News

We will present our work at the following CONFERENCES and SEMINARS

• April 3, 2025 - Panel discussion on "Nature and Insurance" at Environmental Defense Fund, Washington DC

• April 9, 2025 - Guest speaker at Festival for ARCADIA

•  April 15-19, 2025 International Conference on Urban Affairs -- Vancouver (April 2025). This conference is organized by the International Urban Affairs Association. At this conference Marta Vicarelli will also 

  • act as moderator of a session and 

  • host a round-table on nature-based solutions for disaster risk reduction

• April 23, 2025 - University of Massachusetts Dartmouth

• April 29, 2025 - European Geophysical Union 

• May 1, 2025 - ECAN conference, Massachusetts

• June 16, 2025 - European Association of Environmental and Resource Economics - Bergen, Norway.  

  • Organizer of the Policy-Business Session on "Nature and Insurance"

• July 2-3, 2025 - NATURANCE General Assembly - Vienna, Austria

Upcoming report on resilient transportation

February, 2025

Forthcoming

UMASS Sustainable Solutions Lectures Series

February 20, 2025

Four experts from diverse backgrounds will explore innovative strategies to enhance resilience while promoting social, environmental and economic well-being as part of the UMass Sustainable Solutions Lectures series this spring.

The lecture series is supported by the School of Earth and Sustainability at UMass Amherst, the School of Public Policy at UMass Amherst, the School for the Environment at UMass Boston, the Sustainable Solutions Lab at UMass Boston, the Rist Institute for Sustainability and Energy at UMass Lowell and UMass Dartmouth.

Website

Program

UMass News

UMASS Lowell Climate Change Initiative Seminar

February 18, 2025

Marta Vicarelli presented her research on Nature-Based Solutions at UMass Lowell

Website

Webstival: NATURANCE 

February 11-13, 2025

NATURANCE: Insurance for Nature and Nature for Insurance. 

Marta Vicarelli was the moderator of the keynote addresses in the session “Advancing Finance Innovations for Nature-Based Solutions” (Feb 11). Speakers:

• Douglas Mason,  former White House Official and environmental management expert

• Marco Fritz, Deputy Head of Unit at the European Commission's Directorate General (DG) for Research and Innovation

Marta Vicarelli was also a speaker at the Feb 12 session “Cost-effectiveness of NbS and opportunities/challenges to incorporate them in catastrophe models”

Agenda and materials

Marta Vicarelli invited as guest speaker to National Academies Forum on Nature-based Solutions

February, 2025

Marta Vicarelli was invited as guest speaker at the National Practice Forum on Nature-Based Solutions.

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM), the Network for Engineering With Nature (N-EWN), and the University of California Santa Cruz (UCSC) Center for Coastal Climate Resilience is convening a national forum focused on the practice of nature-based solutions. The two-day event will be held February 4-5, 2025, at the National Academies' Beckman Center in Irvine, California.

The forum brought together national leaders and practitioners to discuss innovations in the application of nature-based solutions (NBS) for hazard mitigation and climate adaptation. Discussions focused on overcoming challenges in scaling NBS and finding collaborative, equitable solutions. 

Marta Vicarelli invited to join National Adaptation Forum 

January 14, 2025

Marta Vicarelli was invited as guest speaker at the Virtual National Adaptation Forum Webinar Series on Nature-Based Solutions.

The series is supported by EcoAdapt, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, and thought leaders from a diversity of organizations.

Website: https://www.nationaladaptationforum.org/

Transportation Research Board Conference, National Academies (Washington DC)

January 6, 2025

Marta Vicarelli presented a project on transportation resilience developed in collaboraton with the UMass Transportation Center at the  National Academies Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting.

Vicarelli, Marta (presenter), with Eleni Christofa, Camille Barchers, Chengbo Ai, Michael Knodler, Sarah Welch*, Saniya Jain*, Ishaan Sarna* “Climate change and transportation in New England: impacts and resilience strategies.” Transportation Research Board Conference, National Academies, Washington DC January 6, 2025- TRBAM-25-05792

(*) students who received mentorship from Marta Vicarelli while contributing to this project

New article:  "Nature-based Solutions for reducing disaster risk. What is the evidence?"

