Publications

Embedding local values in Payments for Ecosystem Services for transformative change

October 3, 2023

Abstract: The potential for Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES) programs to integrate nature’s diverse values into decision-making, and thereby support broader transformative change, is of increasing research interest. We analyze published reviews and case studies of PES from the IPBES Values Assessment to evaluate 1) how diverse values were (or were not) articulated through PES […]

Read More

The impact of recreational marijuana dispensaries on crime: evidence from a lottery experiment

October 1, 2023

Abstract: Many North American jurisdictions have legalized the operation of recreational marijuana dispensaries. A common concern is that dispensaries may contribute to local crime. Identifying the effect of dispensaries on crime is confounded by the spatial endogeneity of dispensary locations. Washington State allocated dispensary licenses through a lottery, providing a natural experiment to estimate the […]

Read More

Sea level rise risk interactions with coastal property values: a case study of O‘ahu, Hawai‘i

September 14, 2023

Abstract: Climate change-induced sea level rise (SLR) will affect a range of coastal assets and prompt difficult decisions about coastal land use across the world. Several recent studies find that current and projected SLR is associated with relatively lower property values. We contribute to this growing body of research with a case study of O‘ahu, […]

Read More

Toward more equitable ecosystem investment programs—Adaptation and equity are central to the design and functioning of successful water funds

August 22, 2023

Abstract: Projects designed to incentivize ecosystem management for societal benefits are becoming increasingly popular and are often touted as win–win solutions for social and environmental challenges. Yet, there are important concerns about the equity and justice implications of these programs, and there is strong evidence that a lack of attention to justice can exacerbate or […]

Read More

Solving Optimal Groundwater Problems with Excel

August 16, 2023

Abstract: Welfare maximizing management of coastal groundwater requires a sequence of pumping targets, typically terminating with a constant withdrawal rate in the long run. In contrast, managing according to sustainable yield at best identifies the constant rate of pumping in the long run. We illustrate an accessible solution method, using Excel Solver to find the […]

Read More

Replacing Medicaid with an Imperfect Substitute: Implications for Health Inequality

Abstract: A 2015 policy change substantially increased the administrative burden involved in accessing health insurance for Pacific Islander immigrants in Hawaii. We examine the heterogeneous health-care use effects of this policy, which revoked Medicaid eligibility for these migrants and replaced it with access to subsidized private health insurance. Using data on the universe of hospitalizations […]

Read More

Highways and pedestrian deaths in US neighborhoods

August 8, 2023

The research makes use of a national database on vehicle crashes. You can explore the data yourself using UHERO’s Fatal Car Crash Explorer. Abstract: Over 100,000 pedestrians have been struck and killed by vehicles on US roadways in the first two decades of the 21st century, representing an alarming public health issue. We examine the […]

Read More

Effects of Multiple Drivers of Environmental Change on Native and Invasive Macroalgae in Nearshore Groundwater Dependent Ecosystems

July 26, 2023

New UHERO Environment and collaborator publication in Water Resources Research demonstrates the connections between forest management, groundwater pumping, climate change and nearshore groundwater dependent ecosystems in Kona, Hawaiʻi. Abstract: Groundwater dependent ecosystems (GDE) are increasingly recognized as critical components of sustainable groundwater management, but are threatened by multiple drivers of environmental change. Despite this importance, […]

Read More

Managing retreat for sandy beach areas under sea level rise

July 24, 2023

Abstract: Sea level rise (SLR) is projected to impact approximately one billion people by 2100. For many coastal communities, retreat is the most viable long-term option due to exposure risk under SLR and increased coastal hazards. Our research analyzes the costs of retreating coastal development at an iconic beach in Hawaiʻi that is experiencing severe […]

Read More