Required in stage
Optional in stage
First term
Second term
Both terms
Not organised
This year
Next year
Alternating years
External
Prerequisites
Language of instruction
Duration
Identical coursesAdvanced Environmental Economics (B-KUL-HMM48A)
Rousseau Sandra (coordinator) | Eyckmans Johan | Rousseau Sandra Aims
a. Course rationale
Due to the increasing globalisation and growing environmental and social awareness attention for the social role of firms has intensified. Firms need to behave responsibly with respect to people, planet and profit. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) focusses at all corporate stakeholders and incorporates therefore both the internal needs of employees and the external needs of society. Awareness of the impact on nature and environment is a crucial element of CSR and of the social responsibilities of firms.
The course offers a more detailed analysis of the introductory knowlegde of environmental and resource economics with a focus on selected relevant topics.
b. Competences and competence levels to be attained
- Is able to take up a certain position vis-à-vis a scientific argument in his/her field of study and is able to value it. (Competence level 1)
- Is able to interpret the different models and tools of corporate sustainability. (Competence level 2)
- Knows about and has an understanding of all sub domains in well-being (occupational safety, ergonomic circumstances, mental work strain, occupational health, industrial hygiene, conditions of the workplace with a view to improve it), environmental management (both inside and outside the company), and quality management. (Competence level 2)
- Is able to pursue an overall policy that takes into account all different points of view. (Competence level 3)
The graduate of the Master in Environment, Health and Safety Management
1. Is able to analyse issues concerning environment, well-being and sustainability from different scientific angles and is able to arrive at integrated policy solutions, together with specialists from other fields of knowledge.
1a The student is able to formulate policy advice about the approach of environmental and climate issues and to justify this whilst taking into account the economic and ecological context.
2. Is able to critically assess the impact of an environmental, well-being and sustainability policy and to evaluate it.
2a The student is able to determine the environmental impact of actions on climate, biodiversity and circular economy and to value these monetarily.
2b The student is able to reflect critically on the use of different valuation techniques and assessment frameworks used to evaluate the environmental impact of a policy scenario.
3. Is able to realize processes of change aimed at environment, well-being and sustainability on
micro-, meso- and macro-level, e.g. concerning an individual, an organisation, a sector, a country.
3a The student is able to determine the attitudes of individuals and sectors regarding environmental policy and, if necessary, to direct these.
3b The student is able to weigh the advantages and disadvantages of different policy instruments for the attainment of aims in the environmental policy in general, and specifically within the framework of biodiversity, climate and circular economy.
5. Is able to reflect critically on and make use of sustainable alternatives as an innovative answer to social challenges.
5a The student is able to reflect critically on the level of ambition and the options of policy to develop a sustainable policy on environment, nature and circular economy.
6. Is able to autonomously select sources of information, data and research methods in a scientifically underpinned way.
6a The student is able, in group, to draw up, justify and execute a specific valuation study based on primary and secondary sources of information and data.
6b The student is able to write a well-founded referee report for a scientific article.
c. Key objectives of the course and competence levels to be attained
The students show a detailed understanding of selected topics of environmental and resouce economics. (Competence level 2)
Previous knowledge
If you want to follow this course, it is advisable to have preliminary knowledge of the most frequently used concepts and models in environmental and resource economics.
Is included in these courses of study
Activities
6 ects. Advanced Environmental Economics (B-KUL-HMM48a)
Content
The course is divided in two parts and centers around several selected topics:
Part 1 is managed by Johan Eyckmans and addresses the following topics:
- The topic ‘Climate’ includes a.o. deeper insight into (i) cost-benefit analysis and integrated-assessment models to determine long-term climate policy goals, (ii) carbon emissions trading (EU emission tracing scheme ETS, offsetting etc.), and (iii) game theoretic analysis of international environmental agreements.
- The topic ‘Circular Economy’ includes (i) the analysis of the basic economic models for non-renewable resource extraction (Hoteling) and (ii) the interaction of different policy instruments used to achieve a more circular economy model of production, consumption and recycling.
Part 2 is managed by Sandra Rousseau and addresses the following topics:
- The topic 'Biodiversity and conservation policy' includes a.o. deeper insight into the economic modelling of forest and fisheries management.
- The topic ‘Policy design’ includes a.o. deeper insight into the use and design of environmental policy instruments such as auctions for nature conservation as well as policy evaluation (cost benefit analysis and economic valuation)
For each of these topics a selection of current topics is discussed with the help of standard concepts and models from environmental and resource economics. Knowledge acquired during previous years concerning different environmental issues and policies is actively used.
Furthermore, students are stimulated to actively process and evaluate scientific literature. The students each write two referee reports on a scientific publication selected from a list of publications put on toledo by the professors. These publications will treat similar topics as those described above.
Course material
Supporting material (powerpoints, scientific papers...) is distributed online on Toledo.
Format: more information
Part 1 (Johan Eyckmans)
- Lectures with explicit role for discussions between students and lecturer
- Use of interactive formats such as games to stimulate students to consider different viewpoints and to deepen their insight into the subject matter
Part 2 (Sandra Rousseau)
- Lectures with explicit role for discussions between students and lecturer
- Students implement their own valuation study (a stated choice experiment) under the guidance of the lecturer and learn how to derive and interpret the relevant results
Referee report
- Lecture with introduction to this task, its procedure and the evaluation criteria
- Students are asked to write an extensive referee report on one of the publications made available on toledo by the professors. In addition, the students need to situate the topic within the existing literature.
Evaluation
Evaluation: Advanced Environmental Economics (B-KUL-H73677)
Explanation
Firstly, the two parts of the course are evaluated in an written and open book exam. The types of questions used include open questions, understanding questions and applications. One question regards the evaluation of th valuation study that the students conduct themselves under guidance of Sandra Rousseau. This written exam will result in a point on a total of 15 points.
Secondly, the critical understanding of scientific publications is evaluated based on a paper for which a referee reports must be written during the semester. The referee roport must be handed in at the moment of the written exam. This referee report will result in a point on a total of 5 points
The written exam and the referee report form together one course and are graded in one overall score (on a total of 20).
Information about retaking exams
The features of the evaluation and determination of grades are identical to those of the first examination opportunity, as described in the tab 'Explanation'.