Dec 26,  2024

Editorial oulining latest scientific evidence of Nature-based Solutions for disaster risk reduction

Article (open access): 10.1016/j.nbsj.2024.100207

Marta Vicarelli contributes to White House report on Nature-based Solutions

Dec 26,  2024

This report integrates academic and practitioner perspectives to evaluate the effectiveness of 23 nature-based solutions to address hazards and to provide ecosystem services. It also provides recommendations, both to systematically consider nature-based solutions and to accelerate research, innovation and adaptative learning

Report LINK 

Presentation - Sciences Po. in Paris

Dec 11-12, 2024

On the 11th and 12th of December 2024 the Urban School will host the first annual event of the  project "Nature in the City" focusing on nature-based solutions (NBS) and climate adaptation in cities.  The event will bring together leading scholars, practitioners, and stakeholders from various  disciplines to explore the complex relationship between cities and nature in the context of climate  change. 

• Program

• 2024 Nature in the City (event pdf)

• Presentation title: "Challenges and Opportunities of Nature-based Solutions for Transportation Infrastructure Resilience: A Survey of Massachusetts Municipalities"

Launch of the 2025 Winter School

Dec 3,  2024

The schools of Public Policy and Earth and Sustainability are co-hosting the United Nations Global Sustainable Solutions Winter School 2025, a free online workshop Jan. 7-28 open to graduate students at all UMass campuses. 

This is the third year for the U.N. Winter School, which is a collaboration between UMass Amherst, UMass Boston, the United Nations University and McMaster University, along with the Partnership for Environment and Disaster Risk Reduction (PEDRR), a global alliance of U.N. agencies, nongovernmental organizations and institutes

Marta Vicarelli is the founding director of the Program.

Program

Launch of the the Greater Boston Climate and Coastal Resilience Workforce Alliance

Dec 2,  2024

Marta Vicarelli was invited to attended a press conference for the launch of Greater Boston Climate and Coastal Resilience Workforce Alliance (I am on the advisory board) funded thanks to a generous NOAA grant. This alliance is the first program of its kind in the US and receiving the competitive NOAA grant was a great success for the City of Boston.

After the press conference with Mayor Wu and Senator Markey, Vicarelli attended the first planning meeting of the Alliance. 

The grant will assist City departments in developing training programs that build in-demand and emerging climate resilience skills, offer wraparound services to ensure workers' success, and place workers in good jobs and career pathways. 

The Office of Workforce Development (OWD), under the leadership of the Worker Empowerment Cabinet (WE) and in collaboration with the Environment, Energy, and Open Space Cabinet (EEOS), Green New Deal Office, and the Office of Green Infrastructure applied for the grant

City of Boston Press Release

NBC news article 

New article:  "Cost-benefit and equity analysis of nature-based solutions in Haiti, India, Indonesia and Uganda"

Nov 27,  2024

Key results:

🌳 restoration and preservation of native species was a key component in the NbS analyzed in this study

🌊 ecosystems conservation and restoration contribute to mitigate hazards through ecosystem protective services

🤝 enhancement in inclusivity, economic equality, participation, and capacity building among local stakeholders.

📚 the interventions implemented resulted in significant education, health, safety and economic improvements for women, children, and economically vulnerable members of the local communities

Article (open access): https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nbsj.2024.100196

Press release: https://www.umass.edu/news/article/study-led-umass-amherst-environmental-economist-marta-vicarelli-highlights-value

New article on Post-COVID-19 Green Recovery Strategies for the Blue Economy

October 23, 2024

New article on sustainable post COVID-19 socio-economic recovery for maritime economies:

💡 Green recovery can facilitate long-term transformative and inclusive change.

🌿 Environmental justice, climate action and biodiversity protection are essential requirements of green-recovery.

It was an honor and a pleasure to work on this project led by Lisa Hartmann and Yvonne Walz from United Nations University - Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS). My gratitude goes also to my co-authors Fabrice Renaud, David Clelland, Catalina Esquivel Rodríguez, Patrizia Riganti

My contribution to this project was financed by an NSF grant. 

📖 Open access in the journal Marine Policy: https://lnkd.in/eNjidAU2

More information about this project: LINK

Guest-editor of the Journal Nature-based Solutions

October 23, 2024

Marta Vicarelli is guest-editor of a special issue of the Journal of Nature-based Solutions:

"Growing interest in Nature-based Solutions (NbS) for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) has led to new investments in ecosystem restoration, conservation and hybrid solutions with gray engineering to reduce the impact of hazards, while providing livelihood benefits. However due to the local specificities of ecosystems, it is difficult to provide standard guidance or performance measurements to guide NbS for DRR. This Special Issue calls for papers that advance scientific knowledge, present empirical data, or review metadata on the performance of NbS in reducing hazard impacts worldwide. Papers from the Global South are especially welcome."

