66126 - Agri-Environmental Policies

Learning outcomes

Students will have in-depth knowledge of the functioning and prospects of the agri-environmental and environmental policies both at global and local level, on their impacts on the economic activities, and on the management of the natural resources.

Course contents

Face-to-face and blended Lectures (36 h), Exercises (24 h), 6 ECTS

I. AGRICULTURAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL POLICIES

1. Environmental Economics (8 h):

• environmental economics and the commons;
• welfare economics: efficiency and equity, market failures.

2. Environmental Policies (8 h, of which 4 h group exercises):

• environmental policies: principles, criteria and aims;
• environmental policies: administrative, economic and voluntary measures;
• sustainable development: concepts and prospects.

3. Agricultural Policies (8 h, of which 4 h individual exercises):

• agricultural policies reasons and purposes: challenges, values and opportunities in agriculture;
• agricultural policy measures;
• agri-environmental policy measures;
• rural development policies (*): competitiveness and value chain strategies, young entrepreneurs, ecosystems and resource efficient use.
  

4. European project design (6 h, of which 3 h individual exercises):

• European project measures;
• Project Cycle Management;
• building an European project on environmental topic;

* Some subjects are discussed in coordination with the course "Place Marketing"

II. FOREST ECONOMICS AND POLICY

5. Forest policies and Governance (12 hours, including 5 hours of in-class group exercises)

• Forest resources: a recap
• Forest policies at global, EU, national and regional level
• Forest Governance and effective resource management
• Good Forest Governance principles and instruments: transparency, accountability, active participation, coordination, and capacity.
• Interactions between forest policies and other policies of societal relevance (social innovation, gender, youth empowerment)

6. Governance and conflicts: tools for active stakeholder participation (8 hours, including 4 hours of in-class group exercises)

• Managing conflicts and diverging interests in the creation of forest and environmental policies
• Tools for active stakeholder participation for effective forest management: an overview

7. Environmental and forest economics tools (10 hours, including 3 hours of in-class individual exercises)

• Principles of Forest Economics
• Public Environmental and Forest Accounting
• Evaluating and managing Ecosystem Services

Readings/Bibliography

Attending students are encouraged to consult the following references for further insights, while these readings are mandatory for non-attending students:

Module I.:

Turner K., Pearce D., Bateman I., Environmental Economics,J. Hopkins Univ. Pr., 1993 (capp. 1, 2, 5, 8 e 10);

Panella G., Economia e politiche dell’ambiente, Carocci, Roma 2002 (capp. 1, 2, 5, 6, 8 e 11);

Sotte F., Brunori G., European Agricultural Policy, Springer, Firenze 2025, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-83313-7

Module II.:

Pettenella D., Le nuove sfide per il settore forestale. Mercato, energie, ambiente e politiche. Ed. Tellus, Roma 2009 (capp. 1,3, 4 e 8).

PROFOR/FAO, Framework for Assessing and Monitoring Forest Governance. Rome: WB/FAO, 2011: http://www.fao.org/climatechange/

Merlo, M., Elementi di economia ed estimo forestale-ambientale. Bologna: Patron, 1991;

Learning material: https://virtuale.unibo.it (with further references and webography).

Teaching methods

Prerequisites: Students enrolling in this course are expected to have a solid background in economic principles. A good command of the English language is recommended, as part of the course materials are provided in English.

Face-to-face lectures.

Module II. of the course is part of the University’s experimental teaching innovation project and is delivered in a hybrid format, integrating in-person instruction with online learning. One third of the module's total duration (10 hours) will be conducted remotely, in line with this blended methodological approach.

With the aim of deepening the discussion on the topics addressed and of fostering the development of oral and written presentation skills, both modules are based on face to face lectures, assignments and group discussions. Specific case studies will be presented and discussed during the classes in order to enhance participation. A similar approach will be used also to evaluate and discuss papers, reports, strategies and policy briefs. Seminars, simulations and group and individual exercises will be proposed.

Assessment methods

The Course Agri-Environmental Policies is part, together with "Place Marketing", of the Integrated Course in "Marketing and Agricultural Policies": acquired knowledge and skills will be evaluated only at the end of both modules and will be conducted jointly through a single oral exam (indicatively, 3-4 arguments in about 45 minutes).

In addition to the knowledge acquired, students will be assessed on their analytical skills, use of academic language, command of subject-specific terminology, and ability to logically connect topics.

Regular class attendance will offer the opportunity to take a written exam (4 arguments, 60 minutes) on the Agri-Environmental Policies study program (instead of the related part of the oral exam).

Teaching tools

Laptop, beamer.

Office hours

See the website of Marco Setti

See the website of Valentino Marini Govigli