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Environmental Economists

SOC 19-3011.01Job Zone 5 · Extensive Preparationv.26.05

Context coveredThis framework covers the full career arc of environmental economists working across government agencies, academic institutions, research organizations, and consulting firms to analyze, model, and communicate the economic dimensions of environmental policy, natural resource management, and regulatory design.

Sources:O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.SkillsCrosswalkSkillsCrosswalk — O*NET enrichment + adjacency index. Opens in new tab.
Emerging
Entry / Apprentice
  1. Environmental and economic literature — review and synthesize under faculty or senior economist guidance to support ongoing research projects in academic or government settings.
  2. Primary and secondary datasets — collect and organize using database query tools and spreadsheet software to prepare inputs for environmental economic analyses.
  3. Technical writing conventions — apply to draft structured sections of research reports or academic articles under the direction of lead researchers in policy or consulting environments.
  4. Cost-benefit analysis frameworks — identify and describe relevant components when assessing environmental policy alternatives under close supervision in a research unit.
  5. Economic and environmental data — compare using descriptive statistics and spreadsheet software to identify preliminary patterns across land use or pollution control scenarios.
  6. Geographic information systems — operate at a foundational level to map environmental and economic data under supervision for natural resource or land use studies.
  7. Quantitative methods and mathematical reasoning — apply to structured problem sets and supervised model exercises within environmental economics research teams.
  8. Presentation software and office suite tools — use to prepare supporting slides and tables for supervisor-led briefings on environmental study results.
  9. Existing economic models — run using analytical or scientific software under direction to generate baseline outputs for environmental forecasting assignments.
  10. Regulatory and legal context — identify relevant statutes and government policies affecting environmental economics research when assigned to specific topic areas by senior staff.
Developing
Mid-level / Established
  1. Technical reports and manuscript drafts — produce independently to communicate findings on topics such as air and water pollution control or endangered species economics in agency or consulting contexts.
  2. Environmental and economic datasets — collect, clean, and analyze using statistical and GIS software to evaluate the implications of competing land use or conservation policies.
  3. Cost-benefit assessments — conduct for specific regulatory or program alternatives, incorporating environmental externalities and natural resource valuation methods in government or NGO settings.
  4. Economic forecasting models — build and calibrate using analytical or scientific software to project near-term outcomes of environmental policy scenarios for client or agency audiences.
  5. Peer-reviewed literature and policy documents — read and critically evaluate to integrate current evidence into applied environmental economics research with moderate autonomy.
  6. Research presentations — prepare and deliver to internal teams or mid-level stakeholders to communicate study results on topics such as alternative fuel economics or soil conservation programs.
  7. Policy options and program designs — assess for cost-effectiveness using structured analytical frameworks, contributing recommendations to departmental or project-level decision processes.
  8. Object-oriented or development environment software — use to script reproducible data pipelines and automate analytical workflows supporting environmental economic studies.
  9. Interdisciplinary data sources — monitor across environmental science and economics domains to identify emerging trends relevant to assigned research portfolios.
  10. Active listening and stakeholder questioning — apply during project meetings with agency partners or clients to clarify scope and refine analytical approaches for environmental studies.
Proficient
Senior / Expert IC
