Zach Whitlock
Senior Research Analyst
Zach is a Senior Research Analyst whose interests span extractive industries, discourse analysis, and corporate sustainability initiatives. At RFF, his work is focused on the critical mineral supply chain, public revenues from resource extraction, and broader areas of mineral policy. He has also contributed to work on insurance programs and public incentives for increasing natural disaster resilience.
Zach graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 2020 with a B.S.E. in Materials Science and Engineering and a B.A. in Earth Science. He then earned his MPhil in Environmental Policy from the University of Cambridge, where his dissertation focused on tracking trends in the climate change discourse of environmental lobbying organizations.
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Report — May 13, 2025
Constraining the Choice Set: Oklahoma’s Limited Approach to Building Economic Resilience
The report presents insights on Oklahoma’s economic resilience strategies, relevant policies, and proposed program enhancements based on a set of interviews with key stakeholders.
Journal Article — Apr 17, 2025
Community Responses to Flooding in Risk Mitigation Actions: Evidence from the Community Rating System
This paper studies the impact of disaster experiences on communities' engagement in risk mitigation actions, focusing on flooding in the United States.
Issue Brief — Feb 26, 2025
Booming and Busting: The Mixed Fortunes of US Oil and Gas–Producing Regions
This analysis provides an overview of changes in production and economic outcomes in US oil and gas regions, grouping them by recent trends and examining their impact on local economies.
Press Release — Jan 3, 2025
White Communities Are More Likely to Enroll in a Western US Wildfire Mitigation Program
A new paper an increase in home protection measures following wildfire is entirely driven by non-Hispanic white households.
Report — May 13, 2025
Constraining the Choice Set: Oklahoma’s Limited Approach to Building Economic Resilience
The report presents insights on Oklahoma’s economic resilience strategies, relevant policies, and proposed program enhancements based on a set of interviews with key stakeholders.
Journal Article — Apr 17, 2025
Community Responses to Flooding in Risk Mitigation Actions: Evidence from the Community Rating System
This paper studies the impact of disaster experiences on communities' engagement in risk mitigation actions, focusing on flooding in the United States.
Issue Brief — Feb 26, 2025
Booming and Busting: The Mixed Fortunes of US Oil and Gas–Producing Regions
This analysis provides an overview of changes in production and economic outcomes in US oil and gas regions, grouping them by recent trends and examining their impact on local economies.
Working Paper — Dec 12, 2024
From Catastrophe to Caution: The Effect of Wildfires on Community Hazard Mitigation Investments
In this working paper, the authors examine the impact of wildfires on community-level hazard mitigation efforts, specifically focusing on participation in the Firewise USA program.
Common Resources — Aug 19, 2024
Almost Everything Almost Everywhere All at Once: Why Place-Based Policies Are Not Targeting the Right Places
Place-based policies in the United States aim to provide support to specific locations. Unfortunately, major energy and environmental policies fail to target the places with the most need, diluting the intended benefits and suggesting the need for reform.
Common Resources — Oct 23, 2023
Federal Policy and New Mexico’s Energy Communities
Stakeholders in oil and gas–producing regions in New Mexico spoke with researchers at Resources for the Future about how the federal government can support economic resilience in these communities as the United States transitions to a low-carbon economy.
In Focus — Apr 20, 2023
In Focus: Causes for Climate Optimism
This video shares reasons for optimism about the future of climate research and policy, with RFF’s research analysts.
Press Release — Jan 3, 2025
White Communities Are More Likely to Enroll in a Western US Wildfire Mitigation Program
A new paper an increase in home protection measures following wildfire is entirely driven by non-Hispanic white households.
Media Highlight — Aug 22, 2024
Aspen Public Radio: “CLEER’s Energizing Climate Solutions Summit Brings Ideas for Green Energy in Rural Communities to Aspen”
This article includes comments made by RFF Senior Research Analyst Zachary Whitlock during a forum to discuss green energy for rural communities.
Media Highlight — Aug 20, 2024
Axios: “Wanted: A Better Map for Place-Based Policies”
A blog post by RFF scholars Daniel Raimi, Alexandra Thompson, and Zachary Whitlock about place-based policies is featured in Axios' energy newsletter.
Press Release — Jun 18, 2024
After Floods, Communities Invest in Resilience Measures. But Is It Enough?
New research finds that communities routinely take measures to build resilience in the aftermath of flooding disasters, even if those measures are costly or politically fraught.