The Columbia Climate School is pleased to announce the Domino effects: water in a warming world Pre-college virtual workshop for fall 2025.
Water covers more than 70 percent of our planet and is essential for life, from supporting ecosystems and regulating the climate to providing the drinking water that communities depend on every day. But as climate change accelerates, water systems around the world are under increasing pressure. Sea level rise, changes in precipitation patterns, drought, flooding and pollution are threatening aquatic habitats and water security, posing serious risks to both the environment and public health.
In our interview with the instructors of the pre-university workshop, Margie Turrindirector of field educational programs, and Marisa Annunziatoeducation and extension coordinator, in Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatorypart of the Columbia Climate School, we explore how climate change is affecting water systems and what can be done in response.
Why is it important to focus on water resources when talking about climate change?
Advertisement: Climate change, in many ways, is a water crisis. Climate impacts first become evident in water, changing precipitation patterns and intensifying droughts and floods. Water scarcity can exacerbate social and political tensions. Access to drinking water is a human rights issue. Agriculture relies heavily on water for crops and food production to meet food demand around the world. Sea level rise as a result of climate change threatens coastal areas and island communities, becoming a human crisis that requires our full attention.
Given that water covers 71 percent of the Earth, is it really possible that we face water insecurity?
Advertisement: Although water covers about 71 percent of the Earth’s surface, only about 2.5 percent is freshwater. The vast majority of Earth’s water is contained in the oceans and has too much salt to be suitable for human consumption. Of about 2.5 percent of Earth’s fresh water, most is not in liquid form but stored in ice sheets and glaciers, such as the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets. Therefore, despite the abundance of water, only a small amount of it is capable of providing drinking water to the billions of people who inhabit the planet. Maintaining clean drinking water for the world’s population is vital and climate change threatens this access.
What led you to work in aquatic ecosystems and water resources management?
Annunziato: Since I was a child I was in love with the ocean and aquatic life. It amazed me that when looking at a lake, river or ocean, the abundant life that lived beneath the surface was often hidden from view. As amazing as these ecosystems are, they are threatened every day by human activity and climate change. I promised myself that I wanted to dedicate my life to helping protect and save these ecosystems. This goal in life led me to pursue a bachelor’s degree in marine science and inevitably become an environmental educator to educate and encourage the next generation to care for and protect these vital ecosystems we have on Earth.
Turrin: I grew up around water. We lived a block from the ocean for the first few years of my life, and I spent time at a lake for many years after that. Water has always been something that attracted me and gave me the feeling of being at home. When I was in college, I studied coastal marshes and their ecology. The fragile balance of a coastal tidal system and the surrounding salt marshes caught my attention. I wanted to make sure this was left for others. However, the beaches in that area were eventually covered in oil and tar from a leaking oil platform. That motivated me to work on the protection of aquatic habitat.
How do you build a bridge between scientific research and high school students?
Advertisement: Increasing access and opportunities for students is important to closing the gap between scientific research and youth. A great way to learn about and contribute to active research is to participate in community science programs. These programs allow students to gain valuable experience and skills in data collection and field work, and this crowdsourcing approach allows scientists to collect more data than they could without the help of motivated people. Working with open source data available online can also introduce students to various ongoing research projects and increase their data literacy skills. Introducing high school students to scientists from various disciplines and fields can expose them to areas of interest and research they were previously unaware of, which may inspire them to pursue a degree in that field.
What approaches or activities have you found most effective in helping students understand the complexity of water issues?
Turrin: Student engagement is greater when they actively explore resources. While we present topics with some slides, most of our courses focus on discussion, small group exploration, and “reporting” to clarify complex issues. We often pose questions or quests for students to investigate in working groups, encouraging debate and considering multiple perspectives. Unlike traditional science courses, we prioritize student choice, tailoring content to their interests through feedback and relationship building.
In your opinion, what role do students play in advancing water conservation and preservation efforts?
Turrin: Students are instrumental in water conservation and preservation efforts. They are at a place in life where they have a significant influence on a wide range of different people. Municipal leaders, community members and nonprofit organizations seek the input of young people. These leaders recognize that young people come with new ideas and energy, and are willing to put in the time and effort to create change. Consider some of our strong and amazing youth leaders; They have created conversations and actions that adults would have found much more difficult to carry out.
How can young people best contribute to building a more water-secure and climate-resilient future?
Advertisement: Talk about it! A major obstacle in building a more water-secure and climate-resilient future is the spiral of silence surrounding these issues. Despite posing major challenges, most people do not consider, think or talk about climate change in their daily lives. Raising awareness about the challenges we face and the actions we can take is an important part of creating change and inspiring others to advocate for a water-secure and climate-resilient future.
Being conscious of water and energy use can help preserve water and reduce harmful emissions that are spreading climate change today. Taking shorter showers, closing the sink while brushing your teeth, and turning off the lights when you leave a room may seem like small changes to your daily life, but they can have big impacts on creating a better future. These individual actions are important, but much more is possible when we talk, plan and work together.
Our pre-university programs are for high school students in grades 9-12 (and rising 9th graders) who are interested in expanding their learning beyond the classroom and honing their knowledge and skills in the areas of climate change and sustainability. All sessions are held virtually via Zoom and recorded, allowing participants the flexibility to tune into their own schedule or review previous material with ease. At the end of each workshop, students obtain a certificate of participation.
Participants attending an information session you will receive a 10 percent discount to use during registration. Please register in our pre-university mailing list to receive future updates about our offers. Alternatively, please contact the program team if you have any questions.
Register today for the pre-university workshop Ripple Effects: Water in a Warming World.
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