Environmental Quality

Air quality and water quality are often adversely affected by heavy industry and the production and use of fossil fuels, but environmental interest groups, government officials, and the private sector frequently disagree on policies to curb greenhouse gas emissions. While most research has focused on the cost-effectiveness of proposed policies, RAND has also devised a new methodology to evaluate policies while balancing economic development with environmental quality concerns.

Research conducted by: Environment, Energy, and Economic Development Program; RAND Justice, Infrastructure, and Environment; Improving Decisions in a Complex and Changing World

All Items (69)

Report

The Industrial Base for Carbon Dioxide Storage: Status and Prospects — Mar 18, 2013

If policies aimed at large reductions of carbon dioxide emissions are enacted, more carbon capture and storage will be needed. RAND researchers explored the ability of the industrial base to support the expansion of carbon storage.

Commentary

The Environmental Costs of Emissions from Shale Gas Extraction — Feb 14, 2013

Further study, including primary data collection in regions where extraction is occurring, will be important to track the magnitude of emissions and to insure that the DEP's permit requirements are adequate to protect human health and the environment, writes Aimee Curtright.

Commentary

Global Methane Initiative: Converting Harmful Emissions to Usable Energy — Feb 6, 2013

Carbon dioxide has garnered the most attention in the climate change debate because it accounts for the bulk of greenhouse gas emissions. But there is good reason to worry about methane, say Nicholas Burger and Noreen Clancy.

Journal Article

Estimating Regional Air-Quality Damages from Marcellus Shale Natural Gas Extraction in Pennsylvania — Jan 31, 2013

Producing natural gas from shale generates air pollutant emissions. RAND researchers provided a first-order estimate of air emissions, and the monetary value of the associated damages, from the extraction of shale gas in Pennsylvania.

Report

Outcome Evaluation of U.S. Department of State Support for the Global Methane Initiative — Jan 30, 2013

A RAND study evaluated U.S. Department of State contributions to the Global Methane Initiative, an international partnership to promote methane recovery and reuse. The study focused on the strategic contributions and program activities and outcomes.

Project

Modeling Climate Change Threat Can Help Improve Policy Decisions — May 30, 2012

Climate change presents decisionmakers with a fundamental quandary: how to address a potentially serious, long-term, and uncertain threat. A joint project of RAND Infrastructure, Safety, and Environment and the RAND Pardee Center sought to address this problem through basic research and computer modeling.

Journal Article

Severe 2011 Ozone Depletion Assessed with 11 Years of Ozone, NO₂ and OClO Measurements at 80ºn — Jan 1, 2012

The unusually cold conditions in Arctic winter 2010/11 that led to large stratospheric ozone loss are investigated.

Journal Article

Scenario Uncertainties in Estimating Direct Land-Use Change Emissions in Biomass-To-Energy Life Cycle Assessment — Jan 1, 2012

The use of biomass for energy production has increasingly been encouraged in the United States, in part motivated by the potential to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions relative to fossil fuels.

Journal Article

The Economic Costs of Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions Under a U.S. National Renewable Electricity Mandate — Jan 1, 2011

The authors perform a technical and economic assessment and estimate the economic costs and net GHG reductions from U.S renewable electricity mandates. GHG emissions reductions from such policies could be as much as 670 million metric tons per year. Depending on technological development, economic costs are $13-$45 billion per year. Lower costs depend on favorable technological progress.

Report

EPA Program Sought to Improve Environmental Performance of Public and Private Sectors — May 24, 2010

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ended a voluntary national program that encouraged facilities to improve all aspects of their environmental performance. The significant environmental challenges that the U.S. faces require it to continue to seek complements to traditional regulatory approaches.

Multimedia

The Impact of Air Quality on Hospital Spending — Mar 2, 2010

California's dirty air caused more than $193 million in hospital-based medical care from 2005 to 2007 as people sought help for problems such as asthma and pneumonia that are triggered by elevated pollution levels.

Report

The Impact of Air Quality on Hospital Spending — Jan 15, 2010

Assesses the effect of air pollution on medical spending: The authors determined how much failing to meet air quality standards cost various purchasers of hospital care in California over 2005-2007.

Journal Article

Parks and Physical Activity: Why Are Some Parks Used More Than Others? — Jan 1, 2010

Assesses how park characteristics and demographic factors are associated with park use.

Journal Article

Ambient Particulate Matter Air Pollution and Venous Thromboembolism in the Women's Health Initiative Hormone Therapy Trials — Jan 1, 2010

There is little evidence of an association between short- or long-term exposure to particulate matter air pollution and venous thromboembolism; and no evidence that hormone therapy is modifing such a link.

Journal Article

Influences of Physical and Social Neighborhood Environments on Children's Physical Activity and Obesity — Jan 1, 2009

The authors investigated the association between physical and social neighborhood environments and fifth-grade students' physical activity and obesity.

Report

RAND Energy & Environment Researcher Guide — Dec 8, 2008

RAND researchers address pressing issues of relevance to U.S. and international audiences such as environmental quality and regulation, energy resources and systems, water resources and systems, climate change, and natural hazards and disasters.

News Release

Western Riverside County Habitat Conservation Plan Progressing, but Needs Fine-Tuning — Nov 3, 2008

Western Riverside County's Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plan -- a sweeping effort to protect endangered and threatened species while accelerating the approval of transportation improvements -- has made significant progress, but needs modifying to reach its goals in Southern California's changing economy.

News Release

Alternative Fossil Fuels Have Economic Potential but Uncertain Environmental Consequences — Oct 8, 2008

Alternative sources of fossil fuels such as oil sands and coal-to-liquids have significant economic promise, but the environmental consequences must also be considered.

News Release

Army Can Boost Mission Success by Better Managing Environmental Considerations — Sep 23, 2008

By better managing environmental issues during deployments, U.S. Army units can gain tactical and strategic advantages that will help in combat and post-conflict operations, and boost overall mission success.

Journal Article

Evidence About the Link Between Education, Poverty and Terrorism Among Palestinians — Jan 1, 2007

Investigates the ways in which terrorism is linked to education and poverty using data newly culled from Hamas and PIJ documentary sources

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