📖 Open access: https://www.sciencedirect.com/special-issue/10ML2C1TC9T

Presentation on Resilience and Sustainable Transportation

Oct 21, 2024

Our interdisciplinary research team presented our work on Pathways towards Transportation Infrastructure Resiliency in New England at the 40th Annual International Conference on Soils, Sediments, Water, and Energy 

• Research team: Marta Vicarelli, Changbo Ai, Eleni Christofa, Camille Barchers, and Michael Knodler

• The School of Earth and Sustainability funded this project. 

• For more information about this work LINK

Photo by CHUTTERSNAP on Unsplash

Marta Vicarelli organizes new UMass Sustainable Solutions Lectures

Oct 15, 2024

This lecture series organized by Marta Vicarelli is a collaboration between UMass Amherst School of Earth and Sustainability and UMass Boston School for the Environment. 

Guest speakers from academia, public affairs and the private sector are invited to present their work on sustainable solutions. The goal of this lecture series is to catalyze dialogue and spark collaborations.

Lectures Series website LINK 

Article on cost-effctiveness of Nature-based Solutions in the news in Argentina

Sept 4, 2024

• Our research was mentioned in the Argentinian publication Carbono News

• LINK

PRESS RELEASE: Marta Vicarelli briefs White House on Nature-based Solutions Research

August 12, 2024

Marta Vicarelli, assistant professor of economics and public policy, recently briefed the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy on new research she led demonstrating that nature-based solutions (NbS) are an economically effective method to mitigate risks from a range of natural disasters, which are only expected to intensify with climate change.

The press-release includes also a reference to the Naturance project funded by the European Union.

Press Release from UMass Amherst LINK

Photo by USGS on Unsplash

PRESS RELEASE: New article on Cost-effectiveness of Nature-based Solutions for Disaster Risk Reduction

July 16, 2024

A new global assessment of scientific literature led by researchers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst finds that nature-based solutions (NbS) are an economically effective method to mitigate risks from a range of disasters—from floods and hurricanes to heatwaves and landslides—which are only expected to intensify as Earth continues to warm.

Press Release from UMass Amherst LINK

Article: LINK

New article on Cost-effectiveness of Nature-based Solutions for Disaster Risk Reduction

July 6, 2024

In this global review: 

"71 % of studies in this global review indicated that NbS have consistently proven to be a cost-effective approach to mitigating hazards and 24 % of studies found NbS cost-effective under certain conditions." 

"Studies comparing the cost-effectiveness of NbS and engineering-based solutions for mitigating certain hazards showed that NbS are no less effective than engineering-based solutions. Among these studies, 65 % found that NbS are always more effective in attenuating hazards compared to engineering-based solutions and 26 % found that NbS are partially more effective."

Article: LINK

Marta Vicarelli in Oxford for inspiring conference on Nature-based Solutions

June 17, 2024

🔎 The mission of the conference was to develop an agenda for scaling nature-based solutions effectively and ethically so that they can support social-ecological flourishing and promote positive change.

🌳 The event brought together interdisciplinary researchers with practitioners and decision makers from the public and private sectors, as well as Indigenous voices from around the world, to discuss and co-create an action plan for nature-based solutions to support positive social-environmental change.

💡 I am very grateful to the organizers for the very rich and stimulating program. It was a wonderful week of learning. As an environmental economist, this was a great opportunity for me to learn about indigenous knowledge.

💵 📈 As part of my research, I am very interested in exploring how markets and finance can support the upscaling of Nature-based Solutions. Looking forward to staying connected with colleagues in this field.

Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment - University of Oxford - University of Oxford, Oxford Martin School Department of Biology, University of Oxford

Link to conference website: https://lnkd.in/eRQdcVSX

Marta Vicarelli invited to join advisory board of Greater Boston Coastal Resilience Jobs Alliance

June 11, 2024

NOAA will give $9,799,687 to the Boston Office of Workforce Development over four years to create the Greater Boston Coastal Resilience Jobs Alliance. The Alliance - a coalition of community-led groups, employers, colleges, unions, long-standing workforce development partners - will boost workforce development to address the threats of coastal flooding, sea level rise, storm surge, and excessive heat, while generating a new, sustainable, and equitable workforce.  

