Ecological economics
ENV-610 / 2 credits
Teacher(s): Thalmann Philippe, Vielle Marc, Vöhringer Frank
Language: English
Remark: Minimum 5 participants, Next time: Spring 2024
Frequency
Every 2 years
Summary
This course is an introduction to economic theory applied to environmental issues. It presents the methods used to assess environmental impacts and natural resources as well as environmental regulation instruments. It then broadens the analysis to ecological economics.
Content
- Introduction to ecological economics: The economy as a sub-system of the global environment: entropy, carrying capacity, environmental services, ecological crises, natural capital, sustainability
- Introduction to market economics: willingness to pay, preferences, marginalism, demand, supply, markets, prices, elasticities, non-market goods, externalities
- Markets with external costs: correcting non-efficient production level with all a variety of environmental policy instruments
- Optimal abatement level, optimal allocation of abatement, policy instruments
- Assessing environmental goods and external costs
- Discounting future impacts under uncertainty
- External cost abatement: environmental policy instruments, example of the US Clean Air Act
- How to think of ecological economics, foundations, and implications
Decoupling, IPAT and Kaya, green growth or degrowth, sufficiency and quality of life
Keywords
Economic analysis, environmental protection, climate policy, externalities, environmental regulation, cost-benefit analysis, ecological economics
Learning Prerequisites
Required courses
Introductory economics is useful but not required
Important concepts to start the course
Market supply, demand and equilibrium
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the course, the student must be able to:
- Explain how a benevolent social planner would set environmental protection goals
- Explain how environmental protection goals are set by real authorities
- Discuss different solutions to render economic activites (production, consumption) more sustainable
- Solve little problems related to optimal management of the environment
Teaching methods
Ex cathedra lectures with strong participant interaction expected
Expected student activities
Participate actively in class
Assessment methods
Written exam (small problems and short essays) one week after the end of the lectures
Resources
Bibliography
Tietenberg, T. H. and L. Lewis (2018). Environmental and Natural Resource Economics, 11th Edition. Routledge
Supporting material (slides, short readings) will be provided on the Moodle page of the course
Ressources en bibliothèque
- Environmental and natural resource economics / Tietenberg (printed)
- Environmental and Natural Resource Economics / Tietenberg (ebook)
Videos
In the programs
- Number of places: 15
- Exam form: Written (session free)
- Subject examined: Ecological economics
- Lecture: 24 Hour(s)
- Exercises: 3 Hour(s)
- Practical work: 2 Hour(s)