Category: Policy

Why Building Codes Should Incorporate Future Temperature Projections

Why Building Codes Should Incorporate Future Temperature Projections

01/26/23

“Why should building codes incorporate future temperature projections?”

Building codes often take into account local temperatures in their guidance. For example, California’s Title 24 building energy efficiency codes require residential units to have minimum ceiling and wall insulation values corresponding to their local climate zone. With the advent of climate change, the temperatures in such climate zones will shift, and the buildings built today must withstand this new paradigm. To illustrate, the Californian city of Fresno is projected to experience 10 times as many heat days per year between 2050 and 2099 than what it experienced from 1961 to 2005. Policymakers should start considering Why Building Codes Should Incorporate Future Temperature Projections to protect their citizens.

Why Public Utility Commissions Will Need to Integrate Climate Adaptation into Utility Regulations

Why Public Utility Commissions Will Need to Integrate Climate Adaptation into Utility Regulations

01/25/23

“Why will public utility commissions need to integrate climate adaptation into utility regulations?”

Climate change has arrived. Vast swaths of California are burning. Bangladesh is flooding. The Sahel is turning more and more into a desert. Utilities are going to have to adapt to this new paradigm. However, if there are no regulations to govern them, they might propose solutions that don’t benefit their customers. For example, they could harden their infrastructure to climate pathways that are considered too extreme by most scientists, just so they can extract as much money as possible. To solve this, public utility commissions will have to step in and enforce regulations on these organizations. Actions to undertake this range from bringing climate adaptation matters into rate case proceedings to forcing adherence to particular standards. This is Why Public Utility Commissions Will Need to Integrate Climate Adaptation into Utility Regulations

Why Climate Disasters Exacerbate Domestic Violence

Why Climate Disasters Exacerbate Domestic Violence

01/23/23

“Why do climate disasters exacerbate domestic violence?”

When climate disasters occur, people lose their resources and are forced to shelter in places for long periods of time. This can lead people to being entrapped with domestic abusers without the ability to escape. Worse, the immediate chaos surrounding the disaster makes it more difficult to report and get assistance from authorities. This is Why Climate Disaster Exacerbates Domestic Violence. Disaster professionals will need to consider ways to mitigate these risks and ensure the protection of victims.

Why Emergency Management Professionals Need to Consider the Effects of Contaminated Rainwater on Residents’ Teeth

Why Emergency Management Professionals Need to Consider the Effects of Contaminated Rainwater on Residents’ Teeth

01/22/23

“Why will emergency management professionals need to consider the effects of contaminated rainwater on residents’ health?”

During disasters, people may need to become reliant on stored rainwater. However, if it is not properly kept, the water may become contaminated. This could lead to a myriad of health effects, including dental hygiene issues. Bacteria and chemicals in the water can rot teeth and harm gums. Preventive measures include issuing boil water notices, providing residents with adequate dental supplies, and having dentists available on call. This is Why Emergency Management Professionals Need to Consider the Effects of Contaminated Storage Water on Residents’ Teeth.

Railroad Infrastructure Reassessment in Face of Climate Change

Railroad Infrastructure Reassessment in Face of Climate Change

01/21/23

“Why will railroad companies have to reassess their infrastructure in the face of climate change?”

Railroad companies often perform assessments of their infrastructure. However, climate change will vastly impact their systems, whether it be heat waves causing roads to buckle or sea-level rise swallowing entire transit paths. To ensure the safety of the public, these organizations will have to perform Railroad Infrastructure Reassessment in Face of Climate Change.

Why Consensus Building is Vital to Avoid Climate-Induced Conflicts

Why Consensus Building is Vital to Avoid Climate-Induced Conflicts

01/19/23

“Why is consensus building vital to avoid climate-induced conflicts?”

Climate change is going to lead to the deprivation of resources. Drinking water will dry up, farms will be ravaged, and living conditions over the world will turn more unbearable. With more constraints on how we are going to live, conflicts are going to arise. For example, agricultural failure may drive communities to raise their livestock in new regions. If not managed, this could strain the resources in those parts and induce conflict between the original and arrived groups. One tool communities have to take care of this is to convene stakeholders and work to build agreements and consensus. By establishing an agreed-upon solution, groups can feel satisfied with the new arrangements and build their lives. This is Why Consensus Building is Vital to Avoid Climate-Induced Conflicts.

Why International Human Rights Lawyers Should Start Being Trained in Environmental Law

Why International Human Rights Lawyers Should Start Being Trained in Environmental Law

01/18/23

“Why should international human rights lawyers start being trained in environmental law?”

International human rights lawyers are tasked with fighting human rights violations around the world. Whether it be helping refugees, advocating for marginalized groups, or inditing war criminals, these people are here to help. However, with the advent of climate change, environmental factors are going to take a more significant role in global conflicts and subjugation. Island nations are going to be flooded over. Certain areas of the world will become inhospitable and their residents will have to flee. Multinational organizations will have to pay for all the climate disinformation they spread. Without an understanding of environmental law, international human rights lawyers are going to be ill-equipped to make a difference. But if they study it, they’ll be prepared to forge a golden age in the new climate paradigm. This is Why International Human Rights Lawyers Should Start Being Trained in Environmental Law.

Why Inflation Makes it More Difficult for People to Become First-Time Homeowners

Why Inflation Makes it More Difficult for People to Become First-Time Homeowners

01/17/22

“Why does inflation make it more difficult to become a first-time homeowner?”

Becoming a first-time homeowner takes a lot of prep work. You have to have a relatively high credit score to qualify for a loan, a stable income to cover the mortgage, and enough money in the bank to make the downpayment. These factors all make inflation a more deadly force. To begin, governments usually make interest rates higher to take the steam out of inflation. This makes taking on a new mortgage loan more onerous and difficult to obtain. The price of land will also skyrocket while most people’s incomes stay flat, making the first move harder to make. Bank accounts may be drained to cover the increasing cost of daily life, hurting people’s potential for a solid down payment. This is Why Inflation Makes it More Difficult for People to Become First-Time Homeowners.

How Inflation Adds Stress to Rental Affordability

How Inflation Adds Stress to Housing Affordability

01/16/23

“How does inflation add stress to rental affordability?”

Inflation causes the value of a currency to lose value. Landlords will often compensate for this shrinkage of wealth by increasing their rental charges. However, workers may not receive a corresponding salary increase from their jobs. The result is that people will have to pay a greater share of their income on housing. It’s easy to see How Inflation Adds Stress to Housing Affordability. Policymakers will have to make decisions to help their constituents cope with this problem.