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.
Global expansion of marine protected areas and the redistribution of fishing effort
McDonald et al. 2024, PNAS
Probabilistic programming for embedding theory and quantifying uncertainty in econometric analysis
Storm, Heckelei, and Baylis 2024, European Review of Agricultural Economics
The effect of NAFTA on Mexico's wage gap
Arends-Kuenning, Baylis, and Garduño-Rivera 2024, The Annals of Regional Science
Towards higher performing fisheries: Options for sustainable and productive fisheries in Indonesia
World Bank and Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries 2024, The World Bank