booth on Friday 10am-12pm: https://meet.google.com/smf-yhxf-san

Link for Consilience booth on Sunday 8pm-10pm: meet.google.com/qes-qtpf-hqm

09/20/2020

The dueling crises of climate change and a COVID-19-induced economic recession have you wondering what the government can do?
Briefings writer Eric Scheuch argues that the time is right for a new round of green stimulus, and explores what such stimulus might look like. Check it out! https://journals.library.columbia.edu/index.php/consilience/blog/view/266https://journals.library.columbia.edu/index.php/consilience/blog/view/266

09/14/2020

Consilience is now accepting applications!

Joining is a great way to get involved in Columbia’s sustainability community, and we welcome members from all academic backgrounds. There are writer, editor and managerial roles available. We also accept submissions to our Briefings blog from all Columbia students, and this semester we aim to highlight discussions at the intersection of environmental, racial and social justice.

Come to our virtual information session to learn more - we look forward to seeing you!
Zoom link: https://tinyurl.com/consilienceinfozoom
Application form: https://tinyurl.com/consiliencefall20

09/14/2020

CONSILIENCE | FALL 2020

09/18/20, 1pm EST Virtual Information Session: https://tinyurl.com/consilienceinfozoom
Apply here: https://tinyurl.com/consiliencefall20

09/14/2020

CONSILIENCE | Fall 2020

09/08/2020

Student-led Sustainable Development Journal Celebrates Year of Rapid Growth

Consilience has released its 2019-20 Year in Review!

We are proud to have had a successful year of rapid growth and development.

Highlights include:
- publishing Issue XXII of our academic journal, featuring research articles spanning 6 continents in scope and an opening perspective from global sustainable development leader Jeffrey Sachs
- launching Briefings, our blog arm comprised of short-form articles produced by student staff writers
- co-hosting Columbia’s annual Youth Climate Summit with Columbia EcoReps, engaging 250 local high school students in workshops on the climate movement

Read the full overview on the Earth Institute’s State of the Planet: https://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2020/09/04/year-review-consilience-journal/

Editors of the journal Consilience look back on the successes of the 2019-2020 school year, and discuss goals for the new school year.

08/20/2020

Continuing our spotlight series, we highlight Zachary Porreca's perceptive study.

From Philadelphia, PA, Zachary is beginning a PhD program in Natural Resource Economics at West Virginia University, following his undergraduate study at Bloomsbury University of Pennsylvania.

His paper reveals the results of his statistical modelling on the World Bank’s Development Indicators. He explores the correlation between environmental wellbeing and quality of life, emphasizing the importance of controlling carbon emissions.

Read his article here: https://journals.library.columbia.edu/index.php/consilience/article/view/6746

08/05/2020

Open Journal Systems | Consilience

What exactly does life after coal look like? Briefings Writer Eric Scheuch reflects on his childhood in rural West Virginia and the story of coal in the heart of Appalachia.

July 13, 2020 Life After Coal: The Decline and Rise of West Virginia Coal Country By Eric Scheuch In the West Virginia coalfields – on the edge of which my aunt and uncle live and where I spent holidays and vacations as a kid – the economic mood ranges from depressed to apocalyptic. At one poin...

07/29/2020

In the first of our Issue XXII article spotlight series, we highlight the insightful work of Dr Bob Offei Manteaw.

Dr Manteaw is a Research Fellow and Lecturer at the Center for Climate Change and Sustainability Studies at the University of Ghana. Having also taught in Canada and the US and holding both Ghanaian and Canadian citizenship, Dr Manteaw’s globally diverse scholarship lends itself to his contributions to international agencies including UNICEF and the World Bank.

In his article, Dr Manteaw explores transboundary adaptation planning in West Africa. In light of his research, he provides a compelling case for the importance of establishing adaptive learning processes that allow for the uncertainties and non-linearity of climate change.

Read the article here: https://journals.library.columbia.edu/index.php/consilience/article/view/6737

07/22/2020

Read the latest thinking on a wide range of sustainable development topics in our 22nd Issue. The contents are geographically diverse, including coverage of India, Ghana, Brazil and Australia.

Look out for our upcoming spotlight series featuring specific articles/authors.

View the issue: consiliencejournal.org

07/21/2020

ISSUE XXII is here!

We’re thrilled to include a thought-provoking Perspective from Jeffrey Sachs, Director of the Center for Sustainable Development at Columbia University’s The Earth Institute, on the need for global cooperation and a multilateral system in response to COVID-19.

View the issue: https://journals.library.columbia.edu/index.php/consilience/issue/view/651

07/21/2020

We are excited to launch ISSUE XXII | JULY 2020!

https://journals.library.columbia.edu/index.php/consilience/issue/view/651

07/21/2020

We are excited to launch ISSUE XXII | JULY 2020!

https://journals.library.columbia.edu/index.php/consilience/issue/view/651

06/17/2020

Open Journal Systems | Consilience

People across the Pacific Islands are suffering from a diabetes epidemic due to a combination of their ethnic predisposition, remnants of colonialism, and economic incentives for processed foods. Briefings Editor Chloe Schneewind examines the root factors putting millions of lives at risk and how their historical nuances implicate most of the developed world in this issue.

