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Natural Resource and Environmental Economics
Areas of Research
Environmental Policy
Faculty work on a wide range of issues related to the economics of environmental policy. This research is concerned with the analysis and design of policies in light of tradeoffs that decision makers must make.
International Trade and Environmental Policy - Frederick O. Boadu
Market-based Policies and Sustainability - Richard T. Woodward
Agricultural and Natural Resource Conservation - Bruce A. McCarl
Policy/Project Analysis and Welfare Measurement - Ronald C. Griffin
Environmental Health Risks - W. Douglass Shaw
Economics of Forest Resource Policies - Diana M. Burton
Forest Product Trade and Environmental Policy - Jianbang Gan
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Water Resources
Water is a major focus of study at Texas A&M through the Texas Water Resources Institute and The Water Program, which offers interdisciplinary graduate degrees. Faculty in the Natural Resource and Environmental Economics Working Group study a range of economic issues associated with water management.
Our faculty have authored two text books in water resource economics:
Water Resource Economics and Policy by W. Douglass Shaw
Water Resource Economics: The Analysis of Scarcity, Policies and Projects by Ron C. Griffin
Policy, Markets, Pricing, and Demand - Ronald C. Griffin
Water Management - Bruce A. McCarl, David Newburn
Irrigation and Water Quality - Ronald D. Lacewell
Water Quality Policies - Richard T. Woodward, W. Douglass Shaw
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Land Use
Faculty research focuses on spatially explicit models of land-use change, relying on the application of geographic information systems (GIS). Recent work has included theoretical and empirical models of residential land markets in the rural-urban fringe. Furthermore, these empirical land-use models are being used to forecast cumulative watershed effects and to assess the impacts to species habitat.
Land-use Regulation and Housing Development - David Newburn
Targeting Strategies for Land Conservation - David Newburn
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Nonmarket Valuation
Faculty have contributed to the literature on nonmarket valuation through the use and development of travel cost and contingent valuation models. Recent work in the area of valuation under uncertainty is the focus of much of the work in the Department.
W. Douglass Shaw
Richard T. Woodward
Rodolfo M. Nayga, Jr.
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Climatic Change
Global Climate Change Effects
Departmental faculty have been involved with assessments of global climate change since the mid 1980s. Recently a number of faculty and staff participated in national assessments like the year 2000 USGCRP Agricultural, Forestry and Water Assessments. The faculty and staff have also participated in international assessments that included countries like Mali, Kenya, Senegal, Uganda, and Turkey with a focus on food security implications of climate change.
Bruce A. McCarl
J. Richard Conner
Jianbang Gan
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Climate Change Mitigation Through Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction
Part of the policy response to climate change might involve the sequestration of carbon in soils and plants. Faculty have contributed to the research on this issue through involvement in the CASMGS and CSITE carbon sequestration centers as well as the USDA/USEPA sponsored Agricultural and Forestry Modeling Forum.
Bruce A. McCarl
Frederick O. Boadu
J. Richard Conner
Richard T. Woodward
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The Value of Climate Forecasting
Faculty and staff have participated in numerous studies involving Oceanic Oscillation on climate including studies on El Niño and the North Atalantic Oscillation. Considerable work has also been done on the valuation of, and producer response to, climate forecasts.
James W. Mjelde
Bruce A. McCarl
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Air Quality Issues
Faculty have contributed to the study of the economics of air quality including issues of acid deposition, surface level ozone, and atmospheric ozone.
Bruce A. McCarl
W. Douglass Shaw
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Energy
Faculty conduct research on several issues related to energy, from biofuels to nuclear waste disposal.
Biofuels - Bruce A. McCarl
Electricity Pricing - James W. Mjelde, David A. Bessler
Environmental Impacts of Nuclear Wastes - W. Douglass Shaw
Forest Biomass and Bioenergy - Jianbang Gan
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Fisheries
Faculty research involves policy evaluation to address management issues in fisheries. Faculty expertise covers, dynamic modeling, recreational demand estimation and bioeconomic simulation modeling (The General Bioeconomic Fisheries Simulation Model) Additional expertise involves developing financial feasibility analysis of aquaculture ventures.
Wade L. Griffin
Richard T. Woodward
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Agricultural Production and the Environment
Faculty research focuses on the interaction between agricultural production (crop or animal) and the environment. Faculty expertise covers pollution externalities from animal wastes, fertilizer, and pesticides and the environmental impacts of land use changes. Additional expertise exists in the ecology of agricultural production in crop and rangeland systems and the impact of risk and new technologies.
Ecology and Agricultural Production - J. Richard Conner
Irrigation and Waste Management - Ronald D. Lacewell
Farm and Land Management - J. Richard Conner
Risk, Insurance, and Agricultural Production - Bruce A. McCarl
Wildlife and Natural Area Policy and Management - J. Richard Conner, James W. Mjelde
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Biosecurity
For more in-depth information about this research area, click here. Faculty research involves participation in the National Center for Foreign and Zoonotic Terrorism and Accidental Disease Prevention and Management. Areas of study include animal disease defense, including work on demand effects of outbreaks, policy, and disease/terrorism related strategy formation, carcus disposal, and approaches to non-cooperative behavior.
Bruce A. McCarl
Yanhong Jin
Levan Elbakidze
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Agricultural and Food Policy Center