Back to selection
14255-01 - Lecture: Environmental Economics (3 CP)
| Semester | spring semester 2025 |
| Course frequency | Every spring sem. |
| Lecturers | Frank Christian Krysiak (frank.krysiak@unibas.ch, Assessor) |
| Content | This course addresses topics from current research in environmental economics. The focus is on designing environmental policy with applications to climate and energy policy, biodiversity protection, and circular economy topics.. The course will cover three important elements of designing environmental policy: 1) The evaluation of policy targets: How to set policy targets, possibly under uncertainty about costs and benefits; 2) The ability to cope with complications, such as missing information or imperfect compliance; 3) The ability to connect sector-specific policies and system-wide objectives in a coherent and transparent way. The course will commence with simple problems, as they are discussed in a typical BA course on environmental economics, and will progress to more complex settings found in many applications. We will discuss a range of policy instruments and investigate how they need to be adjusted and combined for being able to cope with real-world complexities. Some parts of the course will be based on environmental economic theory, that is, we will capture the essence of an environmental problem in a model and investigate potential solutions in this context. Other parts will be based on applications (discussion of current policies) or emerging topics (e.g., circular economy). In this course, active participation is essential. Students are expected to read one paper before each lecture and we will discuss the main argument made in the paper as well as applications and extensions in class. |
| Learning objectives | The course will provide -) an overview over central topics in environmental economics and environmental policy; -) training in how to set up, analyze and interpret environmental economic models; -) the necessary concepts and tools to read and understand current research papers in environmental economics; -) competences for assessing current environmental policy and appreciating the problems raised by complications, such as missing cost/benefit information or strategic firm behavior. |
| Bibliography | The course is based mostly on research papers. A reading list will be distributed at the start of the term. Students are required to read about one paper per week. Students who are not yet familiar with basic concepts of environmental economics, might benefit from preparing for this course by studying the environmental economics part of R. Perman, Y. Ma, J. McGilvray und M. Common (2003), "Natural Resource and Environmental Economics", 3rd oder 4th Edition, Pearson Education. |
| Weblink | Weblink |
| Admission requirements | Advanced students from other programs are admitted, if they have sufficient training in microeconomics and mathematics. Some background in environmental economics is recommended but not required. |
| Course application | Registration: Please enroll in the Online Services (services.unibas.ch); Eucor-Students and mobility students of other Swiss Universities or the FHNW first have to register at the University of Basel BEFORE the start of the course and receive their login data by post (e-mail address of the University of Basel). Processing time up to a week! Detailed information can be found here: https://www.unibas.ch/de/Studium/Mobilitaet.html After successful registration you can enroll for the course in the Online Services (services.unibas.ch). Applies to everyone: Enrolment = Registration for the course and the exam! |
| Language of instruction | English |
| Use of digital media | No specific media used |
| Course auditors welcome |
| Interval | Weekday | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|---|
| wöchentlich | Friday | 10.15-12.00 | Wirtschaftswissenschaftliche Fakultät, Seminarraum S15 HG.31 |
Dates
| Modules |
Module: Core Competences in Economics (Master's Studies: Sustainable Development) Module: Core Courses in International Business, Trade and the Environment (Master's Studies: Business and Economics) Module: Field Electives in Economics and Public Policy (Master's Studies: Economics and Public Policy) Module: Policy Field: Environment and Energy (Master's Studies: Economics and Public Policy) Module: Preparation Master's Thesis in Economics (Master's Studies: Sustainable Development) Module: Specific Electives in Business and Economics (Master's Studies: Business and Economics) Module: Specific Electives in International Business, Trade and the Environment (Master's Studies: Business and Economics) Specialization Module Global Europe: Environment and Sustainability (Master's Studies: European Global Studies) |
| Assessment format | record of achievement |
| Assessment details | Performance will be assessed via a written exam at the end of the term. written exam: date and room tbd |
| Assessment registration/deregistration | Reg.: course registration, dereg: cancel course registration |
| Repeat examination | no repeat examination |
| Scale | 1-6 0,1 |
| Repeated registration | as often as necessary |
| Responsible faculty | Faculty of Business and Economics , studiendekanat-wwz@unibas.ch |
| Offered by | Faculty of Business and Economics |