Many of the environmental problems that global society faces have economic causes. If we understand what those economic causes are then maybe, we can make changes in our economic systems to try and solve those problems. This unit explores the economic origins of pollution problems, the overexploitation of natural resources, climate change and other issues. We also look at how we can use economic principles to make choices between development and conservation, optimal choices about resource use, and how economists can value the environment. Taking this unit will equip you with the knowledge and skills necessary to understand environmental issues from an economic perspective and allow you to critically evaluate environmental policy.