Journal of Natural Resources Policy Research 

About: Journal of Natural Resources Policy Research is an academic journal. The journal publishes majorly in the area(s): Natural resource & Climate change. It has an ISSN identifier of 1939-0459. Over the lifetime, 191 publications have been published receiving 10234 citations.

The Tragedy of the Commons

Abstract: The tragedy of the commons as a food basket is averted by private property, or something formally like it. The pollution problem is a consequence of population. Analysis of the pollution problem as a function of population density uncovers a not generally recognized principle of morality, namely: the morality of an act is a function of the state of the system at the time it is performed. Those who have more children will produce a larger fraction of the next generation than those with more susceptible consciences. Perhaps the simplest summary of the analysis of man’s population problems is this: the commons, if justifiable at all, is justifiable only under conditions of low-population density. As the human population has increased, the commons has had to be abandoned in one aspect after another. The man who takes money from a bank acts as if the bank were a commons.

The Economics of Resources or the Resources of Economics

Abstract: It is easy to choose a subject for a distinguished lecture like this, before a large and critical audience with a wide range of interests. You need a topic that is absolutely contemporary, but somehow perennial. It should survey a broad field, without being superficial or vague. It should probably bear some relation to economic policy, but of course it must have some serious analytical foundations. It is nice if the topic has an important literature in the past of our subject – a literature which you can summarize brilliantly in about eleven minutes – but it better be something in which economists are interested today, and it should appropriately be a subject you have worked on yourself. The lecture should have some technical interest, because you can’t waffle for a whole hour to a room full of professionals, but it is hardly the occasion to use a blackboard.

The Impact of Climate Change on Agriculture in Developing Countries

Abstract: The largest known economic impact of climate change is upon agriculture because of the size and sensitivity of the sector. Warming causes the greatest harm to agriculture in developing countries primarily because many farms in the low latitudes already endure climates that are too hot. This paper reviews several studies that measure the size of the impact of warming on farms in developing countries. Even though adaptation will blunt some of the worst predicted outcomes, warming is expected to cause large damages to agriculture in developing countries over the next century.

Managing the Miombo Woodlands of Southern Africa: Policies, Incentives and Options for the Rural Poor

Abstract: This report is based on seven background papers comprising household studies, national level analyses, and technical assessments. Household studies were undertaken in Mozambique and Zambia to develop a clearer picture of the role of Miombo woodlands in household consumption. These studies were an outcome of intensive, seasonal structured household surveys, which have formed the core of the original work supported by this project (technical annexes one, two, and three). Two national level assessments were carried out, the first in Zambia on the contribution of dry forests to economic development. This assessment was derived from a synthesis of empirical household studies, policy research, silvicultural and ecological studies, and other primary sources (technical annex four). The second country case study reviewed community-based woodland management opportunities in Mozambique and synthesized the results of other primary studies (technical annex five). The author also reviewed what is known about miombo silviculture and how management systems could be improved or otherwise put in place to increase productivity (technical annex six). Technical annex seven focuses on policy options for improving management. There are obvious geographic gaps in coverage in this paper. Angola and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) were not covered to any significant extent. This is partly because the available body of miombo research largely excludes these miombo-rich countries. It was also not our intention to provide a comprehensive country-by country overview of the status of miombo woodlands and the policies, institutions, and legislation that are affecting their use. This shortcoming notwithstanding, our efforts focused on teasing out some of the complexities of miombo use and management in the individual technical annexes.

The L'Aquila Earthquake of 6 April 2009 and Italian Government Policy on Disaster Response

Abstract: This paper describes the impact of the earthquake that struck the central Italian city of L'Aquila on 6 April 2009, killing 308 people and leaving 67 500 homeless. The pre-impact, emergency, and early recovery phases are discussed in terms of the nature and effectiveness of government policy. Disaster risk reduction (DRR) in Italy is evaluated in relation to the structure of civil protection and changes wrought by both the L'Aquila disaster and public scandals connected with the misappropriation of funds. Six of the most important lessons are derived from this analysis and related to DRR needs both in Italy and elsewhere in the world.