Environment

FSI scholars approach their research on the environment from regulatory, economic and societal angles. The Center on Food Security and the Environment weighs the connection between climate change and agriculture; the impact of biofuel expansion on land and food supply; how to increase crop yields without expanding agricultural lands; and the trends in aquaculture. FSE’s research spans the globe – from the potential of smallholder irrigation to reduce hunger and improve development in sub-Saharan Africa to the devastation of drought on Iowa farms. David Lobell, a senior fellow at FSI and a recipient of a MacArthur “genius” grant, has looked at the impacts of increasing wheat and corn crops in Africa, South Asia, Mexico and the United States; and has studied the effects of extreme heat on the world’s staple crops.

The role of natural gas in Chinese and Indian economies is of critical import both domestically and for global energy and environmental issues. The competition between coal and natural gas in these two markets has tremendous implications for local air pollution and for climate change. Rising demand for imported gas in China and India will also shape the LNG market in the Pacific Basin and could lead to the construction of major international pipeline projects to monetize gas supplies in Russia and the Middle East.

PESD has partnered with leading regional research centers in both China and India to construct detailed assessments of the key drivers for future gas demand in both countries. Papers are available on requests and presentations for download below.

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Conferences

The NOC study will be a two year effort, starting with six case studies to test the methods of research. Eventually the research will include 15 cases and a concluding report of general findings. At the midpoint of the effort, PESD hosted a meeting of interim findings on the study April 19th and 20th, 2007 to take stock of the progress to date and the direction of further research.

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Workshops

The Stanford Program on Energy and Sustainable Development (PESD) is concluding a major study aimed at understanding the future role for natural gas in the rapidly growing economies of China and India. On June 4-5, 2007 PESD will convene a meeting at Stanford to present the results of the study and engage with participants from industry and academia on the implications of this work for global energy markets.

PESD has partnered with leading regional research centers in both China and India to construct detailed assessments of the key drivers for future gas demand in both countries. At the June meeting PESD and its research collaborators will share results from the natural gas study and explore the study's broader implications on China and India's role in the future world energy market. Meeting participants will include representatives from government, industry, academia, and non-government organizations from the United States, China, India, Europe, and others.

Panels at the meeting with focus primarily on the implications of the study on larger questions of energy and global geopolitics, including:

§ Competitiveness of natural gas vis a vis coal in the power sector

§ Geopolitical implications of major supply projects

§ Regulatory reform and pricing

§ Implications for CO2 and climate change

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Conferences
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Professor David G. Victor presented on the future of natural gas in India at the Observer Research Foundation in Delhi. His presentation showed how global gas prices, demand from China, domestic coal prices, and industrial demand in India will shape future use of natural gas in the country's fuel mix. Favorable regulation will be needed to keep natural gas competitive in India.
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The performance of China's national system of innovation has improved since reforms began in 1978, but reform impact by sector is not well characterized. This case study dentifies factors affecting patterns of technological innovation and adoption in eight industries in China's energy sector (coal, oil and non-conventional hydrocarbons, natural gas, nuclear power, electric power, renewable sources, automobiles, and motor systems).

Innovation performance is strongest in industries that have experienced institutional transformation and growing market competition, whereas in industries where the pre-reform legacy of central control, weak intellectual property protection, and low levels of corporate R&D persists, innovation is lagging. Government initiatives to mitigate urban air pollution by strengthening environmental regulations and reduce dependence on imported oil by funding alternatives are also influencing innovation patterns. Based on current performance of the innovation system and examples of collaboration in the energy sector, China's ability to be a productive partner in international collaborative R&D efforts depends on the participation of local developers, domestic policy support for collaboration, and the strength of China's own R&D enterprise.

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Program on Energy and Sustainable Development Working Paper #61
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