Belatedly, I thought I’d update my readers on what I’ve been up to for the past 18 months in my work at the Global Footprint Network, which is now concluded.

I created, launched and managed an innovative cost-benefit analysis methodology called NPV+, which internalizes real costs and benefits that are often externalized in budget decisions, and uses scenarios to set more a realistic context for future resource availability and prices. The pilot of the project was conducted under a grant from the Rockefeller Foundation, with the cooperation of the Maryland state government and the personal support of Governor O’Malley, and was featured in Governing Magazine and Fast Company magazine.

As more decision-makers look for ways to identify capital projects that produce sustainable and resilient outcomes, and to start pricing in carbon emissions, I expect this sort of analysis to become much more common. I encourage my readers to explore it and welcome comments and questions about it.