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Learning Module
07
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EuroMed: II. Fundamentos Económicos y Ecológicos
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Academic Coordinator
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Profª. Cristina García Fernández | Complutense University of Madrid
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Abstract
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An increasing awareness
that our global ecological life-support system is endangered is forcing us
to realize that decisions made on the basis of local, narrow, short-term
criteria can produce disastrous results globally and in the long run. There
is also a growing acknowledgement that traditional economic and ecological
models and concepts fall short in their ability to deal with global ecological
problems.
Throughout history humans have both affected, and been affected by, the
natural world. While a good deal has been lost due to human actions, much
of what is valued about the environment has been preserved and protected
through human action. While many uncertainties remain, there is a realization
that environmental problems are becoming more and more complex, especially
as issues arise on a more global level, such as that of atmospheric pollution
or global warming.
This program provides studies in the environment and natural resources
through a holistic and interdisciplinary approach. Students’ programs and
research will prepare them to pursue independent research aimed at solving
the complex issues facing the world environment learning about varied approaches
and using a variety of tool and methods.
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Course Objectives
The primary objective of
this course is to introduce the main concepts and tools of environmental
economics. The field of environmental and resource economics is the study
of the economy and its interaction with the environment. There is an increasing
need for utilizing economic tools in developing new environmental approaches
and policies. In the other hand, the ecological economics provides a context
for understanding the strengths and weaknesses of the more conventional
environmental and resource economics. In ecological economics the economy
is viewed as a sub-system of the biosphere and considers the dimensions of
scale, distribution and efficient allocation. Environmental economics places
more emphasis on the central role of the market and focuses primarily on
efficient allocation. Both approaches provide valuable insights into a
wide range of environmental issues such as the causes and control of pollution;
resource degradation, depletion and remediation; congestion and urban sprawl,
despoliation and privatization of the global commons, and they raise vital
questions of intraand inter-generational equity and policy-making.
After taking this course, students should:
· Be aware of the natural
resource depletion problem.
· Evaluate the widespread consequences
of natural resource depletion at international scale.
· Be aware of the international
environmental problems.
· Take into account the implications
for international cooperation.
· Understand the differences
and relationships between environmental and ecological economics.
· Appreciate the significance
of scale, distribution and allocation in analyzing economic- environmental
interactions.
· Be familiar with economics
terminology, concepts and reasoning.
· Understand the advantages
and the shortcomings of economic analysis.
· Be able to apply economic
analysis to environmental issues.
· Be able to explain the key
challenges involved in applying neoclassical economics to environmental
problems.
· Understand the rationale
for various types of environmental policy, at the local, provincial, national
and international levels.
· Be able to situate economic
analysis within wider historical, cultural, political, social, international
and ecological contexts.
· Identify and compare major
assumptions and theories of ecological and conventional economics with
an emphasis on the roles of the ecosystem, the individual, and social institutions.
· Evaluate and compare the
potential of natural resource economy approach in meeting state standards
and citizenship goals.
· Develop units on natural
resource economics that are interdisciplinary, inquiry-based, and utilize
authentic assessment.
· Engage in research, self-reflection,
and other learning strategies.
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Programmatic Contents
Upon completion of the course,
students will deal with several topics on economics, environment, natural
resources and ecology. Some of these are the following:
· Economy and the environment
· Environmental policies, planning
and assessment
· Economy-environment interdependence,
limits of growth?
· Natural resources management
· Steps towards attaining sustainable
economic behaviour
· Static and dynamic efficiency
in a market economy
· Externalities
· Cost benefits analysis
· Property rights, common property
resources and environmental resources
· Instruments for achieving pollution
abatement targets
· Economic incentive instruments
· A comparison of the relative advantages
of command and control, emissions tax, emissions abatement subsidy and
marketable permit instruments
· Instruments for conserving biodiversity
· International environmental problems
· The greenhouse effect
· The world of climate change: economic
consequences
· The real threat of global warming:
economic solutions?
· Energy and climate change
· The cost of reducing carbon dioxide
emissions
· International environmental cooperation
· Ecological economics and how it
differs from conventional economics
· Tasks required for ecological
economics
· Relationships between ecological,
economic and cultural sustainability
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Teaching Units »»»
6.1
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An
Introduction to the natural resource economy model
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6.2
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Instruments
for achieving pollution abatement targets
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6.3
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The
economy of climate change: cost and consequences
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