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Game Theory has become one of the main analytical tools for addressing strategic issues in the field of economics and is increasing its influence in other fields of social sciences. With the increased level of extraction of natural resources and pollution of environments, game theory gains its place in the literature and it is more and more seen as a tool for policy makers and not only for theoreticians.

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Based on 30 specially commissioned pieces by leading authorities in the field from the US and Europe, The Handbook of Environmental Economics represents the most comprehensive volume of environmental and natural resource economics published to date.
It covers the full range of issues presently at the forefront of environmental policy including key aspects of such critical areas as pollution, sustainability and global environmental policy.
Essential reading for students, researchers and faculty as well as to policy makers and those with a wider interest in the issues. ... Read more

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In this book Professors Pablo Martínez de Anguita and John E. Wagner put two disciplines together, regional and ecological economics, presenting a way to understand ecological economic concerns from a regional perspective, and providing a mathematical tool to measure their interrelationships. This book offers different regional economic models that explicitly include the role of the natural resources and pollutants in economic regions through the use of Social Accounting Matrixes and Input-output models.

The main objective of this book is to explore Input-output and Social Accounting Matrix (SAM) models by expanding the accounts to include natural resources and the environment. The proposed models in this book incorporate the forest and other natural resources and pollutants as a component in a larger model of how the economy and environment of larger areas interact. This book will be of interests to postgraduates, researchers and scientists in the fields of regional, resource, environmental, or ecological economics.

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Unlike other natural resource management volumes that focus solely on the ecological aspects of resources—and with an overly pessimistic view of the future—this volume explores natural resource management in context in a functional, applied framework by integrating ecology, history, planning, economics, and policy into coverage of each natural resource, and by providing a balanced, guarded optimistic view of the most current research and technology's capability to overcome natural resource problems. Exceptionally straightforward and readable, it is easily accessible to readers with limited background in ecology, biology, and economics.The volume provides an overview of natural resources, and a complete analysis of management foundations, air, water, and land resources, the land-based renewable resources, the wild living resources, the mineral and energy resources, plus an integration of natural resources management.For foresters, wildlife biologists, geologists, range managers, and environmental scientists. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Great quality
Got this book used. Delivered far faster than I expected and the quality was like new. Very pleased. ... Read more

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Major stakes hang on how the issue of nuclear energy is ultimately resolved. As this study points out, "the outcome is consequential in terms of this generation, but also will affect the lives and life styles of generations to come. The wrong decisions could be costly and difficult to reverse. Clearly, Americans are now facing one of the most profound choices in their history."

Specialists in energy analysis, policymakers, and readers who are seriously involved in the nuclear energy debate will find this book provides an objective and analytical discussion of an emotionally charged subject. It focuses on the question, What would happen to the economy and environment of the United States if there was a moratorium on construction of new nuclear plants beginning in 1985?

Based on a projection of economic growth and energy production during the next thirty years, the book examines five possible economic implications of a nuclear moratorium—future costs of electricity, regional dislocations, impact on the nuclear industry, effect on the coal industry, and impact abroad. It also discusses four levels of environmental tradeoffs as a result of shifting the additional fuel requirements from nuclear to coal after 1985—proliferation of nuclear weapons and greatly increased carbon dioxide (CO₂) from fossil fuel on a global scale, probability of reactor and coal-mining accidents, impact on public health of reactor radiation emissions and coal-fired emissions, and the impact of uranium and coal mining on land use.

An entire section of the book speculates on the distant nonfossil future when nuclear or solar energy may be the only major long-term energy options. One of the book's major findings is that the rate of growth in energy demand is likely to be significantly lower than the projected estimates in most published studies.

Economic and Environmental Impacts of a U.S. Nuclear Moratorium is the work of a study team coordinated by Charles E. Whittle at the Institute for Energy Analysis, Oak Ridge Associated Universities. Sensitive to the necessity for an impartial study, both pro and antinuclear consultants were asked to review the work as it progressed. ... Read more

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As it has grown in length and level through successive edtions, the same author's Introduction to Ore Geology (now Ore Geology and Industrial Minerals) has left behind its original audience: first- and second -ear students. This new textbook, designed to fill that niche , was written specifically for introductory courses. Introduction to Economic Geology and Its Environmental Impact covers oil, coal, water and nuclear fuels, as well as economically important ores and bulk minerals. In keeping with current concerns and constraints, particular attention is paid to the impact of mining and drilling on the environment ... Read more

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As Thomas Sterner points out, the economic "toolkit"for dealing with environmental problems has become formidable. It includes taxes, charges, permits, deposit-refund systems, labeling, and other information disclosure mechanisms. Though not all these devices are widely used, empirical application has started within some sectors, and we are beginning to see the first systematic attempts at an advanced policy design that takes due account of market-based incentives.