  1. Peer-reviewed articles and technical reports — author independently to disseminate original research findings on topics spanning pollution control economics, resource conservation, and ecosystem valuation in leading journals and government publications.
  2. Multi-method research designs — develop and execute autonomously to investigate complex environmental-economic questions such as carbon pricing effectiveness, biodiversity offsets, or groundwater allocation policy.
  3. Integrated cost-benefit analyses — perform across the full scope of a study, incorporating non-market valuation techniques and uncertainty analysis to advise senior agency officials or executive clients on regulatory decisions.
  4. Econometric and simulation models — design, validate, and refine using advanced analytical software to generate credible long-range forecasts of environmental and economic system interactions.
  5. Policy recommendations — formulate and defend in high-stakes settings, synthesizing economic theory, empirical evidence, and legal constraints to guide environmental program development at the agency or organizational level.
  6. Complex environmental-economic datasets — manage end-to-end, applying GIS, database tools, and scripting environments to produce reproducible, audit-ready analyses for regulatory or litigation support contexts.
  7. Economic benefits of sound environmental regulations — demonstrate to skeptical audiences by constructing rigorous empirical cases that link regulatory outcomes to measurable welfare improvements.
  8. Non-routine analytical challenges — resolve independently, adapting methodological approaches when standard models fail to capture novel environmental or market conditions encountered in practice.
  9. Cross-disciplinary project teams — lead technically, directing economists, scientists, and GIS analysts toward coherent analytical conclusions on large-scale environmental impact or natural resource assessments.
  10. Public and stakeholder presentations — deliver with authority to legislative committees, executive leadership, or international bodies, translating complex environmental economic findings into actionable guidance.
Advanced
Lead / Principal / Executive
  1. Strategic research agendas — define for entire organizations or research institutions, prioritizing environmental economics inquiry across domains such as climate adaptation, ecosystem services markets, and natural capital accounting.
  2. Novel economic frameworks and models — pioneer and publish to advance the discipline's capacity to evaluate previously unmeasured environmental costs and benefits in national or global policy contexts.
  3. Organizational research programs — direct, allocating financial resources and scientific talent to maximize the rigor and policy impact of environmental economics portfolios across government, academia, or the private sector.
  4. Senior policymakers and executive leaders — advise authoritatively on the economic design of landmark environmental regulations, synthesizing decades of empirical evidence and modeling expertise.
  5. Interdisciplinary teams of economists, scientists, and legal experts — mentor and develop, establishing professional standards and learning strategies that build next-generation capacity in environmental economics.
  6. High-profile public communications and advocacy campaigns — lead to shift institutional or political understanding of the economic case for environmental stewardship at national or international scale.
  7. Cross-agency and cross-sector partnerships — forge and sustain, deploying persuasion and systems analysis skills to align divergent stakeholder interests around cost-effective environmental policy solutions.
  8. Institutional methodological standards — establish for cost-benefit analysis, economic modeling, and environmental valuation, ensuring consistency and credibility across large regulatory or investment decision processes.
  9. Emerging environmental-economic challenges — anticipate and respond to proactively, applying systems evaluation to assess how technological, climatic, and market shifts will reshape policy priorities over decade-scale horizons.
  10. Organizational learning and knowledge management systems — design to capture, codify, and transfer specialized environmental economics expertise across professional networks, agencies, and academic communities.

