Publications

Global actions on climate change have already helped the United States avoid more than $200 billion in direct economic damage. Trillions of dollars more for the United States are at stake in securing commitments for future emissions reductions from foreign countries.

Coal mining on federal lands accounts for more than 40 percent of all coal produced in the United States. But outdated policies, longstanding loopholes, and prevalent environmental externalities keep American taxpayers from receiving their fair share of value from federal coal leases.

Evidence indicates that the social costs of domestic violence extend far beyond the private costs borne by victims and their immediate families. Supporting Survivors analyzes the social costs of this public health problem and explores civil legal aid efforts, which have been shown to reduce rates of domestic violence by helping victims obtain protective orders and other services.

Leasing federal lands for drilling and mining generates a huge amount of revenue for the United States, but the Department of the Interior, which oversees these leases, uses an antiquated fiscal system that deprives taxpayers of hundreds of millions of dollars. Our report analyzes how the fiscal terms for oil, gas, and coal leases could be modernized to ensure a fair return to the American public.

Climate change is expected to make wildfires more frequent and intense, with new areas facing wildfire risk. This could take a serious toll on the U.S. economy by expanding the area that wildfires burn 50 percent by 2050—and raising projected damages by tens of billions of dollars a year. Flammable Planet provides the first-ever estimate of the extent to which climate change will magnify the future economic costs of wildfires.