In this edition:
- Insight into opportunities for North American energy and climate partnerships
- A roundup of RFF research on assessing and funding US parks
North American Energy and Climate Policy
Energy ministers from the United States, Canada, and Mexico have established a working group designed to “enhance cooperation and integrate more climate change–related policies” into their energy dialogues. Group members have said that they will focus on “aligning regulations to control emissions from the oil and gas sector,” as well as improving grid efficiency and clean energy technologies.
Working with partners in Mexico and Canada, RFF experts identified a number of opportunities for potential tri-national coordination on energy and climate policies. RFF’s Ray Kopp and Alan Krupnick suggest creating an Energy North American Free Trade Agreement (E-NAFTA), to help “ensure that each nation reaps the economic benefits from development of these reserves while maintaining and enhancing commitments to protect the environment.” Learn more about RFF’s research on North American Energy Opportunities.
Park Funding Legislation Stalls
US Department of the Interior Secretary Sally Jewell has reaffirmed her support for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). Renewal legislation for the LWCF “appears to have stalled.” The loss of the fund, which will expire in September, would threaten conservation improvement projects by “putting at risk a primary source of revenue” for many parks across the country.
RFF’s Margaret Walls previously commented on ways to improve the LWCF in order to ensure that funding offers the “greatest bang for the buck,” including finding “a balance between federal and state programs.” A collection of research by Walls and RFF’s Juha Siikamäki was also featured in a Memorial Day blog roundup, highlighting the current state of parks and recreation in the United States.
