ABSTRACT
The analysis and case study examples in this book have been brought together to address five important questions concerning wetland ecosystems:
What is the current status of the world’s wetlands (with special focus on OECD countries)?
If wetland losses are significant, why should society be concerned? Are wetlands valuable, and can their worth be quantified in monetary terms?
Is it the case that valuable wetland resources are not being managed properly (that is, optimally, in economic terms), resulting in socially inefficient resource use?
If this social inefficiency exists, what is the source of the problem?
What can/should be done about the problem?
