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The value to the environmental movement of the new literature on the economics of happiness

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Oswald, Andrew J. (2012) The value to the environmental movement of the new literature on the economics of happiness. Working Paper. Coventry: Economics Department, University of Warwick. Warwick economics research paper series (TWERPS), Volume 2012 (Number 997). (Unpublished)

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Abstract

Many environmentalists have not yet discovered and understood the value to them of a new research literature. That literature is the economics of happiness. It offers a potentially important tool for future policy debate. In particular, this literature offers a defensible way to calculate the costs and benefits of the true happiness value of ‘green’ variables – and to weigh
those against the happiness value to people of extra income and consumption. Some of the latest research findings turn out to accord well with environmentalists’ intuitions: green variables seem to have large direct effects on human well-being; society would arguably be
better to concentrate more on environmental aims and less on monetary or materialistic ones; greater consumption of things in Western society cannot be expected to make us much happier.

Item Type: Working or Discussion Paper (Working Paper)
Subjects: H Social Sciences > HB Economic Theory
H Social Sciences > HM Sociology
Divisions: Faculty of Social Sciences > Economics
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH): Environmental economics, Economics -- Psychological aspects, Happiness, Well-being, Quality of life, Environmentalism -- Economic aspects
Series Name: Warwick economics research paper series (TWERPS)
Publisher: Economics Department, University of Warwick
Place of Publication: Coventry
Official Date: 2012
Dates:
DateEvent
2012["eprint_fieldopt_dates_date_type_available" not defined]
Volume: Volume 2012
Number: Number 997
Number of Pages: 16
Status: Not Peer Reviewed
Publication Status: Unpublished
Access rights to Published version: Open Access
Funder: Economic and Social Research Council (Great Britain) (ESRC)
References:

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URI: http://wrap.warwick.ac.uk/id/eprint/53082

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