Environmental Economics and Natural Resources
The goal of the Environmental Economics and Natural Resources group is to contribute to the construction of a sustainable and circular economy, as well as low-carbon, climate-resilient and biodiversity positive socio-ecological systems. Led by chair Francisco Alpízar Rodriguez, we apply the concepts and principles of environmental and natural resource economics in multidisciplinary teams, attempting to steer production and consumption towards nature safe and just systems.
Research themes
Energy transitions and climate policy economics
We apply the concepts of environmental and resource economics to study the economic and climate impacts of policy responses to climate change.
Behavioural and economic policy for sustainable consumption
We study how stakeholders, such as consumers, businesses and governments can collectively contribute to the transition to more sustainable and circular economies.
Economics of resilient socio-ecological systems
We aim to better understand how sustainability in socio-ecological systems can be achieved and maintained over time.
Education
Education by this Chair Group
In our courses we teach BSc, MSc, and PhD students the economic theories and concepts necessary to understand economic drivers of pollution and overexploitation, such as market failures and government failure, as well as the quantitative analysis skills to develop and assess possible solutions to those problems from an economic perspective.
Publications & Projects
The research of the Environmental Economics and Natural Resources Group focuses on the domains of environmental and resource economics to contribute to the understanding of three societal transitions: the energy transition, the transition towards more sustainable and healthy production and consumption, and a transition to more resilient and sustainable socio-ecological systems.
Highlighted projects
- Bittersweet truths? A study on the impacts of deforestation mitigation initiatives on environmental and livelihood outcomes in Ghana's cocoa landscape
- Assessing the hidden cost of marine protected areas to coastal communities’ livelihoods in Indonesia
- Threatened but not Protected: An Economic Analysis of Illegal Wildlife Trade Policies
Highlighted publications
Chair Holder
Francisco Alpízar is the Chair and Professor of the Environmental and Natural Resource Economics Group at the Department of Social Sciences in Wageningen University and Research. Alpizar’s work has explored incentive based approaches to generate improved private and public management and use of natural resource with a particular focus on climate change and developing countries.
prof. F (Francisco) Alpizar Rodriguez
Professor / Chairholder
People of Environmental Economics and Natural Resources
Each chair group of Wageningen University & Research, under leadership of a professor, has its own area of expertise. Meet the people of Environmental Economics and Natural Resources
