Environmental Economics - Text Books

This book concentrates on environmental economics with emphasis on policy measures at national and global level to achieve sustainable development. This third edition of the book is an enlarged version of the earlier editions and provides a clear easy-to-understand overview of the subject that is gaining importance among present day teachers, students and researchers in economics. The objective of the third edition is to update the second edition and make the book more informative.

Changes have been made in almost all chapters in this revised edition, besides the newly added chapters. Almost all the chapters of the earlier editions have been rewritten, incorporating latest ideas and information from academic and policy documents in appropriate contexts. Extensive enlargement of existing chapters complement the new chapters, particularly those on policy instruments, and practice of environmental policy at national and international level and sustainable development. The concept and theories in the various chapters are supported with suitable case studies. Every chapter contains exercises to encourage the students to take up short projects or to write articles on environment related issues.

The author of the book, Dr. M Karpagam, is a retired Professor of Economics. During her long career of 33 years at Meenakshi College for Women , Chennai -24, she specialized in teaching environmental economics. She has published and presented papers on themes related to environmental economics in national and international journals and conferences. Her doctoral thesis was on water pollution control policy in select Asian countries. She has co-authored with her colleague, Dr. Geetha Jaikumar, a book titled "Green Management: Theory and Applications", published by Ane Books Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi. The author retired as Principal of Meenakshi College for Women.

IVIen the first edition was published in 1992, there was a paucity of introductory text books on th einvironmental economics by Indian authors. Over the past two decades there has been a boom in research on environment related themes in social sciences in general and economics in particular and this necessitated frequent revision of introductory text books on environmental economics. Further environmental studies has gained the status as one of the core papers in undergraduate programmes In social sciences, particularly in economics. Updation of content and change in narration are two essential criteria for this third revised edition, of course, thanks to the continuous support of students and teachers to this book.

I am happy that this revision has been achieved due to the sustained interest of the publisher Sterling Publishers (P) Ltd in this project. The objective of the third edition is to update the second edition and make the book more informative, besides encouraging the students to take up short projects or to write articles on environment related issues.

This third edition is an enlarged version of the earlier editions and changes have been made in almost all chapters besides the newly added chapters. To inform students about the development of ideas in this subject, I have rewritten almost all the chapters of the earlier editions incorporating latest ideas and information from academic and policy documents in appropriate contexts. Environmental Ethics, Energy and Environment, Environmental Kuznets Curve, Welfare Criteria for Evaluations of Policies and Projects, Theories of Corporate Environmental Management and Principles of Environmental Policy Making are the new additional chapters. Extensive enlargement of existing chapters complement the new chapters, particularly those on policy instruments, and practice of environmental policy at national and international level and sustainable,-development. The concept and theories in the various chapters are supported with suitable case studies.

Students are encouraged to explore new ideas through solving exercises given at the closure of the chapters. The reference list is exhaustive on every aspect of this subject. Exclusives lists of websites accessed, books, reports and articles referred to are given at the end. A comprehensive glossary is also provided.

This revised edition has relied a lot on articles by eminent scholars in reputed journals and websites, on reports by the United Nations and FAO , working papers and reports by World Bank and information from many text books, on environmental economics and environmental management. There are numerous quoted remarks, figures, tables and case studies to elucidate concepts and theories. I am grateful to all those whose work I have quoted and summarized. The book "Green Management —Theory and Applications" which I co-authored with my colleague Dr. Geetha Jaikumar in 2010; was very useful in bringing out this revised edition.

This third edition of the book provides a clear easy-to-understand overview of the subject that is gaining importance among present day teachers, students and researchers in economics. Awaiting your feedback.