Environmental Sustainability

commentary

Climate Change Will Transform How We Live, but These Tech and Policy Experts See Reason for Optimism

To slow climate change and adapt to the damage already underway, the world will have to shift how it generates and uses energy, transports people and goods, designs buildings, and grows food. That starts with embracing innovation and change.

Robert J. Lempert @RobertLempert, Elisabeth Gilmore

commentary

How We Might Better Live with Oil in California

As California grapples with the question of balancing environmental stewardship with the recent renewed focus on “local oil,” lawmakers could look to local communities for the best answers to avoid future petro-disasters.

Jalal Awan, Aaron Clark-Ginsberg @aclarkginsberg

commentary

A Timely Opportunity for the U.S. Coast Guard to Teach a Man to Protect His Fish

The U.S. Coast Guard has made strong statements suggesting it would be increasing its effort to deter illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing activity. As it does so, the Coast Guard might also consider enhancing its role as a trainer of other nations.

Katherine Anania

commentary

More Than Green: Leveraging Green Bonds to Invest in Greater Climate Resilience

The significance of green bonds may depend not only on having a lot of them but also on carefully developing, investing, and tracking projects against the larger goal of climate resilience.

Karishma V. Patel, Michelle E. Miro

commentary

The Growing Green Bond Market Could Plateau. How Can It Grow Further?

If green bonds are a viable tool to reduce emissions and adapt infrastructure to the effects of climate change, how can governments encourage the issuance, sales, and growth in the share of green bonds in the total bond market?

David Catt, Nihar Chhatiawala, et al.

commentary

Green Bonds Can Leave Issuers in the Red

To achieve the Biden administration's blueprint for solar energy and focus on climate change mitigation and adaptation, green bonds may be worth considering. But, like any other financing instrument, they may be best considered through a cost-benefit lens.

Brian Wong, Ismael Arciniegas Rueda

commentary

COVID-19 and Climate Change Both Require One Generation to Sacrifice for Another

COVID-19 and climate change are both global phenomena that left unmanaged will inflict excruciating human and economic tolls. They also require a similar mix of approaches to solve. But they have one more similarity that attracts less attention: they both require one generation to change behavior in support of another.

Michael E. Webber, Constantine Samaras

commentary

Los Angeles River Revitalization: Taking Inspiration from Near and Far

Currently a predominantly concrete channel running through the city, the Los Angeles River has great potential to revitalize Los Angeles's water resources, landscape, and identity. Creating a new vision for the river presents a complex challenge for policymakers, engineers, and urban planners.

Keren Zhu, J. Luke Irwin, et al.

commentary

More Than Stormwater: How Green Infrastructure Offers Multiple Benefits for Los Angeles Communities

California faces water supply shortages, which are worsened by climate change. Applying a systems framework is essential to addressing complex problems for the sustainability of water resources.

Joan Chang, Kristin Warren, et al.

commentary

Lessening Leakages: How Water Systems Can Learn From Smart Electric Grids

As drought and population growth place increasing pressure on water supply, the need to save and efficiently manage Southern California's water resources becomes increasingly critical. A single information and communication technology platform could go a long way toward moving water utilities from reactive to proactive maintenance practices.

Jalal Awan, Michelle E. Miro, et al.

commentary

Increasing Groundwater Reliance in L.A. County Means Dealing with Extensive Contamination

As the Los Angeles region increases its reliance on groundwater sources to become more resilient in the face of drought and to reduce demand for imported water sources, advances in the information available on groundwater quality and contamination could help community water systems avoid health hazards and better ensure a safe drinking water supply.

Alexandra Huttinger, Michelle E. Miro, et al.

essay

Resilience and Adaptation Strategies Can Address the Impacts of Climate Change

With climate change already generating storms, heat waves, and droughts beyond historical norms, local governments need to do more to prepare. A decisionmaking framework developed by RAND allows communities to stress-test ideas, weigh the trade-offs, and plan for a range of possible futures.

commentary

Can Innovative Financing by the Public and Private Sectors Build on Momentum in Energy Efficiency Improvements for Affordable Multifamily Housing?

Nearly one in three American households in 2015 reported difficulty paying their energy bills or sustaining adequate home heating and cooling. Emerging models of energy services and financing show promise, and could identify creative ways to increase access to funding that could preserve and improve home affordability for millions of Americans.

Lisa Jonsson, Aimee E. Curtright @ACurtright

commentary

Navigating the Uncertain Path to Decarbonization

Deep decarbonization can reduce the risk of climate change, and it offers opportunities to reimagine energy, transportation, and infrastructure. But it could also fail in many ways. Diverse, independent actors need a shared understanding of its complexity and deep uncertainty to design a solution to this challenge.

Robert J. Lempert @RobertLempert, Horacio R. Trujillo

commentary

Uncertainty and Complexity: Biomass Can Help on the Path to Deep Decarbonization

While biomass will almost certainly never become the dominant fuel for the electricity sector in the United States, it is still worth including as part of a menu of greenhouse gas mitigation strategies.

Aimee E. Curtright @ACurtright, Sara Turner

announcement

$5 Million Cazier Gift to Pardee RAND Graduate School Launches Environmental and Energy Sustainability Initiative

A $5 million gift from engineer and philanthropist John M. Cazier will turbocharge research in environmental and energy sustainability at the Pardee RAND Graduate School.

commentary

As U.S. Energy Booms, Don't Forget About Roadway Infrastructure

Natural gas production is growing and many states and communities are reaping the economic benefits. One of the costs, however, will be damage to roads. One hydraulic fracturing operation requires about 600 to 1,100 one-way, heavy truck trips to bring equipment, materials, and sometimes water to and from a well site.

Constantine Samaras

commentary

The Environmental Costs of Emissions from Shale Gas Extraction

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.

Aimee E. Curtright @ACurtright

blog

Bringing Sustainability to the Louisiana Coast

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.

David G. Groves

commentary

Missed Opportunities in Johannesburg

Published commentary by RAND staff: Missed Opportunities in Johannesburg in United Press International on October 22, 2002.

Robert J. Lempert @RobertLempert