Global Climate Change

essay

What Does China's Arctic Presence Mean to the United States?

China has engaged in economic, scientific, cultural, diplomatic, and military activities in the Arctic region. The United States sees China as a potentially destabilizing force. But there are opportunities to cooperate, for example, on climate change.

commentary

California's Ambitious Decarbonization Plan Hasn't Been Future-Proofed

California has an ambitious blueprint to make the state carbon-neutral by 2045. But there's been no integrated stress test of the whole plan. The state needs and deserves a future-proofed, stress-tested plan that all Californians can trust to achieve its climate goals.

Nidhi Kalra

blog

Racism and Patient Safety, Abortion After Dobbs, Homelessness: RAND Weekly Recap

This week, we discuss how racism impacts patient safety; the effects of overturning Roe v. Wade; trauma in the U.S. Intelligence Community; addressing homelessness in L.A.; disputes in the South China Sea; and how space mirrors might help address climate change.

commentary

Why Not Space Mirrors?

Giant space mirrors can reflect solar radiation away from Earth, potentially helping to address the effects of climate change. But decisionmakers need more information about this technology to determine if it's a viable option.

Emmi Yonekura

q&a

Q&A with the Experts: Puerto Rico

When Hurricane Fiona struck Puerto Rico on September 18, electricity went out across the island. It was a reminder that recovery from 2017's Hurricane Maria is far from complete. RAND researchers discuss the difficulties Puerto Rico is still facing.

commentary

Is Our Response to the Pandemic a Preview of How We May Deal with Climate Change?

Do Americans have the stomach for tough times, hard work, and sacrifice? Or will many of the same problems experienced in responding to COVID-19 arise as Americans confront the challenge of climate change?

Brian Michael Jenkins @BrianMJenkins

blog

Synthetic Opioids, Ukrainian Grain, the Metaverse: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on countering the illegal flow of synthetic opioids, freeing up Ukrainian grain to prevent famine, the importance of defining the metaverse, and more.

commentary

How Could the United States Incentivize Investors to Decarbonize the Economy?

While mandatory climate-related disclosure may improve information and decisionmaking for investors, it alone is unlikely to accelerate investment in decarbonization at the rate needed. To motivate private investment in climate mitigation, policymakers could explore additional policies.

Ismael Arciniegas Rueda, Nihar Chhatiawala, et al.

blog

A Peacekeeping Operation in Ukraine, Synthetic Opioids, Geoengineering: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on why it may be time to consider a peacekeeping operation in northern Ukraine, supporting veterans with traumatic brain injury, a new response to synthetic opioids, and more.

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

blog

The West's Response to Russia, the State of the Union, Outer Space: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on how to prevent Russia's war on Ukraine from becoming a war with NATO, insights from RAND on the State of the Union, the future of outer space, and more.

blog

NATO's Open-Door Policy, U.S. Health Care Payments, Climate Migrants: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on NATO’s open-door policy, U.S. health care payments, supporting climate migrants, and more.

commentary

A United Strategy Could Reap Rewards for the United Kingdom in the High North

The multifaceted nature of Arctic policies, stretching from climate security and scientific cooperation to economic development and conflict mitigation, may require a whole-of-government approach from the United Kingdom. Such an approach could be necessary for the United Kingdom to appear a credible partner to Arctic countries and other third parties.

Nicolas Jouan

commentary

To Help Climate Migrants, We Must First Recognize Them

Despite the large and growing population displaced by extreme weather, there is no common definition of a “climate migrant.” Once we get a clearer sense of just who is a climate migrant, policy efforts should begin focusing on the full fabric of life in our communities, creating systems that will help migrants become a part of that fabric in safe and dignified ways.

Jay Balagna, Aaron Clark-Ginsberg @aclarkginsberg, et al.

blog

Geoengineering, the Russia-Ukraine Crisis, Biosimilar Drugs: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on technologies that manipulate the climate, what NATO could do to address the Ukraine-Russia crisis, and cost savings from biosimilar drugs.