Elgar Advanced Introductions are stimulating and thoughtful introductions to major fields in the social sciences and law, expertly written by the world?s leading scholars. Designed to be accessible yet rigorous, they offer concise and lucid surveys of the substantive and policy issues associated with discrete subject areas.
'Ecological economics has roots in numerous disciplines including various branches of economics, ecology, physics, systems analysis and the study of technology. In his succinct Advanced Introduction to Ecological Economics, Matthias Ruth shows how each of these lines of intellectual inquiry has contributed to the development of ecological economics. He covers its history, main findings and current issues closing with a valuable discussion of complexity and the challenges for analysis and management in a full world.'
- Peter A. Victor, York University, Canada
Any human endeavor is shaped by, and shapes, changes in the physical and biological environment. In this Advanced Introduction, Matthias Ruth draws on a diverse set of theories, methods and applications to critically assess key concepts in ecological economics.
Understanding biophysical foundations of economic growth and development is at the core of ecological economics. The author provides a precise introduction to the interdependencies between economic and environmental change, focusing on the fundamental dependence of the economy on the environment, as a provider of energy, materials and waste assimilation services.
Key features include:?
Offering a unique insight into a field that is still in its formative years of development, this concise and accessible Advanced Introduction will greatly benefit students, researchers and instructors in environmental science and ecological economics.
Show moreElgar Advanced Introductions are stimulating and thoughtful introductions to major fields in the social sciences and law, expertly written by the world?s leading scholars. Designed to be accessible yet rigorous, they offer concise and lucid surveys of the substantive and policy issues associated with discrete subject areas.
'Ecological economics has roots in numerous disciplines including various branches of economics, ecology, physics, systems analysis and the study of technology. In his succinct Advanced Introduction to Ecological Economics, Matthias Ruth shows how each of these lines of intellectual inquiry has contributed to the development of ecological economics. He covers its history, main findings and current issues closing with a valuable discussion of complexity and the challenges for analysis and management in a full world.'
- Peter A. Victor, York University, Canada
Any human endeavor is shaped by, and shapes, changes in the physical and biological environment. In this Advanced Introduction, Matthias Ruth draws on a diverse set of theories, methods and applications to critically assess key concepts in ecological economics.
Understanding biophysical foundations of economic growth and development is at the core of ecological economics. The author provides a precise introduction to the interdependencies between economic and environmental change, focusing on the fundamental dependence of the economy on the environment, as a provider of energy, materials and waste assimilation services.
Key features include:?
Offering a unique insight into a field that is still in its formative years of development, this concise and accessible Advanced Introduction will greatly benefit students, researchers and instructors in environmental science and ecological economics.
Show moreContents: 1. Introduction 2. Economic Principles of Resource Use and Environmental Change 3. Models of the Economy, Society and Environment 4. Biophysical Principles 5. Technology and Innovation in their Economic, Social and Environmental Context 6. Complexity and the Challenges for Analysis and Management in a Full World References Index
Matthias Ruth, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research, University of York, UK
'Ruth offers a compact, very readable introduction to the booming
field of Ecological Economics as it seeks to trace the
interdependencies among human activities and environmental change,
focusing in particular on industrial market driven economies. With
a very modest degree of mathematical formalization, it pays tribute
to science disciplines like physics and ecology in understanding
the effects of economic decisions on the biosphere, and makes brief
but distinct excursions into mainstream economics to mark the
specifics of the ecological economic approach.'
--Marina Fischer-Kowalski, University of Vienna, Austria'Being a
diverse field, ecological economics tends to be interpreted in
distinct ways by different authors. Ruth offers his own take in
this concise treatment that quickly moves beyond basics to make the
reader aware of the complications characterizing integrated
studies. While one could argue with some of his conclusions, they
are always richly laced with arguments and illustrations.'
--Jeroen van den Bergh, University of Barcelona, Spain and Vrije
Universiteit, the Netherlands'This Advanced Introduction is
introductory because it starts at the beginning. First principles
of economics and ecology are united in a pre-analytic vision of the
economy as a subsystem of the ecosphere. It is ''advanced'' because
it rigorously elaborates that vision to explain ecological
economics, with ample references to the literature, and admirable
brevity. A splendid contribution!'
--Herman Daly, University of Maryland, US
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