Congressional Budget Office / by Evan Herrnstadt and Terry Dinanhttps://www.cbo.gov/publication/56505 This paper describes how CBO constructed its projection of the effect of climate change on U.S. output, how the projected effect should be interpreted, limitations of the analysis, and the central climate-change scenario that CBO used. As part of its long-term economic forecast, the Congressional … Continue reading
NATURAL DISASTERS: Economic Effects of Hurricanes Katrina, Sandy, Harvey, and Irma
US Government Accountability Officehttps://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-20-633R Hurricanes Katrina, Sandy, Harvey, and Irma (selected hurricanes) caused costly damages and challenges for some populations in affected communities. In these communities, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) estimated the cost of damages to be approximately $170 billion for Katrina, $74 billion for Sandy, $131 billion for Harvey, and $52 … Continue reading
Maintaining Critical Infrastructure Resilience to Natural Hazards During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Hurricane Preparations by US Energy Companies
Journal of Infrastructure Preservation and Resilience (2020). doi: 10.1186/s43065-020-00010-1 / by Aaron Clark-Ginsberg, Ismael Arciniegas Rueda, Jonathon Monken, Jay Liu, Hong Chen https://jipr.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s43065-020-00010-1 [Abstract] The COVID-19 pandemic has the potential to compromise the ability of critical infrastructure utilities to respond to or mitigate natural hazards like wildfires and hurricanes. This article describes the ways that … Continue reading
The Carbon Footprint of Household Energy Use in the United States
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (August 11, 2020; doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1922205117 v117 n32 pp19122-19130) by Benjamin Goldstein, Dimitrios Gounaridis, and Joshua P. Newell https://www.pnas.org/content/117/32/19122.short [Abstract] Residential energy use accounts for roughly 20% of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the United States. Using data on 93 million individual households, we estimate these GHGs across the contiguous … Continue reading
Climate Change: a Climate Migration Pilot Program Could Enhance the Nation’s Resilience and Reduce Federal Fiscal Exposure
US Government Accountability Office https://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-20-488 [Fast Facts] Sea level rise due to climate change threatens areas where millions of Americans live. In all but the lowest projections, retreat or relocation of communities from coastal areas will be unavoidable, according to the U.S. Global Change Research Program. One way to prepare is to preemptively move away … Continue reading
What Threat Does Sea-Level Rise Pose to California?
California Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO) https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4261 [Climate Wire, sub. req’d] Up to $10 billion of California property could be underwater by 2050 because of sea-level rise, a new state analysis said. An additional $6 billion to $10 billion of infrastructure is at risk during high tides, the California Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO) said in the … Continue reading
Implementing Effective Emissions Trading Systems: Lessons from International Experiences
International Energy Agency https://bit.ly/3101joh [Axios] The International Energy Agency is out with a new primer on the role that emissions trading systems play in a wider mix of climate policies. The big picture: Trading systems are expanding worldwide, especially as China moves toward its national system, though carbon pricing is no longer at the forefront of … Continue reading
Economic and Social Consequences of Human Mobility Restrictions Under COVID-19
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (July 7, 2020, v117 (27) pp15530-15535; doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2007658117) / by Giovanni Bonaccorsi, Francesco Pierri, Matteo Cinelli, Andrea Flori, Alessandro Galeazzi, Francesco Porcelli, Ana Lucia Schmidt, Carlo Michele Valensise, Antonio Scala, Walter Quattrociocchi, and Fabio Pammolli https://www.pnas.org/content/117/27/15530.short [Abstract] In response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, several national governments have … Continue reading
Using Gross Ecosystem Product (GEP) to Value Nature in Decision Making
Proceedings of the National Academies of Science (June 23, 2020, v117 n25 pp14593-14601; doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1911439117) / Zhiyun Ouyang, Changsu Song, Hua Zheng, Stephen Polasky, Yi Xiao, Ian J. Bateman, Jianguo Liu, Mary Ruckelshaus, Faqi Shi, Yang Xiao, Weihua Xu, Ziying Zou, and Gretchen C. Daily https://www.pnas.org/content/117/25/14593 [Significance] To achieve sustainable development, there is a pressing need … Continue reading
Guidelines to Incorporate the Costs and Benefits of Adaptation Measures in Preparation for Extreme Weather Events and Climate Change
National Academies Press https://bit.ly/31SbltI (full report) https://bit.ly/3e2AhRG (guidebook — see below) [Description] Cost-benefit analysis (CBA) is useful for climate change response and adaptation, and if used properly, it has great potential for long-range planning. CBA should help agencies navigate the spectrum of decisions from mitigation and greenhouse gas reduction to adaptation: where does investing public … Continue reading
Environmental & Energy Valuation News 