NBER Conference and Research Volume: Climate Change: Past and Present

From: Rob Shannon <rshannon_at_nber.org>
Date: Fri, 06 Feb 2009 11:05:07 -0500

As a reminder:

Rick Steckel and I are alerting you to the NBER Conference and Research
Volume: Climate Change: Past and Present. If you have papers that might be
appropriate, would like to be a discussant, or otherwise participate, let
us know. The conference is to be held May 30-31, 2009 in Cambridge. It
builds on an Universities Research Conference on Climate Change, held May
30-31, 2008. Here is some background.
**
To broaden our understanding of the impact and human response to major
climate experiences in the past and present, the NBER organized an
Universities' Research Conference on "Climate Change: Past and Present"
that was held on May 30-31, 2008 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. It was
organized by Gary Libecap of UC, Santa Barbara and NBER, and Richard
Steckel of Ohio State University and NBER. The conference invited
researchers who were examining past or current climate-related factors,
including drought, floods, warming, and cooling, that affected agricultural
and industrial production and organization, trade, health, disease
patterns, urbanization, and migration along with assessments of
government/private reactions. The conference was organized around proposed
research abstracts, rather than on completed papers in an effort to
stimulate and direct new efforts to understand the linkages between past
and present climate change, its impact, and government and market
responses. 12 papers/research projects were presented over two days with
comments from a panel of "referees." Each author or group of authors was
given suggestions for revision with an opportunity to participate in the
May 2009 conference and Bureau research volume.

Participation, however, is competitive, and we are inviting any of you who
were not part of the May 2008 conference but would like to have your paper
considered to let us know. Between 12 and 14 papers will be included.
Selection criteria will be based on how well the research addresses one of
three topic areas of measurement, impact, and response.The submission
deadline is *March 1, 2009*. Alternatively, if you would like to be a
discussant and/or a general participant, let us know as well.

This is a great opportunity to bring together two groups of scholars within
the Bureau to jointly examine some of the major environmental issues of our
time by combining rigorous analysis of contemporary and historical evidence
and experiences. This interaction potentially can broaden our research
efforts, understanding, and policy responses to climate change.

Richard Steckel - steckel.1_at_osu.edu
Gary Libecap - glibecap_at_bren.ucsb.edu
Received on Fri Feb 06 2009 - 11:05:07 EST