This paper re-evaluates the effectiveness of EPA's voluntary 33/50 program in reducing the releases of 17 high priority toxic chemicals for the 1988-1995 period. Contrary to previous studies that use program participation information at the firm level and find mixed evidence on the effectiveness of the program, our analysis uses participation status at the facility level and shows the importance of undertaking analysis at a disaggregated scale. We find the rate of reduction in releases was significantly higher for program participants than non-participants but the effect is attenuated when estimated using firm level participation data.

Protecting the environment is often not the primary objective of businesses. As the world has become more environmentally aware, the necessity of environmental regulations becomes apparent. Voluntary Environmental Programs: A Policy Perspective examines different approaches to environmental protection in business. Typically, environmental improvements on the part of industry result from government regulations that command certain action from industry and then control how well it performs. An alternative approach is voluntary environmental agreements, where firms voluntarily commit to make certain environmental improvements individually, as part of an industry association, or under the guidance of a government entity. For example, many new initiatives targeting climate change originate from companies that voluntarily commit to reduce their carbon output or footprint.

This unique graduate textbook offers a compelling narrative of the growing field of environmental economics that integrates theory, policy, and empirical topics. Daniel J. Phaneuf and Till Requate present both traditional and emerging perspectives, incorporating cutting-edge research in a way that allows students to easily identify connections and common themes. Their comprehensive approach gives instructors the flexibility to cover a range of topics, including important issues - such as tax interaction, environmental liability rules, modern treatments of incomplete information, technology adoption and innovation, and international environmental problems - that are not discussed in other graduate-levels texts. Numerous data-based examples and end-of-chapter exercises show students how theoretical and applied research findings are complementary, and will enable them to develop skills and interests in all areas of the field. Additional data sets and exercises can be accessed online, providing ample opportunity for practice. For more information, visit the book's website at http://phaneuf-requate.com/.

Few people today are unaware of the far-reaching effects of global environmental change, and it is now generally accepted that human activities are the root cause of the changes in climate. Global Environmental Change provides a balanced overview of the problems associated with global warming. Commencing with a chapter on the evidence for global warming presented by Sir John Houghton, the book then goes on to discuss the many problems associated with air pollution. Subsequent chapters cover rising sea levels, the effect of climate change on human health and the role of environmental performance in industry. This readable and factually detailed book will have wide appeal but will be of particular interest to environmental scientists, industrial managers, policy-makers and students.