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Student-Authored Publications on Energy, Environment, and Infrastructure

Los Angeles County's Preparedness for California's Edible Food Recovery Mandate (SB 1383): An Examination of Food Recovery Logistics and Other Challenges June 21, 2022

Alina I. Palimaru, Joslyn Fleming, Jay Balagna, Marcy Agmon, Marc Robbins, Sarah B. Hunter
California's 2016 food recovery mandate, Senate Bill 1383 (SB 1383), could make an important contribution toward mitigating the climate crisis and food insecurity. In this report, the authors review food recovery in Los Angeles County and specific challenges relating to SB 1383 implementation, and they suggest ways in which the mandate could be turned into an opportunity for innovation and capacity-building.
Preparing for California's Edible Food Recovery Mandate: Findings from the Los Angeles Food Recovery Study June 21, 2022

Alina I. Palimaru, Joslyn Fleming, Jay Balagna, Marcy Agmon, Marc Robbins, Sarah B. Hunter
Under a new state law, by 2025 California must reduce organic waste by 75 percent and recover 20 percent edible food that would otherwise be landfilled. RAND researchers reviewed the literature and government documents, and interviewed stakeholders to assess the preparedness for the new mandate in Los Angeles County. They suggest ways in which the mandate could be turned into an opportunity for innovation and capacity-building.
Advancing Global Citizenship in America March 24, 2022

James Dobbins, Krishna B. Kumar, Karishma V. Patel
Concerted international action is required to tackle the shared challenges of climate change, environmental sustainability, pandemic disease, international security, and economic growth. This Perspective addresses what global citizenship is and how it can be fostered, why it is important to address these issues, and ways to promote global citizenship across the political spectrum.
A Green Costa Rican COVID-19 Recovery: Aligning Costa Rica's Decarbonization Investments with Economic Recovery February 24, 2022

David G. Groves, Edmundo Molina-Perez, James Syme, Gabriela Alvarado, Felipe De León Denegri, Juan Daniel Acuña Román, Agripina Jenkins Rojas
In this follow-on analysis to their 2020 study on the benefits and costs of Costa Rica's National Decarbonization Plan (NDP), the authors assess how the implementation of NDP could contribute to a just and robust COVID-19 recovery. The authors find that five years of decarbonization investments would offset the lingering impacts that COVID-19 would have on employment and economic activity.
Equity Metrics for Climate Adaptation in the Electricity Sector February 17, 2022

Nidhi Kalra, Swaptik Chowdhury, Kelly Klima, Liam Regan
Social equity has become a key concern among public agencies. In 2020, the California Public Utilities Commission adopted a ruling that requires utilities to assess communities' vulnerability to climate impacts and evaluate how climate adaptation efforts can promote equity. The authors developed a set of context-specific equity metrics that Southern California Edison could build on and incorporate into its ongoing work toward climate adaptation.
Adaptive Water Management in the Face of Uncertainty: Integrating Machine Learning, Groundwater Modeling and Robust Decision Making December 21, 2021

Michelle E. Miro, David G. Groves, Bob Tincher, James Syme, Stephanie Tanverakul, David Catt
This study examines climate change and water resources management challenges facing water suppliers in drought-prone regions.
Addressing Climate Migration: A Review of National Policy Approaches December 7, 2021

Jonathan S. Blake, Aaron Clark-Ginsberg, Jay Balagna
In this paper, RAND researchers provide a framework for understanding how nation-states are developing policies to respond to climate migration and mobility. They review related policies in Bangladesh, Kiribati, Kenya, Norway, the United States, and Vanuatu. These findings can provide policymakers with high-level options when considering the broad needs of climate migrants and their host communities and when designing their own policies.
Evaluation of Energy Systems Network's Moving Forward Initiative in Indiana: Initial Program Outcomes and Potential Impacts September 21, 2021

