Issue 221: Making the Case for Geothermal Energy

A Note from RFF’s President on Making “Good Sense”

At a Resources for the Future (RFF) conference in 1953, President Dwight D. Eisenhower remarked that when it comes to natural resources, “We must think in terms of decades rather than months or even the next election.” ​He observed that the debates of his time over natural resource problems had “more froth and fury than good sense” and cautioned that “we’ve got to be intelligent and not let pressure groups or extremists lead us into erroneous directions.”​

We’ve experienced a remarkable reversal of climate policy in the United States, as well as a broader shift in energy and natural resource policy, leaving many leaders reeling from a lack of certainty about the future. But just like in 1953 (the year after RFF was founded), we find ourselves as researchers and policy experts more committed than ever to “good sense” and planning on the scale of decades.

In this issue of Resources, you’ll read about several ways that RFF is simultaneously meeting the moment and planning for the years ahead. You’ll read more about our work to understand geothermal energy as a growing area of interest that’s worth assessing in terms of costs and benefits if we are to deploy it as part of our toolkit for decarbonization. You’ll also read about how RFF has responded to the loss of significant government staffing and capacity through two important new hires. These articles cover updates on trade and carbon pricing; responses to extreme weather events; and reflections on the past, present, and future of space economics.

Thank you for your partnership as we make “good sense” of our future and commit to a healthy environment and thriving economy for all of us.

Billy Pizer
President and CEO, Resources for the Future