Economics of environmental quality

Book · Sat Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1972

OSTI ID:6827460

Hite, J C; Macaulay, H H; Stepp, J M; Yandle, B Jr

The authors use the term environmental quality to refer to the conditions associated with those resources that have not been assigned to the market for allocation. Though the focus is on air and water quality, it could just as well include conditions of crowding, visual stimuli, and odors within the same framework. This analysis addresses itself to the economic aspects of environmental quality as the term is currently defined. First, in an introduction to the nature of the problem, the subject is put in a perspective of time and place. Subsequent chapters provide an economic analysis of the problem, present discussions of environmental demand, and analyze such topics as the conflict between economic development and environmental quality, legal solutions to the problem, and the uses and effects of taxes and subsidies as means for ameliorating conflict over environmental quality. Most of the discussion here revolves around the question of allocational efficiency: the old problem of scarce resources and who gets them. In this sense, the discussion is market-oriented. The study takes the view that since the quality of the environment is recognized as a scarce resource, it should be treated accordingly. This approach should provide additional insight into the task of formulating policies to deal with environmental resources.

• OSTI ID: 6827460
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
290200 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Economics & Sociology
290300* -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Environment
Health
& Safety
500600 -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Regulations-- (-1989)
510600 -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Regulations-- (-1989)
520600 -- Environment
Aquatic-- Regulations -- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AESTHETICS
AIR QUALITY
ALLOCATIONS
DEMAND FACTORS
ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
ECONOMICS
EFFICIENCY
ENVIRONMENT
ENVIRONMENTAL MATERIALS
IMPLEMENTATION
LAND USE
LEGAL ASPECTS
MANAGEMENT
MARKET
ODOR
ORGANOLEPTIC PROPERTIES
POLLUTION CONTROL
QUALITY ASSURANCE
REGULATIONS
RESOURCE DEPLETION
RESOURCES
TAXES
WATER QUALITY