[…] are the incentives for tiger conservation? A: Conservation NGOs benefit from the tiger’s charismatic high profile as a means to raise funds, and conservation scientists like to study tigers, so one could argue that they have an incentive to prevent them from becoming extinct. By contrast, rural people living near tigers have to deal […]
[…] society as a whole better off. Little green lies may also be good for their tellers. If more individuals believe the agriculture-versus-theenvironment story and buy organic, GM- free food, the environmental advocates are better off because they see more people contributing to the achievement of the environmental goals they hold dear. A proponent may […]
[…] Angeles) while others are small (think of Bozeman). Cities offer us the opportunity to specialize, trade, and learn. In this sense, cities are a key part of free market capitalism. Of course, urbanites import food from rural farms. A whole field of scholars is exploring how climate change will affect agriculture. If urbanites have […]
[…] GDP and jobs. If we are to avoid a drop in standard of living, and retain our standing as a world economic power, we must recognize that reliable, affordable energy is essential. The notion of increasing U.S. energy production—dominated by fossil fuels for the next 30 years—raises the hackles of those who believe in […]
With the famous slogan (What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas), the convention and tourism bureau in this city of lights—the brightest place on the planet, seen from outer space—tells visitors they are exempt from the wages of sin. Not to be outdone, the local water authority promises cheap water in the middle of […]
[…] investigated the effects of changes in a city’s stock of roads and large buses on population and employment, and it appears that across-the-board improvements in bus service easily generate enough benefits to cover their costs. Policy Implications First, two commonly suggested responses to traffic congestion—expansions of the road and public transit network—do not appear […]
This special issue is dedicated to PERC’s Lone Mountain Fellows who are as impressive as Lone Mountain (featured on the cover), which towers over PERC at 11,166 feet.
[…] arrive at Unalaska Island. The captain landed twice along the way to refuel due to the excessive head winds, and the passengers were told that no more planes were going to be coming and going for some time. Although I spent much of the time vexing over the question of whether I would ever […]
[…] cattle ranchers and county officials filed a suit in federal court asking the District Judge Wayne Phillips to decide whether bison from the park should be able to roam freely on adjacent ranches. The southern African nation of Namibia has a more severe problem of wildlife-human conflicts — e.g., marauding lions that kill livestock as well as humans. But it took a property […]
DOWNLOAD THE FULL REPORT Thoughtful reform is unusual. PERC has explained the scope of the environmental and economic benefits that can emerge from amending the structure of a regulatory regime, but logic and evidence are rarely enough to carry the day. Constructive changes in policies often come about in a time of crisis […]