The goal of our Environmental Initiative is to study long-term trends in environmental quality and explore how markets, property rights, local action and private initiative can improve environmental conditions. Our work is based upon the following basic underlying principles:

• Private property rights encourage stewardship of resources.
• Government subsidies often degrade the environment.
• Market incentives spur individuals to conserve resources and protect environmental quality.
• Polluters should be liable for the harm they cause others.

Georgia has experienced tremendous economic growth that has lead to many environmental challenges. These challenges have led to debates over myriad issues. Our Environmental Initiative seeks to provide policy makers with objective facts on these issues and innovative solutions to meeting these challenges and maintaining our quality of life for future generations of Georgians.

Air Quality

Implement an effective emissions trading system similar to the Ozone Transport Commission (OTC) in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, which implements a regional cap-and-trade strategy to reduce ground-level ozone Improve prioritization of air pollution...

Land Use

The Foundation is a signatory to the Lone Mountain Compact , a set of principles for preserving freedom and livability in growing cities and suburbs. Specific proposals include: Utilizing zoning that is oriented toward land use rather than...

Water

Adopt better pricing of water to encourage conservation Adopt user fees to pay for source-water protection Implement cost-based user fees to fund watershed protection Encourage municipal stormwater utilities Establish a statewide Watershed...