ABSTRACT
Environmental economics research in the last two decades has greatly extended the range of techniques available for the monetary evaluation of environmental damages and benefits. Since 1981 the UK government has set cash plans for the following three years, and within these plans there are cash limits to programmes. In July 1988, the UK formally complied with the European Economic Community Directive on Environmental Impact Assessment. This chapter provides six “cameo” studies of situations in which benefit or damage estimation has been assessed. These include: the urban environmental benefits of improving a derelict canal in Glasgow; a valuation of the drainage functions of inland waterways; and valuing the benefits of sewage disposal. These also include: the evaluation of a coastal defence scheme for Aldeburgh; valuing the environmental benefits of afforestation, and the benefits of afforestation for economic security purposes; the “valuation of a human life” in transport planning.
