88268 - Environmental and Resouce Economics

Learning outcomes

The purpose of the course is to introduce students with a background in Science to the methods and policy tools used in environmental and resource economics in order to achieve efficient management of pollution and environmental resources. More specifically, the course will introduce the concept of environmental externalities as the main source of environmental degradation, and the policy instruments used to correct these externalities. The course will also include an introduction to climate change economics and climate policy. Student having successfully completed the course are expected have a good understanding of issues and economic policies related to controlling environmental pollution and climate change.

Course contents

The course covers the two main approaches to the economics of the environment and natural resources - Environmental economics and Ecological economics - with a special focus on the Economics of climate change. 

The course is organized around 15 lectures. Each class is devoted to one topic, along the following lines:

Lecture 1. Introduction and outline of the course

Lecture 2. What is Environmental economics, what it covers and what are the main features of the approach 

Lecture 3. What is Ecological economics, what it covers and what are the main features of its approach

Lecture 4. Behind the economics of the environment: the biological view

Lecture 5. At the origin of the economics of the environment: the limits to growth approach

Lecture 6. Environmental economics: market equilibrium and welfare in an economy with finite resources and the "environment"

Lecture 7. Environmental economics: externalities, public goods and government intervention

Lecture 8. Environmental economics: natural resources and sustainability

Lecture 9. Environmental economics: dealing with environment and climate change within the mainstream market-based approach, "green" growth and policies

Lecture 10. The economics of climate change: how economics started to deal with the issue

Lecture 11. The economics of climate change: the Stern Review and the debate around it

Lecture 12. The economics of climate change: the debate takes things seriously 

Lecture 13. The economics of biodiversity: the Dasgupta Review and the debate around it

Lecture 14. Reckoning with climate change:the recent contributions

Lecture 15. The conditions of the Anthropocene

 

 

 

Readings/Bibliography

A list of selected articles and scientific reports will be provided in each lecture. There is no "textbook" for the course.

All references will be uploaded on the course webpage.

Teaching methods

Lectures in class with slides and videos. No online classes.

Assessment methods

The student will be assessed through a written exam and an essay on a topic related to the course. The final grade will be a weighted average of the written exam (60%) and the essay (40%).

Teaching tools

Slides and videos (to be uploaded on the course webpage).

Office hours

See the website of Pier Giorgio Ardeni