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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.

Report
How Climate Change Affects the Federal Budget and Legislation
As climate change drives an increase in costly natural disasters, U.S. policymakers need to consider different mitigation policies. Projecting the effects on federal spending and revenue depends on a model that captures important relationships between climate, federal policy, and the economy.
Sep 27, 2023
Commentary
Disaster Recovery Creates Its Own Bubble
Shortages of workers and materials inevitably make rebuilding slower and more expensive after a natural disaster. In Maui, this is likely to be a problem for agencies like FEMA that provide public assistance. But it will also be a problem for individual households if private insurance payouts are insufficient to rebuild.
Sep 20, 2023

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Explore Energy and Environment

Report
Critical Material Supply Chains Should Be More Resilient
The COVID-19 pandemic and Russian invasion of Ukraine highlight the vulnerabilities of supply chains that are dependent on foreign inputs. How can the U.S. Department of Defense increase the resilience of its supply chains for materials essential to national security?
Dec 15, 2022
Commentary
Is Seabed Mining an Opportunity to Break China's Stranglehold on Critical Minerals Supply Chains?
China dominates global supply chains for nearly all critical mineral resources, including the rare earths that power decarbonization technologies. Seabed mining may be a way to diversify critical minerals supply chains and break China's stranglehold on supplies of some of the world's most important natural resources.
Nov 21, 2022
Commentary
Governance in Space: Mining the Moon and Beyond
Without further cooperation and agreement among space powers, multiple, competing governance systems may end up being established, further increasing potential for conflict. The time to address this issue is now, so that the use of deep-space resources contributes to prosperity, security, and freedom on Earth and throughout the solar system.
Nov 18, 2022
Commentary
Green Jobs and Skills Development for Disadvantaged Groups
Many countries have plans to increase green job opportunities. To make sure that everyone can benefit from this promised green transition, it is important to understand how people with low qualifications, and other marginalised groups, might be able to access green jobs.
Nov 8, 2022
Report
China's Role in the Global Development of Critical Resources
China's extensive foreign investments in energy infrastructure and critical minerals have raised concerns. Case studies in coal power, electricity transmission, and seabed mining examine China's behaviors and suggest ways to build capacity among host nations to minimize the potential effects of an overreliance on China.
Nov 7, 2022
Tool
Climate Hazard and Mitigation Planning (CHaMP) Tool: Background and Guidance for Users
The Climate Hazard and Mitigation Planning online tool is an interactive website designed to provide users with a single point of access to county-, state- and region-specific historical climate and hazard data and projected climate information.
Nov 2, 2022
Blog
Racism and Patient Safety, Abortion After Dobbs, Homelessness: RAND Weekly Recap
This week, we discuss racism and patient safety, abortion in America after the Dobbs ruling, how to address homelessness in Los Angeles, and more.
Oct 28, 2022
News Release
Disadvantaged Groups Could Fall Further Behind in the Emerging Green Economy
A new report from RAND Europe shows that disadvantaged groups risk being left behind in the growing movement across Europe to increase job opportunities that benefit the environment—or “green the economy”—unless local leaders take concerted action to make sure such job opportunities are more inclusive.
Oct 27, 2022
Report
Green jobs and skills development for disadvantaged groups
This report explored green jobs and skills development for people from disadvantaged groups in 10 European cities.
Oct 26, 2022
Dissertation
Financial Mechanisms in a Disaster Aftermath: The Mexican Case
Explores the financial mechanisms available to individuals and governments after a disaster in developing countries, using Mexico as a case study.
Oct 25, 2022
Journal Article
Written Evidence Submitted by RAND Europe: DCC0007 Defence and Climate Change
This document provides RAND Europe's submission of evidence in relation to the UK House of Commons Defence Select Committee's Call for Evidence on Defence and Climate Change.
Oct 21, 2022
Brochure
Disaster Management and Resilience
This brochure describes RAND's work, which directly supports decisionmakers in developing actionable planning and policy for disaster management and resilience.
Oct 20, 2022
Commentary
Why Not Space Mirrors?
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.
Oct 19, 2022
Brochure
Social Value and RAND Europe
We define social value as "the difference we make to the communities which we operate within". This brochure describes our commitment to social value through the behaviours we embed in our practices, as well as the research and analysis we conduct.
Oct 12, 2022
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.
Oct 10, 2022
Dissertation
A Proposed Decision Framework for DoD Investment in Nuclear Energy Technology: Focused on Microreactors at DoD Locations in the U.S.
Proposes a decision framework to help DoD decisionmakers determine whether an investment in nuclear energy technologies is worthwhile.
Oct 5, 2022
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?
Sep 26, 2022
Tool
Mid-Atlantic Regional Climate Impacts Summary and Outlook: Summer 2022
This climate summary aims to inform Mid-Atlantic policymakers and practitioners about summer 2022, regional climate trends, and the upcoming summer season. An interactive tool shows an analysis of the longest stretches of high heat days and how they are expected to change in the future.
Sep 22, 2022
Commentary
Harnessing the Power of Science and Technology Communities for Crisis Response
In this Perspective, RAND researchers describe how the U.S. Department of Homeland Security could leverage science and technology communities to support the use of science, technology, innovation, and analytical capabilities during crisis response.
Sep 19, 2022
Journal Article
Informality, Violence, and Disaster Risks: Coproducing Inclusive Early Warning and Response Systems in Urban Informal Settlements in Honduras
This research examines the coproduction of early warning systems linked with response capacities for floods and landslides through the case study of work in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, with a focus on nine urban informal settlements with high levels of territorial gang violence.
Sep 2, 2022

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Research conducted by

Researcher Spotlight

N. Peter Whitehead

Senior Engineer

Peter Whitehead is a senior engineer at RAND specializing in systems engineering, engineering management, operations research, digital engineering, and electrical engineering. Other interests and experience include: artificial intelligence, decision analytics, risk analysis, force resilience,…
Timothy R. Gulden

Senior Policy Researcher

Tim Gulden is a senior policy researcher at RAND and a professor of policy analysis at the Pardee RAND Graduate School. His research focuses on modeling complex systems in the context of data as well as more general policy analysis including cost/benefit analysis, spatial analysis,…

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