Environmental Valuation in Developed Countries: Case Studies

This is the second of two volumes of case studies that illustrate how environmental economists place values on environmental assets and on the flows of goods and services generated by those assets.The first volume, Valuing the Environment in Developing Countries, illustrates methodologies and applications of valuation techniques in the developing world; this volume concentrates on developed or 'wealthy' nations where the first examples of economic valuation of the environment were carried out. This important book assembles studies that discuss broad areas of application of economic valuation - from amenity and pollution through to water and health risks, from forestry to green urban space. In this, his last book, the late David Pearce brought together leading European experts, contributors to some two dozen case studies exploring the frontiers of economic valuation of natural resources and environmental amenity in the developed world. Essays on the role of valuation in environmental policy, environmental justice and green accounts are presented, and case study topics include: valuing forestry benefits GM crops water use and quality externalities in the electricity sector renewable energy benefits electricity transmission line disamenity urban greenspace chemical risks noise pollution. Economic valuation has undoubtedly made an important contribution to the environmental debate, and the contributors illustrate how sophisticated techniques have become, and how powerful their application can be. As such, this significant volume will prove essential reading for academics, researchers, students and practitioners in the field of environmental economics.

Table of Contents:
Contents: David Pearce (1941–2005): A Tribute 1. Introduction: Valuing Environments in the Rich World David Pearce PART I: NATURAL RESOURCES: FORESTS, BIODIVERSITY, WATER AND ENERGY 2. Cost–Benefit Analysis of Irish Forest Policy J. Peter Clinch 3. Costs and Benefits of UK Forestry Policy Bob Crabtree 4. Valuing Changes in Farmland Biodiversity Using Stated Preference Techniques Mike Christie, Nick Hanley, John Warren, Tony Hyde, Kevin Murphy and Robert Wright 5. Implications of Declining Discount Rates for UK Climate Change Policy Ben Groom, Cameron Hepburn, Phoebe Koundouri and David Pearce 6. Valuing Perceived Risk of Genetically Modified Food: A Meta-Analysis Clare Hall, Dominic Moran and David Allcroft 7. Valuing Water Quality Changes in the Netherlands Using Stated Preference Techniques Roy Brouwer 8. Measuring Environmental Externalities in the Electric Power Sector Patrik Söderholm and Thomas Sundqvist 9. Quantifying the Environmental Impacts of Renewable Energy: The Case of Swedish Wind Power Kristina Ek PART II: AMENITY AND WATER QUALITY 10. Underground or Overground? Measuring the Visual Disamenity from Overhead Electricity Transmission Lines Giles Atkinson, Brett Day and Susana Mourato 11. Using Choice Experiments to Value Urban Green Space Craig Bullock 12. Valuing the Environmental Benefits of Water Industry Investment in England and Wales Bruce Horton and Jonathan Fisher 13. Valuing Water Service Level Changes: A Random Utilty Approach and Benefit Transfer Comparison Kenneth Willis and Riccardo Scarpa 14. The Value of a Tidier Thames: Willingness to Pay to Reduce Sewage Overflow Susana Mourato, Ece Özdemiroglu, Giles Atkinson, Jodi Newcombe and Yvette de Garis 15. Cost–Benefit Analysis and the Prevention of Eutrophication Ian Bateman, Brett Day, Diane Dupont, Stavros Georgiou, Nuno Gonçalo Matias, Sanae Morimoto and Logakanthi Subramanian 16. Is it Worth Revising the European Bathing Water Directive? A Choice Experiment Susana Mourato, Allan Provins, Ece Özdemiroglu, Stavros Georgiou and Jodi Newcombe 17. Hedonic Price Analysis of Road Traffic Noise Nuisance Brett Day, Ian Bateman and Iain Lake PART III: VALUATION AND SECTORAL GREEN ACCOUNTING 18. Towards Green Sectoral Accounts for UK Agriculture Jodi Newcombe, Ece Özdemiroglu and Giles Atkinson 19. Scale Issues and Scaling Procedures in Integrated Water Accounting Roy Brouwer, Sjoerd Schenau and Rob van der Veeren Index

About the Author :
Edited by the late David Pearce, formerly Emeritus Professor of Economics, University College London, UK

Review :
'Environmental Valuation in Developed Countries will be of interest to policy makers and economist in search of a variety of methodologies related to environmental valuation.'