Evolutionary Economics and Environmental Policy: Survival of the Greenest (New Horizons in Institutional and Evolutionary Economics series)

Product Description This study offers a unique evolutionary economics perspective on energy and innovation policies in the wider context of the transition to sustainable development. The authors include:• an analysis of the environmental policy implications of evolutionaryeconomics• a critical examination of current Dutch environmental and innovationpolicies and policy documents• systematic evaluation of three specific energy technologies, namely fuelcells, nuclear fusion and photovoltaic cells, within the evolutionary-economic framework.Their analysis results in a number of very specific policy recommendations, which to some extent may be in conflict with current policy advice and practice.Evolutionary Economics and Environmental Policy will appeal to researchers, undergraduate and graduate students in environmental economics, environmental science, public economics and technology studies. It will also be valuable to policy advisors and policymakers whose decisions affect the environment either directly or indirectly. Review 'In distinguishing their analysis from neo-classical economics and its focus on representative agents, the authors of this book make a strong case for the role of diversity in explaining energy and environment-related technological innovation. By presenting their case with elegance and insight they also make a strong case for a diversity of approaches within environmental economics itself. While many economists could disagree with some of the conclusions drawn, after reading this volume, most would agree that "evolutionary economics" has much to bring to the economic analysis of environmental policy.' -- Nick Johnstone, OECD Environment Directorate, France About the Author Jeroen C.J.M. van den Bergh, ICREA Professor, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Spain and Professor of Environmental and Resource Economics, Free University, Amsterdam, Albert Faber, Scientific Council for Government Policy (WRR), The Hague, Annemarth M. Idenburg, Trendbureau Overijssel and Frans H. Oosterhuis, Institute for Environmental Studies, VU University, Amsterdam, the Netherlands