Common Resources

RFF ON THE ISSUES: Nuclear fleet costs; Climate geoengineering options

In this edition: Insight into the costs associated with operating nuclear utility fleets Commentary on the importance of studying climate modification techniques Nuclear Fleet Costs A bipartisan group of Illinois lawmakers, with the support of power company Exelon and others, recently rolled out legislation that would reward power generators “for producing environmentally friendly electricity.” Exelon […]

The IPCC at a Crossroads

This post originally appeared on Robert Stavins’s blog, An Economic View of the Environment. Love it or hate it, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) plays a very important role in global climate change policy around the world. This is because its reports enjoy a degree of credibility that renders them influential for public […]

This Week in the RFF Library Blog

Each week, I review the papers, studies, reports, and briefings posted over at the RFF Library Blog. Easing the Transition to a More Distributed Electricity System: The Changing Roles of Consumers, Utilities and Regulators Within the Regulatory Compact Multiple compounding factors are driving national movement toward a more modern electricity grid, one that enables a […]

RFF ON THE ISSUES: Satellite climate data; Arctic drilling approval

In this edition: How using satellites can help reduce uncertainty about climate change A look at the president’s arctic drilling plans Satellite Climate Data NASA is contemplating a series of space-based Earth observation and monitoring equipment worth several billion dollars, prompting speculation on the “approximate dollar sign on the information that would come from a state-of-the-art […]

This Week in the RFF Library Blog

Each week, I review the papers, studies, reports, and briefings posted over at the RFF Library Blog. The Transfer of Public Lands Movement: Taking the ‘Public’ Out of Public Lands [AP] Utah’s push to wrest control of 31 million acres of federally controlled land would lead to less public access, less public involvement in land-use […]

RFF ON THE ISSUES: Geoengineering; Hispanics’ views on climate; Climate mitigation payments

In this edition: An upcoming RFF event on geoengineering New results from the New York Times/RFF/Stanford University poll: Hispanics’ views on climate A discussion on the willingness of individuals to pay for climate mitigation measures Geoengineering Last week, the US National Academy of Sciences (NAS) released two assessments of techniques for managing climate change, including […]

Resources Magazine: Wood Energy in Developed Economies: An Overlooked Renewable

Though it is often ignored in national conversations about renewables, wood energy dominates renewable energy portfolios in many developed countries—and is poised for exponential growth. Francisco Aguilar sets the record straight about this salient energy source. Considered to be the first form of energy harnessed by humans, wood was long the primary source of heat and […]

RFF ON THE ISSUES: Federal budget and taxes; California carbon permits

In this edition: Analysis on how to revise the tax code to address climate change Examining California’s climate policy Federal Budget and Taxes The White House’s recent $4 trillion annual budget request included a number of proposed changes aimed at addressing climate change through the US tax code. The plan would “strip an estimated $44 […]

This Week in the RFF Library Blog

Each week, I review the papers, studies, reports, and briefings posted over at the RFF Library Blog. Decarbonizing Pipeline Gas to Help Meet California’s 2050 Greenhouse Gas Reduction Goal [Green Car Congress] A new study by Energy Environmental Economics (E3) consulting suggests that low-carbon gas fuels are a viable option for meeting California’s greenhouse gas […]

A Challenge for the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement

This post originally appeared on Robert Stavins’s blog, An Economic View of the Environment. At the recent climate negotiations at the 20th Conference of the Parties (COP-20) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Lima, Peru, a very important issue was left on the table, unresolved: Will the 2015 Paris Agreement (scheduled to […]