Nicholas E. Burger, Aimee E. Curtright, Jacob DeWeese, Hardika Dayalani, Rahim Ali, Brittany L. Joseph
Affordable housing in Indiana is in short supply. Moving Forward's novel approach to affordable housing design aims to reduce household utility and transportation expenses and use innovative energy-efficient and renewable technologies. In this performance evaluation, the authors make actionable recommendations to strengthen the initiative and increase the likelihood of achieving and verifying outcomes as the program continues to mature.
Indonesian Fires and Haze: Measuring the Health Consequences of Smoke Exposure July 20, 2021

Miriam E. Marlier, Jaime Madrigano, Alexandra Huttinger, Nicholas E. Burger
Fires in Indonesia contribute to severe air pollution, or haze, that causes public health, environmental, and economic degradation in Indonesia and across equatorial Asia. In this report, the authors present preliminary analysis that explores the drivers of fire activity in Indonesia and quantifies health consequences using a local survey collected in districts located around the country, and conclude with recommendations for future research.
Incentivizing Solar: Catalyzing Solar Energy Technology Adoption to Address the Challenge of Climate Change July 14, 2021

Liam Regan, Brian Wong, Benjamin Lee Preston, Aimee E. Curtright
The authors provide an overview of the U.S. solar energy market, the changes it has undergone, and the challenges that lie ahead as the broader energy system evolves. They identify federal incentives that are consistent with achieving deep decarbonization of the U.S. economy. They also explore the reliability and resiliency of solar power, its co-benefits for the jobs market, and its availability to disadvantaged and vulnerable communities.
Climate Control: International Legal Mechanisms for Managing the Geopolitical Risks of Geoengineering May 25, 2021

Michelle Grisé, Emmi Yonekura, Jonathan S. Blake, David DeSmet, Anusree Garg, Benjamin Lee Preston
The prospect of using geoengineering to address the accelerating effects of climate change is becoming more likely, and many of the potential technologies have negative externalities on the global to regional scale. In this Perspective, the authors review the state of different geoengineering technologies, the geopolitical risks associated with geoengineering implementation, and international governance options.
Water Planning for the Uncertain Future: An Interactive Guide to the Use of Methods for Decisionmaking Under Deep Uncertainty (DMDU) for U.S. Bureau of Reclamation Water Resources Planning March 8, 2021

David G. Groves, Nidhi Kalra, James Syme, Edmundo Molina-Perez, Chandra Garber
Recent climatic shifts likely will continue to affect water resources management in significant but uncertain ways. This tool provides information about decisionmaking under deep uncertainty methods—specifically, Robust Decision Making—through five case studies. These case studies focus on three river basins, the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, and Monterrey, Mexico.
Planificación De Infraestructura Hídrica Para El Futuro Incierto En América Latina: Un Enfoque Eficiente En Costos Y Tiempo Para Tomar Decisiones Robustas De Infraestructura, Con Un Estudio De Caso En Mendoza, Argentina February 11, 2021

David G. Groves, Michelle E. Miro, James Syme, Alejandro Uriel Becerra-Ornelas, Edmundo Molina-Perez, Valentina Saavedra Gómez, Adrien Vogt-Schilb
El presente estudio demuestra la utilidad del enfoque de Toma de Decisiones Robustas para evaluar la vulnerabilidad y las oportunidades de adaptación de la gestión de los recursos hídricos en Mendoza, Argentina.
The Benefits and Costs of Decarbonizing Costa Rica's Economy: Informing the Implementation of Costa Rica's National Decarbonization Plan Under Uncertainty November 24, 2020

