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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.

    (University of Warwick and CAGE UK and IZA Germany)

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

Suggested Citation

  • Oswald, Andrew J., 2012. "The Value to the Environmental Movement of the New Literature on the Economics of Happiness," The Warwick Economics Research Paper Series (TWERPS) 997, University of Warwick, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:wrk:warwec:997
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    References listed on IDEAS

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