This book contributes to bridging this knowledge gap whereas providing the successful design and implementation of land use policies. The impact of policy on land-use change depends on the price elasticity of land supply in greenfields. This book provides a full overview of land-use change and development, a wide range of applications, a mix of theory and practice, a synthesis of recent research progress, and will be of interest to those studying natural resource economics, soil and water conservation, land use, and agricultural development.

Land use/cover change (LUCC), especially conversion and degradation of natural land, is the key factor causing terrestrial carbon stocks declines in the world. As we noticed the main driving force of LUCC is human activities and socio-economic development, many types of research have been conducted. This book contains reviews on regional land-use change and socio-economic relations, special issues like deforestation and urbanization, environmental impacts of land-use change, LUCC on energy flow, specific elements stocks related with LUCC, carbon storage and LUCC, et al. Combing studies from different angles, this book give its readers an up-to-date concept about what regional development and land-use change can do to our society and nature.