The Economics of Environment and Development: Selected Essays

The Economics of Environment and Development is a carefully edited selection of Edward Barbier’s most influential papers on the role of environmental economics in economic development. This book begins with a brief overview and summary of the papers, placing each in its original context and in relation to the development of Barbier’s ideas. The first section deals with the concept of sustainable development, in particular its practical implications for economic policy in developing countries, as well as the long run conditions under which an economy might trade-off environment and growth to achieve its development aims. The second section is concerned mainly with land degradation and tropical deforestation. Using case studies from Africa, Central America and Southeast Asia, the underlying causes of these problems are examined and innovative policies are prescribed to reverse environmental degradation in these areas. The third part of the book is dedicated to the economics of wetlands, wildlands and biodiversity conservation, and discusses the optimal use and management of a region’s remaining wild or natural habitat areas. The final section of the book deals with trade and the environment and focuses on the linkages between sustainable resource management and the trade in ivory, timber and forest products, and the role of trade interventions as a means of encouraging a developing country to conserve more of a biological resource. This authoritative volume will be of great interest to academics, policymakers and students of environmental, ecological and development economics.