David G. Groves, James Syme, Edmundo Molina-Perez, Carlos Calvo Hernandez, Luis F. Víctor-Gallardo, Guido Godinez-Zamora, Jairo Quirós-Tortós, Felipe De León Denegri, Andrea Meza Murillo, Valentina Saavedra Gómez, et al.
Costa Rica's National Decarbonization Plan sets the ambitious goal for the country to become carbon-neutral by 2050. The authors of this report applied a novel methodology for planning under deep uncertainty to evaluate whether the benefits of the plan exceed its costs. They find that under the vast majority of plausible assumptions about the future, the plan would achieve or nearly achieve its goals and do so at a net economic benefit.
How Can Green Infrastructure Help to Manage Rainfall in an Urban Watershed? October 29, 2020

Jordan R. Fischbach, Michael T. Wilson, Craig A. Bond, Ajay K. Kochhar, David Catt, Devin Tierney
This brief describes a proposed system of green stormwater infrastructure (GSI) in Pittsburgh's Negley Run watershed, evaluates its potential benefits and costs, and presents recommendations to improve urban stormwater management.
Managing Heavy Rainfall with Green Infrastructure: An Evaluation in Pittsburgh's Negley Run Watershed October 26, 2020

Jordan R. Fischbach, Michael T. Wilson, Craig A. Bond, Ajay K. Kochhar, David Catt, Devin Tierney
Urban stormwater management is a growing challenge in many U.S. cities, and climate change is expected to add to this challenge. RAND researchers apply simulation modeling and economic valuation to estimate the potential benefits and costs of a green stormwater infrastructure (GSI) system in Pittsburgh's Negley Run watershed. The authors evaluate a series of GSI investments and make recommendations for how local actors should proceed.
Beyond Recovery: Transforming Puerto Rico's Water Sector in the Wake of Hurricanes Irma and Maria September 30, 2020

Benjamin Lee Preston, Michelle E. Miro, Paul Brenner, Christopher K. Gilmore, John F. Raffensperger, Jaime Madrigano, Alexandra Huttinger, Michael Blackhurst, David Catt
The 2017 hurricanes damaged Puerto Rico's water infrastructure and its water resources. This damage was attributed to existing vulnerability of infrastructure, direct hurricane damage, and indirect disruption stemming from damage in other sectors. The water sector recovery plan involves not only repairing hurricane-damaged structures and systems but also fixing the many legacy challenges in the water sector's operations and governance.
Municipalities on the Front Lines of Puerto Rico's Recovery: Assessing Damage, Needs, and Opportunities for Recovery After Hurricane Maria September 30, 2020

Blas Nunez-Neto, Andrew Lauland, Jair Aguirre, Gabriela Castro, Italo A. Gutierrez, Marielena Lara, Etienne Rosas, Beverly A. Weidmer
Homeland Security Operational Analysis Center experts assessed Hurricanes Irma and Maria's effect on Puerto Rico's municipalities' ability to govern, deliver services, and recover from the damage they incurred. They created a framework for assessing municipalities' recovery and developed courses of action to address damage and improve municipal capacity.
Environment, Geography, and the Future of Warfare: The Changing Global Environment and Its Implications for the U.S. Air Force May 11, 2020

Shira Efron, Kurt Klein, Raphael S. Cohen
This volume of the Future of Warfare series examines some of the most significant environmental and geographic trends that could affect U.S. national security and the future of warfare: rising global temperatures, the opening of the Arctic, sea level rise, extreme weather events, water scarcity, and increasing urbanization.
Education, Employment, and Wages in the Appalachia Region: Final Report (2020) April 9, 2020

Matthew D. Baird, Gerald P. Hunter, Nathaniel Edenfield, Nicholas Broten, Gabriella C. Gonzalez
The authors examine indicators of education and labor markets in the Appalachia Partnership Initiative (API) region, with a focus on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, and on the extraction industry. The authors look at how the indicators have changed over time, tighten some of their analysis specifically to the API region, and introduce new measures, such as participation in career and technical education.
Chesapeake Bay Watershed Climate Impacts Summary and Outlook: Winter 2019-2020 March 23, 2020

