Economy and ecosystems in change : Analytical and Historical Approaches

Economy and Ecosystems in Change addresses ecological problems from an economic perspective, and provides policy suggestions for resource management and environmental sustainability based on integrated, multidisciplinary information, methods and applications. The book begins by introducing the different approaches and applications within ecological economics and clarifying new elements and fundamental principles. This initial discussion includes a comparison between ecological and environmental economics and the evaluation and function of ecosystems. The authors then examine the macroeconomy-ecosystem relationship with reference to national and global processes, focusing specifically on employment versus sustainability, trade, industrial transformation and rural development. In the third part there is an evaluation of whether ecosystems and economics can be treated independently; it is argued that the integration of these fields provides more complete insights and information for addressing the complex relationships between human activities and natural processes. Finally, the authors consider the institutional environment and policies affecting public ecosystems subject to economic uses. Using case study evidence, they conclude that public policy often supports an unsustainable use of resources. To counter this the authors propose policy and management options based on natural resource accounts, practical policy objectives and the precautionary principle. Economy and Ecosystems in Change will be of interest to ecological, environmental and resource economists and policymakers.