Publications: CETEP Environmental

This report presents the results of statistical models estimating scrappage rates and survival probabilities as a function of vehicle age for U.S. light-duty vehicles. Using vehicle counts by type and model year from 2002 to 2020, the analysis estimates scrappage functions for the 2003–2020 period. Separate models were developed for three vehicle categories: passenger cars,…

Reliance on natural gas has grown significantly in Tennessee and it will remain a key component of the state’s energy portfolio for the foreseeable future. Adequate and stable natural gas supplies, along with competitive prices and a safe system of distribution, will be essential to the state’s economic security and its future path of economic…

The Knoxville Urban Wilderness (KUW) is a successful example of a growing global movement to utilize vacant urban land as many cities “de-urbanize”. A key question is whether this particular kind of green space promotes social inequality via green gentrification. Our analysis shows how the KUW has affected nearby home prices. Socioeconomic data including income,…

A thorough understanding of the relationships between sociodemographic factors and environmental quality remains limited. Although previous research has examined individual sociodemographic and environmental quality indicators, comprehensive assessments of how these factors interact are still lacking. In this study, we used the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) and environmental quality…

Achieving near-zero greenhouse gas emissions from transportation by 2050 presents a significant challenge for public policy. Transportation systems require energy to move people and goods, and currently rely on fossil carbon fuels for more than 90% of their energy needs, a trend that has persisted since at least the middle of the twentieth century (Davis…

Wetlands provide a range of services that benefit humans. Estimating the total economic value of wetlands requires accounting for all of these services, even though most are not monetized through markets. Wetland values fall under four main categories (Boyer and Polasky 2004): (1) direct use values such as recreation and provision of food or fuel;…

Ever since they escaped Arkansas aquatic farms in the 1970’s, Asian carp have created headaches for policymakers and boaters alike. Several species of fish are collectively known in the United States as Asian carp. Common carp resemble bloated goldfish and range from a couple of pounds to 40lbs. These bottom-feeders are what most Americans recognize…

The electricity generation sector is in flux. Demand is flat, cheap natural gas is shuffling the generation stack. NIMBY-ism and policy uncertainty make it difficult to build new transmission and generation capacity. At the same time, there are deep structural changes afflicting the sector: decentralization, decarbonization, and digitization are interacting to overturn existing market structures…

The international policy community achieved a major milestone in 2015 with the passage of the Paris Agreement. Since that time, nearly 200 countries have signed or ratified the treaty, which aims to significantly reduce emissions of heat-trapping greenhouse gases over the next several decades. At the heart of the Agreement is Article 2.1. A number…