AI-at-Work Competency Framework

Sources:Anthropic Economic IndexAnthropic Economic Index — release_2026_03_24. Opens in new tab.Jadhav & Danve, 2026Skill Automation Feasibility Index — Jadhav & Danve, 2026 (arXiv:2604.06906). Opens in new tab.WEF Skills TaxonomyWEF Skills Taxonomy 2021 — Building a Common Language for Skills at Work. Opens in new tab.
Subscriber feature

Authoritative source data identified for 998 occupations

How a worker at each mastery level uses, directs, and evaluates AI tools in this occupation. Each statement cites its evidence inline; click a citation chip to verify the source.

Emerging
  1. AI-assisted literature review — uses LLM tools to summarize environmental economics research papers and extract key findings, then verifies accuracy against source documents before incorporating into study notes Anthropic Economic IndexAnthropic Economic Index — release_2026_03_24. Opens in new tab..
  2. Basic data query delegation — prompts AI assistants to explain unfamiliar econometric or environmental modeling concepts encountered during onboarding, cross-checking outputs against textbooks and peer-reviewed sources.
Developing
  1. Draft technical writing support — directs an AI tool to produce first-draft sections of technical reports or academic articles on topics such as pollution control or land use policy, then rewrites for precision, citation accuracy, and disciplinary voice Anthropic Economic IndexAnthropic Economic Index — release_2026_03_24. Opens in new tab. Jadhav & Danve, 2026Skill Automation Feasibility Index — Jadhav & Danve, 2026 (arXiv:2604.06906). Opens in new tab..
  2. Data preprocessing acceleration — hands off structured environmental or economic datasets to AI-assisted tools for cleaning, summary statistics, and initial pattern detection, reserving causal interpretation and policy framing for independent analysis Anthropic Economic IndexAnthropic Economic Index — release_2026_03_24. Opens in new tab. WEF Skills TaxonomyWEF Skills Taxonomy 2021 — Building a Common Language for Skills at Work. Opens in new tab..
  3. Presentation scaffolding — uses AI to generate slide outlines and talking-point drafts for communicating cost-benefit results to stakeholder audiences, then refines framing to match audience expertise and policy context.
Proficient
  1. Cost-benefit analysis augmentation — integrates AI-generated scenario summaries and sensitivity analyses into formal assessments of environmental regulations, retaining authorship of the underlying valuation methodology and distributional judgments Anthropic Economic IndexAnthropic Economic Index — release_2026_03_24. Opens in new tab. Jadhav & Danve, 2026Skill Automation Feasibility Index — Jadhav & Danve, 2026 (arXiv:2604.06906). Opens in new tab..
  2. Policy alternative comparison — instructs AI tools to synthesize empirical literature on alternative fuel use, species protection, or soil conservation, structuring the output as a comparative evidence matrix that feeds directly into economic analysis Anthropic Economic IndexAnthropic Economic Index — release_2026_03_24. Opens in new tab. WEF Skills TaxonomyWEF Skills Taxonomy 2021 — Building a Common Language for Skills at Work. Opens in new tab..
  3. Econometric interpretation review — runs AI-assisted checks on statistical outputs and model diagnostics, using the tool's plain-language explanations to surface anomalies before submitting forecasts or regulatory impact statements Anthropic Economic IndexAnthropic Economic Index — release_2026_03_24. Opens in new tab..
  4. Multi-source data integration — orchestrates AI pipelines that ingest environmental monitoring data alongside economic indicators, validating merged datasets for consistency prior to policy-relevant modeling WEF Skills TaxonomyWEF Skills Taxonomy 2021 — Building a Common Language for Skills at Work. Opens in new tab..
Advanced
  1. Autonomous research workflow design — architects multi-step AI-agent workflows covering literature synthesis, data aggregation, and draft report generation for complex environmental economics studies, maintaining methodological oversight and signing off on all policy-relevant conclusions Anthropic Economic IndexAnthropic Economic Index — release_2026_03_24. Opens in new tab. Jadhav & Danve, 2026Skill Automation Feasibility Index — Jadhav & Danve, 2026 (arXiv:2604.06906). Opens in new tab..
  2. Critical evaluation of AI-generated forecasts — benchmarks AI-produced economic and environmental projections against established valuation frameworks, identifying where automation feasibility limits require expert override and communicating those limits to policymakers Jadhav & Danve, 2026Skill Automation Feasibility Index — Jadhav & Danve, 2026 (arXiv:2604.06906). Opens in new tab. WEF Skills TaxonomyWEF Skills Taxonomy 2021 — Building a Common Language for Skills at Work. Opens in new tab..
  3. Time-savings redistribution strategy — reallocates the substantial productivity gains from AI-assisted research and writing toward higher-order tasks such as stakeholder negotiation, novel model development, and peer review leadership, treating AI as a force multiplier rather than a endpoint Anthropic Economic IndexAnthropic Economic Index — release_2026_03_24. Opens in new tab..
  4. AI capability boundary documentation — establishes and disseminates team-level protocols defining which environmental economics tasks are suitable for AI delegation versus those requiring independent expert judgment, grounding the framework in demonstrated augmentation patterns within the occupation Anthropic Economic IndexAnthropic Economic Index — release_2026_03_24. Opens in new tab. Jadhav & Danve, 2026Skill Automation Feasibility Index — Jadhav & Danve, 2026 (arXiv:2604.06906). Opens in new tab..
  5. Cross-disciplinary AI synthesis — directs AI tools to bridge natural science and economic literature simultaneously—integrating climate modeling outputs with welfare estimation methods—then critically adjudicates domain conflicts that the AI cannot resolve autonomously WEF Skills TaxonomyWEF Skills Taxonomy 2021 — Building a Common Language for Skills at Work. Opens in new tab..
Evidence pack
AEI usage
Task observations: 304
Augment share: 30.4%
Time saved: 78.8%
AI autonomy: 3.21
SAFI positioning
Top skill: Writing
Score: 51 / 100
Quadrant: Q2_ai_augmented
precision: exact
WEF cluster
Data Science and Analysis
data_science_and_analysis
Sources:Anthropic Economic IndexAnthropic Economic Index — release_2026_03_24. Opens in new tab.Jadhav & Danve, 2026Skill Automation Feasibility Index — Jadhav & Danve, 2026 (arXiv:2604.06906). Opens in new tab.WEF Skills TaxonomyWEF Skills Taxonomy 2021 — Building a Common Language for Skills at Work. Opens in new tab.

