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Grantees are expected to submit an initial report describing their project within one month of receiving funds. The report should then be updated as the project produces results and upon it's final completion.

Assessing the Economic Factors Driving Agricultural and Point Source Participation in Market-Based Ecosystem Trading Programs
With the grant of $35,000 American Farmland Trust (AFT) received from the Alex. C. Walker Foundation in December 2008, AFT conducted two economic and market analyses to inform the design and launch of a private, market-based environmental trading system involving industrial facilities purchasing credits from farmers. The grant was critical for laying the foundation for launching the Conservation Marketplace of Minnesota, a multi-partner water quality trading market that brings together corporations, municipalities, and private landowners to protect water quality and restore wildlife habitat on agricultural land. Walker Foundation funding supported: 1) An analysis of the private market demand for ecosystem service credits in the watershed (i.e., the economic factors influencing industry's motivation to purchase environment credits from farmers); and 2) An analysis of the supply side for ecosystem service credits (i.e. the ability and inclination of farmers to produce sell credits).
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Setting Uniform Baselines for Water Quality Trading Markets
As the 8-state Ohio River Basin Water Quality Trading Project – the first interstate water quality trading market of its kind in the United States – is about to begin launching pilot trades between point sources and farmers in the region, there is an imminent need to establish a uniform baseline to support interstate trades. AFT proposes to analyze the impacts of different approaches to baseline issues in water quality trading markets from the standpoint of agriculture (the nonpoint source credit sellers) and then use this analysis to develop and reach consensus on a defensible, uniform baseline for the Ohio River Basin Water Quality Trading Market to support interstate trades. The work AFT proposes and its analysis will provide clarity and conformity concerning the required level of conservation that a farmer must meet in order to be able to generate a tradable conservation credit in this large-scale regional market.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Conservation Incentives (CI): Increasing the use of market-based approaches to conserve and enhance ecosystem services on private lands.
Under a grant from the Walker Foundation to the American Forest Foundation (AFF) in 2010, project lead Todd Gartner conducted three market-based efforts: 1) convening an Ecosystem Markets Conference; 2) developing an ecosystem market pilot for the Gopher Tortoise in the southeast US; and 3) creating a payment for watershed services program in New England. In 2010, Todd moved on to lead the conservation incentives and markets program at the World Resources Institute (WRI) www.wri.org but remained lead on the efforts highlighted above. He continues to work in close collaboration with AFF.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Climate Policy 2.0: Creating a Politically Viable Strategy to Accelerate the Global Transition to Low-Carbon Energy
Bringing Americans together around a new climate and energy policy framework first requires bringing together policy makers and policy wonks. Too often conversations about climate policy focus narrowly on either the supply or the demand side. Those focused on energy demand propose to make fossil fuels more expensive through new regulations, a carbon tax, and/or a revamped version of cap and trade legislation. Those focused on energy supply call for ways to promote renewables, natural gas, and nuclear energy through increased research and development, subsidies and tax credits, and public-private partnerships aimed at accelerating innovation. In June 2013, the Breakthrough Institute held a meeting to discuss both approaches with leading policy thinkers to clarify the roles of demand- and supply-side policy tools. Breakthrough presented a draft of our carbon pricing paper, and Adele Morris of the Brookings Institution and James Handley of the Carbon Tax Center presented their responses.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Breakthrough Institute - The Next Generation of Nuclear Policy
Next generation nuclear reactors have the potential to lead a nuclear renaissance in the United States that could help power the globe with zero-carbon energy. But the existing policy and regulatory framework is outdated, built during the Cold War for old nuclear reactor designs, and is ill suited to support the development of new reactors that could be sold on the open market. Moreover, nuclear energy faces stiff challenges in terms of cost and politics. Breakthrough Institute’s report How to Make Nuclear Cheap offers an important step forward in the effort to achieve economical advanced nuclear reactors.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Nuclear 2.0: Essential Energy for the 21st Century
We are at a crucial moment in the development of nuclear energy. For nuclear to be a significantly larger part of the energy mix, the development of safer and cheaper advanced designs must be accelerated. To do so, Breakthrough will work to reform public policy and innovation funding as well as garner stronger support from the public for next-generation nuclear.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
A High-Energy, Low Footprint Planet
From China to India to sub-Saharan Africa, industrializing countries are leading the way on energy innovation, with the development of advanced nuclear a key piece of their portfolios. Given the twin challenges of expanding energy access and shrinking the human footprint, the need for nuclear power is great. But much work remains to accelerate nuclear's development and deployment. As such, Breakthrough is seeking support to continue playing a lead role in researching how nuclear is a critical energy and conservation tool. Our strategy is to demonstrate how, due to its small footprint, nuclear has the ability to meet energy needs while sparing more land for wildlife and habitats. We also propose to survey historical costs for nuclear, with the goal of challenging the consensus that nuclear is intrinsically expensive and justifying the expansion of advanced nuclear.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
An Ecomodernist Approach to Climate Action
Through our original reports and analyses, communications work, and events and conferences, Breakthrough will craft pragmatic proposals to identify practical pathways that get the most out of present day low-carbon technologies such as conventional nuclear, hydro, natural gas, and renewables; accelerate low-carbon innovation; and ensure that existing energy infrastructure does not obstruct the market entrance of new zero-carbon technologies we will need to achieve deep decarbonization.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Nuclear Economics and Innovation
Through our original reports and analyses, communications work, and events and conferences, Breakthrough will address several policy and knowledge gaps in the nuclear space. Our work would clarify cost drivers in nuclear power plants and reveal options for cost reductions; it would disrupt the conversation around nuclear security and nuclear exports, opening new space for international nuclear innovation and deployment; it would expand the policy options for nuclear deployment, including state-directed energy policy and bottom-up nuclear entrepreneurialism; and it would get closer to the bottom of opposition to nuclear power in rich and poor countries, hopefully paving the way for new types of nuclear advocacy.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Policies to Assist Coal Workers and Their Communities
In this project, Brookings scholar Adele Morris will participate in field-based listening sessions with community development and economic transition leaders in coal-reliant communities, as organized by the Partnership for Responsible Growth (PRG). She will also conduct research and engagement on the issues independently of the PRG. Brookings plans to submit a second proposal in January 2019 in which Morris will incorporate her findings from this work into a policy brief. The goal is to inform the provisions of carbon tax legislation that could provide funding for assistance to these workers and communities.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Investigates the effect of the global financial system and/or the monetary system in fostering a sustainable economy.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Engagement, Research, and Outreach related to Carbon Pricing and Associated Policies
Engage in activities and analysis related to carbon pricing policies domestically and internationally.
This project is part of the Brookings Climate and Energy Economics Project and builds on earlier work supported by the Alex C. Walker Foundation. This grant will support work on analyzing carbon pricing policies including research that investigates the design of carbon pricing policies and helping to inform ways to address adverse outcomes of climate polices on vulnerable populations. This specific grant will support engagement, new research and analysis on carbon pricing (especially via a carbon tax) at the state, federal, and international levels, with a focus on pursuing the most timely and useful work as policy developments unfold. The grant can also support opportune work on policies to address particular issues that arise in pricing carbon, such as measures to address competitiveness concerns and ease economic transitions for coal workers and their communities.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Policies to Assist Coal Workers and Their Communities – Part 2
In this project, Brookings scholar Adele Morris worked with the Partnership for Responsible Growth (PRG) on their field-based listening sessions with community development and economic transition leaders in coal-reliant communities. She also conducted research and engagement on the issues independent of the PRG. This is Brookings’ second proposal to the Walker Foundation for this two-part project in which Morris will incorporate her findings from this work into a policy brief. The goal is to inform the provisions of carbon tax legislation that could provide funding for assistance to these workers and communities.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Investigates the effect of the global financial system and/or the monetary system in fostering a sustainable economy.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
How can U.S. financial market supervisors incorporate climate considerations into their responsibilities?
This project will explore what the U.S. financial market regulators could or would say as they engage in the Network for Greening the Financial System and other processes like it. The policy research paper emerging from this expert discussion will inform current and future policymakers, investors, banks, and other stakeholders about how the international dialogue on climate as a financial risk translates to the United States. For example, the paper will explores issues such as how U.S. institutions could assess the risks of a low carbon transition on greenhouse gas-intensive firms when a regulatory approach to reducing emissions in the U.S. has not yet been adopted. The research will lay out options and describe their advantages and disadvantages.
  • Investigates the effect of the global financial system and/or the monetary system in fostering a sustainable economy.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Solving the Climate Crisis through Regulations and Markets
This project will explore various aspects of climate change through the interplay of regulations and markets with important implications for climate policy.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Investigates the effect of the global financial system and/or the monetary system in fostering a sustainable economy.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Addressing Climate Change through Public Policy and Markets
Climate change is one of the most important challenges mankind is facing and it is therefore important to find ways to address it through regulation and harnessing the power of markets. Together the two projects we propose, will focus on this challenge by seeking to understand the underexplored issues related to the climate crisis and by exploring potential avenues for policy change.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Exploring the feasibility of a CBAM in the USA
Project will explore the feasibility of a Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism in the U.S.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Integrated Catch-Based Management of Northeast Fisheries to Reduce Wasteful At-Sea Discarding
This 'Fisheries Integration Initiative' seeks to promote effective fisheries management solutions for New England. Recent changes to the management of New England’s groundfish fishery have been well-documented. However, among the most important and widely overlooked consequences of the new groundfish management plan is its unintended impacts on other demersal (bottom-living) fish stocks, including monkfish, skates and dogfish. Without quick action, these issues threaten to undermine the primary goal of this initiative, which is to end overfishing and protect our region’s fisheries resources. The most effective solution is to integrate the management of all demersal stocks with the groundfish plan (an approach similar to British Columbia’s multispecies groundfish fishery). The longer the management of these over-lapping fisheries remains segregated, the more risk there is to currently healthy stocks and the harder it will ultimately be to transition to ecosystem-based management.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Ensuring Catch Share Implementation in New England's Groundfish Fishery
New England’s groundfish fishery, which includes cod, haddock, pollock, & flounders, has been struggling to rebuild depleted fish populations for decades. Current management measures have proved ineffective. CCCHFA, in partnership with other Walker Foundation grantees, is leading a regional shift to market-based catch share management. The unexpected level of regional demand for catch share management has immobilized the regulators as they face resource limitations. The emerging political issues related to the timely implementation of catch shares require CCCHFA to be flexible in working with the regulators to develop solutions that will continue making progress. Discretionary support from the Walker Foundation has allowed CCCHFA to convene and mobilize stakeholders, program partners, Council members and staff, and government employees as needed to re-mobilize the adaptation of catch shares.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
The Red and the Black: Countering Green-Power Cost Creep with Carbon Pricing
Decarbonization of electricity supply is a cornerstone of U.S. and, hence, global efforts to phase out fossil fuels and eliminate their carbon emissions. Key to this endeavor is rapid deployment of large-scale wind and solar farms and nuclear power stations. However, expectations that these technologies would scale broadly and easily are being called into question by cancellations of notable projects including a giant wind farm off the coast of New Jersey and a highly touted "small modular reactor" facility in Idaho. Our project will determine and quantify the key "cost drivers" behind these and other green-power cancellations and evaluate which are likely to be permanent and which will be transitory. We will also assess the extent to which robust carbon-emissions pricing could return these green projects to profitability by strengthening their revenue stream and helping the developers rout the "NIMBYs" who are hamstringing project schedules and eroding their bottom lines.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
The Carbon Tax Center Emergency Funding
The Walker emergency grant helped us respond to, engage with and acknowledge the hundreds of individuals who are besieging us with questions, requests, suggestions and donations. The Carbon Tax Center amplifies the voices of people in America and abroad who believe that taxing emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases is central to efforts to reduce the rate of and damage from climate change. CTC educates and informs policymakers, opinion leaders and the public about the benefits and critical need for significant, rising and equitable taxes on the carbon content of fossil fuels.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Investigates the effect of the global financial system and/or the monetary system in fostering a sustainable economy.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
A Carbon Tax in the U.S.: Design and Distributional Issues
The objective of this project is to develop a high-level report outlining key considerations for policymakers for designing and implementing a carbon tax policy in the United States.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Ocean Acidification & Warming Implications for the Social Costs of Carbon
In this project, CSE is preparing a peer-reviewed manuscript addressing one of the big gaps in the federal social cost of carbon (SCC) used by an increasing number of agencies in their decision-making and economic analysis – the costs of ocean acidification and warming (OAW). The manuscript will be published by Elsevier in an exciting new Major Reference Work: Encyclopedia of the Anthropocene, which will be available in 2017 in print, as an ebook and online on ScienceDirect and as part of the Reference Module in Earth Systems and Environmental Sciences. The manuscript will also be shared with the National Academies of Sciences and the Interagency Working Group on the Social Cost of Carbon (IWG) to help make the case that the social cost of carbon (SCC) needs to be substantially increased to reflect OAW damages, and that existing sources of information and methods are sufficient to do so.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Fossil Fuel Risk Bonds
This Fossil Fuel Risk Bonds (formerly known as "Climate Risk Bonds") project is focused on tackling the hidden subsidies we all pay in the externalized costs of fossil fuel extraction, transport, storage and combustion. In line with the internationally recognized “polluter pays" principal, our work on fossil fuel risk bonds is an effort to get these costs borne by the polluter.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Investigates the effect of the global financial system and/or the monetary system in fostering a sustainable economy.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Economic Benefits of Baltimore's Stormwater Management Plan
CSE completed an analysis of the economic benefits of Baltimore's new stormwater management plan using the Genuine Progress Indicator (GPI) as a framework for analysis. The GPI is a measure of economic wellbeing that takes social and environmental costs into account as well as the benefits of green infrastructure. Our results show that emphasizing green infrastructure solutions to stormwater pollution in Baltimore will generate up to $25 million in benefits each year with a social return on investment of nearly 40%.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Investigates the effect of the global financial system and/or the monetary system in fostering a sustainable economy.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Internalizing the Costs and Risks of Fossil Fuel Infrastructure
CSE received support from the Alex C. Walker Foundation to make use of policy opportunities to demonstrate the genuine economic benefits of internalizing the costs of pollution in three settings: climate risk bonds (CRBs), stormwater management in Maryland, and oil and gas discharges in Cook Inlet. After an initial review of strategic opportunities we determined that the climate risk bond work was, by far, the most important and potentially impactful focus of this work. In particular, political momentum at the international (Paris accords), national (fights over Arctic drilling), state (dismay with the many externalized costs of fracking and extraction), and local levels (catastrophic accidents and spills) has created a number of opportunities to advance our work to internalize the social costs of both new and existing fossil fuel infrastructure in decision-making processes and thereby help remedy perhaps the world's most important market failure.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Forest Carbon Tax and Reward
Center for Sustainable Economy and its partners are advocating for state-level forest carbon tax and reward programs as a way to dis-incentivize high-emissions logging operations and dramatically scale up beneficial practices that result in continuous increases in carbon storage. Industrial logging activities are the number one source of greenhouse gas emissions in Oregon and many other states yet, to date, climate action plans and policies exclude this sector. A forest carbon tax and reward program is a market based solution for folding this sector in to state climate agendas in an efficient, effective manner.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Fossil Fuel Risk Bonds
This Fossil Fuel Risk Bonds project is focused on tackling the hidden subsidies we all pay in the externalized costs of fossil fuel extraction, transport, storage and combustion. In line with the internationally recognized “polluter pays" principal, our work on fossil fuel risk bonds is an effort to get these costs borne by the polluter.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
US Forest Carbon Pricing Initiative
In 2019 CSE will continue work to transform industrial forest practices in the US to climate smart alternatives through market-based solutions. Our work will emphasize the Pacific Northwest and Southeast regions and bolster the campaigns of climate coalitions and forest protection advocacy organizations we work with. Specific activities will include: (1) publishing high quality information about the impacts of industrial forestry on carbon emissions and climate resiliency; (2) designing and advocating for market based solutions such as redirecting subsidies, cap and invest or forest carbon tax and reward; (3) building strong partnerships with conservation and climate communities in each region to help advance these solutions and call public attention to the urgency of this issue, and (4) making the case for transformation of industrial forest practices to decision makers charged with developing climate solutions.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Fossil Fuel Risk Bonds, No Tar Sands by Rail
CSE's Fossil Fuel Risk Bond program addresses the hidden subsidies we all pay in the form of externalized costs of fossil fuel extraction, transport, storage and combustion. In line with the internationally recognized “polluter pays" principal, our work on fossil fuel risk bonds is an effort to get these costs borne by the polluter. In addition, we unexpectedly began working on fighting tar sands by rail coming from Canada to two ports: Portland, OR and Port Westward, OR.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Investigates the effect of the global financial system and/or the monetary system in fostering a sustainable economy.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
US Forest Carbon Pricing Initiative
