EC242: Environmental and Resource Economics
Andreas Markoulakis
Module Leader
Eleanya Nduka
Module Lecturer
Juliana Cunha Carneiro Pinto
Module Lecturer
Principal Aims
Building on the introductory environmental economics module, this module will provide a brief introduction to the meaning and scope of environmental economics. It will then outline key theoretical and methodological tools to study how to evaluate and manage natural resources in developing/developed countries. Key policy instruments to deal with contemporary environmental problems, such as climate change, sustainable development and pollution will be discussed offering an overview of the behavioural responses to environmental conservation and protection. The module will finally look at the linkage between environmental health and (in)justice to outline policy instruments and cutting-edge research that work towards improved justice and sustainability in the environmental health arena.
Principal Learning Outcomes
Understand the rationale for the study of environmental economics and its interdisciplinarity. The teaching and learning methods that enable students to achieve this learning outcome are lectures, seminars, independent study and reading.
Evaluate the main controversies in mainstream economics in the environmental realm. The teaching and learning methods that enable students to achieve this learning outcome are lectures, seminars, independent study.
Understand the methods and tools available to value environmental resources. The teaching and learning methods that enable students to achieve this learning outcome are lectures, seminars, independent study and reading.
Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of economic arguments to discuss environmental policy proposals and solutions. The teaching and learning methods that enable students to achieve this learning outcome are lectures, seminars, independent study and reading.
Understand how agents (i.e. individuals, firms, government) decisions and market forces can affect the environment. The teaching and learning methods that enable students to achieve this learning outcome are lectures, seminars, independent study and reading.
Syllabus
The syllabus may cover but is not limited to the following topics:
(1) Key concepts in Environmental Economics: Welfare Economics and the Environment.
(2) The origins of the sustainability problem: ethics, economics and the environment.
(3) Environmental Pollution: Regulation.
(4) Environmental Pollution: Pricing Policies.
(5) International environmental problems: game theory analysis, international environmental cooperation, and climate change.
(6) Behavioural Economics of Climate Change.
(7) Trade and the environment.
(8) Project appraisal (e.g., cost-benefit analysis, irreversibility, risk and uncertainty, valuing the environment -i.e., contingent valuation, choice experiments, travel cost methods, and hedonic pricing).
(9) Natural Resource Exploitation: renewable vs non-renewable resources (e.g., optimal use of natural resources, optimal resource extraction, and renewable resources and renewable resources policy).
(10) Environmental health and environmental justice.
(11) Environmental impact of energy (e.g., different sources of energy, the role of energy in climate change, energy demand modelling, energy efficiency-carbon intensity, crude oil market, natural gas market, transition to green economy, and the role of nuclear energy).
Context
- Optional Module
- LM1D (LLD2) - Year 2, V7ML - Year 2, L1CA - Year 2, LA99 - Year 2, L1L8 - Year 2, R2L4 - Year 2, R9L1 - Year 2, R3L4 - Year 2, R1L4 - Year 2
- Pre or Co-requisites
Pre-requisites are EC107 or EC109 and EC121 or EC123 and EC122 or EC124
Summary:Modules: (EC107-30 or EC109-30) and (EC121-12 or EC123-12) and (EC122-15 or EC124-12)
Assessment
- Assessment Method
- Coursework (100%)
- Coursework Details
- Group Presentation (20%) , Group Project (65%) , Multiple choice question test (15%)
- Exam Timing
- N/A