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The measurement and decomposition of nonuse values: A critical review

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Author Info
Ronald Cummings ()
Glenn Harrison ()

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Abstract

We critically review the literature that claims that existence values, or nonuse values in general, are a large and measurable component of total value for certain environmental resources. Our concern is not with the question “do nonuse values exist?” For some individuals they surely do. Rather, our concern is with two interrelated questions: are there operationally meaningful theorems which might lead to the specific measurement of nonuse values, and do we in fact have a body of credible evidence which shows that nonuse values, particularly components of any nonuse value, are “large”? We find nothing in the way of operationally meaningful hypotheses which would permit the estimation of values attributable to specific motives of individuals. We find no credible basis for claims related to either the measurement of existence and other motive-related values or claims for the “large” relative size of such values. In short, we question the conventional wisdom that such values are measurable and that they are significant as a component of total value. Copyright Kluwer Academic Publishers 1995

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File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1007/BF00691518
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Publisher Info
Article provided by European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists in its journal Environmental & Resource Economics.

Volume (Year): 5 (1995)
Issue (Month): 3 (April)
Pages: 225-247
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Handle: RePEc:kap:enreec:v:5:y:1995:i:3:p:225-247

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Related research
Keywords: Nonuse value; use value; existence value; contingent valuation;

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Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.:
  1. Douglas M. Larson, 1993. "On Measuring Existence Value," Land Economics, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 69(4), pages 377-388. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  2. Mitchell, Robert Cameron & Carson, Richard T, 1985. "Option Value: Empirical Evidence from a Case Study of Recreation and Water Quality: Comment," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, MIT Press, vol. 100(1), pages 291-94, February. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  3. Cook, Philip J & Graham, Daniel A, 1977. "The Demand for Insurance and Protection: The Case of Irreplaceable Commodities," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, MIT Press, vol. 91(1), pages 143-56, February. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  4. Bradford, David F. & Hildebrandt, Gregory G., 1977. "Observable preferences for public goods," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 8(2), pages 111-131, October. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  5. Larson, Douglas M., 1992. "Further results on willingness to pay for nonmarket goods," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 23(2), pages 101-122, September. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  6. Graham, Daniel A, 1981. "Cost-Benefit Analysis under Uncertainty," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 71(4), pages 715-25, September. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  7. Cummings, Ronald G & Harrison, Glenn W & Rutstrom, E Elisabet, 1995. "Homegrown Values and Hypothetical Surveys: Is the Dichotomous Choice Approach Incentive-Compatible?," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 85(1), pages 260-66, March.
  8. Richard T. Carson & Kerry M. Martin, 1990. "Measuring the Benefits of Freshwater Quality Changes: Techniques and Empirical Findings," University of California at San Diego, Economics Working Paper Series 90-28, Department of Economics, UC San Diego.
  9. Greenley, Douglas A & Walsh, Richard G & Young, Robert A, 1981. "Option Value: Empirical Evidence from a Case Study of Recreation and Water Quality," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, MIT Press, vol. 96(4), pages 657-73, November. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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(explanations, Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.)

  1. M. Shechter & B. Reiser & N. Zaitsev, 1998. "Measuring Passive Use Value: Pledges, Donations and CV Responses in Connection with an Important Natural Resource," Environmental & Resource Economics, European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 12(4), pages 457-478, December. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  2. Munro, Alistair, 2007. "When is some number really better than no number? On the optimal choice between non-market valuation methods," MPRA Paper 8978, University Library of Munich, Germany. [Downloadable!]
  3. Olof Johansson-Stenman, 1998. "The Importance of Ethics in Environmental Economics with a Focus on Existence Values," Environmental & Resource Economics, European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 11(3), pages 429-442, April. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  4. Kopp, Raymond & Smith, V. Kerry & Mitchell, Robert & Presser, Stanley & Ruud, Paul & Hanemann, W. Michael & Krosnick, Jon & Conaway, Michael & Martin, Kerry & Carson, Richard, 1996. "Was the NOAA Panel Correct About Contingent Valuation?," Discussion Papers dp-96-20, Resources For the Future. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  5. Giovanni B Concu, 2004. "Effects of distance on non-use values," Working Paper CRENoS 200411, Centre for North South Economic Research, University of Cagliari and Sassari, Sardinia. [Downloadable!]
  6. Tore Söderqvist, 1998. "Why Give up Money for the Baltic Sea? – Motives for People's Willingness (or Reluctance) to Pay," Environmental & Resource Economics, European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 12(2), pages 249-254, September. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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