The average energy project costs 40% more than expected for construction and takes almost two years longer than planned, finds a new global study by Boston University Institute for Global Sustainability Director Benjamin Sovacool and Hanee Ryu in Energy Research & Social Science. One key insight: The investment risk is highest for nuclear power plant construction and lowest for solar. The researchers analyzed data from 662 energy projects built between 1936 and 2024 in 83 countries, totaling $1.358 trillion in investment.

Floods are among the most destructive natural hazards, causing billions of dollars in economic loss each year.   By 2050, flood-related losses in the United States are expected to increase by 26%, with the share of properties facing at least a 1% annual chance of moderate to major flooding rising from 9% to 10%.

Though flooding is a widespread and relatively common hazard in the U.S., not all communities experience flood risks in the same way. In a study published in Natural Hazards, a Princeton-led research team examined the relationship between social vulnerability and flood risk, providing valuable insights into how flood impacts vary across different social and economic contexts.