CSE will continue work to transform industrial forest practices to climate smart alternatives through market-based solutions. Our work will emphasize the Pacific Northwest and Southeast regions and bolster the campaigns of climate coalitions and forest protection advocacy organizations. Specific activities will include: (1) publishing high quality information about the impacts of industrial forestry on carbon emissions and climate resiliency; (2) designing and advocating for market based solutions such as redirecting subsidies, cap and invest or forest carbon tax and reward to put a price on forest carbon and the externalities associated with industrial forestry emissions; (3) building strong partnerships with conservation and climate communities in each region to help advance these solutions and call public attention to the urgency of this issue, and (4) making the case for transformation of industrial forest practices to decision makers charged with developing climate solutions.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Fossil Fuel Risk Bonds – a multi-state strategy
With generous support from the Alex C. Walker Foundation in 2022, CSE and its partners made major advances towards full implementation of the fossil fuel risk bond concept in Oregon and Washington, including statewide legislation in both states and a comprehensive ordinance in King County. Details are provided below.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
US Forest Carbon Pricing Initiative
With funding from Walker Foundation, CSE is advocating for inclusion of the logging and wood products sector in federal, state, and local climate action plans and regulation of this sector’s climate impacts through market-based solutions. At the federal level we are participating in new regulatory processes initiated by Executive Order 140008, Executive Order 14072, and the US pledge to end deforestation and forest degradation by 2030. At the state level, we are focussing efforts on executive actions by governors in North Carolina, Maine, Oregon and Washington. The Forest Carbon Coalition, co-directed by CSE, is mobilizing scientific, community, and conservation organizations to promote climate action agendas at both levels that includes accounting for logging and wood products sector emissions, a forest carbon tax and reward program, redirection of harmful subsidies, and ecosystem service markets as an alternative to timber to finance public schools and services.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Fossil Fuel Risk Bonds – a multi-state strategy
With funding from the Walker Foundation, CSE will build out our successful Fossil Fuel Risk Bond (FFRB) work by monitoring progress of jurisdictions that have already embraced the program, providing expert support to these jurisdictions, and working closely with state and national level partners to get FFRB programs adopted at the national level and in key states and counties. The fossil fuel risk bond policy, incubated at CSE, provides a tool for state and local governments to begin to hold the fossil fuel industry accountable for the costs of its toxic infrastructure and climate change. FFRB programs have two basic strategies for doing this: (1) financial assurance mechanisms to hold individual owners of fossil fuel infrastructure accountable for the costs of accidents, spills, catastrophic explosions and abandonment of facilities, and (2) surcharge-based fossil fuel risk trust funds to provide badly needed funding for climate adaptation, mitigation, and climate disaster response.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
US Forest Carbon Pricing Initiative
With funding from the Walker Foundation, CSE will work to transform industrial forest practices with a high climate impact to climate smart alternatives through market-based solutions. At the federal level, our work will focus on taking advantage of the many new opportunities created by the Biden-Harris Administration and the 117th Congress. The Forest Carbon Coalition, co-directed by CSE, will help mobilize scientific, community, and conservation organizations to support an agenda that includes accounting for logging and wood products sector emissions, a forest carbon tax and reward program, and redirection of harmful subsidies. CSE will also work with coalitions in place in Oregon, Washington, North Carolina and Maine to promote these market-based solutions as essential components to state-level climate action plans. In addition, CSE will prepare and submit a manuscript on our forest carbon tax and reward program to a leading peer-reviewed journal.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
US Forest Carbon Pricing Initiative
CSE will continue work to transform industrial forest practices to climate smart alternatives through market-based solutions. We will work nationally with members of Congress and at the state level in the Pacific Northwest and Southeast to bolster the campaigns of climate coalitions and forest protection advocacy organizations. Activities will include: (1) completing a replicable two part report with the Dogwood Alliance quantifying the impacts of industrial forestry on carbon emissions and climate resiliency in North Carolina; (2) advocating for market based solutions such as redirecting subsidies, cap and invest or forest carbon tax and reward to put a price on forest carbon storage; (3) maintaining and expanding the Forest Carbon Coalition, a network of scientific, conservation and climate organizations in each US region working advance these solutions, and (4) engagement with decision makers charged with developing climate solutions at the federal, state, and local levels.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Fossil Fuel Risk Bonds, No Tar Sands by Rail
CSE's Fossil Fuel Risk Bond program addresses the hidden subsidies we all pay in the form of externalized costs of fossil fuel extraction, transport, storage and combustion. In line with the internationally recognized “polluter pays" principal, our work on fossil fuel risk bonds is an effort to get these costs borne by the polluter. In addition, we are engaged in an attempt to halt the transport of tar sands by rail in two ports in the Portland, Oregon area.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Fossil Fuel Risk Bonds
Fossil fuel risk bond programs provide a way to ramp up the funding necessary to put scores of people to work – including displaced oil, gas, and coal workers – while ramping down fossil fuel consumption, decommissioning obsolete fossil fuel infrastructure, and implementing climate adaptation projects to help make communities safe in the face climate disasters. CSE's Fossil Fuel Risk Bond program addresses the hidden subsidies we all pay in the form of externalized costs of fossil fuel extraction, transport, storage and combustion. In line with the internationally recognized “polluter pays" principal, our work on fossil fuel risk bonds is an effort to get these costs borne by the polluter. As set forth in our report available on our website, fossil fuel risk bond programs are systematic efforts by state and local governments to evaluate and respond to the financial risks they face at each stage of the fossil fuel lifecycle in their jurisdictions.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Investigates the effect of the global financial system and/or the monetary system in fostering a sustainable economy.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Fossil Fuel Risk Bonds - From Vision to Reality
As a result of Walker Foundation’s sustained investment in CSE’s Fossil Fuel Risk Bond (FFRB) program we have three separate rulemaking processes underway in Oregon and Washington to implement the policy concept on the ground. The first involves protecting frontline communities living near Portland’s Critical Energy Infrastructure Hub from catastrophic explosions and massive oil spills likely to occur in the event of a worst-case earthquake disaster. The second involves strengthening financial assurance rules that have been on the books but never enforced for oil tankers and oil facilities along Puget Sound. The third is seeing King County Washington’s adoption of the FFRB concept to the finish line through an ordinance fully protecting taxpayers from the risks and costs of fossil fuel infrastructure, including its eventual abandonment. Our request in 2023 is to concentrate efforts on these three processes and, in the meantime, build a replicable model for counties across the nation.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
US Forest Carbon Pricing Initiative
With support from Walker Foundation, CSE will continue to advance its goal of including the logging and wood products sector in federal, state, and local climate action plans and regulation of this sector’s climate impacts through market-based solutions. At the federal level we are participating in new regulatory processes initiated by Executive Order 14008 (climate smart forestry) Executive Order 14072 (mature and old growth forests), and the US pledge to end deforestation and forest degradation by 2030. At the state level, we are focusing efforts on executive actions by governors in North Carolina, Maine, Oregon and Washington. In addition, the Forest Carbon Coalition, co-directed by CSE, is mobilizing scientific, community, and conservation organizations to promote climate action agendas at both levels that includes accounting for logging and wood products sector emissions, a forest carbon tax and reward program and other market-based solutions.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Comments on Optimal Design of Energy Fees and Subsidies
In January 2014, CCEC delivered to the U.S. Senate Finance Committee a report by the Carbon Tax Center demonstrating that a comprehensive U.S. carbon tax could cut U.S. CO2 emissions more than twice as fast as proposed clean-energy subsidies delivered as tax credits.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Investigates the effect of the global financial system and/or the monetary system in fostering a sustainable economy.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Compelling GHG Pollution Phase Out Under Existing US Law
Administrative & public advocacy, research, and legal action as warranted, to secure a strong federal rule pursuant to the Toxic Substance Control Act (TSCA) aimed at phasing out GHG pollution and compelling major sources to remove or pay to remove excess atmospheric CO2, initially incentivized by a rising carbon fee.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Research and publication of a book "Sophie's Planet" on the latest climate science and solutions to emission reduction.
Climate Science, Awareness and Solutions (CSAS), led by Dr. Hansen, formerly Director of NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies, has worked on promoting climate awareness and advocating policy actions for years. Recent science results and decades of experience in climate change have spurred Dr. Hansen to complete his second book, Sophie's Planet, which is expected to be published later this year. The book will clearly describe the most up-to-date climate science, and the threat this poses to young people and future generations. Energy science must be treated on par with climate science, as it is our energy choices that drive human-caused climate change. Rigorous use of the scientific method is crucial for defining and quantifying policy options. We cannot allow ideology to taint description of policy options to curb carbon emissions and transition to clean energy. In order to continue our work and for Dr. Hansen to complete this book, we need near-term support.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Global Warming in the Pipeline
Disseminate critical information to the public, especially young people, and policymakers on global climate change and its implications for required actions, including a rising tax on carbon and nuclear power.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
State Policy Analysis Database for Electricity
This application is to acquire funding to expand the State Climate Policy Dashboard, a 50-state interactive database of climate policy managed by Climate XChange. Specifically, this request is for funding to expand the electricity policy data to a new scorecard for all 50 states.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Support for Climate XChange & The State Climate Policy Dashboard
This application is to support Climate XChange's efforts to put forth market-driven solutions to climate change. Climate XChange achieves these impacts primarily through the State Climate Policy Network (SCPN) and State Climate Policy Dashboard (Dashboard). The SCPN is a platform of 16,500 state climate leaders that have access to programming, research, and direct support from Climate XChange to advance state climate policy. The Dashboard is a public database of 65+ climate policies across all 50 states that helps state actors and researchers better navigate technical policy information. Funding will provide added resources to the direct technical support, research and data analysis, and advocacy efforts that enable our network of state climate leaders to push forward sensible and just policy solutions to climate change.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Mining Tax & Royalty Reform in Alaska: Capturing the True Costs of Hard Rock Mining in Alaska
Cook Inletkeeper produced a new report – “The Role of Metal Mining in the Present & Future Alaska Economy” by the economic firm Power Consulting Inc. in March 2021 detailing Alaska’s mining, royalty and bonding structure, with an additional analysis on the socioeconomic and natural resource costs imposed by hard rock mining. The report analyzes 1) the quantifiable effects of mining taxes, royalties and other mining revenues on the State of Alaska and local economies; and 2) in the various environmental and socioeconomic impacts that accrue to local communities near mining operations.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Donlin Gold's Energy Demands for Dwindling Cook Inlet Gas
The Donlin Gold mine would be a massive open-pit complex next to the Kuskokwim River in southwest Alaska, and the natural gas pipeline needed to fuel the mine would cut a swath from Cook Inlet, over the Alaska Range, to the mine site 315 miles away. In 2022, Hilcorp announced that it no longer has confidence that it will be able to continue to meet Cook Inlet energy demand as current utility contracts expire. If utilities in Cook Inlet are out of gas, they will be forced to import liquified natural gas (LNG) for electricity generation and home heating fuel. As a result, prices will escalate making Alaska less attractive to live and invest in. Meanwhile, Donlin Gold is banking on getting its power from Cook Inlet. Inletkeeper is working with an Alaskan economist to analyze the impact Donlin will have on gas prices for Cook Inlet residents and to highlight the economic imbalances of corporate energy demands on residential and local business users.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
Economic Distortions & The Pebble Mine: Protecting Alaska’s World Class Salmon & Brown Bears
The proposed Pebble mine threatens the largest sockeye salmon fishery in the world as well as the highest concentration of brown bears on the planet. This project will address the economic imbalances in the permitting system that push risk and pollution onto Alaska's publicly-owned resources and the countless families and communities they support.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
The Pebble Mine & the Economic Implications for Tourism in Southcentral Alaska
Lower Cook Inlet boasts a world-class population of brown bears (Ursus arctos) which drive a thriving, non-consumptive bear-viewing industry. The region includes Katmai National Park and the McNeil River State Game Sanctuary & Refuge. The proposed Pebble mine would industrialize the heart of this unparalleled bear habitat with a large deepwater port facility and accompanying infrastructure. This development would invariably impact a sustainable bear-viewing industry, but to date, we do not understand the investments behind or the revenue generation from such operations. This project aims to quantify the investments in and revenues from bear viewing, to help level the playing field in the debate our Pebble mine development.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
Alaska Climate Impacts Bibliography
This project helps quantify and expose market externalities by producing an annotated bibliography of scientific literature on the impacts from climate change and ocean acidification on Alaska natural systems.
  • Investigates the effect of the global financial system and/or the monetary system in fostering a sustainable economy.
Leveling the Playing Field for Oil & Gas Development in Alaska: An Economic Study on the Subsidies Provided by Dismantlement, Removal and Restoration (DR&R) Rules for Industry Infrastructure.
In September 2013, Cook Inletkeeper released a new report with the Center for Sustainable Economy, entitled "OIl & Gas Infrastructure in Cook Inlet, Alaska: A Potential Public Liability." This report addressed economic imbalances found in oil and gas development by highlighting the externalities surrounding bonding and removal costs for industry infrastructure (e.g., offshore platforms, pipelines, etc.) in Alaska’s Cook Inlet. In Spring 2014, Inletkeeper engaged economist John Talberth with the Center for Sustainable Environment to review the State of Alaska's proposed rules on decommissioning, removing and remediating (DR&R) retired oil and gas infrastructure, and to make policy recommendations for state and federal regulators and lawmakers, to level the playing field and ensure the external costs of DR&R are properly internalized.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
Internalizing the Hidden Costs of Coal: A Case Study of the Proposed Chuitna Coal Project, Cook Inlet, Alaska
Alaska possesses roughly half the nation's coal reserves, and with rising energy demand, Asian countries increasingly look to Alaska coal reserves for "cheap" and abundant fuel sources. The Chuitna coal mine in Southcentral Alaska, if approved, will secure the markets and install the infrastructure that will transform Alaska into a major coal export province. Yet Cook Inlet fisheries generate over $1 billion a year in economic activity, and the Chuitna coal mine would mine through 11 miles of salmon streams and discharge nearly 2 billion gallons a year of mine waste into fish habitat.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
Network of Market-driven Restoration Sites
We seek to restore coral reefs by developing a network of international not for profits (Coral Restoration Network “CRN”) that leverage eco-tourism to provide market-driven, sustainable economic models to support coral reef restoration.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Community Based Coral Reef Restoration in Bonaire, NA
This is a community based coral reef restoration project that will take place in Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles. The project has been partially funded by the Alex C. Walker Foundation, and by resort fees from the host resort in Bonaire. This ongoing project seeks to expand an existing coral nursery and restoration program to involve multiple resorts on the island. In 2012 and 2013 the staff from the Coral Restoration Foundation, Inc (CRF) worked with members of an affiliated nonprofit on Bonaire called the Coral Restoration Foundation, Bonaire (CRFB) to develop an offshore coral nursery and coral restoration program off the islands of Bonaire and Klein Bonaire. Two offshore, in situ coral nurseries have been set up and stocked with locally collected corals, and the nurseries are now to the point where each month hundreds of second and third generation corals are being transplanted onto the local reefs of Bonaire and Klein Bonaire by supervised groups of tourist volunteers
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Messaging for Change
Staghorn and elkhorn corals were once dominant on reefs in the Florida Keys and wider Caribbean, but since the 1980s, these corals have suffered severe population declines. In 2006, both corals were listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. The threats contributing to their status and hindering their recovery are disease, ocean warming, ocean acidification, pollution, physical damage, habitat loss, predation, reduced reproduction, and reduced genetic diversity. CRF restores reefs by growing corals in offshore nurseries and outplanting the corals to existing reefs. Projects in the Caribbean, and especially Bonaire, are partly funded through market mechanisms. To ensure the long-term success of such large-scale restoration efforts, it is essential to educate the public on the underlying threats to coral populations. CRF will develop messaging to provide the public with information on the threats and how they might take action to protect our reefs into the future.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Community Based Coral Reef Restoration in Bonaire, NA
This is a community-based coral reef restoration project in Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles. The project is initially being funded by voluntary “bed taxes” collected from visiting guests by local dive resorts. Additional funding is provided through this grant from the Walker Foundation. The project is supporting the establishment of an offshore coral nursery program to grow corals for use in coastal coral reef restoration projects. The Coral Restoration Foundation (CRF) staff will provide education and hands-on training for local scientists and dive operators on how to grow corals in offshore nurseries, how to transplant them to the nearby degraded reefs, and how to care for them after they have been planted. CRF will also assist local groups to set up training programs for visiting divers and university students to help with all aspects of maintaining the nursery, outplanting nursery-grown corals to the reef, and restoration maintenance operations.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Community Based Coral Reef Restoration in Bonaire, NA
This is a community based coral reef restoration project located in Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles. The Coral Restoration Foundation Inc (USA) has assisted a local Non Profit called Coral Restoration Foundation Bonaire in setting up an offshore coral nursery program that is now prepared to start transplanting second generation corals onto the local reefs. The restoration program is being funded by voluntary resort fees, diver training programs, branded merchandise sales, and a dive medallion program.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Causes of the Financial Crisis
Critical Review published a special double issue, republished as a book, in which scholars examined the causes of the financial crisis from a wide variety of perspectives. The issue treated different causes, ranging from monetary and housing policy to bank-capital regulations, and produced a comprehensive theory of the crisis as being due to regulatory failure of a new sort: the interaction of different regulations, originating as far back as 1936 and covering different industries. This failure was thus totally unpredictable, but has ominous implications for the future, given the immense proliferation of regulations in every industry.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Investigates the effect of the global financial system and/or the monetary system in fostering a sustainable economy.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Conference on Political Ignorance and Dogmatism
Through its scholarly journal, Critical Review, the Critical Review Foundation has pioneered a new approach to understanding modern politics, in which ignorance is treated as the default position of voters, political activists, media personnel, and policy makers; and unintentional bias in politics and policy is hypothesized to be a common result. A cohort of seven young scholars who have been influenced by this approach engaged in six hours of public dialogue with ten eminent scholars from political science and other fields at a Conference on Political Ignorance and Dogmatism, held in Boston on August 31, 2008, with the assistance of the Walker Foundation. The comments of Scott Althaus, author of Collective Preferences in Democratic Politics (Cambridge University Press), were representative: “What a wonderful experience! It was among the very best scholarly interchanges that I’ve ever attended….All in all, I consider this to have been a smashing success.”
