Fall 2020 - ECON 260 D100

Environmental Economics (3)

Class Number: 2322

Delivery Method: In Person

Overview

  • Course Times + Location:

    Sep 9 – Dec 8, 2020: Tue, 2:30–5:20 p.m.
    Burnaby

  • Exam Times + Location:

    Dec 11, 2020
    Fri, 3:30–6:30 p.m.
    Burnaby

  • Prerequisites:

    ECON 103 or 200.

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

Economic analysis of environmental problems (water and air pollution, etc.). Evaluation of market failures due to externalities and public goods. Market and non-market regulation of environmental problems. Students with credit for ECON 360 may not take this course for further credit. Quantitative.

COURSE DETAILS:

This course introduces students to the relationship between economic activity and the environment. The objective is to familiarize students with the causes, consequences and possible solutions to local and global environmental issues. Topics covered include externalities, public goods, cost-benefits analysis, environmental degradation and policies for environmental regulations. The course will also cover global environmental issues such as ozone depletion and biodiversity.

Outline:

1.  Introduction (Field & Olewiler, Ch. 1, 2)
-   Environmental Problems and Economic Approaches, Incentives,
-   Externalities and Property Rights, Sustainability
-   Linkages between the Economy and the Environment  

2.  Fundamental Concepts and Analytical Tools (Field & Olewiler, Ch. 3, 4, 5)
-   Markets and Competition, Market Valuation
-   Market Failures (Monopoly, Externalities, Public Goods, Common Property Resources, etc)
-   Scarcity and Economic Rent
-   Social Efficiency and Economic Welfare concepts and measurement
-   Environmental Quality and Socially Efficient level of Emissions  

3.  Valuing the Environment and Benefit Cost Analysis (Field & Olewiler, Ch. 6, 7, 8)
-   Measuring Environmental Benefits and Costs
-   Discounting and Interest Rates, Social vs. Private Discounting
-   Theory vs. Practice: Benefit-Cost Analysis, Cost-Effectiveness Analysis, and Environmental Impact Analysis
-   Uncertainty and Risk Analysis  

4.  Environmental Policy Analysis (Field & Olewiler, Ch. 9, 10, 11-14)
-   Environmental Policy Evaluation Criteria
-   Strengths and Weaknesses of the Market Valuation Approach
-   Efficiency vs. Equity (Fairness) and Environmental Issues
-   Liability Laws, Property Rights, and the Coase Theorem
-   Environmental Standards, Emission Taxes and Subsidies, Transferable Pollution Permits  

5.  Environmental Policy in Canada (Field & Olewiler, Ch. 15-19)
-   Control of Water Pollution
-   Air Pollution
-   Hazardous Wastes, Solid Waste and Recycling issues  

6.  Global Environmental Problems and Sustainability (Field & Olewiler, Ch. 20)
-   Limits to Growth Issues, Sustainable Development
-   Non-Renewable Resource Problems and Issues, Conservation, Re-Cycling
-   Renewable Environmental Resource Problems and Issues
-   Biodiversity and Endangered Species
-   Macroeconomic Approaches to Global Environmental Problems, Sustainable Development
-   Global Climate Change and GHG Emissions, Kyoto Protocol

Grading

  • Assignments 30%
  • Quizzes 40%
  • Final 30%

Materials

REQUIRED READING:

Field. Environmental Economics, 8th International Edition, McGraw-Hill Higher Education (International), 2021.
ISBN: 9781260590753

Additional readings can be found on course website:  http://www.sfu.ca/~wainwrig

Department Undergraduate Notes:

Please note that, as per Policy T20.01, the course requirements (and grading scheme) outlined here are subject to change up until the end of the first week of classes.

Starting Fall 2020, final exam schedules will be released in October. This will allow students to avoid enrollment conflicts, and will significantly reduce instances of exam hardship. If your course has a final exam, please ensure that you are available during the final exam period December 9 - 20 until you receive confirmation of your exam dates. 

Students requiring accommodations as a result of a disability must contact the Centre for Accessible Learning (CAL) at 778-782-3112 or caladmin@sfu.ca.

***NO TUTORIALS DURING THE FIRST WEEK OF CLASSES***

Registrar Notes:

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS

SFU’s Academic Integrity web site http://www.sfu.ca/students/academicintegrity.html is filled with information on what is meant by academic dishonesty, where you can find resources to help with your studies and the consequences of cheating.  Check out the site for more information and videos that help explain the issues in plain English.

Each student is responsible for his or her conduct as it affects the University community.  Academic dishonesty, in whatever form, is ultimately destructive of the values of the University. Furthermore, it is unfair and discouraging to the majority of students who pursue their studies honestly. Scholarly integrity is required of all members of the University. http://www.sfu.ca/policies/gazette/student/s10-01.html

TEACHING AT SFU IN FALL 2020

Teaching at SFU in fall 2020 will be conducted primarily through remote methods. There will be in-person course components in a few exceptional cases where this is fundamental to the educational goals of the course. Such course components will be clearly identified at registration, as will course components that will be “live” (synchronous) vs. at your own pace (asynchronous). Enrollment acknowledges that remote study may entail different modes of learning, interaction with your instructor, and ways of getting feedback on your work than may be the case for in-person classes. To ensure you can access all course materials, we recommend you have access to a computer with a microphone and camera, and the internet. In some cases your instructor may use Zoom or other means requiring a camera and microphone to invigilate exams. If proctoring software will be used, this will be confirmed in the first week of class.

Students with hidden or visible disabilities who believe they may need class or exam accommodations, including in the current context of remote learning, are encouraged to register with the SFU Centre for Accessible Learning (caladmin@sfu.ca or 778-782-3112).