What is it?
The field of environmental and resource economics is the study of the economy and its interaction with the environment. There is an increasing need for utilizing economic tools in developing new environmental approaches and policies.
Environmental economists
have the ability to:
· Correctly
conceptualize economic problems related to environmental issues
· Design
and implement appropriate research methods, and
· Apply
appropriate quantitative and qualitative techniques
The economy and the environment are intimately connected:
Economic activity stresses the environment, generating pollution.
The economy uses environmental resources, including:
Fisheries
Forests
Minerals
Energy resources
The government regulates the economy's impact on the environment. Society is always looking for better ways of achieving balance among environmental, economic and social objectives.
The Environmental
Literacy Council provides an excellent, though elementary, overview
of the field of environmental and resource economics. Their site
includes annotated links to resources on principles of the field,
educational programs, reports, books and other organizations.
Journals and Professional Organizations
The
primary professional organization of environmental economists is the Association of Environmental and Resource
Economists (AERE). Many regional professional
associations are referenced on the AERE web site.
There
are a number of journals in the field, including:
The
Journal of Environmental Economics and Management
Resource
and Energy Economics
Review of Environmental
Economics & Policy
Environmental
and Resource Economics
Land
Economics
Energy
Journal
Environment
and Development Economics