Capitalizing on Nature: Ecosystems as Natural Assets

摘要

A core area of general interest in economics is measuring and understanding the origins of wealth, particularly the wealth of nations. Much of the wealth of a nation may be held in the form of natural assets. However, nature's role as a productive asset in economies often goes unaccounted for. Edward Barbier's Capitalizing on Nature: Ecosystems as Natural Assets provides a broadly accessible discussion of the importance of, and approaches to, measuring nature as a capital asset. This is accomplished with a balance of formal mathematical models and heuristic explanation. Furthermore, Barbier discusses how viewing nature as capital is a constructive vehicle for communication. The book is filled with interesting examples, summary statistics, and case studies.