{"623457":{"#nid":"623457","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Ivan Allen College Faculty Address the Impacts of Climate Change","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAmong sobering statistics, 2018 was the fourth warmest year since 1880 (when consistent record-keeping began) with 2016, 2017, and 2015 ranking as the three hottest. Fallout from climate change includes melting polar ice, rising sea levels, coastal flooding, severe weather events, altered ecosystems, and species extinction.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFrom the perspective of the humanities and social sciences, faculty and researchers at the \u003Cstrong\u003EIvan Allen College of Liberal Arts\u003C\/strong\u003E are addressing\u0026nbsp;critical aspects of the increasingly complex\u0026nbsp;threats posed by climate change.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;The time to argue about the causes of climate change has passed,\u0026rdquo; said\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ce.gatech.edu\/people\/Faculty\/6425\/overview\u0022\u003EG. Wayne Clough\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E, president emeritus of \u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia Tech\u003C\/strong\u003E and senior advisor to the \u003Cstrong\u003EGlobal Change Program\u003C\/strong\u003E. \u0026ldquo;We need to focus on real solutions.\u0026quot;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBy appropriately valuing the benefits of greenhouse gas\u0026nbsp;mitigation measures such as increased energy efficiency,\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/econ.gatech.edu\/people\/person\/ccf7484f-ad7b-5a56-b020-e8297fe98b70\u0022\u003ELaura Taylor\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E, chair of the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/econ.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Economics\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;at Georgia Tech, and\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/spp.gatech.edu\/people\/person\/marilyn-a-brown\u0022\u003EMarilyn Brown\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E, Regents Professor and Brook Byers Professor of Sustainable Systems in Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/spp.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Public Policy\u003C\/a\u003E, are carving out innovative-yet-pragmatic solutions to the climate crisis.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch2\u003EEnvironmental Economics\u003C\/h2\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMitigating climate change isn\u0026rsquo;t just about new technologies, but also having the right numbers to develop effective policies and regulations.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s critical to assign a dollar number to benefits,\u0026rdquo; said\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/econ.gatech.edu\/people\/person\/ccf7484f-ad7b-5a56-b020-e8297fe98b70\u0022\u003ELaura Taylor\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E,\u0026nbsp;who specializes in the valuation of natural resources and ecosystem services. \u0026ldquo;The alternative is to say, \u0026lsquo;This matters because I say it matters.\u0026rsquo; That may be true, but it\u0026rsquo;s not helpful in a regulatory context when there are real costs being laid out on the table.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAn important component of the economics behind carbon-reduction is the value of reduced mortality risk (VRMR). \u0026ldquo;Whether one is considering policies to reduce the risk of death from extreme weather events or air pollution, sound estimates of a policy\u0026rsquo;s benefits are needed to weigh against the policy\u0026rsquo;s costs,\u0026rdquo; Taylor said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EVRMR numbers have fluctuated wildly from $1 million per life saved to well over $20 million, and Taylor has been working on new methods to improve those estimates.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn one innovative project, Taylor and Jonathan Lee (East Carolina University) have found evidence to support VRMR numbers used by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for regulations related to air pollutants and climate change. \u0026ldquo;There\u0026rsquo;s been a lot of debate over the EPA\u0026rsquo;s numbers, and I even thought they were too high before we began the study,\u0026rdquo; Taylor said. \u0026ldquo;But our numbers are exactly what they\u0026rsquo;re using ($8 million to $10 million per life saved). It\u0026rsquo;s important to nail that down because it can dramatically change the benefit-cost ratios.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch2\u003EEnergy efficiency: an unsung hero\u003C\/h2\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EPeople underestimate the role that energy efficiency can play in reducing carbon emissions, said\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/spp.gatech.edu\/people\/person\/marilyn-a-brown\u0022\u003EMarilyn Brown\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E, who serves as director of the\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cepl.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EClimate and Energy Policy Lab\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E. \u0026ldquo;Yet energy efficiency can provide a cost-effective and reliable alternative to building new power plants.