Abstract
The European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists started around 1990 and celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. The rise of environmental concerns and the wish for more cooperation between scientists within Europe, plus the drive of a few highly motivated people, led to the foundation of this academic institution. This article aims at clarifying the initial steps and the development of this highly successful association. The relationship between economics and the environment is core for the future of our world, and the EAERE was crucial in developing this field. The EAERE has been a stimulus and a home for many scientists who were interested to work in this field and who would otherwise have been quite isolated. The future of the EAERE is bright if it manages to bridge new developments in economics and in the natural sciences, and between academics and policy.