Michelle E. Miro, Krista Romita Grocholski, Samantha Borisoff, Jessica Spaccio, Jordan R. Fischbach, Arthur T. DeGaetano, Kyle D. Haak
This web-based tool is part of a quarterly series that draws from a variety of scientific resources to inform Chesapeake Bay Watershed policymakers, practitioners, residents, and community leaders on historical and projected future climate trends. An interactive tool shows projections of percentage change in freeze-thaw days to 2099.
Chesapeake Bay Watershed Climate Impacts Summary and Outlook: Fall 2019 December 17, 2019

Michelle E. Miro, Krista Romita Grocholski, Samantha Borisoff, Jordan R. Fischbach, Arthur T. DeGaetano, Pamela H. Braff, Stephanie Tanverakul
This web-based tool is part of a quarterly series that draws from a variety of scientific resources to inform Chesapeake Bay Watershed policymakers, practitioners, residents, and community leaders on historical and projected future climate trends. Hurricane damage in the Mid-Atlantic and changes in hurricane frequency and intensity are shown in interactive figures.
Updating the Costs of Compliance for California's Hospital Seismic Safety Standards March 28, 2019

Benjamin Lee Preston, Tom LaTourrette, James R. Broyles, R. J. Briggs, David Catt, Christopher Nelson, Jeanne S. Ringel, Daniel A. Waxman
California Senate Bill 1953 requires structural and nonstructural upgrades to hospital buildings to enhance resilience to seismic events. This report estimates the costs to hospitals of compliance, focusing on the 2030 deadline. The potential costs have raised significant concerns regarding the financial burden on hospital systems and the opportunity costs associated with hospitals investing large pools of capital to implement seismic upgrades.
Database of Literature on Disaster Surveys March 18, 2019

Amanda F. Edelman, Andrew M. Parker, Melissa L. Finucane
The Consortium for Resilient Gulf Communities is working to assess and address the public health, social, and economic impacts of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico region. As part of that effort, the group conducted a literature review on the impacts of natural and man-made disasters in the United States and created a corresponding database with the results from that review.
Decision Support Tool for the San Francisco Bay-Delta Levees Investment Strategy: Documentation and Use March 7, 2019

David G. Groves, Nidhi Kalra, James Syme, Hollie Ellis, Charles L. Gardiner, Lawrence H. Roth
The Delta Stewardship Council commissioned the development of a risk modeling framework and decision support tool (DST) to aid in the formulation of a Delta Levees Investment Strategy for the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta. This report describes the decision support tool and underlying methodology used to evaluate the probability of flooding and various risks in several future scenarios.

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Student Spotlights

Jay Balagna

Assistant Policy Researcher, RAND

Jay Balagna (he/him) is a Ph.D. student in the Community-Partnered Policy and Action stream at the Pardee RAND Graduate School and an assistant policy researcher at RAND. His research interests include disaster studies, disaster risk reduction and creation, the influence of climate change on…
Alexandra Huttinger

Assistant Policy Researcher, RAND, and Ph.D. Candidate, Pardee RAND Graduate School

Alexandra Huttinger is an environmental health scientist and a public health practitioner whose dissertation focuses on equity in policy responses to cliamte change. As a Ph.D. candidate at Pardee RAND Graduate School and assistant policy researcher at RAND, she contributes to research spanning…
David DeSmet

Ph.D. Candidate, Pardee RAND Graduate School, and Assistant Policy Researcher, RAND

David DeSmet (he/him/his) is an assistant policy researcher at RAND and a Ph.D candidate at the Pardee RAND Graduate School. His research at RAND has spanned the resilience of civil infrastructure, cascading disasters in the context of "green swan" events and energy grids, logistics optimization…
James Syme

Assistant Policy Researcher, RAND

James Syme is Ph.D. candidate at Pardee RAND Graduate School and an assistant policy researcher at the RAND Corporation. His research focuses on legislative redistricting, decarbonization and climate change adaptation (DMDU/RDM), complexity and Markov decision theory, optimization, graphs and…