How can educators and sustainability advocates more effectively drive progress across schools, organizations and communities amidst mounting challenges in the global fight against climate change? At Teachers College, scholars, students, alumni and staff continue to energize sustainability efforts through research, scholarship and community engagement.

“Education has a unique role to play in promoting sustainability: it helps people not only understand complex environmental and social challenges, but also see themselves as part of the solution,” says Oren Pizmony-Levy, Director of the Center for Sustainable Futures and Associate Professor of International and Comparative Education. “At Teachers College, we are witnessing the growth of an emerging network of faculty, students and staff committed to sustainability. Together, this community is positioning TC as a dynamic powerhouse at the intersection of sustainability and education.”

In celebration of Earth Month, we invite you to join us in exploring ways you can get involved in making an impact and learn about some of our recent work in sustainability. 

Get Involved 

• Help beautify Morningside Park with members of the Silver Roundtable, an affinity alumni group for those who are in or approaching retirement; the TC Office of Community Affairs and the Alumni Relations team. Meet at Everett Lounge by 10:00 am on April 22 to join the clean up
• Curious about how teachers are implementing climate education? Check out the Summer Institute Spring Showcase. NYC high school teachers who attended the Center for Sustainable Future’s Summer Climate Institute will return to TC and present on their experiences teaching about sustainability and climate change. Smith Learning Theater, 5:00-8:00 p.m. on April 27

• TC’s new online masters program in Sustainability & Education prepares graduates to create engaging learning experiences in schools, nonprofits and community organizations. Through a focus on practical knowledge and capacity building, the interdisciplinary program aims to create a new generation of leaders in climate and sustainability education who leverage their knowledge to promote action. The program is accepting applications through June 1, 2026, and will welcome its first class this summer. 
• Catch a conversation between scientists from Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory at the Columbia Climate School examining the impact pollution has on our health. Registration is required for the online event held April 15 at noon.
• Take care of our City’s trees and make new friends with the Columbia Alumni Global Sustainability Network on April 18. The day starts with a street tree care project with the Lower East Side Ecology Project at 10:30 a.m. followed by a 12:30 pm gathering at Book Club Bar. Registration is required.
• Learn about the future of sustainability in the age of artificial intelligence in a panel discussion hosted by Columbia University. Experts in sustainability and AI will explore how we can harness AI to support climate solutions. The event will be hosted at Faculty House on April 20, from 6:00-9:00 p.m. Registration is recommended. 

Learn More

Dozens of TC students, faculty and staff demonstrated what sustainability looks like in practice at the Annual Sustainability Showcase. It was created by the Center for Sustainable Futures in 2025 — in partnership with the Sustainability and Education program, Visual Research Center for Education, Art & Social Change and TC’s Sustainability Task Force (STF) — to spark conversation on climate change and provide a forum for the TC community to learn from each other to imagine new solutions.

The Mid-Winter Climate Institute, held annually at TC, attracted 500 K-12 educators eager to integrate climate education into their curricula. Hosted annually by TC’s Center for Sustainable Futures and the NYC Public Schools Office for Energy and Sustainability, the three-day event supports climate education by connecting educators to expert researchers, community partners and to each other. Attendees walk away with new tools for the classroom and network of like-minded peers.

The Summer Climate Institute, hosted at TC over the past three years, empowers K-12 teachers to teach climate change and sustainability with confidence. Teachers across subjects are treated to a week of programming that builds community and expertise in climate education. Professional development and support from the Institute continues into the school year and in the Spring, educators share their insights in a showcase hosted on TC’s campus. The program was created through a joint effort between the Center for Sustainable Futures, the Learning the Earth with Artificial Intelligence and Physics Center at Columbia University and the NYC Public Schools Office for Energy and Sustainability. 

TC’s Gottesman Libraries highlights relevant resources that inform the literature and seek to make an impact on learning, teaching and research about climate change and sustainability.

More Reading 

Learn more about how TC is contributing to teaching and learning on sustainability with these stories

• New Findings on Climate Education Affirm Need for Educator Support
• Watch: Interdisciplinary Instruction for Sustainability- Professional development webinars for teachers
• Watch: Think Global, Educate Local webinars
• To Address Climate Change, New Findings on Climate Attitudes & Learning Outcomes Offer Insight
• Immersing Students in Sustainable Art Education
• Teachers Empower the Next Generation to Address Climate Change
• Educators Build Capacity to Teach Climate Change with TC Institute
• Environmental Justice Needs Inclusive Science Education