ENVIRONMENTAL ECONOMICS AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
- Overview
- Assessment methods
- Learning objectives
- Contents
- Full programme
- Teaching methods
- Contacts/Info
Basic knowledge of economics
Assessment: a written test consisting of multiple-choice questions and open questions. There are 2 partial tests (mid-term and end of course), each lasting 30 minutes, consisting of 13 multiple-choice questions worth 2 points each and 1 open question out of two worth a maximum of 5 points. To pass the examination, it is required a minimum mark of 18/30 for each partial test; the final mark is given by the rounded arithmetic mean of the marks for the two partial tests. Students who take the examination in the scheduled calls, instead, will face a single written test lasting 60 minutes, consisting of 22 multiple-choice questions worth 1 point each and 2 open questions worth 4 points each.
The aim of the course is to provide students with knowledge of the recent development of the economic science, which - starting from the environmental economics – aims to explore the relationships between economics, environment and society. In recent decades, a number of theories and empirical studies have been developed, questioning the mechanistic approach of traditional economic theory and addressing the interrelationship between the economic, environmental and ethical-social dimensions. Methodologies for measuring well-being that “go beyond GDP” have also been proposed. Expected learning results At the end of the course students will be able to critically discuss topics related to the following questions: - What are the theoretical foundations of environmental economics? - What is the link between Economy, Environment and Society? - What is Sustainable Development? Which dimensions are included? - What Sustainable Development strategies can be implemented by companies and public organisations? And how are they implemented? - What is the transition from linear to circular economy? - Which is the role of public policies in supporting the transition to Sustainable Development and Circular Economy? - How can the well-being of an individual and the whole society be measured?
Part I: Fundamentals of environmental economics and policy. - Economic approach to environmental analysis and the limits to growth - Externalities, public goods, environmental goods, and efficient allocations of environmental resources - Economic instruments of environmental policy and the limits of public intervention: command-and-control instruments, tax-subsidies, property rights, and emissions markets Part II: Sustainable development and circular economy - Definition and dimensions of sustainable development - Sustainable Development Goals and policies' evolution: UN 2030 Agenda, European Green Deal, etc. - Sustainable development measurement - Climate change and the economy - Transition from linear economy to circular economy, bioeconomy and Industrial Symbiosis - Social responsibility and corporate strategies. Part III: Economics and Ethics - Determinants of individual well-being and happiness - The problems of GDP as well-being indicator - Multidimensional indicators of a society's well-being.
The contents consist of three main parts, which provide an understanding of the complex relationship between the economy, the environment and society-ethics in a world in rapid transition. The three parts are: 1. Fundamentals of economics and environmental policy; 2. Sustainable development and circular economy; 3. Economics and ethics Details of the program can be found in the “course content” section above.
The course consists of in class lectures (15 hrs.) and of classes given through the MS Teams (streaming, 26 hrs.) and the Moodle e-learning platforms (4 hrs.). The lecturer provides the projection of slides. Students are encouraged to actively participate to classes, by asking questions and/or making comments. 2 sessions will be devoted to revise the exam program, before the mid- and end-term exams.
By appointment, in-person or remote. The reading list is available on the course's webpage in E-learning. Slides and articles/documents on different topics will be made available. A Tutoring Service is available at the Department of Economics. More detailed information is available at the following link: https://www.uninsubria.it/servizi/tutti-i-servizi/tutorato-dieco