Green Accounting at Rio+20
One of the main topics of discussion at the Rio+20 Earth Summit was “green accounting,” or putting a price on the services that natural systems provide for society. RFF experts have been researching the possibilities and techniques for valuing nature’s services for many years. Visit the resource library on green GDP from RFF’s Center for the Management of Ecological Wealth for an in-depth look at the advantages and challenges of properly valuing the environment.
Measuring Deforestation
According to a new report in Science, previous estimates of greenhouse gas emissions from deforestation were off by perhaps as much as two thirds. The new estimates were developed using satellite imagery and consistent methods across different countries to generate a more accurate picture of forest loss. RFF experts Molly Macauley, Roger Sedjo, and I previously discussed this topic in a Resources article and an RFF report. We highlight the need for improved measurement of the world’s forests and the potential for advancing satellite technology to provide better, more comprehensive data.
Rare Earth Supply
Concerns about the availability of rare earth elements are growing as China, which provides 90 percent of current world supply, warns that its reserves are quickly depleting. Vietnam and Japan are teaming up to begin mitigating the supply problem. A team of RFF experts looked into the implications of rare earth supply restrictions on the U.S. wind energy sector. They found that China’s supply restrictions won’t significantly impact the wind sector because wind is currently such a small share of the U.S. electricity generation profile. Moreover, U.S. manufacturers are not yet extensively using rare earth metals to build turbines, though this may change in the future.
