Edward Elgar Publishing Changing Stocks, Flows and Behaviors in Industrial Ecosystems

Industrial ecology provides a consistent material and energetic description of human production and consumption processes in the larger context of environmental and socioeconomic change. The contributors to this book offer methodologies for such descriptions, focusing on the dynamics associated with stocks of materials and capital, flows of raw materials, intermediate products, desired outputs and wastes, as well as the associated changes in behaviors of producers, consumers and institutions. The book begins by presenting analogies and analytical concepts pertinent to understanding the dynamics of industrial ecosystems, and offers a reflection on the use of those analogies and concepts, their limitations and potential extensions. Part II focuses on stocks and flows dynamics at the firm and industry level. Part III turns to the use of agent-based modeling and organization behavior theory to better understand and represent the dynamics within firms and the larger institutional environment within which they choose to use materials, energy and technology. Connections are made throughout between those dynamics and the associated changes in environmental quality. The concluding chapter addresses how to change a firm's environmental performance from within. Researchers and students in the fields of industrial ecology; resource and environmental economics; ecological economics; environmental, energy, and climate change policy; environmental engineering; and energy economics will find this comprehensive volume highly informative. Review 'This book marks an important contribution by Matthias Ruth and Brynhildur Davidsdottir to the developing literature that seeks to integrate our understanding of physical and environmental systems, the built human environment, economics, and complexity. It is a valuable resource for anyone interested in industrial ecology, material flow assessment, and the state of the world generally.' About the Author Edited by Matthias Ruth, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research, University of York, UK and Brynhildur Davidsdottir, Associate Professor of Environment and Natural Resources, University of Iceland, Reykjavik and Director, Graduate Program in Environment and Natural Resources