Environmental Valuation & Cost-Benefit News

tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37213272817983574252026-03-30T02:59:04.172-04:00Environmental Valuation & Cost-Benefit NewsSupporting Rational Evaluation Over Preconception by Facilitating Comprehensive QuantificationCostBenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04071275108594827359noreply@blogger.comBlogger1169125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3721327281798357425.post-34024569607736043082026-01-25T15:14:00.000-05:002026-01-25T15:14:08.662-05:00Accounting for Ocean Impacts Nearly Doubles the Social Cost of Carbon

This article argues that traditional measures of the social cost of carbon (SCC) have largely overlooked the impacts of climate change on "blue capital," which includes marine ecosystems and infrastructure. The authors integrated the latest ocean science and economic data into a climate-economy model to capture the repercussions for corals, mangroves, seaports, fisheries, and mariculture. This

CostBenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04071275108594827359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3721327281798357425.post-91168985308705676302026-01-25T13:55:00.001-05:002026-01-31T00:28:36.875-05:00Trends and Biases in the Social Cost of Carbon

Richard Tol provides an updated meta-analysis of the social cost of carbon (SCC), a central statistic used to justify climate policies by measuring the benefit of reducing CO2 emissions. The study explores how various ethical assumptions and model parameters, such as the pure rate of time preference, influence the final estimates. Tol notes that the literature is dominated by a relatively small,

CostBenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04071275108594827359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3721327281798357425.post-35797818018666310202026-01-25T13:43:00.004-05:002026-01-31T00:30:10.353-05:00Costs and Benefits of Halving Nitrogen Waste for Global Sustainable Development Goals

Nitrogen waste is identified as a significant threat to global sustainable development, prompting the United Nations to propose halving such waste to reach Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This paper uses an integrated assessment framework to quantitatively link nitrogen waste to all 17 UN SDGs, moving beyond previous qualitative analyses. The waste streams include ammonia emissions, nitrous

CostBenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04071275108594827359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3721327281798357425.post-36591728201880367772026-01-25T11:28:00.003-05:002026-01-25T11:29:20.533-05:00Hidden Costs of Repealing EPA's Carbon Pollution Standards

This issue brief analyzes the 2025 proposal by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to repeal the Carbon Pollution Standards (CPS) for fossil-fired power plants. The authors evaluate the economic and environmental consequences of this deregulatory move, particularly in the context of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA). The stated goals of the repeal are to lower costs and meet

CostBenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04071275108594827359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3721327281798357425.post-53649607114131912692026-01-25T11:15:00.002-05:002026-01-31T00:36:43.797-05:00Wildfire smoke and outdoor recreation welfare losses

Wildfire smoke has surged across the western United States, and this paper quantifies the per-trip welfare loss when campers confront smoky conditions. Using millions of campground reservations merged with day-by-day satellite smoke plumes and PM data, the authors estimate that smoke reduces welfare by $107 per person per trip, with larger losses when smoke persists for consecutive days. 

CostBenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04071275108594827359noreply@blogger.com0United States38.7945952 -106.534837910.484361363821158 -141.6910879 67.104829036178842 -71.3785879tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3721327281798357425.post-36287884478899099872026-01-25T10:02:00.004-05:002026-01-25T10:03:46.576-05:00The Impact of Physical Climate Risk on the Valuation of Global Equity

This article examines how physical climate damages (and tipping risks) propagate into the valuation of a global equity portfolio. Under plausible assumptions about weak abatement and the presence of low-threshold climate tipping points, the difference in shareholder value relative to a world without climate damages can exceed 40%, indicating that markets may be materially underpricing physical

CostBenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04071275108594827359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3721327281798357425.post-27624562665012018442026-01-25T09:40:00.001-05:002026-01-25T09:40:54.390-05:00Evaluating the Full Cost of PFAS: Considerations for Cost-Benefit Analysis and Regulatory Design