Pathsmith Durable Skills Framework

Sources:Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Subscriber feature

Ten durable-skill domains mapped to four proficiency/role levels for each occupation. Each statement is aligned to the Pathsmith taxonomy, derived from trusted grounding data and mapped to occupation-specific O*NET tasks and skills.

1Communication10 statements
Emerging
  1. Economic research summaries — drafts initial technical documents using standard environmental economics terminology for supervised review Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Policy presentation basics — prepares straightforward slides conveying environmental cost-benefit findings to familiar academic audiences Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Developing
  1. Technical report writing — produces structured reports on pollution control or land-use economics with clear methodology and findings sections Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Stakeholder communication — translates economic model outputs into accessible language for non-specialist government or NGO audiences Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Applying
  1. Academic publication — writes peer-reviewed articles on environmental economic topics with rigorous argumentation, precise quantitative language, and adherence to journal standards Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Policy briefing delivery — presents cost-benefit analyses and regulatory recommendations to diverse audiences including legislators, agency officials, and the public with clarity and persuasion Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  3. Active listening in stakeholder engagement — synthesizes competing community and industry perspectives during public consultations to inform environmental policy recommendations Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Exceeding
  1. High-impact research communication — leads dissemination strategy for major environmental economics studies across academic, policy, and public channels simultaneously Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Cross-sector narrative building — crafts compelling economic arguments that reframe environmental regulation debates for legislative or executive decision-makers Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  3. Mentored writing development — coaches junior economists in producing publication-quality technical documents and policy briefs on environmental topics Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
2Leadership9 statements
Emerging
  1. Research task ownership — takes initiative in completing assigned data collection tasks on environmental indicators without requiring constant supervision Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  2. Team contribution leadership — volunteers to coordinate literature reviews on environmental economics topics within a project team Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
Developing
  1. Project component leadership — leads discrete phases of environmental cost-benefit studies, coordinating data collection timelines and methodological decisions Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Junior researcher guidance — mentors graduate assistants or entry-level analysts in applying economic models to environmental datasets Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
Applying
  1. Research program direction — leads multi-year environmental economics research projects, setting analytical priorities and managing interdisciplinary team deliverables Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Policy advocacy leadership — takes responsibility for championing evidence-based environmental regulatory recommendations to government agencies and public bodies Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Exceeding
  1. Institutional thought leadership — shapes the strategic research agenda of an economics department, think tank, or agency division focused on environmental and natural resource policy Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Field-level influence — leads professional associations or interagency working groups to advance environmental economics methodology and policy standards Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  3. Cross-sector coalition building — mobilizes academic, government, and private-sector partners around shared environmental economic goals, driving coordinated action Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
3Metacognition8 statements
Emerging
  1. Analytical self-monitoring — identifies gaps in personal understanding of environmental economics concepts and seeks targeted resources to address them Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  2. Model assumption awareness — recognizes when economic models applied to environmental data rest on assumptions beyond current expertise Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Developing
  1. Research strategy reflection — evaluates the effectiveness of chosen methodological approaches mid-project and adjusts analytical strategies for environmental studies Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Learning gap identification — proactively identifies deficiencies in quantitative or regulatory knowledge needed for upcoming environmental economics projects Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
Applying
  1. Bias recognition in analysis — monitors own cognitive tendencies toward confirmation bias when evaluating environmental policy evidence and adjusts analytical framing accordingly Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Methodological self-evaluation — critically reviews own economic forecasting models for structural weaknesses before publishing or presenting results Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Exceeding
  1. Epistemic humility modeling — demonstrates and teaches awareness of the limits of economic modeling in capturing environmental complexity, influencing how teams frame uncertainty in reports Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Career-long learning architecture — designs a personal professional development plan that anticipates emerging environmental economics methodologies and policy domains Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
4Critical Thinking9 statements
Emerging
  1. Evidence evaluation basics — assesses the quality and relevance of economic and environmental data sources under guidance before incorporating them into analyses Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Assumption identification — identifies stated assumptions in existing environmental cost-benefit studies during supervised research tasks Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Developing
