An important barrier to the implementation of strict environmental regulations is that they are perceived to negatively affect a country's competitiveness, visible through changes in international trade. Whereas theoretical analyses of trade and the environment indicate that relatively strict...

Various types of economic model address environmental problems. This article examines whether these can be applied to the analysis of material flows. It is important to know which types of model are most suitable to deal with particular economic, environmental or physical aspects of material...

This paper addresses the issue of possible land use strategies and responses in coastal zones as a consequence of global environmental change. It will first set out some key elements in global change that are of critical importance for the water and land management in such areas. Next, it will...

This paper presents a theory of institutional change that builds upon a synthesis of theoretical insights from the literatures on group selection and socio-economic power. Based on a critical reading of relevant studies in sociology, political science and philosophy, we propose a taxonomy of...

The values of goods and services provided by natural and constructed wetlands are examined through a meta-analysis of 418 observations of the economic value of 186 wetlands. Water quality improvement, non-consumptive recreation, and provision of natural habitat and biodiversity turn out to be...

Choices regarding diversity play an important role in economics and innovation management, but often remain implicit. Once made explicit, the objectives of efficiency and diversity are usually posed as in conflict, as efficiency relates positively and diversity negatively to various increasing...

This discussion paper has resulted in a chapter in: (R.U. Ayres, D. Simpson, and M. Toman (eds.)), <I>Scarcity and Growth in the Millennium</I>, 2005, Resources for the Future, Washington DC, 177-97.<P>

Expectations and information about the growth of GDP per capita have a large influence on decisions made by private and public economic agents. It will be argued here that GDP (per capita) is far from a robust indicator of social welfare, and that its use as such must be regarded as a serious...