ABSTRACT
Few policy areas involve as wide a range of backgrounds and areas of expertise as environmental policy. The list of those actively involved in environmental policy includes representatives from every level of government, academics from several fields, public interest groups, the private sector, and local citizens. Examples include scientists developing models that explain the dynamics of complex ecosystems, government bureaucrats allocating their limited pollution control budgets, and local children’s groups working to rid their neighborhoods of litter. Environmental policy also involves a wide range of analytical expertise, including several scientific fields as well as ethics, economics, and other social analysis. The economic analysis of the environment also includes a wide range of policy topics related to various areas of the preservation of nature and pollution control. While several policy examples will be analyzed in this chapter, one or more courses in environmental, ecological, or resource economics may be highly valuable for students interested in this policy area.
