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

I. AGRICULTURAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL POLICIES

1. Environmental Economics (10 h):

• elements of microeconomics: market, demand and supply theories;
• environmental economics and the commons;
• welfare economics: efficiency and equity, market failures.

2. Environmental Policies (10 h, of which 6 h group exercises):

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

3. Agricultural Policies (10 h, of which 6 h individual exercises):

• agricultural policies reasons and purposes: problems, values and opportunities in agriculture;
• agricultural policy measures;
• agri-environmental policy measures.

II. LAND AND BUSINESS

4. Rural Development Policies - Competitiveness and Food Chain * (10 h):

• business and value chain strategies (competitive advantage, differentiation, diversifications, and integration);
• product innovation, competitiveness and life cycle assessment.

5. Rural Development Policies - Ecosystems and Resource Efficiency * (4 h):

• ecosystems safeguard and improvement;
• resource efficient use and low emissions.

6. Environmental Policies - Tools (4 h):

• green accounting;
• public environmental balance-sheet.

7. Group and individual exercises (12 h):

a) Presentation and discussion of a scientific article (from literature)

or

b) Innovation and project: presentation and discussion of a business plan (ALMA FARM).

* Some of the topics are in coordination with the course "Place Marketing"

Readings/Bibliography

Varian H. R., Microeconomia, Cafoscarina, Venezia 2007 (capp. 1, 14, 15, 21 e 22);

Musu I., Introduzione all’economia dell’ambiente, Il Mulino, Bologna, 2003 (capp. 1, 2 e 5);

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);

Didactic material: http://campus.unibo.it (with further references and webography).

Teaching methods

Front loaded and active learning methodologies; group and individual exercises; seminars.

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 through an oral exam (indicatively, 3 arguments in no more than 40 minutes).

Regular class attendance will offer the opportunity to take a written exam (4 arguments, 45 minutes) on the Agri-Environmental Policies study program (instead of the related part of the oral exam).

Teaching tools

Laptop and beamer.

Office hours

See the website of Marco Setti