Economic growth and sustainability I
HUM-471 / 3 credits
Teacher: Thalmann Philippe
Language: English
Remark: Une seule inscription à un cours SHS+MGT autorisée. En cas d'inscriptions multiples elles seront toutes supprimées sans notification.
Summary
This course examines growth from various angles: economic growth, growth in the use of resources, need for growth, limits to growth, sustainable growth, and, if time permits, population growth and growing inequality. Although grounded in economics, it takes up elements from many other discipline
Content
Economic elements
Sustainable development
Economic growth
Sustainability policy
Special topics
Keywords
Sustainable development, economy, growth, environment
POLY-perspective :
- interdisciplinary perspective
- global perspective
https://www.epfl.ch/schools/cdh/cdhs-vision/
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the course, the student must be able to:
- Critique theories and proposals related to economic growth and sustainable development
- Reason on social and economic issues
- Explain the relationships between economic, demographic and environmental variables
- Compute growth rates and the links between growth rates
- Differentiate between scientific and propaganda arguments
- Restate concepts and mechanisms seen in class
Transversal skills
- Plan and carry out activities in a way which makes optimal use of available time and other resources.
- Set objectives and design an action plan to reach those objectives.
- Communicate effectively with professionals from other disciplines.
- Access and evaluate appropriate sources of information.
Teaching methods
Ex cathedra lectures, but active participation is expected. In-depth teaching and educational support.
Assessment methods
Intermediate exam (1/2 of grade) and final exam (1/2 of grade)
Supervision
| Office hours | No |
| Assistants | Yes |
| Forum | Yes |
Resources
Bibliography
Pretty, Jules (2013), "The Consumption of a Finite Planet: Well-Being, Convergence, Divergence and the Nascent Green Economy", Environmental and Resource Economics 55(4): 475-499 (made available on Moodle page of course)
Bartelmus, Peter (2008), Quantitative Economics. How Sustainable Are Our Economies?, Springer
Bonneuil, Christophe and Jean-Baptiste Fressoz (2013), L’Evénement Anthropocène. La Terre, l’Histoire et Nous, Seuil / (2016), The Shock of the Anthropocene, Verso, London
Faucheux, Sylvie, et Jean-François Noël (1995), Économie des Ressources Naturelles et de l'Environnement, Armand Colin, Paris
Jackson, Tim (2017), Prosperity Without Growth: Foundations for the Economy of Tomorrow, Routledge
Strange, Tracey, et Anne Bayley (2008), Le Développement Durable. A la Croisée de l'Economie, de la Société et de l'Environnement, Les Essentiels de l'OCDE, Paris, France: Éditions OCDE / Sustainable Development: Linking Economy, Society, Environment; OECD Insights, Paris, France: OECD Publishing
Ressources en bibliothèque
- Économie des ressources naturelles et de l'environnement / Faucheux
- Le développement durable [en ligne] / Strange
- The shock of the Anthropocene / Bonneuil
- Prosperity without growth / Jackson
- Sustainable development / Strange
- Le développement durable / Strange
- Sustainable development [online] / Strange
- Quantitative eco-nomics / Bartelmus
- Prospérité sans croissance / Jackson
- L'événement Anthropocène / Bonneuil
Moodle Link
Videos
Prerequisite for
HUM-470 Economic growth and sustainability II
In the programs
- Semester: Fall
- Number of places: 80
- Exam form: During the semester (winter session)
- Subject examined: Economic growth and sustainability I
- Lecture: 2 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
- Project: 1 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
- Type: mandatory