Journal
Proposing Further Regulation on Neonicotinoid Use in California
December 9, 2022
Neonicotinoids are some of the most widely used insecticides in the world and represent a classic policy tradeoff case where the agricultural benefits of the product must be weighed against environmental and public health risks. The Roosevelt Network at Berkeley Environmental Initiative Team performed thorough research around the environmental and economic implications of neonicotinoid use in California and proposed three policy alternatives for the California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) to consider when moving forward with the regulation of this controversial insecticide.
The Nuances of Fan Art Creation and Copyright Law
December 6, 2022
Fan Art, original art, and all of the creativity that runs in between can be a world of beauty, self-expression, and admiration, but it can also become a legal nightmare. In this policy memo, RNB aims to not only explain past legal cases in which fan art was deemed plagiarism, but also propose new policies so we can prevent this miscommunication and protect the fan and the original creator.
Improving the Diagnosis, Treatment, and Experience of ME/CFS: An Overview of Existing Policies and Recommendations
May 25, 2022
836,000 to 2.5 million Americans suffer from myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), a poorly understood and devastating chronic disease. Despite the widespread impact of ME/CFS, there exists a lack of infrastructure in our health care system to support patients with this condition. While a potential silver lining of the pandemic has been renewed attention on unexplained fatigue associated with long COVID, there still remains an all-around lack of awareness of ME/CFS due to limited research funding, lack of understanding of the condition’s etiology, and inadequate medical training regarding the condition.
From Food Deserts to Food Oasis: Identifying and Developing Effective Policies to Combat American Food Deserts.
May 9, 2022
The rise in the number of food deserts in the US has emphasized the imperative need to form strategies to expand food access. This study leverages existing literature to produce policy recommendations to combat the formation and persistence of food deserts in the US. We advocate for expanded education within schools and community organizations surrounding government assistance programs, the subsidization of online purchasing and delivery of food, the prioritization of community-based policies and partnerships, and the creation of incentives for grocery stores to sell healthier products
Restructuring the California Nature-Based Voluntary Carbon Offset Market
May 6, 2022
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has outlined several pathways to stay below 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels by the end of the century through carefully constructed climate projection models. These international climate strategies heavily rely on carbon capture and sequestration technologies (CCS) to reduce greenhouse gas emissions; which aim to capture and store carbon dioxide before it enters the atmosphere. The size of carbon markets and the liquidity of carbon credits (1 credit = 1 ton of CO2e) within these markets have grown exponentially over the past 7 years following the Paris Climate Accords. Countries have developed domestic carbon markets which consist of heavy regulation, government oversight, and compliance-based credits that must be carefully vetted and reviewed.
Student Policy Institute at Berkeley 