This report synthesizes recent research on the monetized damages caused by per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), a class of synthetic "forever chemicals" that accumulate in humans and ecosystems. The authors argue that while existing estimates of PFAS-related economic damages are substantial, they are likely significant understatements due to limited scopes in exposure pathways and health

CostBenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04071275108594827359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3721327281798357425.post-11078938791675259302026-01-25T08:50:00.001-05:002026-01-25T08:55:24.701-05:00Projected Effects of the Clean Competition Act of 2025

This report analyzes the projected impacts of the Clean Competition Act (CCA), which proposes a domestic performance standard and a carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM) for energy-intensive goods. Using the Global Economic Model (GEM), the authors assess how carbon fees on US manufacturers and analogous tariffs on imports would influence trade, revenues, and emissions. The policy is designed

CostBenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04071275108594827359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3721327281798357425.post-30149264819281819762026-01-25T08:25:00.003-05:002026-01-25T08:53:04.227-05:00Assessing Ecosystem Service Value Dynamics and Compensation Gaps in Key Ecological Zones of Xizang

This research examines the challenge of balancing ecological conservation with socio-economic growth in the Xizang Autonomous Region, a critical ecological barrier for Asia. The study employed the "value equivalent factor method" and high-resolution remote sensing data to assess land use changes and ecosystem service value (ESV) dynamics from 2000 to 2020. The authors focused on eight key

CostBenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04071275108594827359noreply@blogger.com0Tibet, China29.6472399 91.1174499999999911.3370060638211534 55.961199999999991 57.957473736178841 126.27369999999999tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3721327281798357425.post-77797036279357728472026-01-25T00:58:00.008-05:002026-01-25T08:25:51.178-05:00Cost and Benefits of Climate Change Adaptation Policies: Evidence from an RCT and Extreme Flooding in Pakistan

This study estimates the damage costs of climate change by incorporating the specific costs and benefits of adaptation measures across various environmental scenarios. The researchers utilized a three-year tracking period of households in rural Sindh, Pakistan, which included exposure to extreme monsoon flooding in 2016. This field-based approach allowed for a precise analysis of how targeted

CostBenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04071275108594827359noreply@blogger.com0Pakistan30.375321 69.345115999999992.0650871638211541 34.18886599999999 58.685554836178845 104.50136599999999tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3721327281798357425.post-27963121146386356922026-01-25T00:39:00.004-05:002026-01-31T00:53:34.325-05:00Does Urban Overheating Affect Neighborhood Attractiveness? Evidence from the French Housing Market

This article investigates urban overheating as an environmental "dis-amenity" that negatively impacts the health and quality of life for residents. By reducing the attractiveness of certain neighborhoods, overheating is hypothesized to exert downward pressure on housing prices. The study utilizes a unique "Thermocity" dataset, which provides high-resolution nighttime land surface temperature data

CostBenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04071275108594827359noreply@blogger.com0France46.227638 2.21374917.917404163821153 -32.942501 74.537871836178851 37.369999tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3721327281798357425.post-51768806723279296682023-06-14T09:25:00.005-04:002023-06-14T09:25:30.724-04:00Life Cycle Air Pollution, Greenhouse Gas, and Traffic Externality Benefits and Costs of Electrifying Uber and Lyft

Abstract Transportation network companies (TNCs), such as Uber and Lyft, have pledged to fully electrify their ridesourcing vehicle fleets by 2030 in the United States. In this paper, Aniruddh Mohan, Matthew Bruchon, Jeremy Michalek, and Parth Vaishnav introduce AgentX, a novel agent-based model built in Julia for simulating ridesourcing services with high geospatial

CostBenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04071275108594827359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3721327281798357425.post-33458001299823327952023-06-13T11:22:00.000-04:002023-06-13T11:23:33.164-04:00The regional economic impact of wildfires: Evidence from Southern Europe

