David Pearce

David William Pearce OBE (11 October 1941 – 8 September 2005) was a pioneer of environmental economics and Professor at University College London from 1983 until 2004 when he became Emeritus.

He is known for setting out valuation techniques for natural phenomena, arguing that the environment is "under-priced" and that the benefit of environmental services may be calculated.

His early work was on cost-benefit analysis, and the economics of pollution and natural resource depletion, before these ideas entered the mainstream of the economic sciences and policymaking. . Among his roles were chief environmental adviser to government ministers Christopher Patten and Michael Heseltine, and convening lead author of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.