The Alliance’s  innovative approach will bring together 30+ stakeholders including training providers, community engagement partners, and climate policy practitioners aimed at filling approximately 1,200 jobs committed by 13 employers (see list below) in family-sustaining, coastal and climate resilience occupations over four years.  Unlike other employer-driven approaches, this Alliance partnership is unique in a sense that the City of Boston is leading the way as a model employer. 

The Alliance will benefit individuals from historically underrepresented communities and has incorporated wrap-around services like childcare, career coaching and training stipends to ensure their success. 

Workers trained through the Alliance will be placed in jobs that help advance coastal resiliency strategies, especially in the municipal and public sector including: 

• Installation of  Green infrastructure and other Nature-Based Solutions which are key strategies for flood protection and water quality.

• Working to ensure our water and wastewater systems are reliable.

• Building critical flood and coastal protection infrastructure

• Strengthening the City's emergency preparedness and response capabilities

• Climate and coastal resilience community education and outreach 

Article in the WBUR describing the Greater Boston Coastal Resilience Job Alliance LINK

Boston Globe Article on Third-Party Energy Suppliers in Massachusetts Cites Research Co-authored by Marta Vicarelli.

March 28, 2024

"a 2023 report from the University of Massachusetts Amherst found that nearly 80 percent of municipal aggregation programs offered reduced electricity costs compared to utility basic service rates. Additionally, 60 percent were rated “green,” meaning they offered a higher percentage of renewable energy than required by the state."

Citation: Vicarelli, Marta, Ajay Dawani, Emily Laus, Nihal Warawdekar. 2023. “Community Choice Electricity Programs: a Survey of Massachusetts Municipalities.” School of Public Policy, University of Massachusetts Amherst, MA, USA.   

Article in the Boston Globe mentioning our work LINK

Press Release from UMass Amherst LINK

Massachusetts Municipal Association press release LINK

LINK to report

A peer-reviewed article is in preparation.

Flood Knwoledge Summit - United Nations University

July 7-8, 2022

Prof Vicarelli was invited as guest speaker at the Flood Knowledge Summit 2022, hosted by United Nations University Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (UNU-MERIT), Maastricht, the Netherlands (hybrid event)

She presented the results of a survey of officials from 111 Massachusetts cities and towns published in November 2021 by the UMass Northeast Center for Coastal Resilience.

European Geophysical Union General Assembly Meeting

May 24, 2022

Marta Vicarelli presented our reserach project on Nature-based Solutions in session ITS4.4/ERE1.10 – Nature-Based Solutions and Climate Engineering in Climate Governance, room N1 on Tuesday, 24 May 2022, 16:22 CEST (10:22 am EST) -- EGU22-13010 - Scientific evidence of the economic benefits of ecosystem-based disaster risk reduction and ecosystem-based climate change adaptation.

You can find videos and slides:

• on the conference website if you are registered to the conference

• on our google drive for those of you who have not registered to the conference.

Presentation on COVID-19 impacts on Women in Massachusetts

May 5, 2022

LINK

The Women's Fund of Western Massachusetts has organized an round-table to discuss the changes and trends in the women's workforce in Western Massachusetts . UMass Amherst economist Marta Vicarelli and a team of researchers from the UMass School of Public Policy gave a presentation about their recently released research report, “Impacts of COVID-19: A Survey of Massachusetts Households.”

Presentation on COVID-19 impacts at the Massachusetts Municipal Association on Human Services Council

April 29, 2022

LINK

The MMA Human Services Council’s first meeting of the year, on April 28 in Westborough, focused on the impacts of COVID-19 on Massachusetts residents. UMass Amherst economist Marta Vicarelli and a team of researchers from the UMass School of Public Policy gave a presentation about their recently released research report, “Impacts of COVID-19: A Survey of Massachusetts Households.”

Presentation at Temple University: impacts of COVID-19 on US households 

April 25, 2022

UMass Amherst economist Marta Vicarelli and a team of researchers from the UMass School of Public Policy gave a presentation about their soon to be published research report, “Impacts of COVID-19: A Survey of US Households.”

Report Release: impacts of COVID-19 on MA households 

February 11, 2022

UMass Amherst economist Marta Vicarelli and a team of researchers from the UMass School of Public Policy published a research report on “Impacts of COVID-19: A Survey of Massachusetts Households.”