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
“Stakeholder Meeting on Red Wolf Ecotourism in North Carolina”
Defenders of Wildlife (Defenders) hosted a stakeholder meeting to develop a red wolf-based ecotourism plan for communities located in rural northeastern North Carolina. The one-day meeting focused on formulating strategies to initiate the next steps the local community must take to make ecotourism a viable means of economic development.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
The Application of Ecosystem Service Markets to the Conservation of Red Wolf Habitat in North Carolina: A Local Effort with National Implications
This two part project is in Phase II consisting of the following three tasks: 1) Quantifying the economic value of selected ecosystem service benefits associated with conserving red wolf habitat, including carbon storage on agricultural and undeveloped lands; 2) quantifying the economic value of open space property value premiums and recreation; 3) conducting a cash flow analysis associated with the provision of these services from private agricultural lands, and identifying and promoting policy proposals for the implementation of market-based incentives that link protection of red wolf habitat to national or state resource conservation programs.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Investigates the effect of the global financial system and/or the monetary system in fostering a sustainable economy.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
The Application of Ecosystem Service Markets to the Conservation of Red Wolf Habitat in North Carolina: A Local Effort with National Implications
The project centers on exploring and developing private market solutions to public wildlife conservation goods. Key project objectives are to (1) identify specific ecosystem services associated with the conservation of red wolves and their habitat; (2) quantify the economic market and non-market benefits that may flow from the continued provision of these services; (3) identify private and/or public incentive or income transfer mechanisms that would allow landowners to capture the benefits of services provided from their land; (4) begin to link protection of red wolf habitat to national or state resource conservation programs that promote market approaches to conservation; and (5) provide a model for implementing ecosystem service payments for wildlife habitat that can be replicated in other areas of the country.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Investigates the effect of the global financial system and/or the monetary system in fostering a sustainable economy.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Facilitating the Development of a Private Voluntary Market for Red Wolf Habitat Credits: Identifying Buyers and Designing a Trading Platform
This project will build upon Defenders’ previous ecosystem services and marketing work in areas supporting red wolf habitat by identifying potential buyers of red wolf habitat credits within a voluntary market framework. The project will also help identify and facilitate the development of a market structure for such transactions within which local landowners as the suppliers of credits can participate and generate income from their habitat and species conservation efforts. This project will leverage, complement and expand the private market-oriented habitat conservation incentive mechanisms that Defenders developed or is developing: ecotourism, and payments for ecosystem services such as carbon sequestration and water quality. The project effort to identify potential buyers of red wolf habitat credits and facilitate market development will benefit from Defenders initiatives in other grant-funded projects at both the regional and national levels.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Investigates the effect of the global financial system and/or the monetary system in fostering a sustainable economy.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Carbon Canopy
The Carbon Canopy joins together, under a single common umbrella, a diverse collection of stakeholders ranging from private landowners and environmental groups to multi-national corporations working together to develop innovative market-based solutions to conserve and expand ecosystem services on private forest lands in the Southern US. The Carbon Canopy is currently developing working forest carbon projects based on rigorous environmental standards with southern forest landowners to support the expansion of forest restoration, conservation and FSC certification in the Southeastern US, beginning with the Southern Appalachian region. .
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Carbon Canopy
Dogwood Alliance received a a $15,000 grant from the Alex C. Walker Foundation for its Carbon Canopy Project which is bringing together diverse stakeholders ranging from private landowners and environmental groups to multinational corporations to develop market-based solutions to conserve forests and expand ecosystem services on private lands in the Southern US. Carbon Canopy, is leveraging the greening of the US marketplace into a source of revenue for landowners that commit to manage working forests for long-term carbon sinks under FSC forest management and Climate Action Reserve (CAR) carbon accounting protocols tied to conservation easements.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Experimental Study of Preferences Over the Distribution of Income
We conducted twenty decision-making experiments in which 345 undergraduate students and 55 adult subjects participated. Subjects were assigned unequal pre-tax incomes mirroring the distribution of income in the United States, then made decisions about the extent, if any, to which incomes should be redistributed by taxation, under varying tax costs, degrees of efficiency and incentive (administrative) costs, and determinants of initial income. Results suggest willingness to pay to lessen inequality among other individuals, but largely self-interested voting when own income is at stake.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
Climate Treasure: Bringing Tropical Forest Credits into the Global Carbon Market
Tropical deforestation releases up to 20% of total global greenhouse gas emissions—roughly equivalent to the fossil fuel emissions of the United States. If rainforest nations had economic incentives to protect their forests—if their forests were worth more alive than dead—we could keep more than 300 billion tons of carbon out of the atmosphere, sustain critical global ecosystems, alleviate poverty in developing nations, and provide early and important value to the world’s carbon markets. We propose to continue our work on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD). The most significant breakthrough with regard to our REDD policy objectives was Brazil’s announcement of a deforestation reduction target of 70% within ten years, below the average annual deforestation of the decade from 1996 – 2005, or 19,500 km² per year.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Plugging the generation gap: Developing a proactive national policy for low-carbon electricity generation
Any efforts at reducing US greenhouse gases (GHGs) must squarely address the electric power sector, which accounts for over one-third of the nation’s GHG emissions. Nearly half of the nation’s electricity generation—and more than 80% of power sector GHG emissions—comes from coal-fired power plants, many built more than half a century ago. Retiring those plants will be critical to reducing carbon emissions. In addition, half the nation’s nuclear reactors—accounting now for nearly 10% of the country’s electricity — will come up for retirement during the decade 2030-2039. While a number of lower-emitting technologies are available—including natural gas, nuclear, and renewable sources—none is a panacea. EDF will conduct a focused analytical effort to spotlight the coming “generation gap” and to explore options for how to address it, with an emphasis on market-based policies that create economic incentives to accelerate the development and deployment of new low-carbon technologies.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Safeguarding Gulf of Mexico Reef Fish through Market-based Management
Many stocks in the Gulf of Mexico's reef fish fishery (including red snapper, grouper, amberjack and vermilion snapper) are in trouble, with some classified as overfished. In January 2007, Walker Foundation support helped implement a new market-based management program of catch shares, called individual fishing quotas (IFQs), for Gulf red snapper, bringing new promise for fishery and fishing industry recovery. An IFQ for grouper/tilefish has now been approved and is set for implementation in January 2010. The Gulf Council has also initiated a process to include all remaining reef fish in the IFQ.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Safeguarding Gulf of Mexico Reef Fish through Market-based Management
Many stocks in the Gulf of Mexico's reef fish fishery (including red snapper, grouper, amberjack, grey triggerfish, yellowtail and vermilion snapper) are in trouble, with some classified as overfished. EDF and Gulf fishermen helped design and implement a new market-based management program of catch shares, called individual fishing quotas (IFQs), which was implemented for commercial red snapper in January 2007. The IFQ program has shown significant and immediate ecological and economic benefits. As a result of this success and the efforts of EDF and allies, a new IFQ program will be implemented in January 2010 for several valuable commercial grouper and tilefish species. However, other species in the complex are in need of similar reforms, and until all reef fish are managed under IFQs, needless bycatch and economic waste will impede the full conservation and business benefits that market-based management offer. EDF is working to bring IFQs to the full Gulf reef fish complex.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Safeguarding New England's Groundfish Fishery and Marine Ecosystem through Market-based Management Programs
Recently published research (Science, 9/18/2008) that looked at data from 11,000 fisheries worldwide from 1950 to 2003 found that fisheries that were managed through “catch share” cap-and-trade systems halted and even reversed steep population declines, while traditionally managed fisheries did not. Environmental Defense Fund, along with partner groups, seeks to replace failed “days-at-sea” regulations for New England’s declining marine fisheries with this proven market-based solution to improve their ecological and economic health and resilience.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Safeguarding New England's Groundfish Fishery and Marine Ecosystem through Market-based Management Programs
New England's groundfish fishery is in dire need of recovery and reform, with many stocks overfished. Environmental Defense, along with partner groups, seeks to secure increased resources and provide expert advice for implementing a market-based management system of catch shares to improve the ecological and economic health of the fishery.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Safeguarding New England's Groundfish Fishery and Marine Ecosystem through Market-based Management Programs
Recently published research (Science, 9/18/2008) that looked at data from 11,000 fisheries worldwide from 1950 to 2003 found that fisheries that were managed through “catch share” cap-and-trade systems halted and even reversed steep population declines, while traditionally managed fisheries did not. Environmental Defense Fund, along with partner groups, seeks to replace failed “days-at-sea” regulations for New England’s declining marine fisheries with this proven market-based solution to improve their ecological and economic health and resilience. After more than 2 years of development, a plan known as Amendment 16 is almost ready; it will will give fishermen the option to continue under the current regulatory system or join a market-based sector.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Safeguarding New England's Groundfish Fishery and Marine Ecosystem through Market-based Management Programs
Under the Obama Administration, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has embraced "catch share" management as the most profitable, effective way to end overfishing and restore the nation's marine fisheries. Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), in partnership with industry, non-profit partners and NOAA, is working to help New England fishermen successfully transition to catch shares in New England's troubled marine fisheries.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Creating Economic Incentives for Tropical Forest Preservation: Compensated Reduction
Tropical forest destruction contributes to several global environmental problems, including climate change, releasing up to 20% of total global greenhouse gas emissions. Compensated Reduction (CR) is an innovative mechanism enabling nations that reduce deforestation to be compensated through the emerging global carbon market. This project will provide the research and analysis needed to create a successful CR program and assess market design options.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Safeguarding Gulf of Mexico Reef Fish through Market-based Management
The Gulf of Mexico commercial reef fishery is a success story for ending overfishing, increasing value by 80% and slashing discards by 70%. The fishery was transformed through catch share management combining conservation incentives with economic viability. But sea turtles captured in the fishery are in decline, and new rules may not save them even as they reduce catch share benefits. EDF proposes to work with the reef fish fleet to create the world’s first market-based model for improving sea turtle conservation while increasing the fishery’s value.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Regulating the Carbon Market: Designing sound rules to transition to a low carbon economy
Passage of climate legislation will mark the beginning, not the end, of the effort to design a sound, market-based system for incentivizing transitioning U.S. to a low-carbon, high efficiency (LCHE) economy. This project will produce the analytic and consultative work needed to design the regulatory framework necessary to oversee and support an effective, transparent national carbon market.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Environmental Law and Policy Center and Carbon Tax Center - Market-Based Approaches to Reduce Carbon Emissions
The Environmental Law and Policy Center (“ELPC”), in conjunction with the Carbon Tax Center (“CTC”), is analyzing the economic impacts and efficacy of the major market-based (carbon-pricing) mechanisms for stabilizing and reducing emissions of greenhouse gases: cap-and-trade systems and revenue-neutral taxes. Our analysis utilizes the nine-state region in ELPC’s charter: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin. This is both large enough to be meaningful in terms of overall U.S. policy and impacts, and small enough to capture impacts and serve as a test case.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Investigates the effect of the global financial system and/or the monetary system in fostering a sustainable economy.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Saving Nuclear Power Plants from Premature Closure
The climate can be saved but only if we save nuclear plants from premature closure. Nuclear can be saved, but only with immediate, aggressive action. Environmental Progress (EP) is seeking support to build upon its success bringing the clean energy crisis to international attention, mobilizing fresh voices, and moving sensible policies to the finish line. As presidential transition teams start crafting their energy and climate priorities this fall, and states continue to seek solutions to nuclear plants at risk of early closure, EP is seeking to significantly step up its research, organizing and policy efforts.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Investigates the effect of the global financial system and/or the monetary system in fostering a sustainable economy.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Saving Nuclear Power Plants from Premature Closure
Environmental Progress, a 501c3 tax exempt organization, has emerged as the world’s leading environmental organization taking action to protect nuclear plants. EP was founded to address the two most serious threats to environmental progress: continued dependence on wood & dung in poor countries, and climate change. EP’s approach emphasizes educating the public on why nuclear power is important to both lifting everyone out of poverty and saving the natural environment.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Investigates the effect of the global financial system and/or the monetary system in fostering a sustainable economy.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Saving nuclear power plants from premature closure
Environmental Progress, a project of Policy Impact, a 501c3 tax exempt organization, has emerged as the world’s leading environmental organization taking action to protect nuclear plants. EP was founded to address the two most serious threats to environmental progress: continued dependence on wood & dung in poor countries, and climate change. EP’s approach emphasizes educating the public on why nuclear power is important to both lifting everyone out of poverty and saving the natural environment.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Investigates the effect of the global financial system and/or the monetary system in fostering a sustainable economy.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Saving nuclear power plants from premature closure
Save the climate and environment by saving nuclear power through public education and movement-building
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Investigates the effect of the global financial system and/or the monetary system in fostering a sustainable economy.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Seminar Series on Environmental Economics, Science, and Policy Analysis for Federal Judges and Law Professors.
The fundamental objective of this program is to explain to important decision makers and opinion leaders (Article III federal judges and law professors) how the application of economic principles and the market process can foster environmental quality.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Environmental Economics for Religious Leaders
Economics teaches us how the market process, including voluntary organizations, can help us achieve our environmental goals. It also tells us that choices among competing values are indeed necessary in the environmental arena as they are in every other sector of society. The exploration of trade-off is a fundamental part of economic analysis. This project explores and develops market-based solutions to environmental problems with an important audience: religious leaders. With them we will explore how economic analysis may be used to examine environmental policy alternatives, in a manner that minimizes unintended, negative consequences, while maximizing positive impact on the environment.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Conference Series on Economics, Science, and Policy Analysis for Federal Judges, State Supreme Court Justices, and Law Professors.
In 2010 FREE offered two conferences in our series, "Economics, Science, and Policy Analysis", to federal judges, state supreme-court justices, and law professors. The first was, “Personal Health Care Choices & Public Policy” and the second was “Terrorism, Civil Liberty, & National Security.” FREE brought economic and ethical perspectives on each of these troublesome topics to an important audience.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
FREE’s conference series in Environmental Stewardship and Economics for Religious Leaders.
This year’s offering, “Breakthrough: Ethics, Economics, & the Environment” was held September 8-12. The fundamental objective of this program was to explain to religious leaders how economic analysis and the free market process can help further environmental ends while avoiding unintended, negative consequences.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Seminar Series on Environmental Economics, Science, and Policy Analysis for Federal Judges and Law Professors
FREE’s programs are the only ones for the federal judiciary dealing explicitly with the economic, scientific, and policy implications of environmental issues. September 10–15 The Environmental Consequences of Energy Use: Policies for Progress October 8–13 From Terrorism to Tornados: Mitigating Disruptions to Civil Liberties and the Economy Program agendas are posted on our web site.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Conference Series on Environmental Economics for Federal Judges, State Supreme Court Justices, and Law Professors.
In 2009 FREE offered two conferences in our series for federal judges, state supreme-court justices, and law professors. The first was, “Science, Health, Nanotechnology” & the Law and the second is “Terrorism, Civil Liberty, & National Security.”
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Conference Series on Environmental Economics for Federal Judges, State Supreme Court Justices, and Law Professors.