May 22, 2020 Colonialism and the Pacific Diabetes Epidemic By Chloe Schneewind  The average American might imagine the Pacific Islands to be filled with sunshine and blissful vacation spots, however there is an ongoing and unrecognized health crisis. Across thousands of islands scattered in the Pac...

05/28/2020

Consilience: The Journal of Sustainable Development's cover photo

05/22/2020

Open Journal Systems | Consilience

The International Union for Conservation of Nature has advocated for a switch to a sustainable alternative called ecotourism. But with the lack of set rules for ecotourism, there have been many drawbacks to its application. Briefings Writer Arooba Ahmed takes a look at how ecotourism has negatively impacted indigenous communities.

May 22, 2020 Ecotourism and Indigenous Communities By Arooba Ahmed Members of the Maasai tribe dressed in traditional clothes posing for an advertisement via Financial Times. It’s almost time for summer vacation and you’re scrolling on your laptop looking for vacation ideas. Suddenly, an ad pops...

05/10/2020

Open Journal Systems | Consilience

The immediate stakes of climate change can be overwhelming to the point of despair. Can we stay motivated by clinging to optimism, or are we better off processing our grief and accepting the value of a partial victory? As an alternative, Briefings Writer Max Goodman makes the case for climate stoicism.

May 10, 2020 Why We Need Climate Stoicism to Overcome Climate Despair By Max Goodman The phenomenon of climate despair is on the rise.  Among the young, educated, and climate-concerned folks that society hopes will “be the change,” many have become overwhelmed and immobilized by anxiety. The ...

05/04/2020

Open Journal Systems | Consilience

Citizens’ Assemblies provide an opportunity for a random sampling of citizens to be involved in the policy-making process. Briefings Editor Sasha Weber advocates for Columbia University to hold a Citizens’ Climate Assembly to generate climate mitigation policies that reflect the needs and values of the people directly affected by them.

May 3, 2020 How A Citizens’ Climate Assembly Can Make Columbia University A Leader in Climate Action By Sasha Weber Climate change activists block the road near the House of Parliament in London. Photo: Isabel Infantes via Financial Times   When traditional policy-making strategies are not enoug...

04/25/2020

Open Journal Systems | Consilience

Briefings Writer Eric Scheuch argues that as nuclear energy currently generates a majority of America’s carbon-free electricity, it is quickly becoming the energy source that we cannot afford to keep – and also cannot afford to lose.

April 25, 2020 An Atomic Catch 22: Climate Change and the Decline of America's Nuclear Fleet By Eric Scheuch The now shuttered nuclear power plant at Three Mile Island. Photo: Michele Sersch via flickr Just outside of Harrisburg Pennsylvania lies the shuttered hulk of America’s most infamous nucle...

04/21/2020

Open Journal Systems | Consilience

Ahead of the 50th Earth Day, Briefings staff writer and Sunrise Movement member Sabrina Shih reflects on the climate strikes that have become a staple of the movement for her, and what this means for an Earth Day in the midst of a pandemic that keeps us physically apart.

April 21, 2020 Why We Strike By Sabrina Shih On September 20, 2019, armed with our handmade signs and bursting anticipation for the Global Climate Strike, Sunrise Columbia and our fellow students on strike broke into song on the 1 train. Cue the uncomfortable shifting from the rest of the passengers...

04/18/2020

Open Journal Systems | Consilience Submissions Platform

Replacing gentrification with sustainable development in cities around the world is an essential but frustratingly intractable task. Take Sunset Park, Brooklyn, a neighborhood at a developmental crossroads.

December 20, 2019 Gentrification vs. Sustainable Neighborhood Development in Sunset Park, Brooklyn By Neely McKee May 2020 will see Memorial Day, three primary elections, and graduation at Columbia University. Newly-graduated Columbia students will flock out of their dorm rooms and into the greater....

04/13/2020

Open Journal Systems | Consilience Submissions Platform

"When people hear the words, 'global warming,' they typically don’t think of terrorism. If they did, politicians would be far more likely to undertake drastic action to address the climate crisis."

February 4, 2020 ISIS and the Climate Crisis: Galvanizing Political Momentum for Climate Action By Jennifer Zhang When people hear the words, “global warming,” they typically don't think of terrorism. If they did, politicians would be far more likely to undertake drastic action to address the cl...

04/13/2020

Open Journal Systems | Consilience Submissions Platform

For many, parks serve as a refuge from the worsening heat. But for how long?

February 12, 2020 Parks and the Battle for the Public Realm By Carla Singson Along 72nd to 158th Street on the Upper West Side, there’s an easy exit from the asphalt cacophony of Manhattan into leafy canopy and rushing water: Riverside Park. On Saturday mornings its benches are claimed by elderly ...