Project details: LINK

Report: LINK

New GRANT: post-COVID-19 green recovery

March 7, 2022

FAPESP : LINK

UMASS news: LINK

The São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) announces the result of a call for proposals with the Trans-Atlantic Platform for the Social Sciences and Humanities (T-AP) to support research to strengthen social practices and policies with the understanding and mitigation of the negative effects of the pandemic.

The call, with the theme "Recovery, Renewal and Resilience in a Post-Pandemic World (RRR)", leverages research in social sciences to fill gaps in the understanding of the dynamics and complex interaction between the medium and long-term social effects of the COVID-19. 

19 proposals received the grant including our project:

Towards a green and inclusive post-pandemic recovery of the Blue Economy and coastal communities 

Funders involved: ESRC; NSF; IDRC; BMBF/DLR-PT

This project will provide science-based guidance for post COVID recovery of coastal communities through a trans-national comparative study across coastal areas in Costa Rica, Germany, Scotland (UK), and the USA. The project aims to determine key enabling factors across all regions that lead to response performance so as to inform the development of future strategies for a green and inclusive coastal recovery.

Lead Principal Investigator: Fabrice Renaud, School of Interdisciplinary Studies, University of Glasgow, UK

Principal Investigators:

• Marta Vicarelli, Department of Economics and School of Public Policy, University of Massachusetts, USA

• Zita Sebesvari), United Nations University – Institute for Environment and Human Security, Bonn, Germany

• Catalina Esquivel Rodríguez, School of Public Administration, University of Costa Rica, Costa Rica

Boston Globe article covering our survey-study on climate resilience in Massachusetts

January 26, 2022

Boston Globe : LINK

A survey of officials from 111 Massachusetts cities and towns published in November 2021 by the UMass Northeast Center for Coastal Resilience found that virtually all respondents observed climate change impacts in their communities. Most, including in Chelsea, said their communities have conducted vulnerability and risk assessments. [...] 

Marta Vicarelli, an assistant professor with the Department of Economics and School of Public Policy at UMass Amherst, said researchers were surprised by the breadth of the responses they received from 40 coastal and 71 inland municipalities. “They actually poured their hearts into these answers,” Vicarelli said. “The respondents know their stuff, and they know what they need.” 

Officials in 73 percent of coastal communities said they were strongly affected by severe storms and high-wind events. A majority also reported being strongly affected by storm surges, sea-level rise, and flooding.

Officials in 43 percent of inland communities said they were strongly affected by severe storms and high-wind events. About a third reported being strongly affected by heat waves and flooding.

Municipal officials who responded to the UMass survey were kept anonymous, but many of the comments revealed frustration, concerns about funding, and at times, dire predictions if action is not taken immediately on climate change.

“[We are] trying to figure out what to armor, and when to retreat and how to pay for this,” said an official from a coastal town. “We know it is only a matter of time, as shorelines are washing away faster and faster. Right now property values are surging, because of our attractiveness, but one good storm, things will change.”

An official from a coastal city fretted over the slow pace of the community’s response: “Fear is preventing us from doing anything. Fear of an exodus of residents. Fear of lawsuits.”

Warned another official from a coastal city: “The barriers are money and disbelief.” [...]

Project website: LINK

Report: LINK

SPP News: LINK

Talk on Coastal Resilience in MA - Cape Anne

Jan 19, 2022

Prof Vicarelli was invited by the UMass Gloucester Marine Station and the Cape Anne Climate Coalition to give a talk on coastal resilience in Massachusetts Municipalities. She presented the results of a survey of officials from 111 Massachusetts cities and towns published in November 2021 by the UMass Northeast Center for Coastal Resilience.

New report release: comprehensive outlook on climate reislience in Massachusetts

November 4, 2021

University of Massachusetts Amherst News and Media Relations: LINK

A comprehensive new report published today by a team of 20 researchers representing four University of Massachusetts system campuses provides valuable insight into the various climate resilience approaches being undertaken by municipalities across Massachusetts. Led by UMass Amherst economist Marta Vicarelli, and assisted by the Massachusetts Municipal Association (MMA), the researchers conducted a survey of Massachusetts municipal administrators. The responses they received from representatives of 111 municipalities and 10 planning agencies shed new light on numerous climate change-related issues facing the Masachusetts’ cities and towns, including the hazards and impacts experienced in coastal and inland municipalities and the resilience strategies adopted to address these challenges, the barriers encountered during the design and implementation of resilience strategies and the data needs of communities and planning agencies to aid implementation of resilience strategies.

