ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of the book. The book explains the processes or forces operating to produce three sets of distributions. It is concerned with the development and implementation of natural resources policy in different ways. The book explores how far the allocation of resources satisfies important, but often conflicting, public policy objectives. All efforts to evaluate the performance of resource management systems in terms of their contribution to human welfare have to confront the problem that there is no one welfare measure. It is necessary to look at a range of performance criteria, and the ones chosen here are economic efficiency, distributive equity, economic growth and employment generation, resource security/stability, and the maintenance of 'acceptable' environmental quality standards. The book analyses the range of policy measures which have been, or could be, used to correct perceived deficiencies in current resource allocations.
