Course Catalogue

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This course focuses on the application of the environmental economist's toolkit to problems in developing countries and the applicability of lessons from the more developed economies. It covers a number of important topics of relevance to both developed and developing countries, including environmental valuation, market and policy failure, the interactions between economic development and the environment, the role of institutions in environmental protection, and the economics of climate change. A unifying theme is the role the 'environment' plays in our lives and its relationship to the economic system. On successful completion of the course, students should be able to apply economic analysis to a range of environmental management problems, focusing on developing country examples; should understand why certain environmental problems occur and the possible options available for their resolution; and should be able to analyse the relationships between economic and ecological systems.

One 2-hour lecture each week for 10 weeks.

Students must be registered on one of the associated programmes listed in this course specification.

ILO (covered)

This course covers a number of important topics in environmental economics of relevance to both developed and developing countries, including environmental valuation, market and policy failure, the interactions between economic development and the environment, the role of institutions in environmental protection, and the economics of climate change. We do not assume any prior knowledge of economics, although students with no prior knowledge may have to work a little harder. Our focus is on the application of the environmental economists' toolbox to problems in developing countries and the applicability of lessons from developed economies.

By the end of the course, students should be able to:

■ Recognise the ways in which individual decisions, market forces and government policies can affect the natural environment.

■ Explain the key assumptions and the main insights of theoretical models in environmental economics and apply them to understand empirical findings.

■ Carefully evaluate challenges and limitations around the empirical evaluation of the effects of policy interventions aimed at protecting the environment.

■ Communicate knowledge acquired on both theoretical and empirical issues concerning environmental issues effectively in writing.

Students must submit at least 75% by weight of the components (including examinations) of the course's summative assessment.