Press release: LINK

SPP News: LINK

Project website: LINK

Report: LINK

New report release: impacts of COVID-19 on Vermont households 

September 16 , 2021

UMass Amherst economist Marta Vicarelli and a team of researchers from the UMass School of Public Policy published a research report on “Impacts of COVID-19: A Survey of Vermont Households.” The study was developed in partnership with the Vermont Commission on Women, Vermont Women’s Fund and Vermont Works for Women

Project details: LINK

Report: LINK

Press Release by the Vermont Commission on Woment: LINK

UMass Amherst-led Team of Researchers Reveals COVID’s Impact on Vermont Households  (UMass Amherst, 9/30/21)

Press: 

• UMass Amherst-led Team of Researchers Reveals COVID’s Impact on Vermont Households  (UMass Amherst, 9/30/21)

• WTSA News For Your Thursday, September 30th  (WTSA FM, 9/30/21)

• Our stress is real | Editorials  (Eagle Times, 10/2/21)

• Our stress is real | Editorials  (Rutland Herald, 10/2/21)

• VCW press coverage 

Our research on Nature-based Solutions was awarded the PEDRR Champion Award at PEDRR-United Nations Symposium

September 16, 2021

University of Massachusetts Amherst News and Media Relations: LINK

Our work on the economics of Nature-based Solutions (NbS) was recognized at the PEDRR Cross-regional Symposium, co-organized by the United Nations Environmental Programme, with the symposium's PEDRR Champion Award. 

In our presentation we shared preliminary results of a global assessment of twenty years of economic peer-reviewed literature on NbS, focused on the efficiency and equity of these strategies. 

School of Public Policy students Michael Kang, Madeline Leue, Michael Marr, Shannon McAndrew, Miranda Vance, and David Wasielewski; Aryen Shrestha of Amherst College; and Simon Shutze of the United Nations University contributed to the study, which was supported by a College of Social and Behavioral Sciences research grant.

Project website: LINK

PEDDR Announcement LINK

A poster summarizing the research  findings is available here: LINK

SPP News: LINK

Presentation on Nepal green infrastructure at the 2021 PEDRR Cross-regional Symposium

September 16, 2021

Our project on green infrastructure in Nepal has been presented during the technical session of the first PEDRR Cross-regional Symposium, co-organized by the United Nations Environmental Programme.

Nature Based Solutions applied to road infrastructure in Nepal, a vehicle for development

Research team: Marta Vicarelli1, Karen Sudmeier-Rieux2, DhirojKoirala1, Sanjay Devkota3, Maria Fernandez1 and Trista Ristvedt1

Affiliations: 1University of Massachusetts Amherst (USA), 2UNEP, 3Tribhuvan University (Nepal)

Project website: LINK

A poster summarizing our findings is available here: LINK

Keynote at the 2021 PEDRR Cross-regional Symposium

September 15, 2021

University of Massachusetts Amherst News and Media Relations: LINK

Professor Marta Vicarelli gave a keynote at the first PEDRR Cross-regional Symposium, co-organized by the United Nations Environmental Programme. 

The Keynote focused on the UN Global Sustainable Solutions Winter School, which was codeveloped by the School of Public Policy, United Nations University and Mcmaster University.

She also presented a reserach project related to the Winter school.

Project website: LINK

A poster summarizing the research  findings is available here: LINK

SPP News: LINK

New Publication in Nature Sustainability

Monday, June 28, 2021

In this article we show that ecosystems play an important role in reducing disaster risk.

A multi-disciplinary team of 28 researchers has now examined nearly 20 years’ worth of peer-reviewed studies on the impacts of ecosystem-based disaster risk reduction (DRR) efforts. Marta Vicarelli led the globa review of economic studies.

Press Release LINK

Peer-reviewed article LINK

The economic analysis component is currently be expanded in this study

Poster Presentation at the 2021 Advanced Energy Conference

June 7, 2021

Our team has presented a poster showing the preliminary results of our online survey targeting Massachusetts municipal leaders. We examine the original goals motivating the adoption of Community Choice Energy Aggregation (CCE) programs by MA municipalities and their reported reasons for success.

CCE programs allow local governments to aggregate the electricity loads of residents, businesses, and municipal facilities to procure a competitive supply of electricity. 

