Environmental Economics

The cromulent economics blog

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Month: April 2015

  • Liberal fantasies

    Craig Newmark ("No, Farmers Don’t Use 80 Percent of California’s Water"): Since I've seen the "80 percent" figure used in a number of places, this piece is timely and useful. To be clear, whatever the figure, California farmers are using too much water, water whose costs exceed their benefits. But that is because of government…

  • The physical toll of being an administrator

    You know those before and after pictures of Presidents that show just how much being POTUS ages a person?  5 years as a Department Chair* is taxing.  QED. *Or could it be being the father of three teenagers?

  • A Common Tragedy

    “The demand we’re placing on the aquifer and the deep bedrock drilling, which is going on at an alarmingly fast pace, is really scary,” said Tricia Blattler, executive director of the Tulare County Farm Bureau. “Folks are really concerned we’re not going to be able find water in the groundwater system much longer. We are…

  • Matt Kahn reviews Climate Shock by Wagner and Weitzman

    Matt Kahn: … two friends of mine have released a new book "Climate Shock".  In Wagner and Weitzman's new book,  they present a well written analysis of the tradeoffs we collectively face as we unintentionally unleash climate change.  They argue that a risk averse person or nation should buy insurance to protect itself — especially…

  • Friday Beer Post & Image of the Day

    Just sayin': UPDATE:  For crap's sake (thanks for point his out Mauricio R.), somehow I missed the environmental hook to the story: The beer will come in 22oz bottles and contain 6.3 percent alcohol. Additionally, the beer collaboration will benefit an organization called "Protect Our Winters," which helps fight the effects of climate change on…

  • JEL codes in year 1 of the Journal of the Association of Environmental and Resource Economists

    I received four emails today with "Journal of the Association of Environmental and Resource Economists X, Y, Month Year is now available online" in the subject line, where X, Y is: Vol. 1, No. 3 Vol. 1, No. 4 Vol. 2, No. 1 Vol. 2, No. 2 This represents the first full year of regular…

  • Why does SAGE Open think that 9 emails in the past 12 months will generate a submission?

  • Most everyone thinks they’ll get ripped off by a carbon tax with revenue recycling

    Rainy days and Mondays always get me down: On Monday, researchers from Yale and Utah State University unveiled a new statistical technique that allows an in-depth accounting of Americans’ attitudes toward global warming. The resulting maps—down to the county level—reveal some interesting takeaways. via common-resources.org Here is my favorite:

  • Cap-and-trade in Ontario

    Justice in Ontario*: Canada’s provinces are taking command of the nation’s battle against climate change, seizing the initiative from a reluctant federal government as the clock ticks down to a crucial international climate agreement later this year. Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne on Monday signed a historic deal to join Quebec’s cap-and-trade system for carbon emissions,…

  • Clarification of the potential for Ash-holes in Ohio

    Yesterday I posted an update on the interminable and undeterable march of the invasive Emerald Ash Borer through Ohio.  In the related story, it was stated: The emerald ash borer is an invasive species from Asia that destroys vital tissue beneath the bark. State officials estimate there are 3.8 billion ash trees in Ohio. This…