Economista ambiental

Environmental economist is one of the many specialized areas within the field of economics that focuses on the relationship between environmental issues and economic activity. Environmental economists are principally concerned with the effects of economic activity on the environment, and vice versa. Some of the most pressing questions that they work to answer include how economic activity contributes to environmental degradation, the economic costs associated with environmental degradation, and the economic viability of investing in environmental protection. 

Sub-specialties within environmental economics

Given the broad and complex nature of environmental economics, there are many sub-fields within it, some of the most common of which are outlined below:

• Natural resource economics, which applies economic principles to inform decision-making for managing natural resources, such as water, minerals, and forests.
• Environmental policy analysis, which uses economic analysis to design and evaluate environmental policies. 
• Cost-benefit analysis, which is a technique for assessing the economic benefits and costs of projects or regulations.
• Non-market valuation, which is a set of techniques for estimating the economic value of environmental goods and services that are not traded in markets.

Due to the multitude of subspecialties under the field of environmental economics, environmental economists often have a strong foundation in both economics and a natural science such as ecology, environmental science, or biology.

Day-to-day responsibilities of an environmental economist

The day-to-day responsibilities of an environmental economist will vary depending on their sub-specialty and place of employment.  Some common responsibilities include:

• Conducting research on the economic impacts of environmental issues.
• Developing and evaluating environmental policies.
• Providing expert testimony on environmental issues.
• Teaching environmental economics courses.
• Consulting with businesses and governments on environmental issues.