Environmental Economics Resources

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This collection of resources, designed for non-economists, introduces the basic principles of environmental economics and its application to the study of socio-environmental systems. In addition to explaining fundamental economic theories, the resources below aim to inform researchers how the integration of economic principles into socio-environmental research can shape policy, decision-making, and conservation strategies.

Videos

These videos introduce non-economists to the core tenets of economics, the use of economics for gauging and conveying the value of ecosystem services, and the role that economics plays in shaping and creating effective policy measures. These videos are recordings of various lectures given at SESYNC by leading economics scholars. These lectures intended to immerse SESYNC postdoctoral fellows, representing a wide variety of disciplines, into the foundations of environmental economics.
•    Economics 101 in 10 Minutes 
•    Non-Market Valuation Methods
•    How Do We Value the Environment?
•    What Do We Value Related to the Environment and Natural Resources?
•    Applying Environmental Economics to Policy: Taxes, Fees, Cap & Trade
•    Optimizing Policies Economically: The Baltic Restoration Example
•    Economic Paradigms and Public Goods: Self-Interest, Rationality, and Maximization
•    Conservation Return on Investment
•    Economic Approaches to Reduce Externalities, Part 1: Prescriptive vs. Market-Based
•    Economic Approaches to Reduce Externalities, Part 2: Cap-and-Trade Detailed
•    Econometrics Overview with Environmental Policy Examples
•    Collective Motion, Collective Action, and Collective Decision Making

Explainers

These brief explainer articles introduce non-economists to some of the key ways in which they can apply economic methods to environmental and sustainability studies. 

• Classical versus Behavioral Economics: Environmental Applications
• Valuation of Natural Resources and Ecosystem Services: Economic Methods

Lessons

These lessons, designed for use in classroom or workshop instruction, incorporate noted literature with engaging learning activities to demonstrate the application of environmental economics to real-world sustainability issues. 

• Economic Valuation of Natural Resources and Ecosystem Services Lesson
• Behavioral Economics and Timescale Mismatches Lesson
• Ecosystem Services Lesson, Part 1: Defining and Valuing Nature
• Ecosystem Services Lesson, Part 2: Linking Ecosystems & Their Processes to What People Value and to Human Actions
• Ecosystem Services Lesson, Part 3: Intrinsic and Relational Values of Nature
• Governance Theory Lesson, Part 1: Revising the Tragedy of the Commons
• Governance Theory Lesson, Part 2: Case Studies in Polycentric Resource Management