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Assistant Policy Researcher, RAND, and Ph.D. Fellow, Pardee RAND Graduate School
Ph.D. Student, Pardee RAND Graduate School, and Assistant Policy Researcher, RAND
To better understand the current state of U.S. climate policy and what to look for in the months and years ahead, we spoke to one of RAND's foremost climate policy experts.
Sep 26, 2024
Last summer was the hottest on record and 2024 looks to be hotter still. Cranking up the AC can provide temporary relief but it could lead to greater vulnerability to extreme climate events over time. Fortunately, there are strategies that could reduce air conditioning's greenhouse gas emissions.
Aug 19, 2024
Flooding has become the most expensive and frequent disaster in the United States. Since 2000, flooding events occur almost daily, and the cost of inland flooding alone in 2023 was nearly $200 billion. Managing flood risk requires transformations in land use, regulation, insurance, and financing.
Aug 9, 2024
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is well positioned to tackle the global threats posed by the climate emergency. What is needed is a concerted effort to confront the stark realities of catastrophic risk and interpret that literature through a policy-relevant lens.
Jul 12, 2024
A NATO that more deliberately incorporates climate change into its as-usual planning would stand a good chance of maintaining its capability edge in the future.
Jun 24, 2024
Los Angeles County's Board of Supervisors is considering a policy that would establish a temperature threshold for rental units. It's crucial that policymakers assess the impact of the policy on the electrical grid and whether it will actually help the people it intends to help.
May 28, 2024
Peace talks in Yemen have stalled and the Houthis, who control much of the country, are now attacking commercial ships in the Red Sea in a show of support for Gaza. How did things go so wrong? And how might the United States play a more effective role throughout the region?
May 8, 2024
Climate change has at least two characteristics that are likely to drive second- and third-order political and social reactions whose effects on U.S. strategic interests may be substantially greater than those that occur in direct reaction to individual extreme weather events.
Mar 7, 2024
A natural disaster could quickly overwhelm a voting district and render prior planning moot. Officials should plan and practice how they will conduct elections in the wake of a disaster that displaces voters, destroys blank ballots, or damages election equipment.
Jan 9, 2024
As 2023 draws to a close, RAND president and CEO Jason Matheny highlights areas where RAND is tackling the most urgent and complex problems we face. Each is a small reminder that where there are thoughtful people working tirelessly to find solutions, there is hope.
Dec 14, 2023
How can countries break down regulatory barriers, secure climate financing, and engage leaders, stakeholders, and citizens at every level to dispel the false choice between a cleaner future and a brighter future?
Dec 12, 2023
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
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
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
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
In addition to decimating buildings and other infrastructure, disasters also destroy human capital, the collective knowledge and skills that drive individual economic earnings, as well as regional economic growth. Failing to address these more-hidden damages is incredibly costly.
Aug 21, 2023
Mitigating the effects of climate change will require a whole-of-government approach and a redefinition of national security to embrace a more panoramic set of risks. Government officials are saying lots of the right things. But is it being done, and done quickly enough?
Jun 30, 2023
It is time to create a multilateral Arctic fisheries management plan before a moratorium on fishing in Arctic high seas sunsets in 2037. Agreements can lead to economic and food security for partners; a lack of coordination will lead to conflict, environmental degradation, and overfishing. The clock is ticking.
In their new book, Andrew Hoehn and Thom Shanker argue that America has entered an age of danger that may come to rival anything in its history. They explain why the national security system needs an overhaul as we face a growing array of threats, from cyber attacks to climate change.
Jun 26, 2023
Modernizing, better funding, and expanding wildland firefighting forces in North America won't make fires or smoke magically disappear. A massive paradigm shift is necessary, writes Jay Balagna (cohort '20), but he adds it's clear something needs to happen immediately too.
Jun 12, 2023
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.
Dec 15, 2022
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
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 9, 2022
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
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.
May 12, 2022
