As competition for natural resources grows, protection of environmental assets and values will become increasingly important in tandem with sustainable development. Environmental economics is primarily concerned with evaluating, designing and implementing policies to address market failures, which lead to under supply of environmental goods and services.
The discipline of environmental economics encompasses:
Synergies’ environmental economics team has extensive expertise in all these areas. Examples of our project work includes:
Case study
The Western Australian Marine Science Institution (WAMSI) was established in 2006 by the WA State Government as an independent research organisation tasked with improving the coordination of marine research in WA, promoting collaboration between stakeholders and guiding research priorities. Synergies was engaged by WAMSI to assess the effectiveness and impact of its research program, its strategic investments and its operating model.
Case study
Over the next 30 years, around 18, 000 hectares of native vegetation is expected to be cleared in metropolitan Perth to accommodate the state’s growing population. In order to improve the level of protection afforded to the environment, while ensuring economic development can proceed, the WA State Government has commenced work on preparing a Strategic Assessment for the Perth-Peel Region (SAPPR). Synergies was engaged to assist with evaluating the costs and benefits of the proposed ...
Case study
The Gnangara Mound just north of Perth is an important source of groundwater for public water supply, agriculture, and other users. Groundwater levels have been falling over the last 20 years or due to declining rainfall, increased groundwater abstraction in line with population growth, and the impact of pine plantations in the area that use considerable volumes of water. Synergies was engaged by the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (DWER) to quantify the economic ...
Case study
Synergies was engaged by the Queensland Farmers’ Federation (QFF) to undertake a water demand assessment and to assess the economic and financial and commercial feasibility of the NuWater project – a proposal to supply recycled wastewater from treatment plants in South East Queensland to agricultural producers in the Lockyer Valley and on the Darling Downs.