The book presents new developments in the dynamic modeling and optimization methods in environmental economics and provides a huge range of applications dealing with the economics of natural resources, the impacts of climate change and of environmental pollution, and respective policy measures. The interrelationship between economic activities and environmental quality, the development of cleaner technologies, the switch from fossil to renewable resources and the proper use of policy instruments play an important role along the path towards a sustainable future. Biological, physical and economic processes are naturally involved in the subject, and postulate the main modelling, simulation and decision-making tools: the methods of dynamic optimization and dynamic games.

Since its initial publication, this text has defined courses in dynamic optimization taught to economics and management science students. The two-part treatment covers the calculus of variations and optimal control. 1998 edition.

This monograph presents potential remedies for some of the current environmental issues in developed countries in a theoretical or empirical manner with the interdisciplinary approaches of economics, statistics, and engineering. The book illustrates effective economic and environmental policies for environmental challenges and factors where corrective policies to date may have failed. The importance of this essential book has is related to the transition in the major concerns of the people or governments in developed countries shifting from economic growth to the stability of life and environmental preservation as their economies have matured. The environmental issues dealt with here include forest environment tax introduced as part of local taxes, air pollution reduction policies for mobile emission sources, introduction of renewable energies and power fuel cell technology, the mechanism of city agglomeration and dispersion, and measurement of environmental sustainability. In analytical methods, some research employs theoretical approaches such as the mathematical economic model or nonlinear dynamic model. Other analyses are implemented with empirical or statistical tools such as the long-run general equilibrium model, the input–output model, and the dynamic optimization model, among others.

This book introduces the basic tools of dynamic optimization in economics to study environmental problems, applies econometric methods to estimate and test the models derived by dynamic optimization, and discusses environmental problems in a broad perspective, including the design and implementation of environmental policies. Although the coverage is selective, it represents what the author has to offer from his perspective and experience gained in research in dynamic optimization, econometrics and policy analysis, especially for China. The volume is self-contained for readers with mathematical background of first-year graduate students in the analytical fields of science and engineering but only limited training in economics, while an economics text presumes more knowledge of economics. Once the tools are mastered, the reader can pursue his own research on the topic if he is interested, or simply become a more mature citizen in the global economy.

INTRODUCTION 1.

This book is a collection of Amitrajeet A Batabyal's most important papers on the environment and economic development. It begins with a comprehensive and previously unpublished introductory chapter, followed by 12 chapters on different problems such as land use for agricultural purposes, environmental policy design, flood control, and renewable resource management. This book's uniqueness stems from the fact that it uses novel modeling tools that are largely unfamiliar to economists to shed valuable light on contemporary problems at the interface of the environment and economic development.

Environmental Systems Engineering and Economics emphasizes the application of optimization, economics, and systems engineering to problems in environmental resources management. This senior level/graduate textbook introduces optimization theory and algorithms that have been successful in resolving water quality and groundwater management problems. Both linear programming and nonlinear optimization are presented. Multiobjective optimization and the linked simulation-optimization (LSO) methodology are also introduced. The basic principles of economics and engineering economics are also discussed to provide a framework for economic decision making. This text contains numerous example problems. Case studies are presented that address water resources management issues in the north China plain, the control of saltwater intrusion in Jakarta, Indonesia, and groundwater resources management in the Yun Lin basin, Taiwan.