From heatwaves and wildfires to droughts and floods, climate change will induce more severe and more frequent hazards. These events will lead to increased federal spending in disaster relief, health care, and insurance programs. Further, climate change is likely to lead to a net reduction in federal revenue by affecting productivity, labor hours, and total labor force.
In a new report, RAND researchers examine these issues, taking a close look at how climate change and related mitigation policy may affect the federal budget.
The authors’ goal is to inform the creation of a model that captures the important relationships between climate, federal policy, and the economy. This will help shape future policy decisions that affect the quality of life for people in the United States and around the world.
Cybersecurity detection tools can be just as vulnerable as the critical infrastructure they’re designed to protect. In fact, these tools are increasingly under attack by U.S. adversaries. RAND's Chad Heitzenrater says this is just one part of a broader problem: America's current approach to cybersecurity may not meet security needs during a conflict. He argues for a higher standard for cybersecurity—one that “focuses on developing systems that are fit for purpose and designed to operate in hostile environments.” Read more »
After years of focusing on counterterrorism and counterinsurgency missions, U.S. defense policy must now grapple with the very different challenge of deterring—and, if necessary, fighting wars against—peer or near-peer competitors. In a new paper, RAND's Michael Mazarr breaks down what it might take to meet this difficult moment. “The United States cannot muscle its way past these problems with bigger budgets or expanded capabilities,” he writes. “Bigger decisions must be made.” Read more »
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