The historic link between output (GDP) growth and employment has weakened. Since there is no quantitively verifiable economic theory to explain past growth, this unique book explores the fundamental relationship between thermodynamics (physical work) and economics.

World economic activity is a cause of climate change and climate change has an impact on economic activity. Adaptation to climate change can occur locally, but action to reduce the extent of climate change requires global cooperation or at least coordination. Covering all aspects of the problem,...

Elizabeth H. Petersen argues that economists and other social scientists are increasingly focusing their attention towards institutions (defined as humanly-devised rules) as critical determinants of economic, social and political growth and development. Institutions responsible for the...

The increase in landscape degradation in the last decades has resulted in a growing public concern for policies to conserve the countryside. This book presents theories of valuation and economic welfare which are applied to policies to conserve the landscape.

Technological change plays a crucial role in realizing energy efficiency improvements and, therefore, in ameliorating the conflict between economic growth and environmental quality. However, the diffusion of new technologies can prove a costly and lengthy process, meaning that many firms do not...

Combining the public choice literature on political decision making with the Neo-Schumpeterian literature on innovation, this valuable new book develops a conceptual model of how environmental regulation is designed. The author presents a novel perspective on the Porter Hypothesis, arguing that...

This important new book addresses a major policy question regarding the solid waste crisis: should municipalities charge households user fees for solid waste services? In her study of this issue, Professor Jenkins draws on a unique data set which relates the quantities of waste discarded and the...