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RAND energy and environmental analyses examine the implications of existing and proposed energy policies on the environment. Building on a long history of policy research, RAND helps balance the need for environmental protections and economic development.

Research Brief
What Climate-Related Conflict Could Mean for U.S. Central Command
Climate change will hit the Middle East and Central Asia especially hard, with effects on both personal well-being and regional stability. It will likely create increased demand for stabilization operations, non-combatant evacuation operations, and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.
Nov 29, 2023
Commentary
Budget Models Are Underselling the Benefits of Solving Climate Problems
When Congress considers a new law or spending package, analysts calculate its likely impact on the federal budget. When it comes to climate change legislation, those numbers don't capture the whole picture. Potential savings and other benefits get significantly underestimated.
Nov 15, 2023

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Report
Demographic and Geographic Characteristics of Green Stormwater Infrastructure Investments in Five U.S. Cities: A Machine Learning–Based Analysis
This report presents the results of an exploratory machine learning–based analysis of green stormwater infrastructure asset data across five cities in the United States.
Dec 4, 2023
Visualization
Evaluating the Demographic and Geographic Characteristics of Green Stormwater Infrastructure: Findings from a Machine Learning–Based Analysis of Five U.S. Cities
This visual presents the results of an exploratory machine learning–based analysis of green stormwater infrastructure asset data across five cities in the United States.
Dec 4, 2023
Commentary
Can NATO Supercharge Military Greening?
NATO has taken significant steps to reduce environmental impacts of military activities and has set voluntary emissions reduction targets for its member states. By leveraging its existing standardization processes to encompass a wider range of equipment, supplies, and practices, NATO can solidify its role as the preeminent military leader on climate.
Dec 1, 2023
Commentary
One More Chance for COP Reform
The 28th U.N.-sponsored Conference of the Parties (COP) on climate change looks set to be a replay of earlier COPs. The consistent shortfall in achieving climate goals has meant that the parties to COP discuss the same items year after year. Perhaps it is time for COP to take a new look at its own decisionmaking process?
Nov 30, 2023
Report
Defense Planning Implications of Climate Change for U.S. Central Command
This report examines how U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) planners could use operations, activities, and investments in the coming decades to address security threats related to stressors from climate change in the CENTCOM area of responsibility.
Nov 29, 2023
Report
Conflict Projections in U.S. Central Command: Incorporating Climate Change
This report presents an analysis of the impact of climate change on the frequency of conflict in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility.
Nov 29, 2023
Report
Pathways from Climate Change to Conflict in U.S. Central Command
This report presents an analysis of the pathways from climate change to conflict and how that relationship is unfolding in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility.
Nov 29, 2023
Report
Mischief, Malevolence, or Indifference? How Competitors and Adversaries Could Exploit Climate-Related Conflict in the U.S. Central Command Area of Responsibility
This report presents an analysis of how U.S. competitors and adversaries — China, Russia, and Iran — could attempt to exploit climate-related conflict in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility in future decades.
Nov 29, 2023
Report
A Hotter and Drier Future Ahead: An Assessment of Climate Change in U.S. Central Command
This report characterizes how climate hazards will affect the physical environment in the U.S. Central Command's area of responsibility in 2035, 2050, and 2070.
Nov 29, 2023
Journal Article
Can Scenarios Help Policymakers Be Both Bold and Careful?
Low-probability and high-impact events have the potential to escalate into systemic crises. Developing the tools to anticipate and manage these scenarios is the focus of this volume.
Nov 27, 2023
Commentary
Ideas for Humanity's Future Approach to Space
In its first 75 years, RAND helped shape how humankind thought about and used space for the benefit of humanity. And it intends to have a similar impact on the next 75 years of space sustainability, security, and governance. Researchers identified concepts worthy of future study.
Nov 14, 2023
Commentary
An Affordable Energy Transition Will Require Supportive and Sensible Regulation
The transition to decarbonize the grid and to electrify end uses to reduce emissions will be challenging, and customer bills may increase in the short term. Regulators can help to keep utilities financially healthy and make a smoother energy transition possible.
Nov 13, 2023
Report
Valuing Army Installation Resilience Investments for Natural Hazards: Exploring the Use of Insurance Methods and Historical Installation Storm Damage
In this report, the authors assess Army installation risks from natural hazards and Army resilience investment processes and recommend ways the Army can reduce associated costs based on an analysis of insurance industry methods and historical installation storm damage.
Nov 6, 2023
Report
A roadmap for the global energy transition
The Scotia Group and RAND Europe convened a series of Majlis Dialogues to help understand how policies, investments and international cooperation can support the global energy transition. The key points formed a roadmap to inform the transition.
Nov 2, 2023
News Release
U.S. Armed Forces Capabilities in Arctic Region Pose National Security Risks, Need Strengthening
The United States needs to strengthen its ability to protect its Arctic interests as the region becomes a more active security environment. Key areas for improvement include communications, infrastructure, training, equipment, tactics and the ability to scale presence.
Nov 1, 2023
Report
Arctic Capabilities of the U.S. Armed Forces
The United States has considerable interests in the Arctic and is one of just eight countries with territory in the region. How do U.S. armed forces' capabilities differ from those of other countries operating there, including Russia, China, and allies?
Nov 1, 2023
Report
Barriers to the Commercialization and Adoption of New Underground Coal Mining Technologies in the United States
This report characterizes barriers to the development, commercialization, and adoption of new technologies for use in underground coal mining in the United States using input from structured interviews and a workshop with industry representatives.
Nov 1, 2023
Report
Incorporating Environmental Considerations into Defense Acquisition Practices
RAND researchers assess the knowledge, tools, and capabilities needed by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) acquisition workforce to infuse environmental considerations into DoD requirements, acquisition, and resource allocation decisionmaking.
Oct 19, 2023

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Research conducted by

Researcher Spotlight

Richard Silberglitt

Senior Physical Scientist

Richard Silberglitt is a senior physical scientist at the RAND Corporation and professor at the Pardee RAND Graduate School. He has worked in academia, government, and private industry for over 50 years, performing, evaluating, and managing research in advanced technology areas.
Robert J. Lempert

Director, Frederick S. Pardee Center for Longer Range Global Policy and the Future Human Condition

Robert Lempert is director of the Frederick S. Pardee Center for Longer Range Global Policy and the Future Human Condition, a principal researcher at RAND, and a professor of policy analysis at the Pardee RAND Graduate School. His research focuses on risk management and decisionmaking under…

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