  1. Policy alternative comparison — systematically evaluates multiple regulatory or economic policy options against environmental and fiscal criteria Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Data integrity analysis — detects inconsistencies or methodological weaknesses in datasets used for pollution control or natural resource economic analyses Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Applying
  1. Multi-criteria cost-benefit reasoning — constructs and defends comprehensive cost-benefit analyses of environmental regulations that account for externalities, equity, and long-run economic effects Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Competing model adjudication — evaluates rival economic models of environmental outcomes, identifies underlying assumptions driving divergent predictions, and selects the most defensible framework Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  3. Regulatory impact critique — dissects proposed environmental regulations to expose flawed economic logic, unintended consequences, or omitted environmental costs Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Exceeding
  1. Paradigm-level analysis — identifies and challenges foundational assumptions embedded in dominant environmental economics frameworks, contributing new theoretical perspectives to the field Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Expert peer review leadership — leads critical evaluation of submitted manuscripts or agency analyses on environmental economic topics, setting rigorous evidentiary standards Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
5Collaboration9 statements
Emerging
  1. Interdisciplinary team participation — contributes economic analysis components to joint projects alongside environmental scientists, policy analysts, or engineers Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Shared data stewardship — coordinates with team members to maintain consistent environmental datasets across a collaborative research project Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
Developing
  1. Cross-disciplinary synthesis — integrates economic modeling outputs with ecological or engineering data contributed by other team members into unified policy analyses Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Stakeholder working group engagement — participates constructively in multi-agency or multi-sector working groups developing environmental policy recommendations Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Applying
  1. Interdisciplinary project coordination — manages collaboration between economists, ecologists, legal experts, and government officials across complex environmental research initiatives Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Conflict navigation in policy teams — mediates disagreements over analytical methodology or policy priorities within diverse environmental research teams Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  3. Community engagement collaboration — partners with affected communities and advocacy groups to incorporate local knowledge into environmental economic assessments Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Exceeding
  1. Large-scale consortium leadership — architects and sustains multi-institutional research collaborations producing landmark environmental economics studies or policy frameworks Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. International collaborative research — builds and manages cross-border research partnerships on transboundary environmental economic issues such as carbon pricing or shared water resources Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
6Character8 statements
Emerging
  1. Data reporting integrity — accurately records and reports environmental and economic data without selective omission, even when results are inconclusive Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Professional ethics awareness — recognizes conflicts of interest in environmental economics consulting contexts and seeks guidance on appropriate disclosure Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
Developing
  1. Transparent methodology — documents all modeling assumptions and data limitations in environmental economics reports to ensure reproducibility and honest representation Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Accountability in policy advice — accepts responsibility for the accuracy and limitations of economic recommendations provided to government or regulatory clients Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Applying
  1. Independence under pressure — maintains analytical objectivity when economic findings conflict with the preferences of funding agencies, industry clients, or political stakeholders Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Ethical framing of environmental trade-offs — explicitly surfaces distributional and intergenerational equity considerations in cost-benefit analyses rather than presenting only aggregate efficiency metrics Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Exceeding
  1. Field-wide integrity standards — champions rigorous disclosure and conflict-of-interest standards within professional associations and peer review processes in environmental economics Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  2. Courageous policy testimony — delivers expert economic testimony that challenges politically favored but empirically unsupported environmental policies, maintaining evidential standards under adversarial scrutiny Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
7Creativity8 statements
Emerging
  1. Novel indicator exploration — proposes alternative economic metrics for measuring environmental outcomes beyond conventional GDP or cost measures during team brainstorming Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Methodological curiosity — explores emerging quantitative techniques in environmental valuation such as hedonic pricing or contingent valuation under supervisor guidance Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Developing
  1. Model innovation — adapts existing economic forecasting models to incorporate novel environmental variables such as ecosystem service degradation or climate tipping points Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Policy design creativity — generates unconventional market-based policy instruments such as novel cap-and-trade structures or payments for ecosystem services Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Applying
