ABSTRACT

Environmental Economics: The Essentials offers a policy-oriented approach to the increasingly influential field of environmental economics that is based upon a solid foundation of economic theory and empirical research. Students will not only leave the course with a firm understanding of environmental economics, but they will also be exposed to a number of case studies showing how underlying economic principles provided the foundation for specific environmental and resource policies. This key text highlights what insights can be derived from the actual experience.

Key features include:

  • Extensive coverage of the major issues including climate change, air and water pollution, sustainable development, and environmental justice;
  • Introductions to the theory and method of environmental economics including externalities, experimental and behavioral economics, benefit-cost analysis, and methods for valuing the services provided by the environment;
  • Boxed ‘Examples’ and ‘Debates’ throughout the text which highlight global examples and major talking points.

The text is fully supported with end-of-chapter summaries, discussion questions, and self-test exercises in the book, as well as with multiple-choice questions, simulations, references, slides, and an instructor’s manual on the Companion Website. This text is adapted from the best-selling Environmental and Natural Resource Economics, 11th edition, by the same authors.

chapter Chapter 1|15 pages

Visions of the Future

chapter Chapter 2|28 pages

The Economic Approach

Property Rights, Externalities, and Environmental Problems

chapter Chapter 3|27 pages

Evaluating Trade-Offs

Benefit-Cost Analysis and Other Decision-Making Metrics

chapter Chapter 4|33 pages

Valuing the Environment

Methods

chapter Chapter 5|24 pages

Economics of Pollution Control

An Overview

chapter Chapter 6|16 pages

Stationary-Source Local and Regional Air Pollution

chapter Chapter 7|25 pages

Mobile-Source Air Pollution

chapter Chapter 8|22 pages

Climate Change

chapter Chapter 9|32 pages

Water Pollution

chapter Chapter 10|22 pages

Toxic Substances and Environmental Justice

chapter Chapter 11|24 pages

The Quest for Sustainable Development

chapter Chapter 12|10 pages

Visions of the Future Revisited