The Economics of Environmental Quality

An introduction to the economics of the environment, it provides a coherent chain of theoretical and empirical reasoning on environmental problems and measures to control them and reduce their severity. It equips the reader with the basic tools needed to assess the economic damage caused by materials discharged to air, water, and other environmental media. The all-new Chapter 2 in this edition makes the text more accessible by applying the basic elements of microeconomics analysis to environmental issues: supply and demand for ordinary and environmental goods, emphasizing both similarities and differences; also market failure, public goods, property rights, the "free rider" problem, and externalities. A section on hazardous substances has been added along with a discussion of the latest environmental alternative reforms. The book now ends with a new chapter on the prospects for environmental economics. In Part I, the authors establish a theoretical base for the material in subsequent sections. They review key elements of microeconomic theory and extend them to include polluting discharges. Principles of welfare economics, of market failure from externalities, and of benefit-cost analysis receive careful exposition. They are then applied to alternative government programs such as effluent fees, subsidies, and regulation designed to optimize resource allocation in the presence of externalities. Part II draws together technical data on water, air, and solid-waste discharges. Sources, amounts, damages, abatement techniques, and benefit-cost calculations are pollutants. The final section deals with pollution-control programs now in effect, proposals for new policies, and future role of environmental economics.