In 2008 FREE offered two conferences. The first was Climate Change, Economics, & the Courts. The second is Terrorism, Civil Liberty, & National Security. The fundamental objective of these conferences was to explain how basic economic principles and the free market process can foster environmental quality.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Walker Conservation Fellow
In October 2011, Brett Howell joined Georgia Aquarium as the Walker Conservation Fellow with funding from the Alex C. Walker Foundation, the first-ever conservation fellowship for the Aquarium. The project objective, as defined in the grant application, was to: • Perform all of the steps required to develop a Marine Payment for Ecosystem Services (MPES) scheme in the Upper Florida Keys, allowing reef restoration activities to become financially self-sustaining. This model has the potential to be replicated in the competitive marketplace restoring reefs to their former conditions as havens of biodiversity. The Fellow will work with state and local authorities, non-profit organizations (NGOs), area businesses and other interested parties to perform an MPES feasibility assessment for coral restoration in the Florida Keys.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Investigates the effect of the global financial system and/or the monetary system in fostering a sustainable economy.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Equity Impacts of Clean Energy Policy Design
Good Energy Collective (GEC) will analyze the effects of clean energy policies on energy prices to further understand the impact on inequality and the short-term feasibility of decarbonization policies in a period of growing inflationary concerns. In tandem, GEC will analyze the effects on marginalized communities of insufficient baseload energy resources and how different energy policies may be eroding reliability.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
Good Energy Collective
We will analyze the national potential for a coal-to-small modular reactor (SMR) transition, and develop guidelines for a pilot program to engage potential host communities.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Development of a low-impact semi-pelagic (LISP) trawl
The purpose of this project is to support fishermen in New England’s struggling ground fish fishery in the purchase of environmentally friendly semi-pelagic trawl doors and a fuel flow meter. The scope of work has evolved significantly since original proposal submission primarily because the necessary funding was not available. In response, the Alex C Walker foundation granted GMRI permission to redirect available funds toward a novel financing model designed to support uptake of gear modifications by fishermen struggling to survive the dual impacts of reduced landings of cod and other ground fish and increasing fishing costs. The project also creates an opportunity to realize a seldom achieved twin benefit of increased profitability and reduced environmental impact – in a previous study GMRI compared semi-pelagic trawl doors and traditional bottom tending doors and found a fuel saving of 10% and a reduction in seabed contact of 95%.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Improving Fishing Profitability Through Sustainable Fishing
In 2009 the Gulf of Maine Research Institute (GMRI) received funding from the Alex C. Walker Foundation to demonstrate the novel application of an Environmental Management System (EMS) in a US commercial fishery. This gift matches an unusual challenge grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
FISHTANK: Designing A New Model for Groundfish Management
FishTank is an effort to bring together the New England’s ground fishing community to develop a common understanding of alternative management strategies (including the use of market incentives) and collectively articulate one or more preferred options to the New England Fisheries Management Council for consideration as the Council develops a new management plan for the region. This is a stakeholder-driven initiative that grows out of a monthly discussion forum hosted by the Gulf of Maine Research Institute over the past year.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Designing a Monitoring and Reporting System to Support Market-Based Approaches to Fishery Management in New England
Support from the Alex C. Walker Foundation in 2008 enabled the Gulf of Maine Research Institute to take a lead role in supporting the transition of the New England groundfish fishery to harvesting cooperatives called sectors (a type of catch share management). GMRI provided sector members and policymakers with a clear analysis of the options and costs of phasing in a new system to enable timely and accurate monitoring of each group’s catch. In June 2009, the New England Fishery Management Council authorized the creation of 16 new sectors, marking a significant shift toward a market-based approach to managing fisheries. The new rules will take effect in May 2010.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Green Tax and Common Assets Project
The Vermont Green Tax and Common Assets Project researches, educates and disseminates information on recovery of unearned income from common assets such as the monetary system, speculation, land, minerals, spectrum and other resources. In addition we investigate green taxes on throughput including depletion, land use, and pollution, which are ignored by market economics. These sources of income are a better alternative to taxing productive activities such as income, wages, excise, sales and building construction that create disincentives to productivity. By taking the profit out of speculation in finance, land, and natural resources, investment is directed towards real production and real goods. Additionally, we investigate the feasibility of redirecting some income from common assets to citizens in the form of a dividend, similar to the Alaska Permanent Fund annual dividend which contributes to Alaska’s standing as the state with the lowest level of wealth inequality in the U.S.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Investigates the effect of the global financial system and/or the monetary system in fostering a sustainable economy.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Green Tax and Common Assets Project-2010
The Vermont Green Tax and Common Assets Project researches, educates and disseminates information on recovery of unearned income from common assets such as the monetary system, speculation, land, minerals, spectrum and other resources. In addition we investigate green taxes on throughput including depletion, land use, and pollution, which are ignored by market economics. These sources of income are a better alternative to taxing productive activities such as income, wages, excise, sales and building construction that create disincentives to productivity. By taking the profit out of speculation in finance, land, and natural resources, investment is directed towards real production and real goods. Additionally, we investigate the feasibility of redirecting some income from common assets to citizens in the form of a dividend, similar to the Alaska Permanent Fund annual dividend which contributes to Alaska’s standing as the state with the lowest level of wealth inequality in the U.S.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Investigates the effect of the global financial system and/or the monetary system in fostering a sustainable economy.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Vermont Green Tax and Common Assets Project-2005
Green taxes involve increasing resource, land, and pollution taxes, and simultaneously decreasing taxes on productive items such as wages, income, and sales. They can also be used to pay dividends to the public. Green taxes create a market incentive for consumers and producers to choose a more environmentally clean product or service, thus fostering environmental accountability. The ultimate goal of this project is to provide detailed research materials and information to policymakers in Vermont in order to implement a green tax program for Vermont. Part of this project also includes development of a Vermont Common Assets Permanent Fund modeled after the Alaska Permanent Fund.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Vermont Green Tax and Common Assets Project-2007
Our overall goal and expected result continues to be the implementation of globally successful market incentive mechanisms such as green taxes and common asset payments to achieve environmental sustainability, economic efficiency, and equity in Vermont. Our primary fourth year goal is to publish and present our finding in conferences, legislative testimony and other forums. We plan to continue research on quantifying common asset and green tax revenue available in Vermont, utilizing a cadre of 10-15 UVM students working on the project.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Vermont Green Tax and Common Assets Project-2009
The Vermont Green Tax and Common Assets Project researches, educates and disseminates information on recovery of unearned income from common assets such as the monetary system, speculation, land, minerals, spectrum and other resources. In addition we investigate green taxes on throughput including depletion, land use, and pollution, which are ignored by market economics. These sources of income are a better alternative to taxing productive activities such as income, wages, excise, sales and building construction that create disincentives to productivity. By taking the profit out of speculation in finance, land, and natural resources, investment is directed towards real production and real goods. Additionally, we investigate the feasibility of redirecting some income from common assets to citizens in the form of a dividend, similar to the Alaska Permanent Fund annual dividend which contributes to Alaska’s standing as the state with the lowest level of wealth inequality in the U.S.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Investigates the effect of the global financial system and/or the monetary system in fostering a sustainable economy.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Green Tax and Common Assets Project
The Vermont Green Tax and Common Assets Project researches, educates and disseminates information on recovery of unearned income from common assets such as the monetary system, speculation, land, minerals, spectrum and other resources. In addition we investigate green taxes on throughput including depletion, land use, and pollution, which are ignored by market economics. These sources of income are a better alternative to taxing productive activities such as income, wages, excise, sales and building construction that create disincentives to productivity. By taking the profit out of speculation in finance, land, and natural resources, investment is directed towards real production and real goods. Additionally, we investigate the feasibility of redirecting some income from common assets to citizens in the form of a dividend, similar to the Alaska Permanent Fund annual dividend which contributes to Alaska’s standing as the state with the lowest level of wealth inequality in the U.S.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Investigates the effect of the global financial system and/or the monetary system in fostering a sustainable economy.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Catalyzing market-based solutions for Henderson Island’s “tragic plastics” to stop marine litter at the “root cause”
The goals of this grant are as follows: Original goal #1: Provide initial support for a 2020 return site visit to Henderson Island to complete work that was started in 2019. Updated goal #1: Given impacts of the global pandemic, the team was unable to return to Henderson Island as planned. With approval of the Alex C. Walker Foundation, the grant goal has been changed to “conduct a site visit to Costa Rica to visit CRDC, the global up-cycler for Henderson Island tragic plastics.” Goal #2: Support efforts related to collaborations around “circular economy” solutions, including a solution for the plastic waste collected from Henderson Island. Goal #3: Advance public speaking engagements related to Henderson Island.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
PANDORA'S PROMISE
PANDORA'S PROMISE will be a feature-length documentary about the history and development of nuclear power and the current debate surrounding its revival as a means of averting a climate catastrophe. The film will be structured around key interviews with leading environmentalists, energy experts and former anti-nuclear activists who have undergone (or are undergoing) a conversion to nuclear power as a necessary and vital component to our future alternative energy mix. The film aims to use the heated debate surrounding nuclear power as a vehicle for taking a realistic and comprehensive look at the worlds energy dilemma, for examining the true costs of our current addiction to fossil fuels, and relative merits of the alternatives from an economic, technological and environmental perspective.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Preventing law enforcement from profiting by taking private property
Civil forfeiture, the power of law enforcement to seize property under the mere suspicion that it has been involved in a criminal activity, is one of the biggest threats to private property rights in the nation today. Owners caught up in civil forfeiture proceedings do not need to be convicted or even accused of a crime to lose their property, and they typically must prove their property’s innocence in court in order for it to be returned. In addition, law enforcement agencies often get to keep a portion or all of the proceeds from these seizures, providing them with incentives to pursue property rather than criminals. The Institute for Justice is working to end this abuse of private property rights in the courts of law and the court of public opinion.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
Ending Civil Forfeiture and Protecting Private Property
Civil forfeiture is one of the greatest threats to private property rights in the nation today. It allows police and prosecutors to take property from individuals upon the mere allegation that a crime has been committed. In many states and at the federal level, law enforcement agencies get to keep the items and assets they take, incentivizing them to pursue property to bolster their budgets. Moreover, navigating the forfeiture process is difficult, meaning that many innocent owners are never able to reclaim their property and that law enforcement faces little accountability when it exercises this power. The use of civil forfeiture continues to grow and the Institute for Justice is deploying all of the tools in our strategic public interest arsenal to end this blatant abuse of private property rights.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
Hands Off My Home!
The Hands Off My Home campaign effects significant and substantial reforms of state and local eminent domain laws. While we are not a lobbying firm, we do provide a unique and principled perspective to legislators at every level of government on how to better protect the property rights of Americans. Launched in June 2005—just days after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the federal Constitution allows government to use its power of eminent domain to generate more tax revenue—we employ a strategic approach, using legislative counseling, grassroots organization, social science research, and media relations to increase protections for property owners nationwide.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Taking Private Property for Law Enforcement Profit
Civil asset forfeiture threatens the property rights of all Americans. These laws allow the police to seize your home, car, cash, or other property upon the mere suspicion that it has been used or involved in criminal activity. Civil forfeiture is a legal fiction that permits law enforcement to charge property with a crime. Unlike criminal forfeiture, where property is taken away only after its owner has been found guilty in a court of law, with civil forfeiture, owners need not be convicted of any crime to lose their property. The Institute for Justice is challenging this abuse in court and the court of public opinion to take the profit out of civil forfeiture and protect innocent owners caught up in an upside-down legal process that violates fundamental constitutional protections.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
Taking Private Property for Law Enforcement Profit
Civil asset forfeiture threatens the property rights of all Americans. These laws allow the police to seize your home, car, cash, or other property upon the mere suspicion that it has been used or involved in criminal activity. Civil forfeiture is a legal fiction that permits law enforcement to charge property with a crime. Unlike criminal forfeiture, where property is taken away only after its owner has been found guilty in a court of law, with civil forfeiture, owners need not be convicted of any crime to lose their property. The Institute for Justice is challenging this abuse in court and the court of public opinion to take the profit out of civil forfeiture and protect innocent owners caught up in an upside-down legal process that violates fundamental constitutional protections.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
Hands Off My Home!
Launched in 2005 in response to the U.S. Supreme Court's heartbreaking 5-4 decision in Kelo v. City of New London, the Hands Off My Home Campaign trains home and small business owners to defend their property from eminent domain abuse. As part of this campaign we assess and monitor the eminent domain situation in each state, draft model legislation, testify before legislative committees, review pending bills, generate media around legislation, and mobilize grassroots support.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
Hands Off My Home!
The Hands Off My Home campaign continued in 2007 to advocate state reform of eminent domain laws. Since the Kelo ruling, 42 states passed new laws aimed at curbing the abuse of eminent domain for private use—11 in 2007 alone.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Hands Off My Home!
Since the Kelo decision in 2005, the Hands Off My Home campaign, through our training, public education, and advocacy, has saved over 16,000 homes and businesses from eminent domain abuse. A key component of the campaign is to provide a unique and principled perspective to legislators at every level of government on how to better protect the property rights of Americans. To date, we have successfully advocated for reform in 43 states.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Ending Civil Forfeiture and Protecting Private Property
Civil forfeiture is the ability of law enforcement to seize private property—such as homes, cars, and cash—on the mere suspicion that it was involved in a crime with no conviction or arrest required. The Institute for Justice works to counter this unconstitutional practice through litigation, strategic research, legislative reform, and communications.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
Ending Civil Forfeiture and Protecting Private Property
Civil forfeiture is the ability of law enforcement to seize homes, cars, cash, and other property on the mere suspicion that it was involved in a crime—no conviction or arrest required. The Institute for Justice is working to counter this unconstitutional practice through path-breaking litigation, strategic research, legislative reform, and award-winning communications.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
Ending Civil Forfeiture and Protecting Private Property
Civil forfeiture represents one of the most serious assaults on property rights in the nation today, and the Institute for Justice is using all of the tools in our public interest arsenal to end this unconscionable and unconstitutional practice. We file lawsuits in key jurisdictions to convince courts to enforce legal protections for private property and vindicate the principle that no one should ever lose their property without first being convicted of a crime. Our award-winning communications team leverages our clients’ stories in the media, while our strategic research team produces innovative social science research that strengthens our arguments in court and the court of public opinion. Additionally, we work with non-traditional allies to generate grassroots momentum for reform.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
Ending Civil Forfeiture and Strengthening Protections for Private Property Rights
Civil forfeiture is one of the greatest threats to property rights in the nation today. It allows the government to take cars, cash, buildings, and other property on the mere allegation that it was involved in a crime—no arrest or conviction necessary. What’s more, police and prosecutors often get to keep some, if not all, of the property they take, giving them a perverse incentive to pursue the property of innocent owners at the expense of legitimate law enforcement priorities. The Institute for Justice is tackling this problem head-on through litigation, strategic research, communications, and outreach. We are working to strengthen legal protections for private property, elevate this issue to national prominence, and ensure that no American can lose his or her property without first being convicted of a crime.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
Ending Civil Forfeiture and Protecting Private Property
Civil forfeiture allows law enforcement to take property on the mere allegation it was involved in a crime, and the Institute for Justice is using all of the tools in our public interest arsenal to end this practice. Our work will reinvigorate constitutional protections for private property and limit government power.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
Restraining Unlawful Private Pipeline Condemnations
Increasingly, private corporations are using government power to take private property in order to construct pipelines to move commodities like oil or natural gas. Many of these projects, properly understood, are illegal—either because of the private nature of the pipeline project itself, or because the project provides landowners with insufficient due-process protections. Nonetheless, courts and legislatures more or less ignore these legal problems and allow private companies to steamroll property owners. The Institute for Justice proposes to help change that by filing amicus curiae briefs in strategically selected cases and engaging in limited and targeted educational efforts surrounding proposed changes to laws governing pipeline condemnations. We envision this project as a pilot program that would allow us to gauge the effectiveness of these tactics in combating the threat pipeline projects can pose to property rights.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
Ending Civil Forfeiture and Protecting Private Property
Civil forfeiture is the ability of law enforcement to seize homes, cars, cash, and other property on the mere suspicion that it was involved in a crime—no conviction or arrest required. What’s worse, civil forfeiture allows law enforcement to keep forfeited property or the proceeds for its own use. The Institute for Justice is working to counter this unconstitutional practice through path-breaking litigation, strategic research, legislative reform, and award-winning communications.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
Ending Civil Forfeiture and Protecting Private Property
Civil forfeiture allows law enforcement to take property on the mere allegation it was involved in a crime, and the Institute for Justice is using all of the tools in our public interest arsenal to end this practice. Our work will reinvigorate constitutional protections for private property and limit government power.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
Restraining Unlawful Private Pipeline Condemnations
