On the future of environmental economics

摘要: Environmental economics passed its age of infancy. It grew rapidly over the last decades and established itself as a discipline based on powerful economic paradigm reaching beyond it to capture important economy-environment interactions. The view offered here future environmental is premise that pressures will tend put ecological system under increasing stress thus geopardize sustainable development both system, unless understanding interdependence further improved all agents in political decision making process can be convinced take necessary action. paper does not discuss major likely, promising and/or substantive topics agenda research systematic way. chooses, instead, methods analysis primary organizing principle starting out from theoretical concepts (externality theory) their ramifications then turning issues interdisciplinarity empirical relevance finally assess (future) impact shaping policy. Real-world problems, driving forces field, are also addressed, course, but there too much dispute about what relevant are. Attention drawn number current deficits proposals for improvement offered. Given recent thriving expansion field practical policy, little reason believe this positive continue. But if additional efforts directed towards coping with weaknesses identified economists certainly able do even better than past.