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.
Natural Gas in the Energy Futures of China and India
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.
Bechtel Conference Center
National Oil Companies: Performance and Strategy
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.