Economics for a Sustainable World

'This is an outstanding overview of an outstandingly important but difficult subject. The authors, world experts in the field, have provided a lucid analysis, with no corners cut. It cannot be recommended too highly.' Partha Dasgupta, St John's College, Cambridge 'This is the book that so many students have been waiting for, be they non-economists wanting to decode the mysteries of cost–benefit analysis, or economists needing affirmation that their subject is key to the real-world challenges of the twenty-first century. For the former group, economic concepts are provided with remarkable clarity. For the latter group, the range of issues presented – including land, sea, energy, water, biodiversity, and pollution – will reassure trainee economists that they chose their subject wisely. Economics alone will not save the world – but it can provide the clarity of thinking necessary to unite the multiple understandings needed to deliver a sustainable future. This remarkable text provides a major step forward in training the clear thinkers needed for that future.' Ian Bateman, University of Exeter 'This valuable new textbook will help a range of readers to better understand the meaning and causes of the various environmental challenges which plague our planet. The book includes an engaging and often sobering array of case studies and discussion questions to introduce students to the scale of the challenges of sustainable development ahead. Barbier and Burgess, leaders in the field, write in an impressively clear and concise manner, offering a powerful case for a new economic discourse on environmental issues.' Cameron Hepburn, University of Oxford