Resources for the Future (RFF) is an independent, nonpartisan organization that conducts rigorous economic research and analysis to help leaders make better decisions and craft smarter policies about natural resources and the environment.
RFF was the first think tank devoted exclusively to natural resource and environmental issues and helped create the field of environmental and natural resource economics. Since 1952, it has provided decisionmakers with the tools to improve the way policy choices are made, strengthening both the environment and the economy. Although RFF is located in Washington, DC, its research scope comprises programs in nations around the world.
RFF at a Glance
- Recognized as independent and nonpartisan
- Focused on the economics of environmental and natural resource policy
- Trusted by public, private, and nonprofit leaders
- Located in Washington, DC, only minutes away from the White House and Capitol Hill
- Committed to intellectual excellence and practical solutions
- Respected for providing nonproprietary, publicly available research
Experts
RFF brings together the world’s largest community of PhD economists and leading experts focused on environmental, natural resource, and energy issues to develop smart solutions that balance the need for both economic growth and environmental stewardship.
Most RFF researchers hold a doctorate in economics, but others have advanced degrees in engineering, law, ecology, city and regional planning, government, and public policy and management, among other disciplines. Former government officials often serve as visiting experts at RFF to provide insight into the policy process. RFF’s network of connections within the policy and academic worlds allows it to be a preeminent convener and source of cutting-edge, policy-relevant ideas.
Centers and Programs
As part of RFF’s diverse research portfolio, RFF’s centers and programs focus on work in key areas.
- RFF’s Center for Energy and Climate Economics (CECE) designs efficient and effective policy options for sustainably developing energy resources and addressing global climate change.
- RFF’s Center for the Management of Ecological Wealth (CMEW) helps decisionmakers develop innovative and cost-effective environmental management solutions that account for the benefits of natural systems.
- RFF’s Forest Economics and Policy Program (FEPP) conducts research and analysis—with a focus on timber supply, wood energy, and global environmental challenges related to forests—to help policymakers understand the underlying economics critical to forest policy.
RFF’s Work
Since 1952, they have provided leaders with the tools to improve the way policy decisions are made, strengthening both the environment and the economy. Specifically, RFF experts are best known for the following work:
- developing ways to cost-effectively reduce carbon emissions and enhance US energy security;
- evaluating the social and economic benefits of investments in conservation;
- analyzing the risks and benefits associated with the increased production and use of natural gas;
- examining how the management of today’s environmental risks will affect future generations;
- identifying ways to adapt to the consequences of a changing climate;
- weighing trade-offs to address resource scarcity;
- investigating the cost-effectiveness of environmental regulations; and
- building frameworks for valuing intangibles, such as clean air and water
RFF experts also examine issues that reach beyond the United States, from coal power plants in India to forest conservation in Mexico and shale gas development in China, as well as international agreements on climate goals.
