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Environmental
Policy
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(Environmental Policy and Legislation, 4201-430) |
This is the webpage of the master course "Environmental Policy", given during my time at the University of Hohenheim until 2008
Note: The side is not updated, but some general information might still be useful.
Nature and Objective of the Course:
This course provides a survey from the perspective of economics of public policy issues regarding the use of natural resources and the management of environmental quality. The course covers both conceptual and methodological topics and recent and current applications.
The main objective of this course is that the students learn how to think critically about issues relating to environmental economics. On successful completion of the course, students should be able to explain the economic rationale for government involvement in environmental issues, and be able to discuss what the impact of such involvement will be.
This course provides a survey from the perspective of economics of public policy issues regarding the use of natural resources and the management of environmental quality. The course covers both conceptual and methodological topics and recent and current applications.
The main objective of this course is that the students learn how to think critically about issues relating to environmental economics. On successful completion of the course, students should be able to explain the economic rationale for government involvement in environmental issues, and be able to discuss what the impact of such involvement will be.
> Syllabus:
Environmental Legislation (Dr. Schweizer)
Note on the readings:
I will distribute several articles and supplemental readings. They have two purposes: to expose you to influential work in environmental economics and to highlight the relevance of environmental economics to current events. The first goal is accomplished through journal articles written by professional economists. The second goal is met by several shorter articles taken from publications on current events.
To some of the articles I will hand out discussion questions. These articles will be discussed in the course and therefore it is inevitable that you read them in advance. Furthermore these articles will also be relevant for the exam.
I will distribute several articles and supplemental readings. They have two purposes: to expose you to influential work in environmental economics and to highlight the relevance of environmental economics to current events. The first goal is accomplished through journal articles written by professional economists. The second goal is met by several shorter articles taken from publications on current events.
To some of the articles I will hand out discussion questions. These articles will be discussed in the course and therefore it is inevitable that you read them in advance. Furthermore these articles will also be relevant for the exam.
Lecture
Notes for Environmental Policy
Here you can find the lecture slides, some lecture notes and additional material that might be of interest
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Topic
1 : The Role of Economics in Environmental Policy
Topic
2: Development of Ideas on Natural Resources and the Environment
Topic
3: Environment as a 'Good'
Please read: "Profit and the public good". The Economist,
January 22nd, 2005, Vol. 374, Issue 8410, special section p.15-19.
Those who want to read a real classic in the field of resource economics should have a look at Hardin, G.: "The Tragedy of the Commons". Science, Volume 162, No. 3859, December 1968, pp.1243-1248 Topic
4: Environmental Regulation
We talked about some key criteria concerning the choice of environmental
policy instruments:
For those of you who want to know a bit more on "Vintage-Differentiated
Regulation":
Please read the article of Sandel and the related replies:
Topic
5: Developing Countries and the Environment
Readings on the Environmental Kuznets Curve: Dasgupta, Laplante, Wang, and Wheeler (2002): “Confronting the Environmental Kuznets Curve”. Journal of Economic Perspectives, 16 (1), pp. 147-168 Yandle, Bhattarai and Vijayaraghavan (2004): "Environmental Kuznets Curves: A Review of Findings, Methods, and Policy Implications". Research Study 02-1, PERC > download Further readings on "Growth and the Environment": Bradsher, K.: “Clean Air or TV: Paying in Pollution for Energy Hunger”. The New York Times, January 9, 2007, C1, C9. > link Kahn, J. and J. Yardley: “As China Roars, Pollution Reaches Deadly Extremes”. The New York Times, August 26, 2007 > link "How green is their growth" (The Economist, January 24, 2008) > link An issue we also talked about in the context of this topic: Cowen, T.: “A Way for Resource-Rich Countries to Audit Their Way Out of Corruption”. The New York Times, July 12, 2007 > link Topic
6: Climate Change
Further information on the international linkage of Tradable Permits Systems:
We'll discuss the issue of "companies and climate change".
Please read ahead: "Cleaning up" (The Economist, May
31st, 2007) and "Can business be cool" (The Economist,
June
8th, 2006).
Further readings: On the Stern-report: "How much will it cost to save the world?" (Nature, Nov. 01st 2006) On the 3rd part of the IPCC report: "A bargain" (The Economist, May 04th, 2007) On the shortcomings of the Emissions Trading Scheme of the EU: "Carbon trading" (The Economist, May 04th, 2006) and "Trading thin air" May 31st, 2007). Have a look at the IPCC website (includes the Synthesis Report and the Summaries for Policymakers): Further interesting UN links on Climate Change: Topic
7: Water
Some interesting links on the water supply issue: Topic
8: Agriculture and the Environment
Further links: Some useful links: |
