An Introduction to Ecological Economics

This completely revised and updated second edition integrates the study and management of humans and the rest of nature. It provides a unified understanding of natural and human-dominated ecosystems and reintegrates the market economy within society and the rest of nature. The new edition adds a series of boxes to expand and update information in the current text and addresses such topical issues common asset trusts, payment for ecosystem services, and alternatives to GDP.

Table of Contents:
Humanity's Current Dilemma. The Historical Development of Economics and Ecology. Principles and Objectives of Ecological Economics. Institutions, Instruments, and Policies. References. Index.

About the Author :
Robert Costanza is professor and chair in public policy at the Crawford School of Public Policy at The Australian National University. His transdisciplinary research integrates the study of humans and the rest of nature to address research, policy, and management issues at multiple time and space scales, from small watersheds to the global system. He is co-founder of the International Society for Ecological Economics and founding editor in chief of Solutions (www.thesolutionsjournal.org). He is author or co-author of over 500 articles and 27 books. John Cumberland is a professor emeritus at the University of Maryland, where he served as a professor of economics and the director of the Bureau of Business and Economic Research. His teaching, research, and publications have been primarily in the fields of environmental and natural resource economics. He is currently a senior fellow at the University of Maryland Institute for Ecological Economics (IEE).Herman Daly is the author of many works on ecological economics. He is a professor emeritus, at the School of Public Policy, University of Maryland, and a former senior economist with the World Bank. He is cofounder of the ISEE and won the Netherlands Royal Academy Heineken Prize and the Right Livelihood Award in 1996 for pioneering the new discipline of ecological economics.Robert Goodland was the environmental advisor to the World Bank Group in Washington, DC, between 1978 and 2001. The Library of Congress lists 41 of his publications. He served on the independent Extractive Industry Review of the World Bank Group's oil, gas, and mining portfolio (2001-2004) and then became a senior fellow at the World Resources Institute. He was elected chair of the Ecological Society of America (Metropolitan) and president of the International Association of Impact Assessment. Robert Goodland passed away unexpec

Review :
"... a useful transdisciplinary lens through which to view and understand stubborn global problems of inequity, environmental degradation and declining well-being. It challenges the traditional use of GDP as a metric of progress and argues for an approach more in tune with the challenges of the 21st Century , one that builds and values stronger socio-ecological systems as the only way of ensuring transformative change for all in an increasingly full world." -Dr. Debra Roberts, Ethekwini Municipality, Durban South Africa "... a unique tool to approach issues that are vital for the future of the planet and of our societies. It is a fundamental book to deeply understand the complexity of the issues at stake, as well as the need to connect multiple disciplines to find the right policy solutions to today and tomorrow challenges." -Enrico Giovannini, University of Rome "Tor Vergata" "This book addresseses the most important problems facing both people and planet, and challenges conventional thinking. It is essential reading for anybody who wants to understand the connections between wellbeing and environmental sustainability, and how to envision a better future for us all." -Kate Pickett, The University of York "Coming from the people who, more than anyone else, have pioneered and developed the subject, this book is much more than an introduction to ecological economics. It provides a through grounding in a field that that should be becoming central to modern political and economic policy and thinking." -Richard Wilkinson, Emeritus Professor of Social Epidemiology