Sterner's book is an attempt to encourage more widespread and careful use of economic policy instruments. Intended primarily for application in developing and transitional countries, the book compares the accumulated experiences of the use of economic policy instruments in the U.S. and Europe, as well as in select rich and poor countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Ambitious in scope, the book discusses the design of instruments that can be employed in a wide range of policy areas, including transportation, industrial pollution, water pricing, waste, fisheries, forests, and agriculture.

While deeply rooted in economics, Policy Instruments for Environmental and Natural Resource Management is informed by perspectives drawn from political, legal, ecological, and psychological research. Sterner notes that, in addition to meeting requirements for efficiency, the selection and design of policy instruments must satisfy criteria involving equity and political acceptability. He is careful to distinguish between the well-designed plans of policymakers -- and the resulting behavior of society.

A copublication of Resources for the Future, the World Bank, and the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA).

Customer Reviews (1)

Does environmental policy really work?The answer here.
Very useful for students or researchers in the field of resource management, resource economics, and environmental politics.I made a tiny research on why do public reforestation programs are not successfully applied in Southeast Mexico, where rainforest restoration could be a profitable activity.The answer is policy design, intermediaries, and cultural qualities of the communities that own the resources.Looking for conceptual backup, I bumped into Sterner's work and found it extensive, analytical, and rich.It made me understand how policies have different designs according to the properties of the resources which are aimed to be managed.Sterner displays an array of political instruments and explains why do some work and others don't for particular resources, and what are the risks of missapplying a certain instrument.For example, in page 50, he explains how market properties affect forest deforestation, and how do policies can be applied according to the amount of forest left.If theory was seriously applied to resource management, resource degradation would surely be avoided, according to the authors concepts and recommendations.

Happy reading!

Ximena ... Read more

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This book, co-authored by the Nobel-prized economist, Kenneth Arrow, considers public expenditures in the context of modern growth theory. It analyzes optimal growth with public capital. A theory of 'controllability' is developed and injected into public economics and growth models. ... Read more

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"China's Unfinished Economic Revolution" offers a fundamentally different interpretation of China's economic reform. The common view that China's gradualistic approach has served it well overlooks the fact that state-owned banks for the last two decades have channeled a large share of sharply rising household savings into what are mostly unreformed, money-losing companies. The result is that several of China's largest financial institutions now are insolvent. To avoid a major domestic banking crisis the book argues that China must recapitalize and restructure its domestic banking system and end the long-standing practice of making lending decisions based on political rather than economic criteria. Nicholas Lardy explains that this course will inevitably be costly in political terms, in part because it will lead for a time to a slower rate of economic growth.But the alternative is even le ss attractive--permanently slower growth, continued macroeconomic instability, an inability to meet the expectations of the international community for the opening of its domestic financial markets, and insufficient resources to deal with severe environmental deterioration, growing water shortages, and a rapidly aging population. This timely book also analyzes the new reform initiatives China has launched in the wake of the Asian financial crisis, suggests additional steps that must be taken, and evaluates the implications for U.S. policy. Nicholas R. Lardy is a senior fellow in the Foreign Policy Studies program at the Brookings Institution. His previous books include China in the World Economy (Institute for International Economics, 1994) and Foreign Trade and Economic Reform in China, 1978-1990 (Cambridge, 1992). ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

needs an update
It is now 8 years since this book came out. China has continued to astonish the world with its rapid growth, which certainly does not exclude its banking system. Under these circumstances, an update of this book would be timely.

The issues discussed are still germane. Though today's numbers would be expected to be larger. As I write this, just a few days ago, a major Chinese bank had a very successful IPO. It appears that the key issue of bad loans is being gradually ameliorated by policies of the major banks and, implicitly, by the Chinese government, through repeated capital injections.

