Does Environmental Economics Produce Aeroplanes Without Engines? - On the Need for an Environmental Social Science
Abstract
In this paper we first critically review conventional environmental economics. We conclude that the standard theory offers too narrow a perspective for many real world problems and that many theories are not empirically tested. Consequently, environmental economics is at risk of producing aeroplanes without engines. Next, we welcome and discuss some recent trends, particularly the rapid developments of behavioural and new institutional economics as well as the increased interest in empirical analysis. Yet, we conclude that more „logical duels between competing theories, more interaction between theory and empirics, and more integration between the social sciences are needed to achieve a better understanding of real world environmental problems and the development of adequate policy handles. Finally, we present an outline of steps towards the development of an environmental social science and briefly present the papers that make up this special issue as important building stones of such a discipline.Download Info
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Paper provided by University of Gothenburg, Department of Economics in its series Working Papers in Economics with number 483.Length: 40 pages
Date of creation: 12 Jan 2011
Date of revision:
Handle: RePEc:hhs:gunwpe:0483
Contact details of provider:
Postal: Department of Economics, School of Business, Economics and Law, University of Gothenburg, Box 640, SE 405 30 GÖTEBORG, Sweden
Phone: 031-773 10 00
Web page: http://www.handels.gu.se/econ/
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Keywords: economic methodology; environmental economics; experiments; logical duels; moral philosophy; political science; psychology; sociology; spatial sciences; surveys;Other versions of this item:
- Henk Folmer & Olof Johansson-Stenman, 2011. "Does Environmental Economics Produce Aeroplanes Without Engines? On the Need for an Environmental Social Science," Environmental & Resource Economics, European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 48(3), pages 337-361, March.
- A12 - General Economics and Teaching - - General Economics - - - Relation of Economics to Other Disciplines
- B41 - Schools of Economic Thought and Methodology - - Economic Methodology - - - Economic Methodology
- Q50 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - General
This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:
- NEP-ALL-2011-01-23 (All new papers)
- NEP-ENV-2011-01-23 (Environmental Economics)
- NEP-HPE-2011-01-23 (History & Philosophy of Economics)
- NEP-RES-2011-01-23 (Resource Economics)
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