Upcoming Events
Cost-Benefit Analysis of Environmental Health Interventions
July 12 & 13
Benefit-Cost Analysis for Beginners
September 17
CBA for U.S. Regulatory
Impact Statements
October 13 & 14
SBCA European Conference
October 19 & 20, 2021
Upcoming SBCA Activities in Europe
The abstract submission deadline for the second SBCA European Conference (SBCAEC2021) is June 1, 2021 . Conference organizers welcome submissions that support the enhanced use of benefit-cost analysis to promote evidence-based decision-making as well as submissions on multiple methods used to assist public sector decision-making, including benefit-cost analysis, cost analysis, cost effectiveness analysis, risk-benefit analysis and damage assessment. In addition, conference organizers welcome submissions on topics closely related to BCA, such as non-market valuation, discounting, equity, social policy, regulation, implementation of BCA, etc., and encourage applications to any public policy area, such as environment, transport, health, energy, etc. Submissions of individual papers, proposals for entire sessions and panels are accepted. The conference will be held online October 19-20, 2021. View the Call for Abstracts or learn more about the conference>>
SBCA is looking for a host for its two-day 2022 European Conference, specifically, organizations that conduct or use benefit-cost analysis or universities where faculty work to develop and apply the techniques of benefit-cost analysis. The conference is expected to be held during October or November 2022 in-person, online, or hybrid (i.e., both in-person and online components). SBCA expects that an in-person conference will attract at least 100 people and have at least 50 speakers, although those numbers could be substantially higher if online participation is possible. Anticipated events include a mix of plenary sessions and three - four smaller concurrent breakout sessions as well as a lunch. Interested organizations should submit a statement of interest to SBCA Headquarters by June 30, 2021. Learn more>>
On Balance Blog
Prospects for Regulatory Analysis in the Biden Administration
By John D. Graham, Paul H. O‘Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs at Indiana University
President Biden's regulatory-reform calls for an updating of OMB Circular A-4, the obscure technical guidance that governs how regulatory agencies perform benefit-cost analysis (BCA) and how OMB reviews agency analyses. Here are some issues ripe for reconsideration, as A-4 has not been updated since 2003. Read more
Opportunity to Present at the Next Society for Risk Analysis Conference
The Economics and Benefits Specialty Group (EBASG) from the Society Risk Analysis is looking for additional SBCA members to help organize a SBCA co-sponsored session at the SRA Annual Meeting to be held December 5-9, 2021. Organized sessions typically have a higher chance of being accepted, although SBCA members are also encouraged to submit their individual papers. The theme this year is Risk Science and the Policy Interface. Abstracts are due no later than June 11, 2021, at midnight EDT. If you would like help to plan a workshop, organize symposia, or group your presentations into symposia, please contact Aliya Sassi, Elizabeth Quin, and Unal Tatar.
Also, please note that students abstracts are eligible for the EBASG award which provides $500 and waives the meeting registration fee for the best student abstract submitted and presented at the SRA annual meeting in the area of economics and benefits analysis
Journal of Benefit-Cost Analysis
JBCA Spring 2021 Issue Now Available
The issue contains selected papers from the First European Meeting of the SBCA plus other papers on key BCA topics.
JBCA Fall Issue Now Available
This issue features seven articles with specific and timely policies suggestions for the incoming Presidential administration in the U.S.
Volume 11 - Issue 2 of JBCA - Summer 2020
The issue presents a set of eight papers of much practical importance to the practice of benefit-cost analysis.
SBCA News
Covid-19 BCA Resources
SBCA is currently dedicated to providing the latest and most informative information on COVID-19 Policy Benefit-Cost Resources.
SBCA Member Benefits
Significant discounts on the SBCA Annual Conference registration.
Connection to the pre-eminent, global community of benefit-cost practitioners, advocates, and academics.
A complimentary subscription to the Journal of Benefit-Cost Analysis.
Access to a growing supply of members-only programs and benefits.
Support of the only organization dedicated entirely to the practice and advancement of benefit-cost analysis.
What Is Benefit-Cost Analysis?
Benefit-cost analysis (BCA) is a process through which companies, governmental authorities, and organizations around the world systematically measure and assess the pros and cons of alternatives. BCA can be used to analyze long term effects of large-scale investments, events, regulations, policies, and high-level decisions. BCA goes beyond other disciplines to evaluate not only the financial impact of decisions and actions, but the social, environmental, cultural, and other effects.