A well researched publication, athough biased in argument.
Firstly, let me say the research Nicholas Lardy has conducted is commendable and a welcome addition to the existing literature. His data sources are vast and highly informative.The major limitation of thispublication is that the central argument is biased. Lardy selects thosedata and pieces of existing literature which support his own view. As aresult, major sections of the literature concerning financial reform intransitional economies are simply ignored or brushed over.Lardy's view isthe typical Western, dare I say "American" argument. Primarily heuses financial criteria to evaluate the economic performance of China'sstate banks. This methodoloy is extremely poor - particularly in thecontext of China's trannsitional economy. Financial criteria are a horribleguide to both internal and allocative economic efficiency. If anyone wouldlike elaboration on this point feel free to email me.In summary, Lardy'sbook is informative and makes for interesting reading. However as a pieceof economic analysis, its usefulness is limited. The major reason for thisis a total lack of economic theory(as indicated by the previous reviewer)which has resulted in a poor methodology.

Timely, critical but not theoretical enough
This timely book by Lardy explains: 1) the intermingling of China's gradualist reform, the inefficiency of SOE and the evolving banking system; 2) the structure and practise of the banking system of China; 3) some ofthe implications of the looming financial crisis in China. It thus servesas a critical and timely piece for readers to gauge what has been wrong forChina and why are the policy implications.There are a few points worthhighlighting. First, the cost of the gradualist reform approach is theresulting inefficiency in SOE and the related banking crisis, a cost whichis usually forgot in the debate on the pace of reform for emerging economy.Second, the relative size of SOE in China, despite all the measures tostimulate private sectors for the past two decades, is still large,particularly from the perspective of bank lending. This has been reducingthe strength of the banks and limiting the availability of funds to privateenterprises. Third, due to the lack of other forms of investment, Chinesebanking system has absorbed most of the saving from the private sector.However, because of the fragile banking system, deposit rate has beenpolitically controlled at a very low level. This is effective taxing theChinese household and subsidising the borrowers, i.e. the inefficient SOE.Forth, related to the third point, liberalisation of capital market willpost a serious threat to the banking system because it will take away thefunding source from the banking system. Fifth, the Asian flu would postlimited short term threat to the Chinese system primarily because it isstill a closed system. However, long term implication is clear and theChinese leaders are aware of the similarity of the Chinese symptoms tothose of the Asian flu.The only problem from this reader perspective isthe level of theoretical underpinning. The piece is full of details in mostof the aspects it is addressing. The missing piece however is that it failsto put the banking crisis into a larger perspective of the transformationof socialist system. Although a full discussion in this aspect may perhapsrequire an entire book itself, a brief discussion seems appropriate giventhat Lardy commented on some of the more theoretical aspect of the study inChapter 5. ... Read more

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This volume is a true shelf reference, providing a thorough overview of the entire renewable energy sphere, while still functioning as a go-to information source for professionals and students when they need answers about a specific technical issue. Crafted over the last 15 years into a problem-solving tool for engineers, researchers, consultants and planners currently working in the field, as well as a detailed map of the renewables universe for those looking to expand into new technological specialties, Renewable Energy by Sorensen offers the most comprehensive coverage of the subject available.

The book has been structured around three parts in order to assist readers in focusing on the issues that impact them the most for a given project or question. PART I covers the basic scientific principles behind all major renewable energy resources, such as solar, wind and biomass. PART II provides in-depth information about how these raw renewable sources can actually be converted into useful forms, transmitted into the grid and stored for future utilization. Finally, PART III undertakes the aspects of energy planning, environmental impacts and socio-economic issues on regional and global levels.

In this fourth edition update, new material includes expanded coverage of biofuels, solar conversion, biomass and fuel cells, storage and transmission, and a new chapter on integrated technologies to introduce the hybrid systems now being explored. New surveys and the most recent research findings are included throughout.

*New, thoroughly updated fourth edition of the authoritative field guide to the entire Renewable Energy universe

*The only books to scientific principles and implementation methods, technologies and socio-economics, environmental impacts and cutting-edge advances, all in one volume.

*New material includes expanded coverage of biofuels, solar conversion, biomass and fuel cells, storage and transmission, and a new chapter on integrated systems. ... Read more

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Provides an overview of the microeconomic concepts used extensively in natural resource modeling and an introduction to sustainability and natural resource scarcity. Presents and develops models of natural resource use in a static framework. DLC: Natural resources. ... Read more

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Global climate change cannot be understood without knowing the fundamental principles of science, economics, and politics that condition our policy choices. To that end, the contributors to this volume, experts in their respective fields, take a comprehensive look at the major issues involved.

