Time to Vote Out Coal
The U.S. cannot afford four more years of pandering to coal. Never has climate change felt so real as waking up two weeks ago to orange skies, darkened by the … Continue Reading Time to Vote Out Coal
Are There More Blackouts in California’s Future?
Rising electricity demand from air conditioning will exacerbate problems during heat waves. The Bay Area has definitely felt dystopian recently. Our Covid cases are high, we’ve had heat waves and … Continue Reading Are There More Blackouts in California’s Future?
Truckin’ California Style
Zero emission trucks will play a major role in California freight transport. While the Trump administration is busy dousing 50 years of environmental regulation with leaded gasoline, setting it on … Continue Reading Truckin’ California Style
Biden’s New Climate Plan
On the economics of building back greener. With a high-stakes election on the horizon, the Democrats are working hard to shore up a winning policy platform. The Biden-Sanders Unity Task … Continue Reading Biden’s New Climate Plan
How Utility Customers Will Pay for the Pandemic
Time to reexamine how utility losses will be shared among customers. The coronavirus pandemic has thrown public finances into turmoil. Legislators and city councils are wrestling with what services to … Continue Reading How Utility Customers Will Pay for the Pandemic
Understanding and Refining Emissions Markets
Tweaking the market will help, but so will recognizing its limits. After California’s May allowance auction settled at the minimum price and generated almost no revenues for the state, the … Continue Reading Understanding and Refining Emissions Markets
Five Arguments for Making Subways Free
Lowering subway fares would save energy and make cities greener. Subway ridership has fallen sharply around the world due to COVID-19. For most of the 170+ subway systems worldwide it … Continue Reading Five Arguments for Making Subways Free
International Trade Policies Subsidize Pollution
Lower trade barriers on dirty industries effectively subsidize climate change. Photo by chuttersnap on Unsplash In my new working paper and cool accompanying video released today, I assess how international … Continue Reading International Trade Policies Subsidize Pollution
Will We Still Be Riding on the Same Bus Post Corona?
There could be long run consequences for public transit ridership after this crisis is over. Currently, there are a large number of economists telling epidemiologists how to do their job … Continue Reading Will We Still Be Riding on the Same Bus Post Corona?
What Just Happened to the Mercury Rule?
Last week’s EPA decision adds insult to injury for our already vulnerable communities. Perhaps you missed it. There’s a lot going on right now. But amidst all the COVID-19 headlines … Continue Reading What Just Happened to the Mercury Rule?
The Crazy History of Lead in Gasoline
A new paper estimates the massive damages from leaded gasoline (which is still around). In my free time I really like reading about the history of pollutants. While PM2.5 and … Continue Reading The Crazy History of Lead in Gasoline
Is This a Trump Bump?
Air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions have increased during the Trump presidency. The EPA just released the latest greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory. This is a massive report and public dataset … Continue Reading Is This a Trump Bump?
No Nukes, Mo Problems.
A new paper reveals the financial and environmental costs of Germany’s nuclear power phaseout. I spent the first fifteen years of my life in Northern Bavaria, right next to the … Continue Reading No Nukes, Mo Problems.
Waving Goodbye to the California Waiver?
The latest twist in the Trump fuel economy rollback. The year 1969 was highly notable—Apollo 11 landed on the moon, free love blossomed at Woodstock, and Richard Milhous Nixon was … Continue Reading Waving Goodbye to the California Waiver?
What’s Up with the Downtrend in EPA Enforcement Effort?
This emerging trend could spell trouble… Over the past weeks, we’ve been confronted with a sobering example of what can happen when enforcement of environmental regulations falls slack. Following a … Continue Reading What’s Up with the Downtrend in EPA Enforcement Effort?
The Economic Case For Greta Thunberg
A young “Climate Warrior” sails into New York with a powerful message. Christopher Columbus in 1492 found some evidence supporting the theory that the Earth is actually round. (Pythagoras “a … Continue Reading The Economic Case For Greta Thunberg
