Cummings and his colleagues have performed a great service to rational public policy towards the environment by their critical review of the contingent valuation method for evaluating benefits. Since it is virtually the only one available for many purposes, the careful evaluation of its reliability, its area of useful application, and its limitations will be invaluable both in practice and as a basis for further research. -- Kenneth J. Arrow, Stanford University ...an extraordinarily detailed analysis of an emerging methodology in environmental evaluation that has yet to be fully appreciated. The editors have captured the 'whole' of a highly esoteric and complex concept...highly readable, very detailed, and quite fascinating. Economic Geography

Cummings and his colleagues have performed a great service to rational public policy towards the environment by their critical review of the contingent valuation method for evaluating benefits. Since it is virtually the only one available for many purposes, the careful evaluation of its reliability, its area of useful application, and its limitations will be invaluable both in practice and as a basis for further research. -- Kenneth J. Arrow, Stanford University ...an extraordinarily detailed analysis of an emerging methodology in environmental evaluation that has yet to be fully appreciated. The editors have captured the 'whole' of a highly esoteric and complex concept...highly readable, very detailed, and quite fascinating. Economic Geography

Cummings and his colleagues have performed a great service to rational public policy towards the environment by their critical review of the contingent valuation method for evaluating benefits. Since it is virtually the only one available for many purposes, the careful evaluation of its reliability, its area of useful application, and its limitations will be invaluable both in practice and as a basis for further research. -- Kenneth J. Arrow, Stanford University ...an extraordinarily detailed analysis of an emerging methodology in environmental evaluation that has yet to be fully appreciated. The editors have captured the 'whole' of a highly esoteric and complex concept...highly readable, very detailed, and quite fascinating. Economic Geography