The myth of resource efficiency : the Jevons Paradox / John M. Polimeni .... [and others].

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Introduction / John M. Polimeni, Mario Giampietro and Kozo Mayumi -- Historical overview of the Jevons paradox in the literature / Blake Alcott -- The Jevons paradox : the evolution of complex adaptive systems and the challenge for scientific analysis / Mario Giampietro and Kozo Mayumi -- Empirical evidence for the Jevons paradox / John M. Polimeni -- Conclusion / John M. Polimeni, Mario Giampietro and Kozo Mayumi.

"'The Jevons Paradox', which was first expressed in 1865 by William Stanley Jevons in relation to use of coal, states that an increase in efficiency in using a resource leads to increased use of that resource rather than to a reduction. This has subsequently been proved to apply not just to fossil fuels, but other resource use scenarios." "This is the first book to provide a historical overview of the Jevons Paradox, provide evidence for its existence and apply it to complex systems. Written and edited by world experts in the fields of economics, ecological economics, technology and the environment, it explains the myth of efficiency and explores its implications for resource usage (particularly oil). It is a must-read for policymakers, natural resource managers, academics and students concerned with the effects of efficiency on resource use."--BOOK JACKET.