AbstractSarah Meier, Robert J.R. Elliott and Eric Strobl estimate the impact of wildfires on the growth rate of gross domestic product (GDP) and employment of regional economies in Southern Europe from 2011 to 2018. To this end the authors match Eurostat economic data with geospatial burned area perimeters based on satellite imagery for 233 Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics (

CostBenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04071275108594827359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3721327281798357425.post-75809544710619540272023-06-13T11:20:00.003-04:002023-06-13T11:20:30.769-04:00Conducting techno-economic analyses of early-stage designs for net-zero water and energy affordable homes

Abstract Purpose: This study aims to provide and illustrate the application of a framework for conducting techno-economic analyses (TEA) of early-stage designs for net-zero water and energy, single-family homes that meet affordable housing criteria in diverse locations. Design/methodology/approach: The framework is developed and applied in a case example of a TEA of four designs for

CostBenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04071275108594827359noreply@blogger.com0St Lucie County, FL, USA27.3225563 -80.54384499999999-0.98767753617884679 -115.70009499999999 55.632790136178841 -45.38759499999999tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3721327281798357425.post-72091130477617962442023-06-12T07:12:00.004-04:002023-06-13T11:21:23.548-04:00Policy evaluation of waste pricing programs using heterogeneous causal effect estimation

AbstractUsing machine learning methods in a quasi-experimental setting, Marica Valente studies the heterogeneous effects of introducing waste prices – unit prices on household unsorted waste disposal – on waste demands and municipal costs. Using a unique panel of Italian municipalities with large variation in prices and observables, she shows that waste demands are nonlinear. The author finds

CostBenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04071275108594827359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3721327281798357425.post-49252686363054206752023-06-09T17:12:00.000-04:002023-06-09T17:12:00.577-04:00Tree cover and property values in the United States: A national meta-analysis

Abstract[A meta-analysis by Kent Kovacs, Grant West, David J. Nowak and Robert G. Haight] uses 21 hedonic property value studies and 157 unique observations to study the influence of tree cover on the value of homes in the United States. The authors construct elasticity estimates of the percentage change in home value for a 1% change in the percentage of tree cover around a home. Cluster weighted

CostBenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04071275108594827359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3721327281798357425.post-32350639689184952812023-06-09T13:19:00.001-04:002023-06-09T13:19:07.225-04:00Estimating the benefits of stream water quality improvements in urbanizing watersheds: An ecological production function approach

SignificanceStreams are under significant ecological stress in rapidly urbanizing watersheds around the world. However, estimates of the combined use and nonuse benefits of improving urban stream water quality, which are critical for guiding policy, are generally lacking. To address this gap, Roger H. von Haefen, George Van Houtven, Alexandra Naumenko, Daniel R. Obenour, Jonathan W. Miller,

CostBenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04071275108594827359noreply@blogger.com0North Carolina, USA35.7595731 -79.0192996999999917.4493392638211517 -114.17554969999999 64.06980693617885 -43.863049699999991tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3721327281798357425.post-24534147450227670602023-05-23T16:12:00.003-04:002023-05-23T16:20:41.296-04:00New damage curves and multimodel analysis suggest lower optimal temperature

Abstract:Economic analyses of global climate change have been criticized for their poor representation of climate change damages. Here we develop and apply aggregate damage functions in three economic Integrated Assessment Models (IAMs) with different degrees of complexity. The damage functions encompass a wide but still incomplete set of climate change impacts based on physical impact models. [

CostBenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04071275108594827359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3721327281798357425.post-36140784652220375672023-05-23T15:02:00.004-04:002023-05-23T15:04:03.552-04:00Sustainability transitions of contaminated sites: A global meta-analysis on economic effects of remediation behaviour

Abstract:The worldwide diversity of contaminated sites, coupled with a scarcity of available land presents a challenge for urban spatial planning and, has led to an increasing political significance for brownfield conservation and reuse to achieve land resource sustainability. In this study, economic or the so-called ‘rebound effects’ of land regeneration are studied via a global meta-analysis on

CostBenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04071275108594827359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3721327281798357425.post-91333133704518779972023-05-22T22:01:00.006-04:002023-05-23T07:04:09.166-04:00An Analysis of U.S. Multi-Family Housing, Eco-Certifications, & Walkability

Abstract:This paper examines the persistence of differentiated pricing in the multi-family housing related to eco-certification. In examining a sample of market rents for non-specialty, multi-family properties both across the U.S., as well as those areas that enjoy the highest concentrations of LEED certified apartments, Jeremy Gabe, Karen McGrath, Spenser Robinson and Andrew Sanderford find

CostBenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04071275108594827359noreply@blogger.com0United States37.09024 -95.7128919.5819625045790815 -130.869141 64.598517495420921 -60.556641tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3721327281798357425.post-70751426286940390212023-05-22T19:39:00.002-04:002026-01-31T00:58:06.777-05:00EPA and State of New Jersey Propose Settlement with Bank of America for Monmouth County, NJ Superfund Site Cleanup

On May 15, 2023 the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a proposed settlement with Bank of America to address the White Swan Cleaners/Sun Cleaners Area Groundwater Contamination Superfund Site in Wall Township, Monmouth County, New Jersey. Under the proposed agreement, Bank of America, the current owner of the White Swan property, will be required to fund and perform vapor

CostBenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04071275108594827359noreply@blogger.com0Wall Township, NJ, USA40.1801451 -74.0683294999999913.671409972300562 -109.22457949999999 66.688880227699428 -38.91207949999999tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3721327281798357425.post-49535819457170932722023-05-22T18:33:00.003-04:002023-05-22T19:05:11.430-04:00The External Costs of Industrial Chemical Accidents: A Nationwide Property Value Study

Abstract:Industrial chemical accidents involving fires, explosions, or toxic vapors impose external costs on nearby communities. We examine changes in residential property values using nationwide data on chemical facilities, accidents, and residential transactions within a spatial difference-in-differences framework. Dennis Guignet, Robin R. Jenkins, Christoph Nolte, and James Belke find

CostBenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04071275108594827359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3721327281798357425.post-85643520488679404182023-05-22T15:20:00.001-04:002023-05-22T15:20:10.437-04:00Evaluating Property Value Impacts from Water-Related 'Green Infrastructure': A Hedonic Modeling Approach

Abstract:Over the past several decades, the rapid growth of Southwestern United States desert cities is creating significant climate and water scarcity challenges. City planners are using green infrastructure to mitigate these challenges and develop more livable, sustainable, and resilient communities. This study uses hedonic pricing modeling (HPM) to evaluate how constructed wastewater wetlands

CostBenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04071275108594827359noreply@blogger.com0Crystal Gardens, Avondale, AZ 85392, USA33.4726412 -112.29652165.1624073638211527 -147.4527716 61.782875036178844 -77.1402716tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3721327281798357425.post-25958460752889276952023-05-21T22:11:00.006-04:002023-05-22T08:58:18.200-04:00Who Benefits from Hazardous Waste Cleanups? Evidence from the Housing Market

AbstractThe Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) manages cleanup of hazardous waste releases at over 3,500 sites across the US, which covers approximately 17.5% of all developed land in the country. This paper evaluates the national housing market impacts of cleanups performed under RCRA and estimates the program's impacts on neighborhood change. We find that cleanups near residential

CostBenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04071275108594827359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3721327281798357425.post-81692387263860377882023-05-21T21:12:00.002-04:002023-05-21T22:15:20.842-04:00Policies, Projections, and the Social Cost of Carbon: Results from the DICE-2023 Model

AbstractThe present study examines the assumptions, modeling structure, and preliminary results of DICE-2023, the revised Dynamic Integrated Model of Climate and the Economy (DICE), updated to 2023. The revision contains major changes in the carbon and climate modules, the treatment of non-industrial greenhouse gases, discount rates, as well as updates on all the major components. The major

CostBenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04071275108594827359noreply@blogger.com0