This volume is written for policymakers and informed citizenry who want to understand at a general level the complexities of global climate change without becoming enmeshed in technical minutia. The introduction emphasizes the core fact that climate change issues cut across disciplines. William Schlesinger and Gerald North explain the carbon cycle and how increased greenhouse gases impact temperature. The economics papers deal with the applicability of benefit/cost analysis and then proceed to examine the benefits of avoiding temperature change versus the costs of the various CO2 abatement options. Finally, David Victor, a Stanford political scientist, asks which policies are feasible in a world where the incentives differ dramatically among countries. The book closes with open letters to the President of the United States.

Policymakers along with academics, students and any reader interested in a broad look at the important issues in the global climate change story will find this book indispensable. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Good Economic Analysis of Global Climate Change
"Global Climate Change - The Science, Economics, and Politics", is a collection of ten separate articles covering different aspects of global warming.The book is very strong on the economics of global warming, less strong on the politics, and weak on the science.In many ways, the book reads like a balanced, academic discussion of the pros and cons of costs and benefits between business as usual, weak mitigation efforts, and strong mitigation efforts.This attempt at balance weakens the book's message considerably, in that it leaves the reader wondering what the author's personal opinions really are on the subject.

The book was published by the Bush School of Government and Public Service, in the "New Horizons In Environmental Economics" textbook series, which explains why it's basically an economics textbook (dry reading) focused on cost/benefit analysis.

Four stars given as an economics book, but as a general book on climate change, I'd probably give it only two stars because there are so many superior books out there already covering the science and potential effects of global warming. ... Read more

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The management of environmental services is an urgent requirement given the declining natural ecosystems worldwide. Transaction between provider and beneficiaries of ecosystem services known as payment for ecosystem services (PES) has emerged as one of the innovative and cost effective responses to management of ecosystem and ecosystem services. Payments have been successfully designed and executed for carbon, watershed services, genetic material, and various other nutrients.

More than 30 leading experts in the field of ecological economics address a large range of issues dealing with the valuation of ecosystem services, as well as the design and performance of compensation schemes as effective tools that may considerably reduce the cost of such management. The contributors also propose PES as a redistributive mechanism between different social groups that is framed in the context of inequality concerns in rural-urban dynamics. ... Read more

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This volume brings together a number of prominent economic studies all of which deal with key water quality issues. The studies focus on the economic aspects of water quality including identifying the polluters' actions and incentives, designing and comparing control mechanisms, analyzing the costs and benefits of water quality programs, and finally managing transboundary water quality. They all make recommendations for improving water quality through changing incentives, programs and/or policies. ... Read more

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The Economics of Nature Management takes a unique "portfolio management" perspective on the worldwide deterioration of the natural environment. ... Read more

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The Wisdom of Sustainability continues E. F. Schumacher s groundbreaking work on Buddhist economics in Small Is Beautiful: Economics as if People Mattered. Emphasizing small-scale, indigenous, sustainable alternatives to globalization, Sulak offers hope and alternatives for restructuring our economies based on Buddhist principles and personal development. ... Read more

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Edited by a recognized leader in the field, Herbicide-Resistant Crops is the first book to cover all of the issues related to the controversial topic of herbicide-resistant crops. It provides extensive discussions of the modern biotechnological methods that have been used to develop such crops, and reviews the implications - both positive and negative - of developing crops that are resistant to herbicides. The creation and anticipated applications of specific herbicide-resistant crops are also discussed. In addition, the book covers the potential impact of herbicide-resistant crops on weed management practices and the environment, and presents issues related to the regulation and economics of these crops. The editor has brought together a diverse group of professionals, representing the several distinct areas impacted by the new technology of herbicide-resistant crops. The wide range of viewpoints presented in this book creates a balanced and complete survey, providing a notable contribution to the literature. ... Read more

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The volume contains papers presented at a conference "On the International Dimension of Environmental Policy". It deals with two issues:
*international environmental agreements;
*environmental policies in open economies.

Both issues are hot topics. The debate on how to cope with global climate change has become increasingly heated and controversial, and the relationship between trade and the environment is on the WTO agenda. The book contains review papers in which leading scholars in the field summarise the state of the art and original research extending the state of the art. Most of the papers are theoretically oriented, but some papers also present empirical results, using new econometric methods and new data. The book contains material for those students of economics and researchers who wish to deepen their knowledge in the area of International Environmental Economics, but also for those who endeavour to break new ground in this important field of research.