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Energy and Environment

Critical Infrastructure Protection
commentary
Loose-Fit Infrastructure Can Better Account for Climate Change
Mikhail Chester, Constantine Samaras
Apr 8, 2021
The Hill
As climate change accelerates there is a growing disconnect between what our infrastructure systems can do and what we need them to do. Policymakers should view infrastructure investments as not simply hardware fixes and upgrades, but as efforts to close this gap.
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Critical Infrastructure Protection
commentary
Now Is (Finally) the Time to Future-Proof Our Infrastructure
Constantine Samaras, Mikhail Chester
Apr 1, 2021
Civil Engineering Source
The world is barreling toward a more volatile climate with infrastructure designed for the past. With infrastructure widely expected to be prioritized in Congress soon, every infrastructure bill is also a climate bill. It is critical that we make our infrastructure climate-safe.
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Asian Populations
blog
Supporting Asian Americans, U.S. Gun Policy, Climate Migrants: RAND Weekly Recap
Mar 26, 2021
This weekly recap focuses on how to support Asian Americans, the U.S. gun policy debate, the education “arms race,” and more.
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Infrastructure Finance
commentary
Navigating Speed Bumps to a Possible Federal Vehicle Miles Traveled Fee
Liisa Ecola, Laura Patton
Mar 26, 2021
The Hill
It's been clear for years that the gas tax has been losing its ability to pay for America's existing roads and bridges, let alone improvements and new construction. A vehicle miles traveled fee could provide a potential option for a 21st-century transportation funding system.
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Energy Security
commentary
The Pentagon Could Help Improve Resilience of the U.S. Electric Grid
Beth E. Lachman, Aimee E. Curtright @ACurtright
Mar 25, 2021
Defense News
The resilience and robustness of the U.S. electric grid needs to be improved, especially given the likely increased occurrence and magnitude of natural disasters due to climate change. This is where government entities that operate large facilities in the United States, such as the Department of Defense, can potentially play a role.
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Displaced Persons
commentary
For Americans Uprooted by Climate Change, Mental Health Is the Next Crisis
Aaron Clark-Ginsberg @aclarkginsberg, Saskia R. Vos, Seth J. Schwartz
Mar 15, 2021
The Hill
Across the United States, climate change is leading to migration. The challenges climate migrants face are not limited to basic needs, such as housing and employment. Rather, displacement may also create trauma. It's imperative that policymakers take mental health into account when devising climate change policies.
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Refugees
commentary
Climate Change Migration: Developing a Security Strategy for All
Jeannette Gaudry Haynie, Jay Balagna, Aaron Clark-Ginsberg @aclarkginsberg
Mar 15, 2021
The National Interest
Over the past decade, an average of 21.5 million people annually have been forced to move due to the impacts of extreme weather. Building an understanding of the intersection between climate change, migration, and security is crucial and should take into account that many who face the most direct impacts of climate change are already among the most vulnerable.
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Teachers and Teaching
blog
Teachers Quit Due to Stress, Peace in Yemen, America's Middle Class: RAND Weekly Recap
Feb 26, 2021
This weekly recap focuses on how stress leads teachers to quit their jobs, U.S. strategy in the Middle East, America's shrinking middle class, and more.
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Global Climate Change
commentary
California Needs a More Flexible Approach to Sea Level Rise Planning
Robert J. Lempert @RobertLempert, David Behar
Feb 18, 2021
San Diego Union Tribune
Rising seas create significant risk to the health, safety, and economic vitality of California's coast communities, and we must prepare. A contingency-planning approach would provide flexible action over time and would build capacity that California and the nation need to respond to the many other serious and growing climate-related risks.
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Community-Based Participatory Research
commentary
Local Communities Need a Voice in How to 'Build Back Better'
Max Izenberg, Aaron Clark-Ginsberg @aclarkginsberg
Jan 12, 2021
The RAND Blog
Long before it was popularized and made its way into political slogans and economic recovery battle cries, the phrase “building back better” was a central tenet of disaster recovery and community resilience. How should community voices be incorporated into “building back better” processes?
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Disaster Recovery Operations
commentary
Previous Disasters Provide Important Lessons for Central America's Recovery from Hurricanes
Shelly Culbertson @SC_Culbertson, Ismael Arciniegas Rueda, David G. Groves
Jan 11, 2021
The National Interest
As the global community works to assist Central America in recovering from the disastrous 2020 hurricane season, other recent recovery efforts offer helpful lessons, both for the governments of the region as well as outsiders providing resources and support.
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Global Climate Change
commentary
Curb Climate Change After COVID-19? Fast-Growing India and Brazil Are Key
Louay Constant @LouayConstant, Troy D. Smith @troy_d_smith
Dec 15, 2020
United Press International
India and Brazil are facing pressure to launch recoveries after the economic devastation caused by the pandemic. Will they backslide on their Paris climate agreement commitments, or will the expected return of the United States to the pact encourage them to build a more sustainable economic future?
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Machine Learning
commentary
Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Are Important Tools to Improve Cost Estimation for Natural Disasters in Electric Utilities
Ismael Arciniegas Rueda, Parousia Rockstroh
Dec 4, 2020
Energy Central
Natural disasters in the United States cause billions of dollars of damage to electric infrastructure every year. Applying artificial intelligence and machine learning in a disaster-recovery context for electrical utilities might significantly improve cost estimating capability and responsiveness.
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Politics and Government
blog
Restoring Public Trust, COVID-19 and Thanksgiving, Vaccinating Teachers: RAND Weekly Recap
Nov 26, 2020
This weekly recap focuses on how the Biden-Harris administration can restore public trust, the risk of Thanksgiving becoming a super-spreader event, why teachers should be among the first to get a COVID19 vaccination, and more.
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Natural Hazards
commentary
Disaster Reporting and Its Impacts on Policy and Inequities
Aaron Clark-Ginsberg @aclarkginsberg, Shearon Roberts
Nov 16, 2020
Poynter
Disaster news tropes may capture audience attention, but they ultimately frustrate progress in mitigating the short- and long-term effects of disasters on communities. It's more important than ever that news stories about disasters frame the effects of environmental phenomena in meaningful ways.
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Veterans Health Care
blog
Veterans Day, Psychedelic Drug Policy, Family Caregivers: RAND Weekly Recap
Nov 13, 2020
This weekly recap focuses on supporting veterans with mental health and substance use disorders, changes to psychedelic drug policy, the vital role of family caregivers, and more.
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