Abstract
Economic efficiency of water protection means having a program to control and make water resources achieve water and environmental status targets. The goal of this paper is to point to the importance of economic efficiency of water protection which has a direct impact on the results of any environmentally friendly and integrated water resources management and produces effects measurable at the water-user side. In particular, this paper aims at specifying basic economic elements and limitations of water protection present in environmentally friendly and integrated water resources management systems. Achieved status targets of water resources are the basic parameters which contribute to full integrated management of waters in time and space. Economic efficiency is needed for water and environmental status targets to be achieved in a proper manner and with the right economic instruments and measures. The economic instruments and measures depend on economic policies that govern taxes, charges, fees and the like. Economic efficiency is more comprehensive than cost efficiency which, in environmentally friendly water management, pertains to institutional and operating costs of the measures imposed. The basis of economic efficiency is made of relationships between different offers that enable achieving specific environmental and water status of water resources. From an economic standpoint water protection comes down to achieving such status of water that allows efficient use of water in integrated water management and ecology.
Highlights
The basic dilemma concerning priority setting in making economic decisions about water protection and ecology is which of them will enable establishing an efficient regulatory and/or economic system
Economists supporting values of the normative economics and those supporting positive economics have different approach to the question as to whether charges and fees should be introduced for water protection as fiscal parameters that existed in the past or should there be a tariff charged for the use of public resources and the use-value of water
Economic efficiency of water protection stemming from a responsible approach to ecology and water resources management is directly proportional to the total and, in particular, to sustainable development as a basic human need for economic growth and equity in the distribution of water resources
Summary
The basic dilemma concerning priority setting in making economic decisions about water protection and ecology is which of them will enable establishing an efficient regulatory and/or economic system. There are two basic theoretic approaches in this: the approach of normative economics and that of positive economics. Economists supporting values of the normative economics and those supporting positive economics have different approach to the question as to whether charges and fees should be introduced for water protection as fiscal (fixed) parameters that existed in the past or should there be a tariff (a price) charged for the use of public resources and the use-value of water. The difference in the approach is a result of different understanding of economic functions, elements and processes which are connected to pure public and public resources and values contained in the use-value of water
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