Potential benefits of CCE programs include savings for consumers (i.e., lower prices) and incentives to boost innovation and local economic development related to investments in renewable energy technologies. Moreover, CCEs may generate positive environmental externalities; by choosing their electricity supplier, municipalities may, for instance, increase the proportion of renewable energies in their energy mix and contribute to climate change mitigation.

This is the first study assessing the outcomes of CCE programs in MA.

Video of 2021 School of Public Policy Workshop lead by Prof Vicarelli

Thursday, May 6, 2021

Prof Vicarelli has supervised three projects as part of the 2021 School of Public Policy Workshop. 

• Socio-economic Impacts of COVID-19 on Massachusetts Municipalities - Anna Gishin, Elizabeth Murphy, George Plouffe, Madeline Leue, Yu Ya Htut Tin.

• Ecosystem-based Adaptation and Ecosystem-based Disaster Risk Reduction - Aryen Shrestha, David Wasielewski, Michael Kang, Michael Marr, Miranda Vance, Shannon McAndrew, Simon Schütze

• LGBTQrowd (pronounced LGBT Crowd): a crowd-funding platform connecting donors and lenders to projects to create economic opportunities for low-income LGBTI people - Derek Dunlea and Taylor Lewis

Press release: LINK 

Research teams from SUP Lab present at the 2021 Workshop in Public Policy

Thursday, May 6, 2021

Congratulations to our research fellows for their wonderful presentations!

• Socio-economic Impacts of COVID-19 on Massachusetts Municipalities - Anna Gishin, Elizabeth Murphy, George Plouffe, Madeline Leue, Yu Ya Htut Tin.

• Ecosystem-based Adaptation and Ecosystem-based Disaster Risk Reduction - Aryen Shrestha, David Wasielewski, Michael Kang, Michael Marr, Miranda Vance, Shannon McAndrew, Simon Schütze

Link to video-recording

Press release: LINK 

New Survey of Massachusetts City and Town Administrators Measures COVID Pandemic’s Impact on Municipalities 

Post Date: March 11, 2021

UMass Amherst researchers find 60% are confident in their municipality’s vaccine preparedness, while similar percentage said businesses were significantly or severely impacted by the pandemic. 

While 75% of municipalities reported having enough financial resources to start vaccination clinics, 72% indicated that they do not have access to sufficient vaccine supply. In response to an open-ended survey question asking what the most helpful resource would be to support municipal vaccine distribution efforts, 63% of respondents identified a larger and more continuous vaccine supply as the most important resource. 

Professor Vicarelli is leading a Consulting-based Workshop Course for graduate students

University of Massachusetts Amherst News and Media Relations 

Post date: March 2, 2021

This spring, students at the School of Public Policy (SPP) are examining how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected Massachusetts communities, developing resources on Nature-Based Solutions to pressing global problems and working to support economic opportunities for LGBTI people around the world.

The students are taking part in the projects through SPP’s Public Policy Workshop course, lead by Professor Marta Vicarelli, in which teams of students are matched with clients to work on issues related to policy and economic analysis.

Press release: LINK 

Pandemic Inspires Mothers of Equitable Reinvention  

Updated Feb 16, 2021; Posted Feb 15, 2021

Vicarelli and her team have been collecting data across the region, the state and the nation for their research on the socioeconomic impacts of COVID-19 on US households. As Vicarelli adds, “(Our) survey has an ambitious multidimensional approach investigating labor productivity, work-life balance, impacts of education and childcare disruptions on family life, access to health care and mental health support, homelessness, and food security.”

How Has Your Household Been Impacted by the Pandemic?

     ICMA 

     Dec 7, 2020 | ARTICLE

The surging numbers are sobering, but COVID-19 has indirectly impacted far more than those counted among cases and deaths. Looking to capture these impacts even beyond official data on unemployment, business closures, and other routine economic indicators, a team of researchers from the University of Massachusetts Amherst’s Department of Economics and School of Public Policy, and from Indiana University’s School of Social Work is studying how U.S. households have been altered by the ongoing pandemic.

Thirty UMass Students Take Part in United Nations Sustainability Course 

University of Massachusetts Amherst News and Media Relations

Post date: December 4, 2020 

“This program is an incredible opportunity for students to learn from and network with international experts about water security and ecosystems for disaster risk reduction,” Professor Vicarelli said. Vicarelli of the School of Public Policy and Department of Economics co-organized this competitive course. The course is possible thanks to the support of the PEDRR.

