Course syllabus adopted 2022-02-16 by Head of Programme (or corresponding).
Overview
- Swedish nameMiljöekonomi
- CodeSEE150
- Credits7.5 Credits
- OwnerTKGBS
- Education cycleFirst-cycle
- Main field of studyGlobal systems
- ThemeEnvironment 3 c,MTS 3 c
- DepartmentSPACE, EARTH AND ENVIRONMENT
- GradingTH - Pass with distinction (5), Pass with credit (4), Pass (3), Fail
Course round 1
- Teaching language Swedish
- Application code 74130
- Maximum participants70
- Open for exchange studentsNo
- Only students with the course round in the programme overview.
Credit distribution
Module | Sp1 | Sp2 | Sp3 | Sp4 | Summer | Not Sp | Examination dates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0122 Examination 7.5 c Grading: TH | 7.5 c |
|
In programmes
Examiner
Martin Persson- Professor, Physical Resource Theory, Space, Earth and Environment
Eligibility
General entry requirements for bachelor's level (first cycle)Applicants enrolled in a programme at Chalmers where the course is included in the study programme are exempted from fulfilling the requirements above.
Specific entry requirements
The same as for the programme that owns the course.Applicants enrolled in a programme at Chalmers where the course is included in the study programme are exempted from fulfilling the requirements above.
Aim
The aim of the course is to give an understanding of economic theories and models for analyzing societys resource use and environmental impacts, as well as to critically assess their underlying assumptions and limitations.Learning outcomes (after completion of the course the student should be able to)
- Understand the theoretical models that explain how markets allocate resources in an effective way, and describe different types of market failures that leads to overexploitation of natural resources and environmental degradation (such as externalities and common goods).
- Describe de economic and social factors that enables a sustainable use of common pool resources, from the local to the global.
- Describe how cost-benefit analyses are carried out and which methods that can be used to value ecosystems and environmental impacts in such analyses, as well as to apply these methods in simple analyses.
- Apply concepts such as discounting and substitutability to analyze the economics of climate change and other intergenerational environmental problems.
- Critically analyze, discuss and value the assumptions and values that underpin economic models and how these affects the conclusions drawn from them.
Content
The course gives an introduction to economic theories and models for analyzing societys environmental impacts and natural resource use. With welfare economics as a starting point, we discuss different reasons for why the market does not deal with environmental degradation and natural resources in an efficient way. The course then focuses on some examples of these market failures, as well as ways for society to compensate for them: the preconditions for sustainable use of common pool resources, cost-benefit analyses as a tool for bringing the value of ecosystems and natural resources into societal decision processes, and ways for analyzing environmental problems that also affect future generations (such as climate change). Throughout the course, large emphasis is put on critically examining the economic models that are being used and the assumptions and values that they are based on, in order to understand their limitations and ethical underpinnings.Organisation
The course mixes lectures that introduce economic theories and models, with exercises and seminars where these theories and models are applied, analysed and discussed.Literature
The course literature will be posted on the course homepage prior to the course, but will consist of a textbook complemented with academic papers and other texts.Examination including compulsory elements
Concluding written exam. Tasks giving bonus point to the final exam can be included. In order to pass, presence at mandatory seminar/exercises is also required.The course examiner may assess individual students in other ways than what is stated above if there are special reasons for doing so, for example if a student has a decision from Chalmers on educational support due to disability.