  1. Original research design — constructs innovative study designs that capture previously unmeasured linkages between economic behavior and environmental outcomes Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Interdisciplinary synthesis — creatively integrates ecological, legal, and behavioral economics frameworks to produce new analytical approaches to environmental problems Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Exceeding
  1. Theoretical contribution — develops original frameworks or typologies that advance how the field conceptualizes the relationship between economic activity and environmental sustainability Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Transformative policy invention — designs economically novel and politically viable environmental policy instruments that become adopted as models in national or international regulatory contexts Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
8Growth Mindset8 statements
Emerging
  1. Feedback receptivity — incorporates supervisor or peer critique of environmental economic analyses into revised drafts without defensiveness Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  2. Challenge embrace — volunteers for assignments involving unfamiliar environmental sectors or data types to expand analytical competence Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
Developing
  1. Skill stretch in quantitative methods — pursues training in advanced econometric or geospatial techniques to strengthen environmental modeling capabilities Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Learning from failed models — analyzes why economic forecasts for environmental outcomes diverged from observed data and applies those lessons to subsequent modeling work Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Applying
  1. Continuous methodology updating — regularly integrates newly published econometric methods and environmental science findings into evolving research practice Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Policy rejection resilience — reframes rejected policy recommendations as diagnostic information about stakeholder constraints and revises proposals accordingly Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Exceeding
  1. Field evolution championing — actively introduces emerging paradigms such as ecological economics or degrowth theory into institutional research agendas, modeling intellectual openness for junior colleagues Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Mentor-level growth culture — creates research environments where failure in economic model development is treated as a valued learning signal rather than a professional liability Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
9Mindfulness8 statements
Emerging
  1. Attention management in data work — maintains focused concentration during extended environmental dataset cleaning and analysis sessions, recognizing when attention lapses occur Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  2. Stress recognition — identifies personal stress signals during high-deadline policy report production and applies basic self-regulation strategies Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
Developing
  1. Deliberate analytical pacing — pauses before finalizing environmental cost-benefit conclusions to ensure reasoning has not been rushed by deadline pressure or confirmation bias Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Stakeholder presence — maintains attentive, non-reactive engagement during contentious public consultations on environmental regulation Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Applying
  1. Intentional decision framing — approaches high-stakes policy recommendations with structured reflection time, separating data interpretation from advocacy to preserve analytical integrity Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Emotional regulation in adversarial settings — maintains composure and evidence-based reasoning when economic findings are challenged by politically motivated critics in public forums Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Exceeding
  1. Systemic mindfulness practice — models and institutionalizes deliberate analytical review practices within research teams to reduce collective cognitive errors in environmental economic forecasting Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  2. Wise uncertainty acknowledgment — demonstrates disciplined restraint in communicating the bounds of economic knowledge about environmental outcomes, resisting pressure to overstate certainty Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
10Fortitude8 statements
Emerging
  1. Analytical persistence — continues working through complex environmental datasets and econometric challenges without abandoning tasks at initial difficulty Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  2. Uncertainty tolerance — maintains productive work output when environmental economic research yields ambiguous or inconclusive early results Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Developing
  1. Long-cycle project endurance — sustains research quality and engagement across multi-year environmental economics studies with extended periods between measurable outcomes Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Policy setback recovery — rebounds from rejected grant proposals or dismissed policy recommendations by revising approach and resubmitting with improved methodology Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
Applying
  1. Controversial finding defense — presents and defends economically rigorous environmental analyses that challenge powerful industry or political interests, absorbing criticism without retreating from evidence Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Sustained advocacy endurance — maintains long-term commitment to promoting evidence-based environmental policy through repeated cycles of stakeholder resistance and institutional inertia Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Exceeding
  1. Systemic change persistence — sustains decades-long research and advocacy efforts on environmental economic issues where progress is slow and opposition is organized, building field-wide momentum over time Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Institutional courage under pressure — challenges organizational or governmental directives that would compromise the scientific integrity of environmental economic analyses, accepting professional risk in defense of evidence Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Sources:Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
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Source anchors that ground each statement

