Economics of natural capital and ecosystem services
The research theme “Economics of natural capital and ecosystem services” informs policies on ecosystems and prosperity, striving for the development of actionable solutions. By providing insight into people’s preferences and their values for biodiversity, research in this area helps to design decision-support tools for environmental management, incentives for sustainable behavioural change, and new funding arrangements and business cases for nature-based solutions (NBS). This research is linked with food, water, land, coastal, marine and biodiversity systems. We have long-standing experience in the (non-)monetary valuation and assessment of values of land- and seascapes and ecosystems and analysing trade-offs.
Our research takes a transdisciplinary approach that builds on environmental, behavioural and ecological economics, and involves multiple societal stakeholders from the start of each project, e.g. in the research co-design phase. We use discrete choice experiments, contingent valuation, deliberative monetary valuation, benefit transfer and meta-analysis. We specialise in assessing pro-social and pro-environmental preferences, spatial heterogeneity of values, and climate-proof and sustainable practices in agriculture. We also have strong expertise in lab and field experiments in contexts such as sustainable food choices, community forest management, and crowdfunding for nature. Research in this area integrate these valuation studies into hydro-economic models, land-use models, and agent-based models (ABMs), and bring different valuation studies together in societal cost-benefit analyses and multi-criteria assessments to inform sustainable policy making.
We collaborate with a range of national and international conservation organisations, such as the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (PBL), International Water Management Institute (IWMI), The Wadden Academy and Greenpeace, as well as government agencies, such as the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality, the United Nations Environment Program, the OECD. We also engage with various communities, such as the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) (in the Values Assessment and Business and Biodiversity Assessment), the Ecosystem Services Valuation Database (ESVD), and contribute to outreach activities such as the AsiaWaterAcademy. Here is a list of the current projects for the theme Economics of natural capital and ecosystem services.
Key staff
Prof. Pieter van Beukering, Dr Mark Koetse, Dr Marije Schaafsma, Dr Peter Robinson and Prof. Roy Brouwer.
Climate change economics
The research theme “Climate change economics” improves the understanding of interactions between the physical side of climate change and the economy to guide the design of climate change mitigation and adaptation policies. Examples are studies on the economic consequences of sea level rise, extreme heat, and natural disasters, such as flooding, which are used in cost-benefit analyses of adaptation strategies, including nature-based solutions.
Macroeconomic studies on this theme use Integrated Assessment Models (IAMs) of climate change and the economy (e.g., FUND and CLIMRISK), to estimate the Social Cost of Carbon (SCC) for setting carbon taxes and evaluate the economic desirability of greenhouse gas mitigation policies at the international, national, and local scale. Other sectoral applications, for example, in manufacturing, agriculture, and insurance sectors, use Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) models, employing econometric approaches and Partial Equilibrium Models. Microeconomic works focus on assessing climate change impacts and adaptation responses at the firm and household levels. This research area also has a strong track record applying methods and insights from behavioural economics. Examples are surveys and economic experiments to study individual perceptions of natural disaster risks and to obtain insights into decision-making processes about protective investments, such as flood-proofing buildings and purchasing natural disaster insurance. In several projects these insights are integrated in Agent-Based Models (ABMs), which simulate the influence of human adaptation processes on climate risk.
This research informs and proposes policy instruments that help people better prepare for disasters, such as incentives from insurance, communication strategies, and nudges. Research projects are done for various societal organisations, which at the international level include the European Union, OECD, and the United Nations, as well as national governments and policy makers at the national and local levels. The EE department has long standing collaborations with the financial sector, such as (re-)insurance companies and regulators. Here a list of the current projects for the theme Climate change economics.
Key staff
Prof. Wouter Botzen, Dr Veronica Lupi, Dr Miguel Poblete Cazenave, Dr Peter Robinson, Dr Marije Schaafsma, Prof. Richard Tol, Prof. Jeroen van den Bergh, Prof Michel den Elzen, Prof. Marjan Hofkes and Dr Madeline Werthschulte.
Economics of sustainable energy
The research theme “Economics and sustainable energy” covers the regulation of energy markets and technologies, and the design of policy instruments for the energy transition, such as carbon taxes. A relevant focus is the adoption of renewable and efficient energy technologies and behaviours by individual agents, such as households and farmers. The main aim is to understand which policies can accelerate the transition to clean and sustainable energy systems – in the Netherlands, in Europe and in the Global South.
Applications range from macroeconomic assessments using Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) models to microeconomic studies using econometric approaches and Agent-Based Models (ABMs) of energy conservation behaviour. Moreover, behavioural economic studies focus on econometric analyses of survey data or experimental data collected using choice experiments, as well as laboratory and field experiments. The latter try to reveal individual behavioural biases that may be a barrier for the transition to clean energy systems – and test strategies to overcome them, for instance using information provision and social norm nudges.
The research in this area informs national and international societal organisations, such as the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) and several European institutions. Here is a list of the current projects for the theme Economics of sustainable energy.
Key staff
Prof. Pieter van Beukering, Prof. Jeroen van den Bergh, Prof. Wouter Botzen, Prof. Richard Tol, Dr Sanchayan Banerjee, Dr Veronica Lupi, Dr Miguel Poblete Cazenave and Dr Madeline Werthschulte.
Circular economy and resource efficiency
The research theme “Circular economy and resource efficiency” assesses the economic impacts and consequences of advancing circularity and related policies. The aim is to improve material efficiency and to provide tailored insights to a diverse set of stakeholders.
At micro level, we enable both producers and consumers to assess the (economic) viability of different circular solutions and business models or select the best circular strategy. This research is complemented by analysis of cognitive and behavioural barriers that can limit circular actions, decisions, and behaviours. Building on this evidence, we design tailored policies using behavioural insights (e.g., nudge (+)). At macro level, ex ante analysis makes use of partial and general equilibrium models or econometric analysis to investigate how a future transition to a circular economy could look like. Ex post econometric analysis can assess the impact of past and ongoing circular transitions. This allows identification of economic mechanisms, sectoral impacts, or (un)desirable side effects (e.g., environmental gains, rebound effects, social injustice, etc.).
Research in this area is pivotal for governments, the private sector and other stakeholders who aim for a more resource-efficient and circular economy to avoid waste production and secure access to materials. In this context, it acknowledges the inherent local aspect of circularity and, simultaneously, the global dimension of this problem, as the world’s different regions are interconnected via trade flows of both materials and waste. Here is a list of the current projects for the theme Circular economy and research efficiency.
Key staff
Dr Jan Brusselaers, Prof. Pieter van Beukering, Dr Sanchayan Banerjee, Prof. Roy Brouwer and Dr Mark Koetse.
