Conflicts and Choices in Biodiversity Preservation

Andrew Metrick and Martin Weitzman

Journal of Economic Perspectives, 1998, vol. 12, issue 3, 21-34

Abstract: The purpose of this article is to examine the preservation of biodiversity as an economic problem. Using a very simple prototype model, the authors discuss how to include diversity in the objective function and how to develop a simple cost-benefit ranking criterion for ordering priorities. Then they analyze data on endangered species preservation decisions in the United States to shed light on the conformity of theory with practice. A basic theme is that the core issue in biodiversity preservation today is the fuzziness of the objective function.

JEL-codes: K32 Q28 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 1998
Note: DOI: 10.1257/jep.12.3.21
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (81)

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Related works:
Working Paper: Conflicts and Choices in Biodiversity Preservation (1998)
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