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIndeed, during Brown\u0026rsquo;s tenure as a board director at the \u003Cstrong\u003ETennessee Valley Authority\u003C\/strong\u003E, energy efficiency was modeled as \u0026ldquo;virtual\u0026rdquo; 10-megawatt power plants. Analysis showed such programs could achieve energy savings of 900 to 1,300 megawatts for TVA by 2023 and 2,000 to 2,800 megawatts by 2033.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn her new book, \u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cem\u003EEmpowering the Great Energy Transition: Policy for a Low-Carbon Future\u003C\/em\u003E \u003C\/strong\u003E(Columbia University\u0026nbsp;Press), Brown looks at policies and business models that would mitigate climate change. Some examples include:\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cul\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003ERewarding utilities for promoting energy efficiency. Utilities currently profit from their investments in power generation and transmission lines, but don\u0026rsquo;t realize equal rewards from helping consumers use less electricity.\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003ELeveraging high-tech data. Microsensors and smart meters that provide real-time data, coupled with time-of-use rates, can help shift the use of appliances and machinery from on- to off-peak hours, making the grid more efficient and reliable.\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003EBetter financing. Low-income households and small businesses often can\u0026rsquo;t afford to pay up front for high-efficiency HVAC systems or water heaters. \u0026ldquo;Power companies could offer on-bill lending for energy-efficiency improvements in buildings that are repaid through utility bills,\u0026rdquo; Brown said.\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\u003C\/ul\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s important to understand the consequences of the playing field and make policies more equitable,\u0026rdquo; she added. \u0026ldquo;In many instances, energy policies and programs only benefit those who can afford to make investments in new technologies \u0026mdash; such as home energy retrofits, electric vehicles, and solar panels. Well-designed energy efficiency programs can pay for themselves and benefit all consumers.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EEdited from the story \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/rh.gatech.edu\/features\/cool-solutions-science-and-engineering-help-address-impacts-climate-change\u0022\u003ECool Solutions: Science and Engineering Help Address the Impacts of\u0026nbsp;Climate\u0026nbsp;Change\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;by T.J. Becker for\u0026nbsp;Research Horizons.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAmong sobering statistics, 2018 was the fourth warmest year since 1880 (when consistent record-keeping began) with 2016, 2017, and 2015 ranking as the three hottest. Fallout from increased global temperatures includes melting polar ice, rising sea levels, coastal flooding, severe weather events, altered ecosystems, and species extinction.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFrom the perspective of the humanities and social sciences, faculty and researchers at the \u003Cstrong\u003EIvan Allen College of Liberal Arts\u003C\/strong\u003E are addressing\u0026nbsp;critical aspects of the increasingly complex\u0026nbsp;threats posed by climate change.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"From environmental economics to energy efficiency, faculty and researchers in the Ivan Allen College are addressing\u00a0critical aspects of the increasingly complex\u00a0threats posed by climate change."}],"uid":"34559","created_gmt":"2019-07-16 22:28:15","changed_gmt":"2019-08-26 19:28:45","author":"pdemerritt3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2019-07-16T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2019-07-16T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"623458":{"id":"623458","type":"image","title":"Laura Taylor and Marilyn Brown","body":null,"created":"1563316612","gmt_created":"2019-07-16 22:36:52","changed":"1563316684","gmt_changed":"2019-07-16 22:38:04","alt":"A photo of School of Economics Chair Laura Taylor and School of Public Policy Professor Marilyn Brown","file":{"fid":"237444","name":"brown-taylor.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/brown-taylor.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/brown-taylor.png","mime":"image\/png","size":316113,"path_740":"http:\/\/tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/brown-taylor.png?itok=U8TSWl5y"}}},"media_ids":["623458"],"groups":[{"id":"1281","name":"Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts"}],"categories":[{"id":"151","name":"Policy, Social Sciences, and Liberal Arts"}],"keywords":[{"id":"330","name":"Marilyn Brown"},{"id":"168865","name":"Laura Taylor"},{"id":"167078","name":"School of Public Policy"},{"id":"167037","name":"school of economics"},{"id":"831","name":"climate change"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39511","name":"Public Service, Leadership, and Policy"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ERebecca Keane\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nDirector of Communications\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nrebecca.keane@iac.gatech.edu\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n404.894.1720\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["rebecca.keane@iac.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}