Increasingly, private corporations are using government power to take private property in order to construct pipelines to move commodities like oil or natural gas. Many of these projects, properly understood, are illegal—either because of the private nature of the pipeline project itself, or because the project provides landowners with insufficient due process protections. Nonetheless, courts and legislatures more or less ignore these legal problems and allow private companies to steamroll property owners. The Institute for Justice proposes to help change that by filing amicus curiae briefs in strategically selected cases and engaging in limited and targeted educational efforts surrounding proposed changes to laws governing pipeline condemnations.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
Ending Civil Forfeiture and Protecting Private Property
Civil forfeiture is the ability of law enforcement to seize homes, cars, cash, and other property on the mere suspicion that it was involved in a crime—no conviction or arrest required. The Institute for Justice works to counter this unconstitutional practice through path-breaking litigation, strategic research, legislative reform, and award-winning communications.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
Genuine Progress Project - Climate Risk Bonds
The Genuine Progress Project, a project of the Institute for Policy Studies, was working to shift the economic system’s defining ethos from externalizing costs to embracing responsibility. Due to a changing political landscape, we are redirecting our efforts to develop Climate Risk Bonds, an innovative financing mechanism for natural disaster response and adaptation investments.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Investigates the effect of the global financial system and/or the monetary system in fostering a sustainable economy.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Genuine Progress Project
The “Genuine Progress Project” is working to shift the city of Baltimore and the state of Maryland's economic system's defining ethic from externalizing costs to embracing responsibility, and its primary purpose from growing individual financial fortunes for a few to building living community wealth to enhance the health and well-being of everyone. This project has the potential to serve as a model for other cities and states to justify correcting for market failures--such as climate change--by making the economic case for action using the Genuine Progress Indicator.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Investigates the effect of the global financial system and/or the monetary system in fostering a sustainable economy.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Climate Risk Bonds
Climate risk bonds are tools national, state, and local governments can use to internalize the social costs of carbon emissions at the point of extraction, thereby making a crucial contribution to the climate fight. Before any new oil, gas, or coal projects are approved, fossil fuel companies should be required to post climate risk bonds, which can be set at an amount determined by the life cycle emissions of any new well or mine together with the social cost of carbon. An additional environmental bond could be imposed for, say, water contamination or earthquake damages, a risk of oil or gas “fracking” now being borne by the host communities. This bond would be structured in a parallel way: Require the company to pay, up front, for the anticipated property damages, just as they would for the costs of climate havoc. Should no damages take place during the period of extraction, the company would be eligible for a reimbursement of the posted bond.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Pricing Carbon Initiative
The Karuna Center for Peacebuilding will continue to assist Pricing Carbon Initiative in building consensus around bipartisan policies and legislative solutions that price carbon, as it has in 2011, 2014 and 2015. Together we will continue to design, organize and facilitate dialogues with an expanding network of influential decision makes, support action-oriented initiatives, develop systems sharing and disseminating information.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Investigates the effect of the global financial system and/or the monetary system in fostering a sustainable economy.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
Seeking Consensus on Viable Bipartisan Options for Pricing Carbon Emissions
The Karuna Center for Peacebuilding will assist the Pricing Carbon Initiative (PCI) in its efforts to build consensus around viable bipartisan policies and legislative solutions that price carbon emissions. Together, they will organize, host and facilitate a 3-day strategic planning retreat in October 2014 for key PCI participants, which include stakeholders and policy experts, representing diverse organizations and constituencies. They will evaluate PCI’s regularly scheduled dialogues, which have be in place for three years, and strategize on how to maximize their value.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Investigates the effect of the global financial system and/or the monetary system in fostering a sustainable economy.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Building Support in 2018 for Carbon Pricing
In 2018, the Karuna Center for Peacebuilding will continue to assist the Pricing Carbon Initiative, as it has done in 2011, 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017, in building consensus around policies and bipartisan legislative solutions that price carbon. Together we will continue to design, organize and facilitate dialogues with an expanding network of influential decision makers, support action-oriented initiatives, and develop systems for sharing and disseminating information.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Investigates the effect of the global financial system and/or the monetary system in fostering a sustainable economy.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Building Support in 2017 for Pricing Carbon
The Karuna Center for Peacebuilding will continue to assist the Pricing Carbon Initiative, as it has in 2011, 2014, 2015 and 2016, in building consensus around policies and bipartisan legislative solutions that price carbon. Together we will continue to design, organize and facilitate dialogues with an expanding network of influential decision makers, support action-oriented initiatives, and develop systems for sharing and disseminating information.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Investigates the effect of the global financial system and/or the monetary system in fostering a sustainable economy.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Building Support in 2017 for Pricing Carbon, Part B
In the second half of 2017, the Karuna Center for Peacebuilding will continue to assist the Pricing Carbon Initiative, as it has done in 2011, 2014, 2015, 2016, and in the first half of 2017, in building consensus around policies and bipartisan legislative solutions that price carbon. Together we will continue to design, organize and facilitate dialogues with an expanding network of influential decision makers, support action-oriented initiatives, and develop systems for sharing and disseminating information.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Investigates the effect of the global financial system and/or the monetary system in fostering a sustainable economy.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Building Support in 2019 for Carbon Pricing
In 2019, the Karuna Center for Peacebuilding will continue to assist the Pricing Carbon Initiative, as it has done in 2011 and 2014 through 2018, in building consensus around policies and bipartisan legislative solutions that price carbon. Together, we will continue to design, organize and facilitate dialogues with an expanding network of influential decision makers; support action-oriented initiatives; and develop systems for sharing and disseminating information.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Investigates the effect of the global financial system and/or the monetary system in fostering a sustainable economy.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Lead Fishing Tackle Buyback Program
The Loon Preservation Committee (LPC)’s science-based approach to conservation has more than tripled New Hampshire’s threatened loon population over the past 40 years; however, the population remains far below its historical abundance, and loons remain at risk from human activities. Lead poisoning from ingested fishing tackle is the leading cause of adult loon mortality in New Hampshire, accounting for 152 adult loon deaths (44% of documented deaths) between 1989 and 2017. LPC is seeking to reduce the use of lead tackle by establishing additional incentives and opportunities for disposal and expanded education about alternatives. In May of 2018 LPC launched a market-based pilot buyback program to remove lead tackle from circulation. If awarded, funds from the Alex C. Walker Foundation will allow LPC to add buyback program locations on Squam Lake and Ossipee Lake, increase its marketing efforts to reach anglers, and cover staff and consultant time to maximize program impact.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Increasing the Crowdsourcing Capacity of Anecdata.org
We plan to build out the capacity of Anecdata.org, a free online data portal that we created for collecting and sharing crowdsourced environmental data, to meet the growing needs of numerous organizations that are collecting information and observations on the environment, especially as it relates to climate change. Anecdata already has many valuable features including mapping, photo up loading and archiving, and data visualization through graphing. In this project, we will add video upload functionality, a searchable video archive, and development of a general-purpose mobile app to serve the needs of project participants collecting information during field events or on the fly. These added features will greatly expand the utility of Anecdata.org, especially for those who are documenting changes over time. In addition, we plan to implement a commercialization strategy by which we can generate revenue to support the continued development of Anecdata.org as a free site for all users.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Adding New Features on Anecdata.org to Promote Civic Action
We plan to build out the capacity of Anecdata.org, a free online data portal that we created for collecting and sharing crowdsourced environmental data, to meet the growing needs of numerous organizations that are collecting information and observations on the environment, especially as it relates to climate change. Anecdata already has many valuable features including mapping, photo up loading and archiving, and data visualization through graphing. In preparation for adding communication and civic action tools to promote a “Data to Action” ethos among project participants, we conducted a needs analysis of multiple King Tides and other Sea Rise projects in the US.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Creating Economic Tools to Address Debris & Plastic Pollution in Vietnam
To prepare for building out the capacity of Anecdata.org to meet the growing needs of citizen science projects around the world, we are adding a language translation feature. Anecdata already has many valuable features including mapping, photo uploading, and data visualization. After the language translation feature is in place, we will add civic action tools to promote civic action among project participants from around the world. The focus of this project will be on debris in coastal cities of Vietnam. The new tools will enable Vietnamese speakers to participate in citizen science projects to clean up debris and instantly see the economic benefit of their actions. Armed with this information, citizens may be able to get local governments to take action to help eliminate sources of debris that might ultimately end up in the marine environment.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Creating Decision Support Tools Based on Ecosystem Services & Values
The purpose of this project is to solicit stakeholder input in the creation of a computer-based decision support tool that will help people around the bay balance ecological, social and economic considerations when participating in regulatory, marine management and land use decisions that affect the bay. We will reach out to our Frenchman Bay Partners (FBP) and other stakeholders who have not yet engaged in the FBP process, including members of the business and real estate community. We will ask them to help identify the ecosystem services provided by Frenchman Bay and assign value to them. By helping to identify and determine values for ecosystem services, stakeholders will be invested in the decision support tool and be likely to use it to make decisions. Understanding the value of these services and the ecological processes that produce them is critical for ensuring the ecological and economic sustainability of the bay and the communities it supports.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Using Conservation Action Planning to Create Stable Local Economies
MDIBL has played a leadership role in engaging stakeholders around Frenchman Bay in conservation action planning, leading to the formation of a new group called the Frenchman Bay Partners and a plan for conserving habitats and species important to local marine livelihoods. We have engaged local harvesters and have educated them about the importance of conserving and restoring essential habitat. Eight municipalities have joined our group and are helping us make important links between working waterfront issues and the future of marine livelihoods. We are now poised to work collaboratively with these groups and others to address threats to habitats and species. In doing so, we will tip the balance toward a more ecologically and economically sustainable bay. We plan to expand our stakeholder base to include local businesses. We believe that this level of community engagement will open new and creative avenues of financial support for the on-going work of the Frenchman Bay Partners.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Supplement: Protection for eelgrass beds: Overcoming Economic Imbalances through Marine Conservation Agreements and Community Involvement in Frenchman Bay and the Gulf of Maine
The supplement amount was be used for outreach and education. After several meetings funded by the Alex C. Walker Foundation and Maine Coastal Program, Frenchman Bay Stakeholders decided to form a partnership~~The mission of the Frenchman Bay Partners is to ensure that the Frenchman Bay area is ecologically, economically and socially healthy and resilient in the face of future challenges. To that end, the FBP is creating an adaptive management plan for the bay. In order for the Frenchman Bay Plan to be a useful tool in managing bay resources, there has to be a lot of local buy-in. We have created a website that links to all partner websites, produced outreach materials for town officials, new partners, and the public, and hosted focus groups to garner feedback on the Frenchman Bay Plan. We are continuing our outreach to new partners through one-on-one interviews and a new Facebook page, and an e-newsletter.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
Protection for Eelgrass Beds: Overcoming Economic Imbalances through Marine Conservation Agreements and Community Involvement in Frenchman Bay and the Gulf of Maine
Eelgrass beds along the coast of Maine provide vital ecosystem services, yet their coverage has declined in recent years. In areas with good water quality, this decline may be due primarily to commercial dragging. Working collaboratively with community partners, including a commercial mussel grower, the Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory (MDIBL) in Bar Harbor, Maine, has been restoring eelgrass beds in Frenchman Bay since 2007 while conducting research on restoration methods and the ecological value of restored eelgrass. Since there is no formal way to establish restoration areas in Maine, informal marine conservation agreements with local mussel harvesters make eelgrass restoration possible. MDIBL is now partnering with multiple stakeholders from the Frenchman Bay area to create a Conservation Action Plan for the bay. As an outcome of the plan, stakeholders will take responsibility for protecting the habitats that sustain the fisheries on which the local economy depends.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Expanding Eelgrass Conservation in Frenchman Bay: Exploring Market-Based Solutions and New Partnerships
The purpose of this project is to expand the eelgrass restoration project in Frenchman Bay (see map). We will use improved methods and formalize our conservation agreements with mussel harvesters to protect both restoration sites and areas from which we derive transplants. Eelgrass was identified by Frenchman Bay Partners as one of four conservation targets during a bay planning process in 2011. The Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory (MDIBL) has played a leadership role in the Frenchman Bay Partners since its inception, using our eelgrass restoration effort as a model for the types of collaborative projects that are possible in Frenchman Bay. Having learned about market-based strategies for coral reef restoration at a workshop in Key Largo earlier this year, MDIBL would like to bring one of the workshop participants to Mt. Desert Island to meet with the Frenchman Bay Partners and explore how a market-based approach might help conserve and protect habitats in Frenchman Bay.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Decision Support Tools to Protect Valued Ecosystem Services
The purpose of this project is to solicit additional stakeholder input in refining our newly created Ecosystem Services Value (ESV) decision support tool that will help people around the bay balance ecological, social and economic considerations when participating in marine management and land use decisions that may impact the bay. We plan to create an online version of the decision support tool development process and reach out to stakeholders who have not yet provided input into the model. Additional input will strengthen the ESV tool and generate more buy in to the model. Then, we will develop one case study to test the efficacy of the decision support tool. By contributing input into the model and seeing how it is applied in a community context, people will be more likely to use the tool for decision making in the future.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Ocean Acidification Mitigation in Eelgrass Beds in Frenchman Bay
Ocean acidification is of concern in the state of Maine, as it has the potential to negatively impact economically important marine resources such as softshell clams and mussels with 2013 landings values of $16,915,005 and $2,340,965, respectively. Maine has responded to the growing threat of ocean acidification by creating the nation’s first Ocean Acidification Task Force. The task force released a report in 2015 with several major goals. One of the goals is to “Increase Maine’s Capacity to Mitigate, Remediate, and Adapt to Impacts of Ocean Acidification” with recommendations to “preserve, enhance, and manage a sustainable harvest of kelp, rockweed, and native algae...and preserve and enhance eelgrass beds.” There are no available data for the state of Maine on carbon sequestration rates of eelgrass or its impacts on ocean pH. We plan to collect this information in 2016; our findings may help to inform decision making at the state level regarding conservation of eelgrass beds.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Securing Protection for Eelgrass Beds: Overcoming Economic Imbalances through Submerged Land Leases in Frenchman’s Bay and the Gulf of Maine
Eelgrass beds in the subtidal zone along the Atlantic coastline provide vital but undervalued ecosystem services, yet their coverage has declined precipitously over the past twenty years. In areas with good water quality, this decline may be due primarily to dragging by commercial mussel harvesters. Working collaboratively with local community groups and a commercial mussel grower, the Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory (MDIBL) in Bar Harbor, Maine, has been restoring an eelgrass bed in a pilot project over the past three years while conducting scientific research on restoration techniques and the ecological value of eelgrass. MDIBL is now partnering with The Nature Conservancy to create a model for establishing conservation agreements based on a process that explores and develops market-based solutions in collaboration with local fishing communities and regulatory agencies.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Emergency Funds to Conserve the Children’s Eternal Rainforest, Costa Rica
Costa Rica has a payment for ecosystem services program that helps support The Children’s Eternal Rainforest. This 22,600-hectare reserve plays a critical role in conserving Costa Rica’s biodiversity. It provides water for communities and hydroelectricity and is the center of a block of protected areas that attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors to the region annually. Other important income for protecting the CER comes from visitation by ecotourists and students. A $51,500 grant from the Walker Foundation in 1993 helped fund the construction of the San Gerardo Field Station with the goal of generating ecotourism revenue. However, the economic crisis caused by the COVID19 pandemic has triggered a sudden, complete lack of tourist-derived income, putting the very existence of the CER at risk. We request $50,000 in emergency funding to ensure the survival of the CER until our market-based revenue sources stabilize and new sources of income can be developed.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Maximizing ecosystem services and biodiversity protection for future land acquisitions of the Children’s Eternal Rainforest (Bosque Eterno de los Niños, “BEN”)
In November 2022, the Monteverde Conservation League received a grant from the Alex C. Walker Foundation for the amount of $20,000. The primary goal for this project was to use GIS techniques to map areas adjacent to the Children’s Eternal Rainforest (Bosque Eterno de los Niños, “BEN”) in order to identify the best places to concentrate land purchases in the future. With GIS technology, we can identify areas that have highest ecosystem services values, biodiversity, and that would increase connectivity to other conservation areas of Costa Rica. These results would allow us to utilize our limited resources to maximize conservation success for the future.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Wildlife Conflict Resolution and Western Waters Program 2022/2023
The NWF Wildlife Conflict Resolution program resolves conflicts between wildlife and livestock through the market-based approach of compensating ranchers for retiring high conflict grazing leases on federal land. Thanks to over a decade of funding from the Walker Foundation,we have retired over 75 grazing allotments totaling over 1.6 million acres. In 2017 NWF launched the WCR Southern Rockies, Colorado Plateau and Great Basin program and in the coming year we will pilot a new strategy in Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument in southern Utah that we are describing as "AUM buy-downs." We are also launching the Western Waters Program that will largely focus on restoration of Colorado River Basin watersheds using beaver analog structures also known as Low Tech Process Restoration. This work will seek to institutionalize LTPBR in the Bureau of Land Management and to prioritize the retirement of grazing allotments that significantly impact downstream water quantity and quality.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Investigates the effect of the global financial system and/or the monetary system in fostering a sustainable economy.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Wildlife Conflict Resolution and Western Waters Program 2023/2024
