ENVIRONMENTAL ECONOMICS

The course is part of the training activities characterizing the degree course in Environmental Sciences and aims to provide students with the language and the essential tools of the economy, applied to the environmental context.
The course starts from the fundamentals of microeconomics and therefore presents the bases and the main tools of the economic analysis of natural and environmental resources, in a perspective of sustainability.
Particular attention is given to the evaluation of the services of the environment and their role for social and economic development.

1. Knowledge and understanding
1.1 Understand the main economic, social and territorial dynamics that contribute to defining possible solutions to environmental problems
1.2 Know and understand the principles and the main approaches to environmental economics (especially in microeconomic terms) and to the economic evaluation of environmental resources.
1.3 know and understand the limits of the markets and their failures
1.4 Understand the links between development, well-being and exhaustible and renewable resources.
1.5 Understand the role of monetary and non-monetary valuation methods in decision-making processes
2 Ability to apply knowledge and understanding
2.1 Understand and represent the complex nature of environmental problems, drivers and implications in economic, social and territorial terms, providing economic actors and decision makers with conceptual models for analyzing and solving environmental problems
2.2 Analyze the flows and budgets that characterize the relationships between economy and the environment
2.3 Apply simple dynamic and integrated models
2.4 Apply methods of evaluation of non-market goods and services
3 Ability to judge
3.1 Reflect on the relationships between economic activities and the environment with economic analysis methods and tools
3.2 Choose between different approaches for sustainability assessment and environmental valuation
3.3 Reflecting on sustainability as a criterion for long-term economic development

Basics of mathematics and natural sciences

- The logic and ethics of economics
- The concept and science of sustainability
- The market, demand and supply, consumers and producers
- Interdependence between economic and environmental systems
- The market and ecosystems
- Environmental policy instruments
- The general problem of - monetary and non-monetary - environmental valuation
- Relationships between development, welfare and renewable and non-renewable resources

Teaching materials made available by the instructor through the Moodle web site with the following main reference book:
R.K. Turner, D.W. Pierce e I. Bateman, 2003. Economia ambientale. Il Mulino
Further readings for selected topics:
Mankiw, N. Gregory e Taylor, Mark P. Principi di microeconomia. Zanichelli
Common, Michael and Sigrid Stagl, 2005. Ecological economics: an introduction. Cambridge University Press.

The written assessment includes ten open-ended questions or short exercises.
The first question is aimed at evaluating the student's ability to elaborate a detailed and detailed reasoning on the course contents (e.g. 2 pages of text).
The questions and/or subsequent exercises are focused on the different topics of the course, to evaluate the completeness of the preparation and require very concise answers or simple calculations or drawing charts.
The time available is 75 minutes.
Example of questions are available on the moodle platform.
During the exam students cannot use books, notes or electronic media.
Usually, a medium or high grade can be obtained by:
• Attending and participating in class
• Studying course materials during the attendance
• Studying in depth the various topics on recommended texts

The course foresees lecture-style presentations making use of powerpoint slides made available to students through the Moodle site of the course, seminars (given also by external experts), and homework.
The blog functionality provided by the Moodle platform is used for on-line communication between students and the professor.

Italian

Course materials (powerpoint slides, homework, forum, etc.) can be found in the Ca' Foscari Moodle web site: http://moodle.unive.it/ . Therefore, students’ registration in Moodle is needed since the start of the class also for those that do not attend the lectures.

Accessibility, Disability and Inclusion. Accommodation and support services for students with disabilities and students with specific learning impairments
Ca' Foscari abides by Italian Law (Law 17/1999; Law 170/2010) regarding support services and accommodation available to students with disabilities. This includes students with mobility, visual, hearing and other disabilities (Law 17/1999), and specific learning impairments (Law 170/2010). If you have a disability or impairment that requires accommodations (i.e., alternate testing, readers, note takers or interpreters) please contact the Disability and Accessibility Offices in Student Services: disabilita@unive.it.

written

This subject deals with topics related to the macro-area "Circular economy, innovation, work" and contributes to the achievement of one or more goals of U. N. Agenda for Sustainable Development