Natural Resource Year In Review

The Government of Natural Resources explores government scientific activity in Quebec from Confederation until the Second World War. Scientific and technical personnel are an often quiet presence within the state, but they play an integral role. By tracing the history of geology, forestry, fishery, and agronomy services, Stéphane Castonguay reveals how the exploitation of natural resources became a tool of government. As it shaped territorial and environmental transformations, scientific activity contributed to state formation and expanded administrative capacity. This thoughtful reconceptualization of resource development reaches well beyond provincial borders, changing the way we think of science and state power.

Decisions about the conservation and use of natural resources are made every day by individuals, communities, and nations. The latest edition of Field’s acclaimed text highlights the incentives and trade-offs embedded in such decisions, providing a lucid introduction to natural resource issues using the analytical framework of economics. Employing a logical structure and easy-to-understand descriptions, Field covers fundamental economic principles and their general application to natural resource use. These principles are further developed in chapters devoted to specific resources. Moreover, this up-to-date volume addresses the challenge of achieving socially beneficial utilization rates in the twenty-first century amid continuing population growth, urbanization, and global climate change. Topics new to the Third Edition include: • implications of climate change on resources • fracking • energy intensity and the energy efficiency gap • reducing fossil energy • forests and carbon • international water issues • globalization and trade in natural resources