觉得文中even if the economic costs of doing so were outweighed by the economic costs of not doing so.
应译成:尽管对这些环境资源的保护要比毁掉它们付出更多的经济代价。(觉得观点有点另类,不过说明败事容易,成事难哈)
outweigh - To be more significant than; exceed in value or importance, 例: The benefits outweigh the risks.