WHO IS THIS BOOK FOR?

This textbook is written for students who are beginning a programme which is essentially concerned with the interdependence of the economy and the natural environment. We have called it Ecological Economics: An Introduction because that interdependence is what Ecological Economics is all about. However, programmes dealing with it also go under such labels as Environmental Management or Sustainable Development, and programmes in Environmental Science often include substantial components dealing with human systems and their effect on the environment.

Such interdisciplinary programmes are offered at both the undergraduate and postgraduate levels. This textbook is written primarily for beginning undergraduate students. However, where such programmes are at the postgraduate level, most beginning students are to some degree in the same position as beginning undergraduates – they have no previous background in one of the traditional disciplines involved. So, we think that this book should be useful to graduate as well as undergraduate students. For the former particularly, we have included Further Reading sections with each chapter which point to more advanced treatments.

While the book is mainly aimed at students beginning these kinds of programmes, we should say that in our view it would also serve very well as an introductory text in an economics programme. It is our view that all economists should appreciate that the material basis for economic activity is the natural environment, and have some idea about how that works in relation to human interests.