Redefining Air: Industry’s Pipeline to Power at EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation

Following a months-long investigation, today, U.S. Senators Tom Carper (D-Del.), top Democrat on the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), top Democrat on the EPW Clean Air and Nuclear Safety Subcommittee unveiled, “Redefining Air: Industry’s Pipeline to Power at EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation.” The report details efforts by former Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Assistant Administrator Bill Wehrum and his senior counsel, David Harlow, to achieve policy outcomes to the benefit of several industry organizations represented by Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP (“Hunton”), the law firm at which Wehrum and Harlow worked prior to their …

An inter-model assessment of the role of direct air capture in deep mitigation pathways

The feasibility of large-scale biological CO2 removal to achieve stringent climate targets remains unclear. Direct Air Carbon Capture and Storage (DACCS) offers an alternative negative emissions technology (NET) option. Here we conduct the first inter-model comparison on the role of DACCS in 1.5 and 2 °C scenarios, under a variety of techno-economic assumptions. Deploying DACCS significantly reduces mitigation costs, and it complements rather than substitutes other NETs. The key factor limiting DACCS deployment is the rate at which it can be scaled up. Our scenarios’ average DACCS scale-up rates of 1.5 GtCO2/yr would require considerable sorbent production and up to …

Climate Change and Agricultural Risk Management Into the 21st Century

The Federal Government implements a number of programs that mitigate risk in agriculture,
including the Federal Crop Insurance Program (FCIP), Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC), Price
Loss Coverage (PLC), and several others. The FCIP provides subsidized insurance, while other
programs provide payments to farmers in response to adverse production or market conditions.
Together, the costs of these programs have averaged about $12 billion annually over the past
decade. Year-to-year fluctuations in these costs are heavily influenced by weather variability,
which affects yields and prices. The Federal Government’s cost exposure is expected to increase
as weather averages and extremes change over the …

Decarbonizing the Electricity Sector & Beyond: Summary Report of the 2019 Winter Energy Roundtable

The latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report has intensified the focus on measures to achieve deep decarbonization. For the United States, most experts say that, if the aim is to be on a 1.5°C pathway, the United States must transition to a net-zero carbon profile economy-wide by around mid-century, going negative thereafter.

At the 2019 Aspen Institute Winter Energy Roundtable, February 25-28, ~50 executives, entrepreneurs, policy makers and thought leaders gathered to tackle how the US can achieve economy-wide decarbonization on a scientifically called-for timeline while ensuring national economic competitiveness and a just transition. During these discussions, the …

Parting the Red (Tape) Sea: Delivering Infrastructure Projects on Time and on Budget is Key to Hitting Climate Goals

Getting to zero carbon in the United States will require a major, national investment in new energy, transportation, and building infrastructure, as well as in rebuilding our existing, decaying infrastructure. The U.S. used to do this very well – delivering ambitious public works projects on time and on budget. Those days, however, are currently far in the rearview mirror. To reach our climate goals, we’re going to need to get back to building big things at their original price tag and getting them done on schedule. To accomplish this, Third Way identified seven roadblocks plaguing U.S. infrastructure projects with overruns …

Oil and gas company strategies regarding the energy transition

This paper considers the role of oil companies in the energy transition. That is, what strategies and investments these companies have made and what roles they have taken in response to the potential challenges of a likely transition to a low-carbon world. Previous work considered the role of several of the international oil companies in investing in renewable energy, and this paper expands the scope of inquiry to national oil companies and to other technologies such as carbon capture and storage and hydrogen fuel cells.…

The Risk of Fiscal Collapse in Coal-Reliant Communities

This paper examines the implications of a carbon-constrained future on coal-dependent local governments in the United States. It considers the outlook for US coal production over the next decade under such conditions and explores the risk this will pose for county finances. The paper also considers the responsibilities of jurisdictions to disclose these risks, particularly when they issue bonds, and the actions leaders can take to mitigate the risks.…

“WITH POWERS SO DISPOSED” AMERICA AND THE GLOBAL STRATEGIC ENERGY COMPETITION

The President’s National Security Strategy accurately refers to “America’s central position in the global energy system as a leading producer, consumer, and innovator.” Previous generations strived to achieve the status we now enjoy, using all types of fuel to propel the economic growth of a superpower. Logistical networks and world-class infrastructure enabled this expansion.…

2018 State of U.S. High Tide Flooding with a 2019 Outlook

High tide flooding, sometimes referred to as nuisance flooding, is coastal flooding that leads to public inconveniences such as road closures. It is becoming increasingly common as sea levels rise. NOAA has released an outlook on coastal high tide flooding every year since 2014.…

Is There a Future for Nuclear Power in the United States?

Whither nuclear power? That question has become more important as energy policies evolve to emphasize emissions-free “green” energy and an increased electrification of the U.S. economy. Some environmentalists consider nuclear power to be crucial to reducing carbon emissions; others continue to vehemently oppose nuclear power and believe that our energy must come solely from renewable sources. Asked whether they favor or oppose nuclear power, the public is split.…