The Earth Institute is made up of scholars spread out across dozens of research centers and programs at Columbia University. These researchers are refining our understanding of how the planet works and how humans are affecting natural systems. The Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, which has been seeking fundamental knowledge about the natural world since 1949, is the scientific heart of the Earth Institute.

The Institute conducts research to answer questions central to the challenge of creating interdisciplinary mechanisms to build and sustain the sort of peace, social justice and cooperation required for sustainable development. Research in this area is still new, and requires an interdisciplinary approach that spans science, policy, business, and more.