Related titles
Agricultural Economist · Ecological Economist · Energy Economist · Environment and Natural Resources Economics Researcher · Environmental Economist · Environmental Protection Economist · Marine Resource Economist · Natural Resource Economist · Natural Resource Specialist · Research Economist · Resource Economist
RAPIDS apprenticeships
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O*NET skills
WritingReading ComprehensionActive ListeningMathematicsCritical ThinkingActive LearningComplex Problem SolvingJudgment and Decision MakingMonitoringSpeakingSystems AnalysisLearning StrategiesInstructingSystems EvaluationManagement of Financial ResourcesPersuasionSocial PerceptivenessCoordinationTime Management
Knowledge domains
MathematicsEconomics and AccountingEnglish LanguageComputers and ElectronicsEducation and TrainingLaw and Government
Abilities
Written ComprehensionMathematical ReasoningWritten ExpressionOral ExpressionOral ComprehensionSpeech ClarityProblem SensitivityDeductive ReasoningInductive ReasoningNumber Facility
Work styles
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Technology
Analytical or scientific softwareDevelopment environment softwareObject or component oriented development softwareGeographic information systemData base user interface and query softwareSpreadsheet softwareOffice suite softwareElectronic mail softwarePresentation softwareWord processing software
Tasks · seed anchors for statements
  1. Write technical documents or academic articles to communicate study results or economic forecasts.
  2. Conduct research on economic and environmental topics, such as alternative fuel use, public and private land use, soil conservation, air and water pollution control, and endangered species protection.
  3. Collect and analyze data to compare the environmental implications of economic policy or practice alternatives.
  4. Assess the costs and benefits of various activities, policies, or regulations that affect the environment or natural resource stocks.
  5. Prepare and deliver presentations to communicate economic and environmental study results, to present policy recommendations, or to raise awareness of environmental consequences.
  6. Develop programs or policy recommendations to achieve environmental goals in cost-effective ways.
  7. Develop economic models, forecasts, or scenarios to predict future economic and environmental outcomes.
  8. Demonstrate or promote the economic benefits of sound environmental regulations.
CIP education codes
01.010327.030530.390130.400130.490130.510145.060145.060245.060345.060445.060545.069945.100451.200752.0601

Sources: O*NET v30.2 (CC BY 4.0), SkillsCrosswalk.com, LER.me, Anthropic Economic Index, SAFI (Jadhav & Danve, 2026), WEF Skills Taxonomy 2021, Pathsmith Durable Skills Framework. © 2026 EBSCOed.