The NWF Wildlife Conflict Resolution program resolves conflicts between wildlife and livestock through the market-based approach of compensating ranchers for retiring high conflict grazing leases on federal land. Thanks to over a decade of funding from the Walker Foundation,we have retired over 75 grazing allotments totaling over 1.6 million acres. In 2017 NWF launched the WCR Southern Rockies, Colorado Plateau and Great Basin program and in the coming year we will pilot a new strategy in Grand Staircase-Escalante National and Bears Ears National Monuments in southern Utah that we will include "AUM buy-downs," but will also include the full retirement of grazing allotments.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Investigates the effect of the global financial system and/or the monetary system in fostering a sustainable economy.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Wildlife Conflict Resolution Program 2020
The National Wildlife Federation’s (NWF) Wildlife Conflict Resolution program (WCR) resolves conflicts between wildlife and livestock through the market-based approach of compensating ranchers for retiring high conflict grazing leases on federal land. In addition to helping restore populations of threatened wildlife, removing grazing from large acreages is a key strategy to restoring healthy, ecological functional landscapes. Thanks to over a decade of funding from the Walker Foundation, the WCR team has retired over 75 grazing allotments totaling over 1.5 million acres, 85% of which are in the Northern Rockies. In an effort to export this success to other large landscapes, in 2017 NWF launched the WCR Southern Rockies, Colorado Plateau and Great Basin state of Colorado program. Since that time, we have retired over 150,000 acres of grazing allotments in this new geography. Last year, a generous grant from the Walker Foundation provided essential staff support for this work.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Wildlife Conflict Resolution Program 2021
The National Wildlife Federation’s (NWF) Wildlife Conflict Resolution program (WCR) resolves conflicts between wildlife and livestock through the market-based approach of compensating ranchers for retiring high conflict grazing leases on federal land. In addition to helping restore populations of threatened wildlife, removing grazing from large acreages is a key strategy to restoring healthy, ecological functional landscapes. Thanks to over a decade of funding from the Walker Foundation, the WCR team has retired over 75 grazing allotments totaling over 1.5 million acres. Over 85% of these acres are in the Northern Rockies and has been credited as a significant element in a multi-decade effort to restore the ecological integrity of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. In 2017 NWF launched the WCR Southern Rockies, Colorado Plateau and Great Basin state of Colorado program and a new element of our work in the coming year will be to support the reintroduction of wolves to the state.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Wildlife Conflict Resolution Program 2019
The National Wildlife Federation (NWF) resolves conflicts between wildlife and livestock through the market-based approach of compensating ranchers for retiring problematic grazing leases on federal land. Restoring wildlife populations has been linked to recovering healthy, functioning ecosystems. Thanks to the Walker Foundation and other funders, NWF has been able to retire 70 grazing allotments, totaling approximately 1.3 million acres. This approach establishes an important national model for resolving chronic conflicts between wildlife and livestock. Following the success of the program in the Northern Rockies, in 2017 NWF decided to expand the scope of the project to the Southern Rockies, the Colorado Plateau and the Great Basin states of Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada and Utah.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Wildlife Conflict Resolution Project (Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge)
The National Wildlife Federation (NWF) resolves conflict between wildlife and livestock through the market approach of compensating ranchers for retiring problematic grazing leases on federal land. Restoring wildlife populations has been linked to recovering healthy, functioning ecosystems in the Northern Rockies. Thanks to the Walker Foundation and other funders, NWF has been able to retire 30 grazing allotments in the Yellowstone Ecosystem, totaling more than half a million acres. More recently, NWF experimented with an auction concept to retire grazing permits on the C.M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge (CMR). NWF has now retired 60,000 acres of important wildlife habitat on the CMR. This approach establishes an important new national model for resolving chronic conflicts between wildlife and livestock.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
2008 Wildlife Conflict Resolution Project/Dunoir Grazing Allotment
NWF resolves conflict between wildlife and livestock through the market approach of compensating ranchers for retiring problematic grazing leases on federal land. Restoring populations of large predators, such as wolves and grizzlies, has been linked to recovering healthy, functioning ecosystems in the Northern Rockies. Thanks to the Walker Foundation and other funders, NWF has been able to retire 30 grazing allotments in the Yellowstone Ecosystem, totaling more than half a million acres. This approach establishes an important new national model for resolving conflicts between wildlife and livestock.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Grazing Retirement Auction on the C.M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge
The National Wildlife Federation resolves conflict between wildlife and livestock through the market approach of compensating ranchers for retiring problematic grazing leases on federal land. Restoring populations of large predators, such as wolves and grizzlies, has been linked to recovering healthy, functioning ecosystems in the Northern Rockies. Thanks to the Walker Foundation and other funders, NWF has been able to retire 30 grazing allotments in the Yellowstone Ecosystem, totaling more than half a million acres. More recently, NWF has experimented with an auction concept to retire grazing permits on the C.M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge. This approach establishes an important new national model for resolving chronic conflicts between wildlife and livestock.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Wildlife Conflict Resolution Project (Bacon Creek/Fish Creek grazing allotments)
In coordination with federal land managers, NWF negotiates with livestock producers to retire livestock grazing allotments on public lands that experience chronic conflict with wildlife, especially wolves and grizzly bears. This market approach recognizes the economic value of livestock grazing permits and fairly compensates producers for retiring their leases. It also addresses the economic imbalance that exists because wildlife conservation interests are not allowed to compete with livestock producers for grazing leases on public lands. This approach establishes an important new national model for resolving conflicts between wildlife and livestock.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Grazing Retirement Project
Our goal is to promote the conservation of wolves, grizzly bears, bison, bighorn sheep and other wildlife in the Yellowstone Ecosystem by eliminating chronic conflicts with domestic livestock. We will accomplish this by providing livestock permittees with an incentive payment in exchange for their agreement to permanently retire grazing allotments.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Wildlife Conflict Resolution Project 2015
The National Wildlife Federation (NWF) resolves conflict between wildlife and livestock through the market approach of compensating ranchers for retiring problematic grazing leases on federal land. Restoring wildlife populations has been linked to recovering healthy, functioning ecosystems in the Northern Rockies. Thanks to the Walker Foundation and other funders, NWF has been able to retire 37 grazing allotments in the Yellowstone Ecosystem, totaling approximately 650,000 acres. NWF has also retired nearly 65,000 acres of important wildlife habitat on the Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge (CMR). In addition, NWF has launched a bighorn sheep campaign, focused on retiring grazing allotments (largely ID, MT and WY) where disease conflicts have occured between domestic sheep and wild sheep. We believe this approach establishes an important new national model for resolving chronic conflicts between wildlife and livestock.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
National Wildlife Federation Wildlife Conflict Resolution Project 2013-14
The National Wildlife Federation (NWF) resolves conflict between wildlife and livestock through the market approach of compensating ranchers for retiring problematic grazing leases on federal land. Restoring wildlife populations has been linked to recovering healthy, functioning ecosystems in the Northern Rockies. Thanks to the Walker Foundation and other funders, NWF has been able to retire 34 grazing allotments in the Yellowstone Ecosystem, totaling approximately 600,000 acres. NWF has also retired nearly 65,000 acres of important wildlife habitat on the Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge (CMR). This approach establishes an important new national model for resolving chronic conflicts between wildlife and livestock.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
NWF Wildlife Conflict Resolution 2011-2012
The National Wildlife Federation (NWF) resolves conflict between wildlife and livestock through the market approach of compensating ranchers for retiring problematic grazing leases on federal land. Restoring wildlife populations has been linked to recovering healthy, functioning ecosystems in the Northern Rockies. Thanks to the Walker Foundation and other funders, NWF has been able to retire 33 grazing allotments (and the 34th pending) in the Yellowstone Ecosystem, totaling nearly 600,000 acres. NWF has also retired nearly 65,000 acres of important wildlife habitat on the Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge (CMR). This approach establishes an important new national model for resolving chronic conflicts between wildlife and livestock.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Prince William Sound Project: Building an Economic Foundation for Lasting Public Stewardship
Tourism is both the best economic hope for Prince William Sound's residents and the greatest threat to its environment and quality of life. While tourism is likely to be the growth industry of the future, environmental policies do not force tourism operators to bear the costs of their use of Prince William Sound's environment and the market does not reward businesses that operate sustainably. Consequently, there is an economic imbalance that is eroding the environmental health of Prince William Sound and the quality of life of its communities. This project seeks to make sustainable tourism practices more profitable while demonstrating the connection between protecting the environment and a healthy economy.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Sustainable Tourism Certification Project - Prince William Sound
Tourism is both the best economic hope for Prince William Sound residents and the greatest threat to the Prince William Sound environment and the quality of life of Prince William Sound communities. Unfortunately, current environmental regulations do not force tourism operators to bear the costs of their use of the Sound environment, and the market does not reward businesses that operate sustainably. The resulting economic imbalance is eroding the environmental health of Prince William Sound and the quality of life of Prince William Sound communities. This project creates a sustainable tourism operator certification and accompanying marketing infrastructure to encourage sustainable tourism and to build a powerful local constituency with a strong economic stake in protecting the Prince William Sound environment. Ultimately, it should be a model for certification nation-wide.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Defending Against Eminent Domain Abuse and Nuisance by Fossil Fuel Industry
Lawyers representing affected Texas landowners asked us to assist in litigation strategy against the proposed Kinder Morgan Permian Highway Pipeline ("PHP"), 430-miles from the Waha, Texas, area to the Gulf Coast and Mexico markets. We are now working on three separate, but extremely intertwined, cases: a state court case against the Texas Railroad Commission on the grounds that PHP is not a "public use" under the Texas Constitution's Takings Clause, along with federal and state Due Process claims based on the lack of any state oversight for pipeline siting; a case against the Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and possibly other federal agencies in federal court for their failure to require NEPA analysis for PHP; and a case against Kinder Morgan and possibly FERC in federal court arguing that PHP is not an intrastate pipeline subject only to the Texas regulatory regime, but an interstate pipeline subject to FERC's jurisdiction.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Defending against eminent domain abuse by fossil fuel industries
Pipeline companies are taking property from landowners by using eminent domain authority. Our goal is to litigate cases where favorable decisions could then be used as the basis of challenging pipelines across the country, including cases to establish that pipelines supplying LNG export facilities do not have eminent domain authority; challenging FERC’s practice of delegating its constitutional and statutory obligations to provide notice to landowners that a pipeline wants to take their property; challenging FERC’s authority to approve a pipeline before the pipeline has obtained other required federal approvals; challenging the industry practice of dubbing pipelines "intrastate" in order to avoid the more rigorous NGA review and permitting scheme; requiring pipelines that abandon a project to return land taken to property owners or at least restore it to its pre-construction state; and challenging the ability of pipelines to take possession of property before they pay for it.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
Niskanen Center Carbon Tax Advocacy Campaign
The Niskanen Center is aware of the Walker Foundation’s support of the Center for Sustainable Economy’s research on the market impacts of ocean acidification and the incorporation of those impacts into the social cost of carbon. Niskanen will consult with CSE staff as they perform research, review and provide feedback on work products, and assist with personal outreach and the communication of results with our network in Washington. This project will investigate whether the preferred market solution advocated by the Niskanen Center, namely a carbon tax, is also an effective remedy for the effects of ocean acidification.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Climate Litigation Initiative
The explosion in U.S. shale gas and shale oil has caused an unprecedented building spree of oil and gas pipelines. Because Niskanen has a strong commitment to free market principles and the protection of property rights, it is perfectly situated to lead legal efforts to fight use of eminent domain by pipeline companies.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Niskanen Center’s Climate Policy and Litigation Initiatives
Compelling government responses to climate risks and defending property rights from fossil-fuel infrastructure eminent-domain claims.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
Climate Common Law Nuisance Litigation Campaign and Eminent Domain Litigation to Prevent Abuse
We are co-counsel representing several municipalities in the first such case to be brought in a "purple state" (Boulder County and San Miguel County, along with the city of Boulder). This is the first case where the impacts beyond sea-level rise, e.g., drought, wildfires, flooding from extreme precipitation, etc., will be front and center.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Major statutory and constitutional claims against natural gas pipelines
Pipeline companies are taking property from landowners by using eminent domain authority granted by either state law for intrastate pipelines or the federal Natural Gas Act (NGA) for interstate ones.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
Modeling the Impact of Carbon Tax Revenue Recycling
A carbon price, or tax, is an essential part of a market-based approach to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. By pursuing original research on novel implementations of carbon pricing revenue swaps and reporting the results, our work will address the following goals of the Walker Foundation: "explore and develop market-based solutions" and "disseminate information on the results and findings."
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Defending against eminent domain abuse by fossil fuel industries
The explosion in U.S. shale gas and shale oil has caused an unprecedented building spree of oil and gas pipelines. Our concern is that massive investment in pipeline infrastructure may become the largest impediment to transitioning to renewable power. One of the ways to prevent this is by curtailing the ability of pipeline companies to use eminent domain to take property. Because Niskanen has a strong commitment to free market principles and the protection of property rights, it is perfectly situated to lead such legal efforts, and we believe it is extremely important for courts to hear from a pro-market, right-of-center organization that focuses on property rights issues around pipelines, and not exclusively on their environmental impacts.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Ensuring U.S. energy security and transition to a low-carbon economy
This project builds on the Niskanen’s Center’s existing expertise on carbon taxes, but creates a new agenda in response to current events. Niskanen's objective is to help facilitate the enactment and implementation of meaningful climate policies in the United States. We aim to achieve that goal by moving Republican elites to embracing climate action as a goal worth pursuing and developing policy approaches that will attract broad coalitional support and meet the climate challenge at its scale. As we continue to develop and promote market-based climate policies, concerns about their ability to achieve equitable and fair outcomes for low-income communities are rising, which requires us to improve our research and policy designs to meet these new demands.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
A Market-Based Private Revenue Stream to Support Coral Reefs
Working with Richard Thaler and the University of Chicago, we will set the stage to pilot and test a new market-based model for generating private revenues to support coral reefs. The new private stream is needed to co-finance long-term agreements under an emerging public-private partnership in Palau.
Negotiating a National-Scale Agreement for Palau
OneReef is creating a portfolio of marine conservation agreements across Micronesia that provide services and co-financing needed by local stewards. As a next step toward scaling our model under an efficient finance plan, we will negotiate a national-scale agreement with the Republic of Palau. The agreement will allow us to consolidate our work under the Office of the President, and explicitly align our funding with public funds generated through tourism user fees. Politically, the agreement will allow us to institute greater financial leverage through explicit arrangements not only with local communities, but also with Palau's national government. In effect, it allows us to better utilize support from President Remengesau to raise private funds and capitalize working capital funds that can be used to create financial incentives for greater and more secure investment of public resources to maintain Palau's unique environment.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
OneReef Ecosystem Finance Mechanism for Micronesia
OneReef works to develop efficient, sustainable financing opportunities for Micronesian communities that want to protect their coral reefs. In the face of climate change, we work with private and public entities to capture “willingness to pay” (WTP) for conservation, and create long-term management partnerships with committed local communities to build scientific, enforcement, and community engagement programs to protect coral reefs. In Palau, we are creating a financing opportunity that leverages public funds, e.g. the “Green Fee,” with private philanthropy to support such long-term conservation projects. This financing model can provide benefits far into the future, and inspire nearby nations to create similar conservation structures to protect their valuable marine resources.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Demonstrating the impact of OneReef’s Marine Conservation Agreements in the Pacific
OneReef is putting an entrepreneurial solution in place that fosters climate change adaptation in places where immediate coral reef stressors can be brought under control. OneReef works with Pacific Islanders who own coral reefs and are committed to protecting and adaptively managing them, but do not have the necessary financial, technical, and scientific resources. We provide those resources in a way that rewards good performance, leverages multiple financing sources, and verifies outcomes.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Conservation Finance Mechanism for Coral Reef Preservation in Palau and the Pacific
OneReef is putting an entrepreneurial solution in place that fosters climate change adaptation in places where immediate coral reef stressors can be brought under control. OneReef works with Pacific Islanders who own coral reefs. The project objective is to establish an endowment and a conservation investment offering which would fund operations long-term.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Ecosystem Finance Mechanism for Micronesia
We will continue to develop an efficient and diversified long-term funding mechanism that aligns multiple funding sources, creates financial reserves, and services OneReef’s Marine Conservation Agreements (MCAs) for 20 years or more.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
OneReef Ecosystem Finance Mechanism for Micronesia
OneReef works to develop efficient, sustainable financing opportunities for Micronesian communities that want to protect their coral reefs. Many small-island nations are threatened by the combined impacts of climate change and human activity, and OneReef works closely with committed local partners to build scientific, enforcement, and community engagement programs to protect their valuable reef ecosystems. In Palau, we are creating a financing opportunity that leverages public funds, via the “Green Fee,” with private philanthropy to support long-term conservation projects. This model can provide benefits far into the future, and inspire other Pacific Island nations to create similar conservation structures to protect their valuable marine resources.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Citizen Climate Cost Project
The Citizen Climate Cost Project (CCCP) consists of a high school teaching module that includes an interactive game on the economics of climate change, complementary classroom lesson materials, and an experiential exercise requiring students to go out into their communities and collect stories and data from individuals who have been personally and financially impacted by climate-related events. Students will then synthesize classroom learning and field interviews into a data rich and emotionally affecting capstone video project that will be part of an inter-high school competition.
