Frontiers in Ecological Economics presents some of Robert Costanza's most important work on understanding ecological and economic systems. A signal contribution of Costanza's work is that he transcends disciplinary boundaries by collaborating closely with other specialists and thereby constructs an integrated analysis of the interaction between humans and the rest of the natural world.The book is divided into four parts; part one discusses the creation of an ecological economics, the second part considers material and energy flows in ecological and economic systems, part three surveys dynamic ecological and economic systems modelling and analysis and the final part explores the role of institutions and incentives in environmental protection. Main themes and issues include: environmental sustainability, managing environmental systems, energy and economic valuation in environmental systems and a concern for both the necessity and limitations of modelling ecological economic systems.

The book improves access to Robert Costanza's work which has made a fundamental contribution to the development of ecological economics.