Commodity prices and conflict: How price shocks affect civil unrest
Review of a 2013 paper in The Review of Economic Studies and other studies that shed light on the connection between food insecurity and violent conflict.
Environment
Research roundups, tip sheets, articles and explainers related to the topic of energy and the environment
Expert Commentary
Heat waves in the United States: Research on trends, definitions and dangers to the public
2013 review of relevant studies and reports on weather trends and heat waves, examining both technical studies and public health estimates of the impact on mortality rates.
Expert Commentary
Coal and public health: Scientific evidence from the U.S. and China
2013 review of reearch on the health effects of coal, with a focus on a study in PNAS on the relationship between coal combustion and mortality in China.
Expert Commentary
Does governmental incentives or economic growth stimulate green-building construction?
2013 study by Florida State University the effectiveness of a range of state incentive programs for the construction of energy-efficient builtings..
Expert Commentary
The 97 percent: Three key papers quantifying scientific concensus on climate change
2013 review of three academic papers that survey the scientific literature and community and determine that 97% of scientists agree about climate change.
Expert Commentary
Summer temperature variability and long-term survival among elderly people
2012 study from the Harvard School of Public Health and the University of Michigan on how summer temperatures can affect the elderly suffering from chronic diseases.
Expert Commentary
Cultural cognition of scientific consensus
2010 study by the Yale, George Washington Law School, and the University of Oklahoma on how values shape perceptions of expert agreement and truth.
Expert Commentary
Climate change, natural disasters and community resiliency: Research roundup
2013 selection of recent research on the effects of climate change on the built environment and how individuals and communities can best adapt.
Expert Commentary
What is a tree worth? Green-city strategies and housing prices
2008 University of Pennsylvania study published in Real Estate Economics on the relationship between curbside tree plantings and property-value changes.
Expert Commentary
Coal country and the research battle: Interview with Ken Ward Jr. of the Charleston Gazette
2013 interview with Ken Ward Jr., of The Charleston Gazette (W.Va.), one of the country’s leading voices on energy and environment issues.
Expert Commentary