Environmental Economists
Conduct economic analysis related to environmental protection and use of the natural environment, such as water, air, land, and renewable energy resources. Evaluate and quantify benefits, costs, incentives, and impacts of alternative options using economic principles and statistical techniques.
$124,720 a year (for the broader BLS group this job sits in).
of the working time. Estimate.
- 96%
- 4%
- 0%
Measured, from Anthropic's usage data (2025). Counts help on part of a task.
On the chosen pace and reliability. Estimate.
Share of the working time within reach, now to 2030
What each choice means: , , , , . Every pace starts from .
At this date and pace, models finish tasks up to 4.4 h long four times in five.
How far this has come
With GPT-4, measured in March 2023, 0% of this job's working time was within reach at . With Claude 3.7 Sonnet, measured in February 2025, 0%. With Claude Mythos Preview (early), measured in April 2026, 0%. Today's estimate: 1%.
A backcast: today's task data with the best model METR had measured by each date. It shows how fast the models have moved, not what anyone forecast at the time.
The tasks
Sorted by . 20 tasks from .
| Task | Kind | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.Done more than weekly by most who do it. | 10% | 4.2 work days6.7 h to 3.5 work weeks | 0%Half by Apr 2029 | |
| Develop economic models, forecasts, or scenarios to predict future economic and environmental outcomes.Done more than yearly by most who do it. AI observed on this task. | 10% | 4.2 work days6.7 h to 3.5 work weeks | 0%Half by Apr 2029 | |
| Conduct research to study the relationships among environmental problems and patterns of economic production and consumption.Done more than yearly by most who do it. | 10% | 4.2 work days6.7 h to 3.5 work weeks | 0%Half by Apr 2029 | |
| Perform complex, dynamic, and integrated mathematical modeling of ecological, environmental, or economic systems.Done more than yearly by most who do it. | 10% | 1.7 work weeks1.7 work days to 1.6 work months | 0%Half by Oct 2029 | |
| Develop programs or policy recommendations to promote sustainability and sustainable development.Done more than yearly by most who do it. | 10% | 4.2 work days6.7 h to 2.5 work weeks | 0%Half by Jan 2029 | |
| Write technical documents or academic articles to communicate study results or economic forecasts.Done more than yearly by most who do it. AI observed on this task. | 10% | 1.7 work days6.7 h to 4.2 work days | 1%Half by Nov 2027 | |
| Write social, legal, or economic impact statements to inform decision makers for natural resource policies, standards, or programs.Done more than yearly by most who do it. | 10% | 1.3 work weeks1.7 work days to 4.2 work weeks | 0%Half by Apr 2029 | |
| Assess the costs and benefits of various activities, policies, or regulations that affect the environment or natural resource stocks.Done more than yearly by most who do it. | 7% | 2.1 work days3.3 h to 1.7 work weeks | 1%Half by Sep 2028 | |
| Collect and analyze data to compare the environmental implications of economic policy or practice alternatives.Done more than monthly by most who do it. | 6% | 2.1 work days3.3 h to 1.7 work weeks | 1%Half by Sep 2028 | |
| Develop programs or policy recommendations to achieve environmental goals in cost-effective ways.Done more than yearly by most who do it. | 5% | 4.2 work days6.7 h to 2.5 work weeks | 0%Half by Jan 2029 | |
| Examine the exhaustibility of natural resources or the long-term costs of environmental rehabilitation.Done more than yearly by most who do it. | 3% | 2.1 work days3.3 h to 1.7 work weeks | 1%Half by Sep 2028 | |
| Demonstrate or promote the economic benefits of sound environmental regulations.Done more than yearly by most who do it. | 2% | 6.7 h1.7 h to 3.3 work days | Stays with people |
Within reach, per task: the share of the task's time whose instances are short enough for a model to finish at the chosen date, pace and reliability. Half by: the date half of that time comes within reach.
Jobs that share skills with this one
From O*NET's related occupations. Within reach now and by the end of 2028, long-run pace, four in five.
Where this job works
The industry groups that employ the most of it (BLS, May 2025). Counts are for the broader BLS group this job sits in.
Where the most of these jobs are
The metro areas with the most people in it (BLS, May 2025). Counts are for the broader BLS group this job sits in.