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Environmental and Natural Resource Management

Global Climate Change
commentary
Another Casualty of Climate Change: Peace
Gulrez Shah Azhar
Aug 15, 2017
Project Syndicate
The connection between human conflict and climate change is no mere coincidence. Drought, temperature and tensions rise in tandem, with the implicit threat of violent conflict not far behind.
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Water Resources Management
commentary
How Should Water Professionals Invest in Resilience?
Jordan R. Fischbach @fischinwater
Jul 12, 2017
The Source
Water professionals can think about building resilience as a process of embracing and managing future uncertainty. Rather than trying to predict which problem to plan for, researchers help planners consider a wide range of potential scenarios.
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Water Supply
commentary
Getting the Lead Out of Pittsburgh's Water
Jordan R. Fischbach @fischinwater, Linnea Warren May
Jul 3, 2017
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Without an aggressive long-term strategy for replacing service lines, and collaboration among the water authority, public officials, and residents, lead in Pittsburgh's water will persist.
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Global Climate Change
commentary
The Big Bet: Withdrawing from the Paris Climate Agreement
Debra Knopman, Robert J. Lempert @RobertLempert, Jordan R. Fischbach @fischinwater, Benjamin Lee Preston @bl_preston
Jun 2, 2017
Inside Sources
America's formal withdrawal from the Paris climate agreement could have far-reaching consequences for U.S. global leadership on many issues, not just on efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
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San Francisco
announcement
RAND Opens Office in the San Francisco Bay Area
Apr 3, 2017
RAND has opened an office in the San Francisco Bay Area to foster collaboration with the region's leaders and researchers working to solve today's complex problems. Nidhi Kalra, a senior information scientist, is leading the new office.
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Water Resources Management
commentary
Ensuring Robust Water Management Strategies in Lima-Callão, Peru
Laura Bonzanigo, Nidhi Kalra @FollowNidhi, David Groves, Carter Brandon
Nov 16, 2015
The World Bank Water Blog
Water resource agencies around the world are grappling with how to make smart investments to ensure long-term water reliability at a time of unprecedented water stress, growing demands, uncertain climate change, and limited budgets.
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Public Utilities
commentary
What Durban Can Teach Detroit: Getting Customers to Pay Their Water Bills
Julia Pollak
Jul 29, 2015
The RAND Blog
South Africa is proving that governments in poor cities can provide water and collect payment without turning off the water spigot. Detroit and Baltimore might consider exploring models like this that have been successfully tested in even more challenging settings.
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Global Climate Change
announcement
RAND Announces New Water and Climate Change Resilience Center
Jan 6, 2015
RAND has established a new Water and Climate Resilience Center to address one of the most significant policy challenges of our time: How do we plan, build, and organize our societal systems to become more resilient to the unavoidable impacts of climate change?
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Developing Countries
commentary
In South Africa, Bold Investments Turn Trash into Treasure
Julia Pollak
Dec 3, 2014
The RAND Blog
South Africa’s landfills are reportedly rapidly reaching capacity—as are those in many developing countries. Surveys show that only about 3 percent of urban South Africans sort and recycle their household waste frequently. Until recycling becomes more widespread, the nation will have to keep building landfills.
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Developing Countries
commentary
Climate Change, Uncertainty Cast Clouds on Malawi's Food Policies
Tobi A. Oluwatola
May 20, 2014
The RAND Blog
Malawi has the highest per capita maize consumption in Africa, but it may need to consider alternatives, taking into greater consideration weather, climate change and water needs.
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Nuclear Sciences
commentary
San Onofre Risk Factors
Tom LaTourrette
Jun 20, 2013
The Orange County Register
The ongoing effort to open a spent fuel repository in the U.S. demonstrates the magnitude of the technical and political challenges of such an undertaking, writes Tom LaTourrette.
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Water Supply
blog
New Colorado River Basin Study Examines Tremendous Challenges of the Coming 50 Years
David Groves, Jordan R. Fischbach @fischinwater, Evan Bloom
Dec 18, 2012
Growing water needs combined with uncertain but possibly deteriorating future hydrologic conditions could stress the Colorado River system in the coming 50 years.
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Community Resilience
commentary
What Louisiana Can Teach New York and New Jersey
Debra Knopman, Jordan R. Fischbach @fischinwater, David Groves
Nov 8, 2012
CNN
The massive damage and disruption caused by “Super Storm” Sandy has created a rare moment when New York City, New Jersey and surrounding areas are singularly focused on the infrastructure they need in a changing environment – not just the infrastructure they already have thanks to the vision and investments of past generations.
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Environmental Sustainability
blog
Bringing Sustainability to the Louisiana Coast
David Groves
Jun 7, 2012
Policy Researcher David Groves describes RAND's role in helping to develop a plan to guide Louisiana's coastal investments, help its coastal citizens plan for the future, and create a sustainable coast.
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Military Budgets and Defense Spending
commentary
DoD Renewable Fuels Investment Premature
Keith Crane
May 24, 2012
National Journal
Technological development challenges suggest that it is highly unlikely that advanced approaches for producing hydrotreated renewable oils suitable for military applications will constitute an important fraction of the commercial fuel market until well beyond the next decade, writes Keith Crane.
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blog
Earth Day and RAND
Apr 20, 2012
As people around the world prepare for the 42nd annual Earth Day this Sunday, we look back at some of the recent research from RAND's Environment, Energy, and Economic Development program.
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commentary
Grab Vital Habitat Now: How Riverside County Can Step Up Conservation While Land Prices Are Down
Lloyd Dixon
Dec 1, 2008
The Press-Enterprise
The economic slowdown threatens to put a crimp in ambitious efforts to balance preservation, transportation improvements and development in western Riverside County. It doesn't have to. Actually, it presents an opportunity, writes Lloyd Dixon.
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