The CCCP aims to produce three primary products: 1) a replicable high school teaching module on climate change costs; 2) short videos showing how climate change is personally impacting American communities that can be shared on social media; and 3) the first open access and “bottom up” database on local climate change costs. The project will start with a pilot in three New Jersey high schools.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Climate Cost Data and Documentary Project
The Climate Cost Project is a data and documentary project to help uncover, understand, and visualize the costs of climate change to American communities. It accomplishes this through the Witnessing Change Video Competition and the Climate Impact Census. The project’s goal is to focus attention toward the local and the present, with multimedia testimony and imagery that illustrate how climate change is already shaping the lives of Americans, and crowd sourced data on economic costs. The project sheds a light on the climate changes that are happing in the United States now, and aims to motivate communities to take positive action to build resilience and mitigate the effects of climate change.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Climate Cost Project
The Climate Cost Project (CCP) consists of a high school teaching module that includes an interactive game on the economics of climate change, complementary classroom lesson materials, and an experiential exercise requiring students to go out into their communities and collect stories and data from individuals who have been personally and financially impacted by climate-related events. Students will then synthesize classroom learning and field interviews into a capstone video project that will be part of an inter-high school competition. The CCP aims to produce three primary products: 1) a replicable high school teaching module on climate change costs; 2) short videos showing how climate change is personally impacting American communities that can be shared on social media; and 3) the first open access and “bottom up” documentation of local climate change costs.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
2005 - 2006 Water Rights Acquisition Program
The Water Rights Acquisition Program increases stream flows for fish conservation, water quality improvements, or recreational use by purchasing, leasing or in other ways acquiring water rights (permits to take water from a stream) from voluntary sellers, mainly farmers, ranchers and private landowners. Our cooperative, free-market approach to water conservation balances the environmental needs of salmon (and other threatened fish species) with the economic needs of farmers and irrigators, and in doing so helps rural communities maintain their resource-focused industries while building local support for river and stream stewardship.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Atmospheric Trust Campaign
We support a network of youth, scientists, and experts from multiple disciplines, to bring about macro governmental action at the federal, state, local and global domestic levels that drives systemic market incentives and public policy and places our society on a scientific prescription for atmospheric health and climate stability.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Our Children's Trust: Atmospheric Trust Campaign
We support a network of youth, scientists, economists and experts from multiple disciplines, to bring about macro governmental action at the federal, state, local and global domestic levels that drives systemic market incentives and public policy to place our society on a scientific prescription for atmospheric health and climate stability.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Our Children's Trust: Atmospheric Trust Campaign
We support a network of youth, scientists, economists and experts from multiple disciplines, to bring about macro governmental action at the federal, state, local and global domestic levels that drives systemic market incentives and public policy to place our society on a scientific prescription for atmospheric health, climate stability and ocean de-acidification.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Atmospheric Trust Campaign
We support a network of youth, lawyers and top scientists, economists and experts from around the world in multiple disciplines, to bring about systemic governmental action at the federal, state, and global domestic levels that drives systemic market incentives and public policy to place our society on a scientific prescription for atmospheric health, climate stability and ocean de-acidification.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Atmospheric Trust Campaign
Our Children’s Trust (OCT) is a non-profit public interest law firm representing youth around the globe in constitutional, public trust, and human rights legal actions to secure their binding legal rights to a healthy atmosphere and stable climate. This legal work – all guided by constitutional, public trust, human rights laws and the laws of nature – aims to secure systemic climate mitigation planning and remedies at federal, state, and global levels. We seek legally-binding, country and statewide science-based Climate Recovery Plans that will return atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations to below 350 parts per million (ppm) by the year 2100: the scientific prescription necessary for a safe climate system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Atmospheric Trust Campaign
We provide strategic legal services to youth from a wide array of backgrounds through a global legal campaign to secure the legal right to a healthy atmosphere and stable climate for all present and future generations. We support these young people with legal representation and targeted media, education, and public engagement efforts to support the legal actions. Our legal work – grounded in constitutional, public trust, human rights laws and the laws of nature – aims to secure systemic and science-based climate recovery planning and policies at federal, state, and global levels, including science-based Climate Recovery Plans that will reduce atmospheric CO2 concentrations to below 350 parts per million before the year 2100: the scientific prescription for climate stabilization.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Atmospheric Trust Campaign
Our Children’s Trust is the only 501(c)(3) non-profit public interest law firm in the world providing science-based legal services exclusively to children to secure their legal rights to a safe climate. Our legal work – grounded in constitutional, public trust, and human rights laws, as well as in the laws of nature – aims to stop government actions that contribute to the worsening of the climate crisis, as these actions also violate innumerable rights that depend fundamentally on a habitable planet (rights to life, liberty, property, personal security, religious freedom, etc.). We work to protect Earth’s climate for present and future generations by representing and supporting young people in global legal efforts to secure legally binding judicial declarations that will return atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations to below 350 parts per million (ppm) by the year 2100: the scientific prescription for a safe climate.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Atmospheric Trust Campaign
We support legal actions and public education to secure the legal right to a healthy atmosphere and stable climate system at the federal, state and global domestic levels. See supplemental section for a description of specific actions.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Atmospheric Trust Campaign
We provide strategic legal services to youth from diverse backgrounds to secure their legal rights to a safe climate. We work to protect the Earth’s climate system for present and future generations by representing these young people in global legal efforts to secure the legal right to a healthy atmosphere and stable climate. We support these youth in the third branch of government in a strategic legal campaign that includes targeted media, education, and public engagement work to support the legal actions. Our legal work – guided by constitutional, public trust, human rights laws and the laws of nature – aims to ensure systemic and science-based climate recovery planning and remedies at federal, state, and global levels. specifically in the form of systemic science-based Climate Recovery Plans and policies that will reduce atmospheric CO2 concentrations to below 350 parts per million before the year 2100: the scientific prescription for climate stabilization.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Coal Country Just Transition Listening Sessions
The Partnership will work with Adele Morris at Brookings Institution to schedule field-based listening sessions with community development and economic transition leaders in coal-reliant communities; will consult with her on her research and policy analysis; and submit a second proposal in January 2019 to undertake additional sessions. The goal is to inform the provisions of carbon tax legislation that could provide funding for assistance to these workers and communities.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Investigates the effect of the global financial system and/or the monetary system in fostering a sustainable economy.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Moving Forward with Rights-Based Fisheries
This project entails a unique partnership in which PERC, Environmental Defense-Austin TX office and the Reason Public Policy Institute are applying their individual strengths to bring about positive change in ocean fisheries management through rights-based fishing. Toward this goal, the partners held three seminars for U.S. federal policy makers and produced three educational booklets covering different aspects of individual fishing quotas (IFQs) conducted site visits and a workshop on innovative strategies for managing shrimp fisheries in North America; provided technical support for applying IFQs to the red snapper fishery; carried out a feasibility study of applying rights-based management to the Galapagos' sea cucumber fishery; and carried out initial plans to explore the integration of island community tenure systems with marine reserves.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
New Initiatives for Rights-based Fishing.
The project evaluates and disseminates the potential benefits of applying rights-based fishing to economically and environmentally troubled marine fisheries in the Gulf of Mexico. It also provides planning support for their application. Project efforts are directed at correcting current economic imbalances by applying market-based approaches. This is a collaborative effort involving the Property and Environment Research Center (PERC), Reason Public Policy Institute, and Environmental Defense (ED). Note: Total project approved is $60,000 with $25,000 paid in Feb, 2007 to project partner Environmental Defense.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Wildlife Friendly Certification Project
Predator Conservation Alliance's Wildlife Friendly Certification Project is exploring and developing market-based solutions that conserve and protect endangered wildlife around the world. The grant from the Walker Foundation supported an international Wildlife Friendly Summit held in Jacksonville, Florida, that brought together business leaders, entrepreneurs and wildlife biologists to investigate markets for wildlife-friendly products, and discuss ways to overcome perverse economic incentives and build fees for ecosystem services into the cost of producing goods. A report from this summit will be generated by the end of March.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Investigates the effect of the global financial system and/or the monetary system in fostering a sustainable economy.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Building Grasstops Support in 2022/2023 for Carbon Pricing
In 2022-23, the Pricing Carbon Initiative (PCI) will continue with its efforts, launched in 2011, to build support, by fostering understanding and cooperation between a wide range of organizations and opinion leaders, for bipartisan carbon pricing solutions designed to drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions. During the ongoing pandemic, PCI is conducting the ongoing Pricing Carbon Dialogues in a virtual mode. Given how well this is working, the virtual meetings will likely continue even after our in-person meetings resume. PCI will also continue to organize related efforts designed to engage and encourage additional support, cooperation and participation. [This application, submitted earlier this year, is being resubmitted with updates for the October 1, 2022 grant cycle.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Investigates the effect of the global financial system and/or the monetary system in fostering a sustainable economy.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Building Grasstops Support in 2021/2022 for Carbon Pricing
In 2021-22, the Pricing Carbon Initiative (PCI) will continue with its efforts, launched in 2011, to build support, by fostering understanding and cooperation between a wide range of organizations and opinion leaders, for bipartisan carbon pricing solutions designed to drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions. During the current pandemic, PCI is conducting the ongoing Pricing Carbon Dialogues in a virtual mode. Given how well this is working, the virtual meetings will likely continue even after our in-person meetings resume. PCI will also continue to organize related efforts designed to engage and encourage additional support, cooperation and participation.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Investigates the effect of the global financial system and/or the monetary system in fostering a sustainable economy.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Building Grasstops Support for Carbon Pricing in 2020/2021
In 2020-21, the Pricing Carbon Initiative (PCI) will continue with its efforts, launched in 2011, to build support, by fostering understanding and cooperation between a wide range of organizations and opinion leaders, for bipartisan carbon pricing solutions designed to drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions. During the current pandemic, PCI is conducting the ongoing Pricing Carbon Dialogues in a virtual mode. Given how well this is working, the virtual meetings will likely continue even after our in-person meetings resume. PCI will also continue to organize related efforts designed to engage and encourage additional support, cooperation and participation.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Investigates the effect of the global financial system and/or the monetary system in fostering a sustainable economy.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Building Engaged, Informed, and Connected Grasstops for 2023 and Beyond
With this project, the Pricing Carbon Initiative (PCI) will continue with the mission launched in 2011 to build support for bipartisan carbon pricing solutions, designed to drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions, by fostering understanding and cooperation between a wide range of organizations and opinion leaders. (www.pricingcarbon.org) This request was amended on 4/24/23 to include added funding for a 2-day retreat this May on current opportunities to promote Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanisms (CBAMs).
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Investigates the effect of the global financial system and/or the monetary system in fostering a sustainable economy.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Market Approaches to Coral Reef Restoration: Investigating the Viability
The Property and Environment Research Center (PERC) held a two-day workshop in Key Largo, FL on the viability of a market for coral reef restoration in the Florida Keys. The purpose of this event was to explore how voluntary agreements between reef users, conservationists, government, and private businesses might improve the stewardship and restoration of Florida’s coral reefs.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Reform of Air Traffic Control System
Conducted projects to build support for reform: 1) continued educational outreach to private pilots and environmental organizations; 2) a study to assess the feasibility of applying net-centric ATC technology to improving airport capacity, drawing on the expertise of industry professionals, technology experts and environmental groups.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Recognizing the True Value of Greening Multi-family Affordable Housing: A Case Study and National Model
Through a case study approach, this project is a behind-the-scenes look at the decision making process and economics involved in the design and construction of a green, multi-family affordable housing project. We will use the case study to correct a market perception that green approaches cost more and are often inappropriate for affordable housing.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Making Working Community Forests Work: Leveraging Private Capital
“Making Working Community Forests Work” project will complete the sale of a conservation easement on the 50,000-acre Usal Redwood Forest; this will prohibit fragmentation and development, require FSC certification, and assure sustainable harvesting. The easement sale and an associated fee sale are crucial to servicing the existing loan from the Bank of America. The project explores, develops and demonstrates market-based solutions for economically and ecologically sustainable timberland financing, ownership and management. RFFI will demonstrate a free-market solution-leveraging the existing private investment by attracting supplemental public funds. Our work has become highly visible; this allows for efficient dissemination of information on the results and findings to help others replicate this innovative model of natural resource management that simultaneously places value on ecology, economy and social equity.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Resources First Foundation - Project Title: Chestnut Database
The American Chestnut Foundation's mission is to "restore the American chestnut tree to the forests of Eastern North America by breeding a blight resistant timber type tree." The American chestnut once comprised a quarter of the eastern hardwood forest from Maine to Georgia, providing a valuable economic resource. An accidentally imported chestnut blight decimated the trees, with devastating results to Appalachian communities and economies. Building an online database will accelerate the tree breeding program. TACF and RFF received a grant from the Walker Foundation to build an online tree breeding database for restoration of the American chestnut. The grant demonstrates the potential for the application of biotechnology to restoring damaged economies and ecosystems.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Ocean System Damages and the Social Cost of Carbon
Climate change poses myriad threats to oceans. The ocean provides critical services that are essential to human well-being, including food, biodiversity, non-use value, recreation, and tourism. However, ocean acidification and warming (OAW), which are driven by the oceans absorbing emitted carbon dioxide (CO2) and climate change, are having significant detrimental impacts on these systems. While these impacts have substantial economic value, OAW has yet to be incorporated into estimate of the social cost of carbon (SCC). The SCC is a metric intended to reflect the damages, in dollars, stemming from an incremental ton of CO2 released into the atmosphere. The SCC is used by federal policymakers and others as a measure of the benefits of mitigating carbon emissions. To address this important gap for policymaking, RFF will convene an interdisciplinary group of experts in a series of virtual workshops to study how researchers might go about incorporating OAW damages into the SCC.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Salmon-Safe Applegate 2006
Salmon-Safe Applegate is an innovative free market conservation initiative engaging southern Oregon’s agricultural sector in environmental sustainability while building high value local markets for the region’s agricultural products. The project is a collaborative effort with farmers, a watershed council, and other local stakeholders to protect water quality, wildlife, and riparian habitat in an ecologically important tributary to the Rogue River.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Salmon-Safe Applegate 2007
Salmon-Safe Applegate is the expansion of an innovative free market conservation initiative engaging southern Oregon's agricultural sector in protecting water quality and imperiled wild salmon. With the support of the Walker Foundation, the project expanded into adjacent Rogue River tributaries with the goal of building high value local markets for the region's agricultural products
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Salmon-Safe Communities: Developing a Market-Based Conservation Initiative for Large-Scale Residential Development
Salmon-Safe received seed funding to develop Salmon-Safe Communities, the nation’s first certification program linking large-scale residential development to the protection of urban water quality & the preservation of an endangered species. The project leveraged Walker Foundation’s earlier investments in Salmon-Safe by extending our innovative market-based program to the residential building sector.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Salmon-Safe Golf: Developing a Market-based Initiative for Ecologically Sustainable Golf Course Development & Management
Salmon-Safe Golf is the nation’s first certification program linking golf course design and development to the protection of urban water quality and the preservation of an endangered species. The project leverages the Walker Foundation’s earlier investments in Salmon-Safe by extending Salmon-Safe’s innovative market-based program to the West Coast golf industry. The project met all of its startup milestones, including building partnerships with the Pacific Northwest and national golf industry to influence industry practices and successfully piloting the project with golf courses still in design as well as established sites. Like Salmon-Safe Communities, the ecologically sustainable residential development initiative that Walker funded for 2008, Salmon-Safe will be entirely funded by fees to developers beyond this startup phase.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
San Diego Watermen's Association Fishery Study and Dockside Meeting. (C/O Sand County Foundation as fiduciary)
Like most fisheries nationwide, the California Sea Urchin Fishery is regulated in a way that discourages fishermen from cooperating to conserve stocks or improve the quality of their product. The grant partners, including the Walker Foundation, funded a study conducted by fishermen of the San Diego Watermen’s Association to collect population data needed for improved management. The grant also funded meetings to report results of the study, and to solicit input from fishermen and experts on ways to improve the fishery. As a result, the San Diego Watermen’s Association is proposing a pilot program to show that both economic and conservation benefits will result by changing management from open access to ecosystem management based on area specific harvest rights.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Urban Forests: Valuing and Protecting Their Many Services
The loss of mature canopy and valuable natural green space in urban and suburban areas risks undermining sustainability even in jurisdictions that are attempting to implement “smart growth” policies. The Urban Forests project of the Society for Conservation Biology in 2013 aligned local action to protect urban forests through new incentives in the Montgomery County, Maryland zoning code and other laws with a push to properly value natural capital and its many services in measures of economic performance. The County’s Planning Board has directed its staff to explore a “model” sustainability option for the Bethesda Sector Planning process being undertaken for 2014 and to work with the Project on the plan. At the 2013 International Congress for Conservation Biology in Baltimore, Maryland, the Project held a symposium on ecosystem valuation tools and measures of performance such as Maryland's Genuine Progress Indicator.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Development of Economic Incentives and Environmental Markets to Promote Sustainable Land-Use Practices in the Tropics
This project will build upon SHI’s work in crop commercialization and the development of markets to create economic incentives for rural farmers to preserve tropical forests. SHI will identify potential buyers of farmers’ goods and services and build the capacity of its Panama affiliate to benefit from biodiversity offsets or other payments for ecosystem services. The emphasis on market development for organic produce will also reduce wasteful spending on chemical pesticides and create additional market-based incentives for farmers to protect globally significant ecosystems.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Implementation of biointensive farming practices in the tropics to investigate the economic impacts related to increased farm yields, natural resource preservation and climate stabilization.
Food insecurity not only threatens vulnerable populations, but puts economic security and international stability at risk. In response to the global farming crisis, Sustainable Harvest International will provide training and technical assistance to 50 rural farming families in Panama for one year, while studying the economic impacts of biointensive farming practices related to increased income, natural resource preservation and climate stabilization.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Brookings-AEI-IMF Joint Work on a U.S. Carbon Tax in the Context of Broader Tax Reform
The Brookings Carbon Tax Initiative will analyze the potential role of a carbon tax within broader tax reform in the United States, both to reduce the federal budget deficit and to finance reductions in other taxes. It will summarize evidence on how an effectively structured price on carbon can reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the United States. Additionally, it will explore important design features of a carbon tax, including its price trajectory and possible linkages to deficit reduction, changes in command-and-control regulation of greenhouse gases, and options for concomitant reforms of taxes on labor and capital income. The Initiative will involve new analysis of the likely distributional effects of a carbon tax embedded in fundamental tax reforms, including by income class, region, and industry.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Investigates the effect of the global financial system and/or the monetary system in fostering a sustainable economy.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Brookings Work on A U.S. Carbon Tax in the Context of Broader Tax Reform
This project is part of the Brookings Carbon Tax Initiative and builds on earlier work supported by the Walker Foundation. In this project, Brookings scholars will analyze different ways to design a U.S. carbon tax in the context of fiscal reform. This work will involve new economic modeling with the G-Cubed model of the global economy, and it will explore a variety of carbon tax scenarios to elucidate the tradeoffs across different important design elements. In particular, the scholars will examine different carbon tax price levels and trajectories and different ways for the government to use the revenue, including reducing other taxes. The scenarios will investigate revenue-neutral approaches and the implications of advanced clean energy technology (including nuclear).
