"This paper analyzes the global conventional weapons trade between 1989 and 1999. We postulate that a key reason for the huge transfer of weapons to the Persian Gulf region is the enormous value of the oil wealth there along with the dependence of Western economies on access to the relatively...

The Montreal Protocol on chlorofluorocarbon control established an important precedent for global environmental treaties that include both developing countries and industrial countries. This paper evaluates seven possible treaty proposals to control carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions. Growth-rate...

"The Kyoto Protocol mandates that the U.S. reduce emissions of greenhouse gases to 93% of their 1990 levels by the period 2008-2012. This paper explores the possibility of reducing carbon dioxide emissions in the transportation sector to 7% below their 1990 level by 2010. This paper examines two...

Are photovoltaic (PV) systems appropriate for use in developing countries now? This paper presents an empirical review of the comparative costs of gasoline portable generators and PV systems and concludes that cost reduction is necessary before PV systems will be broadly competitive. Both...

This article analyzes the interaction of politics and military security in global oil markets since the 1980s. The authors outline the historical evolution of the pricing structure that maintained a stable world oil market. They argue that the security framework underlying this pricing structure...

"This paper treats an important problem that has not been treated elsewhere: the relationship between the evolution of the nuclear power industry and the costs of centralized and on-site storage of spent fuel. The conclusion is that centralized storage, as current policy contemplates, would be...

Researchers have attributed 15 percent of global methane releases to emissions of methane from enteric fermentation in animals (wild and domestic). Bovines contribute approximately two-thirds of this amount. Since methane is a potent greenhouse gas, this source frequently is a target for...

This paper appraises current economic methodologies used in analyzing the social rate of time preference and discounting, abatement costs, and value of life estimates as they relate to climate change. It makes a case for choosing an appropriate rate of time preference when assessing climate...