Agricultural Economics, Department of
Cornhusker Economics
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Do Environmental and Natural Resource Economists Around the World Agree? More Than You Might Think
Date of this Version
8-5-2026
Document Type
Newsletter Issue
Citation
Cornhusker Economics, August 5, 2026
Agricultural Economics. University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Abstract
Economists have a reputation for disagreeing with one another. Turn on a news program, read an editorial page, or follow a policy debate, and it is easy to come away with the impression that economists are deeply divided on nearly every important issue. But is that actually true?
A recent (data collection ongoing) international survey of environmental and natural resource economists suggests otherwise. In fact, economists who study environmental and natural resource issues appear to share substantial agreement on many of the most important challenges facing society today. The survey with early results from 2025 (including 193 observations), asked environmental and natural resource economists from Europe, Asia, Africa, Latin America, and Oceania about a wide range of environmental topics and policy questions. Participants were members of major professional organizations representing economists who work on issues such as agriculture, natural resources, conservation, energy, climate change, and environmental policy. The goal was simple: determine whether economists from different parts of the world hold similar views about environmental challenges and potential solutions.
The answer was largely YES.