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ENVP10030

Academic Year 2024/2025

Environmental Economics (ENVP10030)

Subject:
Environmental Policy
College:
Engineering & Architecture
School:
Architecture, Plan & Env Pol
Level:
1 (Introductory)
Credits:
5
Module Coordinator:
Dr Tadhg O'Mahony
Trimester:
Autumn
Mode of Delivery:
Blended
Internship Module:
No
How will I be graded?
Letter grades

Curricular information is subject to change.

Our patterns of development since the industrial revolution have led to the emergence of global climate and biodiversity crises, and a variety of environmental problems across scales, from air and water pollution to ozone depletion and the proliferation of plastic waste. Societies must find ways of rapidly transforming development towards sustainable outcomes for people and planet. This module will consider major approaches that have emerged to address these challenges, in contemporary Environmental Economics.

The objective of this course is to familiarise students with key ideas in economic thinking and basic concepts and methods in Environmental Economics. The course will present some theoretical foundations of the discipline, as well as some techniques employed by academics and policymakers to identify, analyse and evaluate solutions. Crucially, these approaches will be critiqued in the wider context of the accepted scientific conclusion that fundamental transformations must occur if we are to successfully address the challenges now facing economy and society.

About this Module

Learning Outcomes:

On completion of this course, the successful student should, inter alia, be able to:

- Have an appreciation of economic thinking and how this can inform environmental policy decisions
- Understand the economic approach to analysing why environmental problems occur
- Understand the logic behind economic environmental policies such as the carbon tax
- Be aware of behavioural economic policy instruments towards environmental problems
- Be aware of the tools available to assess the costs and benefits of policies
- Appreciate the strengths and the limits of the approaches of contemporary Environmental Economics in addressing current challenges

Indicative Module Content:

- Key economic concepts
- Introduction to Environmental Economics
- Market Failures; Why Environmental Problems Occur
- Overcoming Market Failures; Environmental Economic Policy Design
- Evaluating Projects and Policies
- Behavioural Environmental Economics and Nudging
- The place of approaches from environmental economics in transitions and transformations

Student Effort Hours:
Student Effort Type Hours
Specified Learning Activities

10
Autonomous Student Learning

90
Lectures

24
Total

124

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
- Lectures presenting basic concepts
- Lectures with research-informed teaching
- Participative learning in class
- Active Learning through class discussion

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 

Assessment Strategy
Description Timing Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade In Module Component Repeat Offered
Assignment(Including Essay): Policy-brief: suggesting a solution to an environmental problem of student's choice. The policy-brief highlights key concepts from the environmental economics literature. Submission week may vary. Week 14 Graded No
50
 No
Quizzes/Short Exercises: Multiple Choice Questionnaire: online MCQs to completed in Brightspace, based on lecture content, readings and assigned material. Submission week indicative and may vary. Week 8 Alternative linear conversion grade scale 40% No
20
 No
Participation in Learning Activities: Participation log: submitted on Brightspace, detailing at least four specific examples of your participation in the Group Work of four different class sessions. Submission week indicative, may vary. Week 12 Graded No
30
 No

Carry forward of passed components
Yes
 

Resit In Terminal Exam
Summer No
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 

Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment
• Group/class feedback, post-assessment
• Online automated feedback
• Peer review activities

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Pre-assignment feedback involves peer and lecturer reflection in class, on the discussions of participative group work. Post assessment feedback will involve communication of grades from written exam and MCQ. Individual feedback will be given on the participation log, and may include other components via in-class, meetings, Brightspace or by email.

Markets: Keohane, M. N. O., & Olmstead, S. M. (2016). Markets and the Environment. Island Press. Chapters 1-5 and 8-10.

Basic economics concepts videos Tyler Cowen and Alex Tabarrok https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-uRhZ_p-BM4XnKSe3BJa23-XKJs_k4KY (At least 1-11).

Cost Benefit Analysis: Atkinson, G., Braathen, N. A., Mourato, S., & Groom, B. (2018). Cost Benefits Analysis and the Environment: Further Developments and Policy Use. OECD.

Psychological Barriers: Gifford, R. (2011). The dragons of inaction: psychological barriers that limit climate change mitigation and adaptation. American psychologist, 66(4), 290.

Behavioural Nudging: Carlsson, F., Gravert, C., Johansson-Stenman, O., & Kurz, V. (2019). Nudging as an environmental policy instrument. Review of Environmental Economics and Policy, 2020.

Transformational economics for the 21st century: useful introduction in Dixson-Declève (2024) keynote to European Economic and Social Committee https://www.eesc.europa.eu/sites/default/files/2024-02/from_limits_to_growth_to_earth4all.sandrine_dixson-decleve.the_club_of_rome.pdf

Name Role
Dr Cara Augustenborg Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Dr Liana Ricci Lecturer / Co-Lecturer

Timetabling information is displayed only for guidance purposes, relates to the current Academic Year only and is subject to change.
Autumn Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - Autumn: All Weeks Thurs 16:00 - 17:50
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