Course Title: Environmental Economics

Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Environmental Economics

Credit Points: 12


Course Code

Campus

Career

School

Learning Mode

Teaching Period(s)

ECON1060

City Campus

Undergraduate

625H Economics, Finance & Marketing

Face-to-Face

Course Coordinator: Sarah Sinclair

Course Coordinator Phone: +61 3 9925 1329

Course Coordinator Email:sarah.sinclair@rmit.edu.au

Course Coordinator Availability: By appointment


Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

ECON1020 - Price and Markets


Course Description

This course focuses on the relationship between the economy and the environment. It examines the causes of environmental problems and potential policies that can be used to address them. The concepts of property rights, externalities and public goods are discussed. The advantages and deficiencies of different regulatory and market based responses to environmental problems are explored. Methods used to value the costs and benefits of environmental changes are discussed in addition to methods to assign value to unpriced environmental goods.


Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

You will develop the following capabilities;

  • Explain and critically analyse the interaction between the environment and the economy
  • Use the technical language and analytic frameworks of economics to analyse environmental issues
  • Analyse the broad philosophical context of environmental economics including critiques of the approach


Learning outcomes

  • Describe the nature and significance of important environmental issues such as sustainable development, protection of biodiversity, deforestation, waste management, air quality and global warming, within an economic framework
  • Describe environmental issues facing developing countries
  • Explain the role of Government with respect to the environment
  • Evaluate alternative solutions to environmental problems and their limitations
  • Outline and describe the efficient use of renewable and non renewable resources and alternative mechanisms of coordinating natural resource use
  •  Describe the issues involved ,and demonstrate competency, in applying cost - benefit analysis and other relevant frameworks of analysis to environmental issues
  •  Explain the techniques for measuring the value of non-market goods
  • Identify the potential sources of market failure associated with the environment

 



Overview of Learning Activities

Key concepts will be delivered in class and developed though in-class discussion and critique


Overview of Learning Resources

Prescribed Text book

Lecture notes and relevant readings will be made available via the learning hub.

Students will be expected to maintain a weekly reflective blog.


Overview of Assessment

The assessment will consist of a reflective blog, an essay and a final examination