Reports and publications

As environmentalists, we often refer to our work as “saving the planet.” This is unhelpful for a couple of reasons.

Just as reverse auctions have helped increase renewable energy capacity, they could also be an effective approach for scaling energy storage  

Coastal regions and deltas around the globe are seeking financing for resilience projects to cope with more frequent extreme events, sea-level rise and land subsidence. Interest is growing in natural infrastructure that generates multiple ecosystem services including flood risk reduction. The growth of the conservation finance market represents an opportunity to support these investments, but there is a need for pilot transactions that align incentives across private and public entities, along with rigorous performance metrics for natural infrastructure linked to resilience outcomes. We test the feasibility of the Environmental Impact Bond (EIB) model to address these challenges. An EIB is a form of Pay-for-Performance debt financing where investors provide upfront capital to implement a project and are repaid according to the degree to which desired environmental outcomes are achieved. We evaluate this concept for wetland restoration projects identified in Louisiana’s Coastal Master Plan by developing a site selection procedure and designing a multi-stakeholder transaction tied to restoration outcomes. Based on our proposed model we conclude that an EIB could be used to accelerate restoration and increase the net benefits of wetland investments, aligning incentives of the investors and payors around metrics of wetland sustainability.

Study co-authored by EDF of the potential for Environmental Impact Bonds (EIB) to accelerate wetland restoration investments.

An interview with Ilissa Ocko

In Congress and statehouses  across the country, new faces are working with EDF to reverse two years of environmental vandalism. 

Experts will present research on the benefits of carbon market cooperation for achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement. Panelists will also discuss the kinds of rules necessary to operationalize Article 6, including rules to avoid double counting.

Q&A on accounting for transfers from “outside” of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement to avoid double counting

Now, when we must find ways to reduce climate pollution dramatically and without needlessly burdensome costs, we would be wise to look to Bush’s prudent approach: choose flexible, performance-based policies that trigger a hunt for the lowest-cost solutions, both low-tech and high-tech.