A research agenda for economic resilience in fossil fuel–dependent communities
Abstract World leaders have committed to a transition away from fossil fuels in the energy system. Yet
local communities across the United States depend on fossil fuel industries for high-paying
jobs and essential public services. Building economic resilience in these communities will
increase the likelihood of a successful response to climate threats and help ensure that the
benefits and burdens of an energy transition are broadly shared.

Policy support for fossil fuel–dependent local economies in the United States is growing
but remains limited. Only a scant body of rigorous evidence exists on how to effectively and
equitably increase economic resilience in these communities. This article describes the
critical need for additional scholarship to help policymakers design, implement, and evaluate
strategies for supporting the economies of fossil fuel–dependent regions. It also highlights key
research questions that can inform decisionmakers in the years ahead.
Authors
- Jeremy G. Weber (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0002-9596-4429)
- Dustin Tingley (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2216-6293)
- Eleanor Krause (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0003-9378-7438)
- Mark T. Curtis (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0198-7583)
- Julia H. Haggerty (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2073-4063)
- Nathan M. Jensen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3251-8117)
- Noah Kaufman (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3220-9138)
- Emily A. Grubert (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2196-7571)
- Daniel Raimi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9154-3371)
- Alexander James (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0838-8575)
- Leon Clarke
- Ann Eisenberg
Institutions
- University of Notre Dame (US)
- West Virginia University (US)
- University of Wyoming (US)
- University of Kentucky (US)
- University of Pittsburgh (US)
- John F. Kennedy University (US)
- Montana State University (US)
- Government of the United States of America (US)
- Resources For The Future (US)
- Harvard University Press (US)
- Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center (US)
- Fundação de Estudos e Pesquisas Aquáticas (BR)
- Wake Forest University (US)
- Columbia University (US)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Environmental Research Energy
- Published
- 2024-08-09
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1088/2753-3751/ad6d70
- Citations
- 4
- Primary Topic
- Regional resilience and development
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 4.52