This provides a short overview of the main themes of ecological economics (EE). It isargued that EE provides a platform that fosters multidisciplinary environmental research bybringing together the core contributing disciplines economics and ecology. In addition, EE isregarded as a pluralistic...

An overview is offered of different approaches to economic modelling of sustainable development. First, conceptual-theoretical perspectives on sustainable development are shortly reviewed from the angle of model implications. Next, different model types are discussed. These include neoclassical...

Regional economic activities require materials that can be extracteddomestically or imported from other regions. Analysis of optimalpatterns ofcombined economic development and materials use should be discussedinrelation to trade and the environment. A model is presented thatoptimiseslong-term...

Optimal harvesting of prey in a predator–prey ecosystem is studied under the condition that the existence of the predator has value. Predators (birds) and humans (fishers) compete for prey (shellfish). The behavior of the system is studied and conditions for optimal control are deduced....

A foundation is provided for a correct and accurate analysis of the relationship between monetary values and physical dimensions in economic production. A distinction is proposed between direct and indirect substitution. Linked to this, a classification is offered of various types of...

The relationship between trade and material flows is examined by viewing theglobal economy from the perspective of international material-product chains(MPC). The international MPC covers the complete lifecycle of a material or aproduct in two or more regions, including extraction, production,...

We consider the microfoundations controversy from the perspective ofeconomic evolution and show that the debatecan benefit from lessons learned in evolutionary biology. Althoughthe analogy between biology and economics hasbeen noted before, it has rarely focused on clarifying the micro-macro...

Until recently, the interaction between environmental quality, economic activity and growth is predominantly considered in an a-spatial context. Traditional neoclassical growth theory following Solow/Swan has mainly addressed questions about environmental and resource limits to growth. Recently,...

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...

The meaning of sustainability is the subject of intense debate among environmental and resourceeconomists. Perhaps no other issue separates more the traditional economic view of the naturalworld from the views of most natural scientists. The debate currently focuses on the...