E3 was founded in 2007 by economists Kristen Sheeran, Frank Ackerman, James Boyce, Eban Goodstein, and Astrid Scholz with the goals of (1) developing better theory and research within the economics profession and (2) involving progressive, environmental economists more actively in policy development.
[2] To be included in the directory, economists sign a statement that they agree with the following principles: (1) a clean and safe environment is a birthright of every person; (2) safeguarding the natural environment is inseparable from promoting social justice; and (3) today’s environmental challenges demand an alternative to the anti-regulatory, anti-reform bias that dominates public policy debates.
E3 helps connect its economists with NGOs, media, and decision makers who need economic arguments for environmental protection.
E3 also works with graduate students in economics to get them more involved in applied research on environmental issues through workshops, internships, and dissertation fellowships.
Climate task force economists have testified before Congress[3][4][5] and the European Parliament[6] and presented their research at the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS),[7] the Pew Center on Global Climate Change, the American Economic Association, the United States Society for Ecological Economics (USSEE),[8] and other venues.