Quarterly Journal of Austrian Economics

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Toward an Austrian Theory of Environmental Economics

The Quarterly Journal of Austrian Economics

Tags The Environment

07/30/2014Roy Cordato

 

Volume 7, No.1 (Spring 2004)

 

Austrian economics lacks a formalized, self-conscious theory of environmental economics. But in fact all of the major elements of such a theory already exist and in that sense what is needed is to piece together the relevant aspects of Austrian economics in order to draw out and focus a theory that is already there.

The purpose of this paper is to do just that. In developing an Austrian theory of environmental economics, very little new theoretical ground will be plowed. But by bringing together Austrian concepts of costs and the praxeological foundations of economics we discover a unique perspective on pollution and the role of property rights in solving environmental problems. Furthermore by placing environmental problems within the context of personal and interpersonal plan formulation, we discover that they are not about the environment per se but about the resolution of human conflict.

Author:

Roy Cordato

Roy Cordato is Senior Economist and Resident Scholar at the John Locke Foundation.

Cite This Article

Cordato, Roy. "Toward an Austrian Theory of Environmental Economics." The Quarterly Journal of Austrian Economics 7, No. 1 (Spring 2004): 3–16.