Nature in the Balance: The Economics of Biodiversity

摘要

Overall, this edited volume represents the very best compendium of current thinking on the economics of biodiversity. But it is a difficult book to summarize and evaluate. It consists of fifteen chapters of uneven quality (with fair overlap), written by more than forty authors and coauthors, totaling over 400 pages. The central theme is the economics of biodiversity, but the coverage spills over into neighboring subjects like ecosystem services, resilience, natural capital, national accounting, sustainability, preservation strategies, instruments and incentives, international and developmental consequences, and so forth. While I personally consider the economics of biodiversity to be important, perhaps even very important (especially in the light of climate change), it is a frustratingly elusive subject. This volume itself reflects the immense diversity of the economics of biodiversity. The book is divided into five sections: Concepts and Measurement; Valuing Biodiversity; Natural Capital and Accounting; International and Development Aspects; and Policy Instruments and Incentives.