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What is a Natural Resource Economist?

USING OUR NATURAL RESOURCES WISELY INVOLVES CONSIDERING MORE THAN ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES – ECONOMIC FACTORS ARE ALSO IMPORTANT, AS YOU’LL HEAR ON TODAY’S ENVIRONMINUTE.

NATURAL RESOURCE ECONOMISTS OFFER A CRITICAL PERSPECTIVE ON THE MANAGEMENT OF OUR LIVING BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES.

ONE EXAMPLE IS THE DEVELOPMENT OF INDIVIDUAL TRANSFERABLE QUOTAS.  TO HELP KEEP FISH POPULATIONS SUSTAINABLE, SCIENTISTS SET THE TOTAL ALLOWABLE CATCH FOR A PARTICULAR SPECIES AND THEN ALLOCATE SHARES OF IT TO INDIVIDUAL FISHERMEN.

JAMES SANCHIRICO, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA DAVIS, SAYS THE QUOTAS ELIMINATE THE RACE TO FISH, SO FISHERMEN CAN SHIFT THEIR FOCUS FROM QUANTITY TO QUALITY.  IT ALSO GIVES THEM A STAKE IN THE RESOURCE.

SANCHIRICO: THIS IS A WAY TO GET THE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE USING THE RESOURCE, WHO ARE EXTRACTING IT, TO HAVE THE INCENTIVES OF (EDIT) AN ENVIRONMENTALIST.

THE ENVIRONMINUTE IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE HEINZ FAMILY PHILANTHROPIES AND THE HEINZ ENDOWMENTS.  LEARN MORE BY VISITING ENVIRONMINUTE-DOT-COM. 

To learn more, visit the Association of Environmental and Resource Economists.