ECM2360 - Environmental and natural resource economics - 2018

This unit applies basic intermediate microeconomic principles to local, regional, and global environmental and natural resource management, such as river water pollution, air pollution and climate change. It provides an in-depth understanding of the theory and concepts underlying how economic and business activities affect environmental and natural resource management issues. It also includes discussion of the inverse relationship between these phenomena - how environmental and resource management concerns affect economic development - as well as how they complement each other without compromising their sustainable association.

The learning goals associated with this unit are to:

1. identify differences between conventional goods allocated efficiently and environmental commodities allocated inefficiently
2. explain why traditional economics fails to deal with market failures
3. understand cost-benefit measurements of changes in environmental quality
4. understand policy instruments available to achieve the optimal level of pollution and the strengths and weaknesses of policy alternatives.

Within semester assessment: 40% + Examination: 60%

Minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per semester typically comprising a mixture of scheduled learning activities and independent study. Independent study may include associated readings, assessment and preparation for scheduled activities. The unit requires on average three/four hours of scheduled activities per week. Scheduled activities may include a combination of teacher directed learning, peer directed learning and online engagement.

See also Unit timetable information