For those of you inclined toward economics -- I'm busy learning environmental economics this year -- one resource that I've noticed on the web, and throughout the academic literature, is Resources for the Future, which describes itself as:
"a nonprofit and nonpartisan organization that conducts independent research -- rooted primarily in economics and other social sciences -- on environmental, energy, and natural resource issues... For more than 50 years, RFF has pioneered the application of economics as a tool to develop more effective policy about the use and conservation of natural resources. Its scholars continue to analyze critical issues concerning pollution control, energy policy, land and water use, hazardous waste, climate change, biodiversity, and the environmental challenges of developing countries."
Their work is highly technical environmental economics, and frankly, the website is not terribly sexy. Despite, for example, snappy titles like "Should Fuel Taxes Be Scrapped in Favor of Per-Mile Charges?", I find this website interesting and useful for two reasons. First, this page connects broad themes such as energy or public health, with particular areas of concern, such as food safety, and demonstrates how economists analyze and "unpack" complex issues. Second, even though the titles sound almost rhetorical, puzzling through the technical economics can illuminate some of the fine details in the craft of environmental policy.
