G. C. van Kooten - Böcker

Although the full extent of the potential damages from global warming remain unknown, scientists have long argued that action should be taken now to mitigate any possible adverse consequences. However, in making such policy recommendations, economic arguments need to be considered as much as scientific ones. This volume examines the appropriate economic incentives for implementing policy to mitigate climate change and then exposes the flaws in current international agreements. The book begins by providing the economic foundations for understanding climate change. It examines how Kyoto's flexibility mechanism departs from more efficient and less-costly approaches for reducing atmospheric carbon dioxide, and highlights the problems that terrestrial carbon credits pose for emissions trading. Unique case studies of Canada, Japan and The Netherlands indicate that most countries will be unable to meet their own Kyoto obligations. The author then uses an economic analysis of the potential damages to show that even though some countries will experience a detrimental effect from climate change, the majority will actually benefit. In this way, he clearly demonstrates that not only will current policies do little to avert global warming, most countries will also have less incentive to sign up to any future international agreements.Academics, economists and policymakers involved in the climate change debate will find this succinct yet comprehensive analysis of the economic instruments available for mitigating climate change to be essential reading.

This text provides a comprehensive introduction to the important issues of land use and forest economics. The authors employ economic tools to study the allocation of land among alternative activities such as agriculture, grazing and forestry which impact upon the landscape. The book begins by explaining general economic concepts of well-being, welfare measurement and economic rents before providing a synopsis of various environmental economic issues including non-market valuation, cost-benefit analysis and sustainable development. The authors then move on to address several critical topics relating to land use, the conservation of nature and the protection of agricultural land. These include an analysis of agricultural land use from the perspective of urban expansion and the interface between crop production and nature. They also discuss the economics of public lands, range and ranching, forestry, and global climate change in a comprehensive fashion. Throughout the book, the focus is on enhancing welfare for society as a whole, rather than for particular individuals, interest groups or sectors. In this way, the authors present a balanced and just approach to policy decisions regarding the allocation of scarce land resources.Accessible and self-contained, this text will become indispensable to postgraduate and undergraduate students on a range of courses including agricultural and environmental economics, geography and resource management. Although primarily a textbook, it will also provide a useful overview for policymakers, range scientists, public land managers and anyone with an interest in the economic evaluation of rural land use and forestry.