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Investigates the effect of the global financial system and/or the monetary system in fostering a sustainable economy.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Analysis of how monetary policy can affect the macroeconomic outcomes of a U.S. carbon tax
In this project, Brookings scholars will explore the interaction of monetary policy and changes in carbon taxes in influencing the macroeconomic outcomes in the United States. A significant carbon tax will change the relative prices of different fuels in accordance with their carbon intensity. Depending on how the revenue from the tax is used, it may also increase overall consumer price levels.
  • Investigates the effect of the global financial system and/or the monetary system in fostering a sustainable economy.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Transition Assistance for Coal Workers and Their Communities
This grant will help support an initiative by the Brookings Climate and Energy Economics Project on designing a tax on carbon in the U.S. within the context of broader tax reforms and measures to regulate greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act. The Initiative will further the substantive discussion of climate policy in the United States. Findings will be communicated to policymakers and stakeholders through written policy briefs, private communications, and public events. Brookings scholars will also collaborate with scholars at other academic and policy research institutions to maximize their productivity and impact.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Investigates the effect of the global financial system and/or the monetary system in fostering a sustainable economy.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
A comparison of a Carbon Tax to other Regulatory Approaches to control Carbon Pollution from electric power plants
In this project, Brookings scholars will use the G-Cubed model of the global economy to compare a U.S. carbon tax with approaches the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) could take in regulating carbon pollution from the power sector. Different pollution control policies, even if they achieve the same cumulative emissions goal, could have importantly different effects on the composition of the energy sector and overall economic outcomes. This project will analyze alternative policy options with an eye to informing the development of EPA rules and comparing the outcomes of carbon pricing to regulatory approaches.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Investigates the effect of the global financial system and/or the monetary system in fostering a sustainable economy.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Analysis of how a U.S. Carbon Tax could affect patterns of trade, investment & emissions internationally
In this project, Brookings scholars will use the G-Cubed model of the global economy to examine how a U.S. carbon tax could affect U.S. exports and imports in different sectors. It will explore how U.S. climate policies drive emissions and economic activity in other countries via global market forces. Further, we will analyze the economic and environmental outcomes of approaches, such as border carbon adjustments, that could limit erosion of U.S. competitiveness and emissions leakage abroad.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Investigates the effect of the global financial system and/or the monetary system in fostering a sustainable economy.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Green Summit on Carbon Emissions Pricing
The “Green Summit on Carbon Pricing” was a meeting of some 50 environmental leaders and advocates convened this summer (2011). An impetus for the Summit is the failure of the previous (111th) Congress to pass climate legislation at a time when there appeared to be a public mandate for such action. The broader impetus is the public confusion and political stasis caused by ongoing division in the environmental community over which carbon-pricing mechanism should be the foundation stone for the legislation. This division makes it more difficult for any market mechanism — be it cap-and-trade, cap-and-dividend, or a carbon tax — to gain political traction in Washington. While we do not expect the Summit to resolve this division overnight, we believe it can help the U.S. green movement advocate for effective carbon pricing policy and climate action with greater clarity, unity and impact.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Getting Spending and Taxes under Control
Thanks to excessive long-term spending obligations, the U.S. Federal Government’s budget is projected to swell to nearly 50 percent of the economy by 2050. To prevent such a drastic rise in federal spending, The Heritage Foundation seeks to show Americans the full picture of the federal budget – including long-term obligations from entitlement programs like Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid – in order to generate public pressure for spending control. We’ll work to change the public’s view of entitlements and intergenerational obligations in the context of the long-term budget crisis, so that Americans embrace the need for structural changes to curb spending. In addition, we’ll strive to convince Americans that raising taxes harms growth and jobs and is not the solution to uncontrolled spending. Finally, we’ll work to change the congressional dynamics of entitlement reform to one of bipartisan support for serious restructuring and control of entitlements.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Curbing Spending by Reframing the Politics of Entitlements
The U.S. Federal Government’s budget is projected to swell to nearly 50 percent of the economy by 2050, so The Heritage Foundation is seeking to show Americans the full picture of the federal budget – including long-term obligations from entitlement programs like Social Security and Medicare – in order to generate public pressure for spending control. We’re working to change the public’s view of entitlements and intergenerational obligations in the context of the long-term budget crisis, so that Americans accept the need for structural changes to curb spending, especially those changes which don't raise taxes. Finally, we’re working to change the congressional dynamics of entitlement reform to one of bipartisan support for serious restructuring and control of entitlements.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Heritage Foundation - 2006 Priority Issues
The Heritage Foundation formulates and promotes conservative public policies based on the principles of free enterprise, limited government, individual freedom, traditional American values, and a strong national defense. In the past year, we have advanced this mission in many ways. Two covered in this report are 1) convincing lawmakers to see the value of “dynamic scoring” of tax proposals, and 2) helping to build a market-based health care system throughout the nation, starting with individual states.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Implementing Ecosystem Valuation as a Global Conservation and Economic Development Strategy
Tourism to protected areas including World Heritage Sites is a significant contributor to economic development. However, policy decisions to protect the natural capital upon which the industry depends, tend not to reflect this. Consequently opportunities to maximize tourism's contribution to conservation and poverty alleviation are being lost. This project is working with park systems to quantify tourism's value and make policy recommendtaions for more effective market-based strategies to achieve financial sustainability.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Investigates the effect of the global financial system and/or the monetary system in fostering a sustainable economy.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Implementing Ecosystem Valuation as a Global Conservation and Economic Development Strategy
Tourism and recreation, freshwater and fisheries are examples of ecosystem services which, due to inappropriate or non-existent pricing mechanisms are eroding the natural capital on which they depend. The resulting economic imbalance in the monetary system undermines the functioning of the free-market system such that the long-term provision of these essential societal services and the well-being of the people who depend upon them is threatened. This project proposes to address this economic imbalance by carrying out studies to place an economic value on ecosystem services and to develop market-based mechanisms and policy recommendations to facilitate the establishment of environmentally and financially sustainable pricing practices for ecosystem services at park systems in some of the most ecologically important regions of the world.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Investigates the effect of the global financial system and/or the monetary system in fostering a sustainable economy.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Implementing Ecosystem Valuation as a Global Conservation and Economic Development Strategy
In Colombia, a third of the population gets drinking water from protected areas. Some municipalities there and elsewhere in Latin America, are beginning to realize that investing in watershed protection is less expensive than mitigating the problems that result from watershed degradation. Recognizing the opportunity to capitalize upon this cost-benefit analysis to enhance freshwater conservation, the Conservancy has developed, tested and implemented a plan that incorporates financing watershed conservation and protection through water trust funds capitalized by user fees and private contributions. Buttressed by our longstanding protected-areas and ecotourism work in the region, these strategies are preserving freshwater for people while simultaneously conserving critical habitat. We seek to create 2 new Funds, in Ecuador and Colombia.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Investigates the effect of the global financial system and/or the monetary system in fostering a sustainable economy.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Market Forces and Fishery Management in Micronesia and Hawaii
The Nature Conservancy will address the economic imbalance of island nations in Micronesia whose livelihoods and food sources are at risk from market forces, both internal and external, that are creating unsustainable fishing conditions while weakening traditional management systems. In response, we will work with Micronesian partners to assess the impact of internal and external market forces on traditional practices and marine resource sustainability; integrate rights-based and traditional management systems into combined approaches for Micronesia’s coastal fisheries; develop innovative sustainable financing options for coastal fisheries management; and lay the groundwork to roll out and refine these approaches across Micronesia within the framework of the Micronesia Challenge. If funding is approved to a second year, the project will be expand to Hawaii.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Ecological and Economic Assessment of Bumphead Parrotfish and Humphead Wrasse in Palau to develop market-based and culturally appropriate management options
The Nature Conservancy will work with government and community partners, experts in fisheries and economics, to incorporate economic and market-based approaches into the co-management of key fisheries in the Republic of Palau and Pohnpei (Federated States of Micronesia). This project will allow us to begin to demonstrate practical options for improving fisheries co-management in Micronesia to address the current decline in coastal fisheries and the challenges with their effective management. We propose to assist with the establishment of fishers’ associations that promote user-rights and markets-based approaches; and help initiate development of economic and market-based tools and approaches. This project is part of a longer-term initiative to demonstrate integrated coastal fisheries co-management that incorporates EAF principles, shows stakeholder involvement in management decisions, and applies cost effective harvest strategies based economic and market-based solutions.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
International Conference on "The Bottom Line on Climate Change: Transitioning to Renewable Energy"
The conference was hosted by The New School on September 22 and 23, 2011. It addressed open questions regarding the transition from high carbon intensive technology to low carbon intensive technology. A particular focus was on renewable energy sources. The workshop brought together high-profile experts from different countries and institutions who made predictions and policy recommendations regarding the potential market outcomes associated with different approaches to organizing the transitional stage.
  • Investigates the effect of the global financial system and/or the monetary system in fostering a sustainable economy.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
An International Conference on Environmental Economics
The 2009 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen has been perceived as a failure, while the consequences of global warming continue to mount. The leading nations of the world, however, hesitate to commit themselves to climate change mitigation measures. Attempting to establish both the urgency of the issue and to help overcome the standoff in international negotiations, The New School hosted a high level international conference on the “Economics of Climate Change” on April 9 -10, 2010.
  • Investigates the effect of the global financial system and/or the monetary system in fostering a sustainable economy.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
Carbon Tax Project
The Project’s goal is to inform and engage Americans in support of a carbon tax as the preferred market-friendly policy solution to the danger of catastrophic climate change. The Institute’s Carbon Tax Project responds both to the national need for market-friendly policy leadership on climate change, as well as the pressing need for policy organizations to more effectively engage the public in support of their ideas. Specifically, the Project will sponsor and promote research by eminent scholars to help develop an efficient and market-driven carbon tax policy, and will also help the policy proposal gain political, economic and popular legitimacy within the national climate change debate.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
R Street Climate Change Project
R Street wants to convince conservatives that climate change is an important issue worthy of public policy action. To do this, we want to pursue two interlocking strategies: (1) An outreach campaign intended to convince Republicans and conservatives that good public policy related to climate change is not only consistent with conservative philosophy but will help to advance it. (2) A research program intended to develop a stronger evidentiary basis for conservative, market-oriented ways of confronting climate change. We are asking you, the Walker Foundation, for partial funding of both of these priorities.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Investigates the effect of the global financial system and/or the monetary system in fostering a sustainable economy.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
R Street Carbon Tax and State Level Work
R Street will continue work with the federal executive branch, Congress, state governments, conservative non-profits and others to develop and promote the idea that states willing to impose a carbon tax at a certain minimum level should be able to opt out of EPA greenhouse gas regulations. In particular, we’ll build on progress we have made in forwarding the idea of state-level carbon taxes in places like Oregon, Washington and Virginia. We will also work with members of Congress and executive branch policymakers to encourage an alternative to burdensome EPA regulations.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Planning for CBRA Expansion
The purpose of this grant would be to develop an planning, outreach, and coalition building strategy to expand the use of protections like those provided by the Coastal Barrier Resources System. CBRA, signed into law by Ronald Reagan in 1982, is a highly successful effort to forward environmental protection goals by reducing the size and scope of government. CBRA establishes “subsidy free zones” that withdraw a number of federal programs from environmentally sensitive areas. The results speak for themselves; CBRA has saved over $1 billion while protecting 1.3 million acres of sensitive land from development. It is an effective, market-based solution to the problems of increasing levels of coastal damage and sea level rise. We want to develop plans, engage in outreach, and build coalitions to double the size of CBRA and double the amount of money that it saves for taxpayers.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
State-level carbon taxes as an alternative to EPA regulation
The R Street Institute will work with the federal executive branch, state governments, conservative non-profits and others to develop and promote the idea that states willing to impose a carbon tax at a certain minimum level should be able to opt out of EPA greenhouse gas regulations. We'll also work in particular states to determine what other taxes might be eliminated as part of a carbon tax swap.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
R Street Institute, Market-Based Approaches to Greenhouse Gases, 2016-2017
R Street will continue work with the federal executive branch, Congress, state governments, conservative nonprofits and others to develop and promote two ideas concurrently. The first: conservatives, in particular, need more exposure to better arguments in support of pollution pricing, particularly with respect to greenhouse gasses. The second: the legislative branch must act to create a market-friendly alternative to Environmental Protection Agency regulation of greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
International IFR Development 2013
SCGI's purpose is to provide technological and political frameworks that will result in policies leading to abundant energy and resources for all nations. Our primary effort is to get a commercial-scale version of the Integral Fast Reactor (IFR) built as quickly as possible in order that it might prove the concept and provide a standard design that can be deployed globally. This project requires the involvement of the leading experts in the field (who are already members of SCGI) and their engagement with world leaders and policymakers who can achieve the goal.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
International IFR Development
SCGI's purpose is to provide technological and political frameworks that will result in policies leading to abundant energy and resources for all nations. Our primary effort is to get a commercial-scale version of the Integral Fast Reactor (IFR) built as quickly as possible in order that it might prove the concept and provide a standard design that can be deployed globally. This project requires the involvement of the leading experts in the field (who are already members of SCGI) and their engagement with world leaders and policymakers who can achieve the goal.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Emerging Strategies for Improving Fisheries Management
Building upon the successful 2005 Fisheries workshop in Del Mar, CA, (supported by the Walker Fdn.) and arising from several important initiatives that emerged among the participants of that conference, the purpose of this workshop was to advance the cause of fisheries self-governance by assembling commercial fishermen in a 2007 workshop to discuss case studies of successful management, research and marketing.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Delivering Ecosystem Services in the Southern Appalachians
The undeveloped federal and private forest lands of the Southern Appalachians represent critical natural capital that supports water quality, flood control, recreation, and other ecosystem services for the communities and people of the region. Many of these values are often overlooked in planning for the management and stewardship of these lands and the consequence is a loss of that critical natural capital over time. This trend could be slowed or reversed by bringing information to federal land planning efforts and augmenting market-based incentives for building up, rather than using up, natural capital. The Wilderness Society will develop solid information about ecosystem service flows across western North Carolina and Eastern Tennessee and put that information into action in the development of better national forest plans and, through collaboration with the Dogwood Alliance, enhanced markets for ecosystem services supplied by private lands.
  • Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
New Zealand Marine Fisheries Management Tour
Twenty US fishing industry leaders completed a one week study tour to New Zealand in March 2006 to learn firsthand about that nation's 20 year experience with individual transferable quotas. The tour was organized by the California Sea Grant Extension Program. Study tour participants are conducting outreach programs to share what they learned and a tour website is under construction.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Earmarking and the Political Economy of Agricultural Research
We propose to investigate the political economy of agricultural research appropriations at a highly disaggregated level in order to address a number of critical issues regarding the allocation and merits of earmarked agricultural research.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
Mexican Gray Wolf Recovery & Grazing Permit Retirement In Greater Gila
WildEarth Guardians received a $25,000 grant from the Alex C. Walker Foundation to protect the threatened wildlands and endangered wildlife of the Greater Gila Ecosystem through a market-based approach that retires high conflict cattle grazing allotments on national forest lands. In 2013 we signed an agreement with a New Mexico rancher on the Deep Creek Allotment of the Gila National Forest to retire a 30,000-acre allotment in the heart of the Greater Gila. On April 21, 2014 we financially compensated this rancher for relinquishing his 30,000-acre grazing allotment, which will now be administratively retired by the Gila National Forest. This successful pilot will be leveraged as we hope to sign several additional retirement agreements in the next 12 months. This administrative retirement and the additional ones we hope to complete this year will demonstrate the feasibility of this market-based approach to solving cattle grazing conflicts and furthering Mexican gray wolf conservation.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Mexican Gray Wolf Recovery Through Grazing Permit Retirement In Greater Gila
WildEarth Guardians’ campaign protects the threatened wildlands and endangered wildlife of the Greater Gila Bioregion through a market-based approach that retires high conflict cattle grazing allotments on national forest lands. In April 2014 we compensated a rancher to relinquish his 28,000-acre grazing allotment, which has now been administratively closed by the Gila National Forest (announced in August). This success will be leveraged; we hoped to sign additional agreements over the past 12 months (we were close) and will sign new agreements in the next 12 months. Thanks to efforts building support in the ranching community and the political support of Congressional champions, a pilot program for permanent-grazing retirements was added to must pass federal legislation in 2014. Unfortunately, Congress stripped the pilot program language from the final bill in conference. Our administrative retirement and incremental progress demonstrates the feasibility of our market-based approach.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.
Fishing Subsidies and the World Trade Organization
World Wildlife Fund (WWF) actively worked with private sector partners in our pursuit of new disciplines on fisheries subsidies, including the United States’ most important seafood trade organization, the National Fisheries Institute. We also aligned our work with parallel efforts by a group of governments that favor new, more trade-friendly rules in this area.
  • Investigates causes tending to destroy or impair the free-market system.
  • Explores and develops market-based solutions.

 
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