Economics and Ecology: Development Concepts

This paper asks whether environmental economics of the neoclassical type ts all that 1s needed to deal eff1c1ently with problems of the environment and natural resources, or whether a m1sf1t extsts between the problems on the one hand and the mainstream paradigm on the other. To the extent that enVIronmental problems are formulated through neoclass1cal spectacles, such a m1sf1t will not occur. But some politicians and citizens who regard the environment as a top prionty issue are not altogether satisfied with the neoclass1cal way of formulatmg environmental problems. Looking upon the problems through some other spectacles, such as mstitut1onal economics, may add to ones possibilities to articulate environmental policies. This paper focusses on development concepts related to the environment such as ecological 1mperat1ves for public policy and ecodevelopment