February 2015

High Pollution Cuts Most Indian Lives Short by Three Years

New research by EPIC's Michael Greenstone and his Harvard and Yale coauthors finds improved compliance with Indian air quality standards would save 2.1 billion life-years for over half of India's population that is exposed to deadly pollution.

Get a complete wrap-up of the coverage...

NY Times Op-Ed: Surprisingly, a Voluntary Climate Treaty Could Actually Work

EPIC Director Michael Greenstone writes in the NY Times Upshot blog about the nature of "binding" climate treaties, and why a voluntary treaty could work just as well.

Yale Climate Connections: Understanding the Social Cost of Carbon

The social cost of carbon sounds a bit wonky, yet it is becoming a crucial new instrument in putting a price on carbon. Yale Climate Connection's John Wihbey talks with EPIC's Michael Greenstone.

In the News...
WUIS: University Group Seeks Change in Cost Estimate on Carbon Emissions

Energy @UChi

Climate Hacking is Barking Mad

Via Slate
UChicago's Raymond Pierrehumbert comments on National Research Council report.
Read also: David Keith: Solar Geoengineering Technology and Implications for Public Policy

UChicago and MBL Announce Recipients of Lillie Awards for Collaborative Research

Via MBL

UChicago-MBL collaborations combine research strengths in new ways

Via UChicago News

Toxic Plants Decrease Home Values, Increase Rate of Low Birth Weight Babies

Study shows home values within the immediate area of a power plant’s opening dropped 11 percent, an accumulated loss of over $4 million per plant, and low birth rates increased 3 percent.

EPIC Hires Former White House Official as Senior Advisor and Fellow

Pete Ogden, former energy and climate change official at the White House and State Department, will help guide strategic research and outreach for the growing energy policy think tank.

Meet EPIC's New PhD Fellows

Arvid Viaene: The Impact of Biofuels on Fuel and Food Prices

Mary Jialin Li: Energy Prices and Their Role in the Uptake of Energy-Saving Technology

Ignacia Mercadal: Keeping Energy Costs Low and the Environment Clean

Affiliates

Computation Institute:

Urban Sensing with the Array of Things

A New Benchmark for Chicago's Skyline

Climate Change & Breast Cancer in Africa

Paulson Institute:

The Two-fer That Isn’t: Why Air Pollution and Carbon Reductions in China Don’t Overlap as Much as You Think

Building a "Sustainable Eco-Edge District" Outside Beijing

Three Questions with Ma Zhijun on World Wetlands Day

Look Ahead

March 4, 3:30pm
EPIC Seminar Series:
Ray Boswell
Energy and Environmental Implications of Gas Hydrates
(Saieh 203)

March. 10, 6:00pm
Climate Change: Fact, Fiction, and What You Can Do
Featuring Argonne's Doug Sisterson
(International House)

March 11, 3:30pm
EPIC Seminar Series:
Eric D. Isaacs
Materials Science in the National Interest: Discovery, Innovation and Energy
(Saieh 203)

Coming up in April...
The Next Frontier of Climate Change: State & Local Action in Chicago
In partnership with The New Republic. Stay tuned for details!

Application Deadlines

EPIC Pre-Doctoral Fellowships for Academic Year 2015-2016:
Fellows will be announced by March 15th, so submit your application today! More...

UChicago Innovation Fund Accepting Proposals for Spring 2015 Funding Cycle:
The fund supports the evolution of ideas into products and services, and is open to current UChicago and affiliated lab faculty, staff, and students. Applications are due March 12th, so submit your energy innovations here!

Beyond UChi

Argonne National Lab:

Oncor's backup plan for Texas power gives jolt to energy storage industry
Via Dallas Morning News

Water: Chicago in the 21st Century and Beyond
Via Chicago Tonight

China's electric car boom: should Tesla Motors worry?
Via Fortune

Bulletin of Atomic Scientists:

Rachel Bronson named new executive director

Timeline: The IPCC's shifting position on nuclear energy