SPP Partners with UN on Global Sustainability Course

UMass News Office

UMass News LINK

SPP News LINK

Post date: Dec 4, 2020

Thirty students from departments across UMass Amherst are taking part in the UN Global Sustainable Solutions Winter School, a ten-week course focused on ecosystem-based climate adaptation and disaster risk reduction that kicked off this week. The initiative received the support of the PEDRR. Besides UMass students, the Winter School includes also students from McMaster University and the United Nations University. The class, a partnership of those three programs, was organized by Professor Marta Vicarelli of the School of Public Policy and Department of Economics and Nidhi Nagabhatla of the UN University and McMaster.

Students Invited to Apply to UN Sustainability Program 

School of Public Policy News

Post date: November 10, 2020

UMass Amherst graduate students are invited to apply for the UN Global Sustainable Solutions Winter School, a free, ten-week course focused on ecosystem-based climate adaptation and disaster risk reduction. The course is a partnership between the UMass Amherst School of Public Policy, McMaster University, and the United Nations University.

“Students will learn from international experts about water security and ecosystems for disaster risk reduction,” said Professor Marta Vicarelli at UMass Amherst School of Public Policy and Department of Economics, who is organizing the course with Nidhi Nagabhatla of the United Nations University and McMaster University.

UMass Team Studying Socioeconomic Effects of COVID-19

University of Massachusetts Amherst News and Media Relations

Post date: October 6, 2020

Marta Vicarelli, assistant professor in SPP and the Department of Economics, is leading an interdisciplinary team that includes: UMass undergraduate student Yu Ya Htut Tin, School of Public Policy (SPP) graduate students Madeline Leue and George Plouffe, 2020 UMass alumni Elizabeth Murphy and Yash Tiagi. The team is collaborating with Meredith Canada of Indiana Univeristy School of Social Work. 

The team is investigating the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on US households, particularly on minorities, women and children. 

Additional coverage: 

College of Social and Behavioral Sciences

Students Work with Community Clients in Workshops Course

School of Public Policy News

Post date: March 10, 2020

This spring, students at the UMass Amherst School of Public Policy are developing recommendations for a local town for dealing with the recent legalization of cannabis and examining the factors that keep women under- or unemployed in the region. Professor Marta Vicarelli of the School of Public Policy and the Department of Economics supervises the teams and acts as a senior consultant on the projects.

Students in Environmental Policy Class Connect with International Experts

UMass News

Post date: April 30, 2019

This spring, Professor Marta Vicarelli of the UMass Amherst School of Public Policy and the Department of Economics connected students in her graduate-level Environmental Policy course with international experts working on innovative sustainability efforts around the world—without ever leaving the classroom.

Vicarelli did so with the help of a Ken Feinberg Course Development Grant. The grant, made possible by a gift from UMass Amherst alumnus Ken Feinberg (’67, ’02H), included access to the Feinberg Innovation Space, a new classroom facility with cutting-edge audio and video capabilities.

SPP Team Wins Statewide Capstone Competition

University News and Media Relations Office

Post date: May 9, 2018

Professor Marta Vicarelli of SPP and the economics department served as the group’s faculty advisor to School of Public Policy (SPP) students Toby Armstrong, Madeleine Neill and James Sullivan who won first place at the Massachusetts Chapter of the American Society of Public Administration’s (MassASPA) 2018 Capstone Competition.

The SPP team won with its project “Cannabis Legalization: Challenges & Opportunities in Small Communities,” which used the town of Deerfield as a case study. 

New Publication in Nature Sustainability

Our PEDRR posts (yesterday) where we tagged all those institutions who requested it plus PEDRR partners:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/PEDRRnetwork/status/1410571167765762048?s=20

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PEDRRnetwork/photos/a.451634244928047/4066731396751629/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/pedrr-partnership_ecosystems-disasterriskreduction-natureforresilience-activity-6816338448216018944-ouZH

Press releases:

The UMass News Office published the press release on the University website:

https://www.umass.edu/news/article/international-multi-disciplinary-team-researchers-provide-examination-evidence

U Mass School of Public Policy :

https://www.umass.edu/spp/news/study-examines-nature-based-solutions-environmental-hazards

CMCC, Italy: https://www.cmcc.it/article/extreme-events-protect-with-ecosystems-is-cost-effective

UNU-EHS: https://ehs.unu.edu/news/news/can-ecosystems-protect-populations-new-evidence-published-in-nature-sustainability.html