The Environmental Markets Lab (emLab) is an interdisciplinary team of scientists based at the University of California Santa Barbara that conducts cutting-edge, data-driven research on the power, limitations, and design of market-based approaches to tackle the world's most pressing environmental problems. In collaboration with implementing partners, we aim to better align environmental objectives and economic incentives in support of sustainable livelihoods and a resilient planet.
Our Programs
Leveraging our diverse expertise, we generate timely insights into effective and equitable solutions for Climate & Energy, Land & Freshwater, Ocean & Fisheries, and People & Poverty.
Climate & Energy
Advancing effective and equitable climate solutions
Land & Freshwater
Balancing multiple ecosystem services from the land
Ocean & Fisheries
Improving prosperity and sustainability of the ocean
People & Poverty
Strengthening the resilience of vulnerable communities and natural systems
emLab Blog: Our 2 Cents
Publications
An expansive literature has emerged providing recommendations for marine protected area (MPA) design. To provide a streamlined approach for practitioners, we created 24 condensed design guidelines grouped by conservation objectives to aid in MPA planning.
Field-scale crop water consumption estimates reveal potential water savings in California agriculture
Boser et al. 2024, Nature Communications
Do vegetation fuel reduction treatments alter forest fire severity and carbon stability in California forests?
Daum et al. 2024, Earth's Future
Factors associated with the use of liquefied petroleum gas in Ghana vary at different stages of transition
Kar et al. 2024, Nature Energy
Estimating the role of air quality improvements in the decline of suicide rates in China
Zhang et al. 2024, Nature Sustainability