Emergy accounting is sometimes referred to as ecological economics, and H.T. Odum one of the founders of the field. The definition of ecological economics is very wide, and emergy accounting can fit in readily with the definition given. However, the emergy concept is rarely recognized in the bulk of ecological economics text, and ecological economics students have often never heard of the
... [Show full abstract] concept. Emergy can not fit into the theoretical neoclassical context of environmental economics, which views environmental questions as a subfield of economy. As an estimator for externalities where markets are nonpresent it can, however, be used by not so "hard core" environmental economists. On the other hand economic flows produced in a neoclassical context are often used by emergy accountants. In this paper emergy is also discussed as a third category of economics and from that position compared to neoclassical environmental economics and ecological economics. Similarities and differences are expressed, and some economic subfield etiquettes other than ecological economics are suggested for emergy accounting.