GLOBAL CHANGE AND SUSTAINABILITY

This course will introduce the major global challenges of our time, with a focus on sustainability, sustainable development, and climate change, the challenge that more than anything else requires global actions and a global change. The course is targeted at students who are not specialists in economics, but the economic approach to global challenges will be introduced and used throughout the course. Students will understand why the environment is an economic resource and why economic tools and concepts can help to achieve a better management of environmental resources and facilitate the transition towards a more sustainable future. Students will learn how to frame sustainability within the boundaries set by the planetary ecological ceilings and the basic social needs. They will learn why and how environmental policies can move the society and the economy towards a more sustainable path. Case studies and examples will be used to illustrate the types of policies that can be used at national and international level, and how national and sub-national interests can affect the ability to put these policies into practice. Climate change will be explored in more detail as an example of an international environmental problem. What will try to achieve by the end of the course is how to align global change with sustainability.

Students will learn how to conduct research of data and of sources to examine, measure and monitor sustainability and climate change policies. They will acquire the ability to apply their knowledge to critically evaluate environmental issues from an economic viewpoint and the related policies. These skills will be acquired through frontal lectures and group discussions.

Understanding of global change, sustainability, and climate change
Understanding of the economic dimension of environmental problems and of climate change
Understanding of how different dimensions of sustainability interact
Understanding of how sustainability can be measured and monitored
Basic knowledge of different how environmental policies can be measured and monitored
Basic knowledge of the history of environmental policy
Basic knowledge of the methods to give monetary values to the environment and natural resources

None. The course is targeted at students who are not specialists in economics.

The course will be articulated into four main topics:

Topic 1. Global challenges calling for a global change
How did we became a force of nature? Links between the economy and the environment. Growth versus development. Sustainable Development Goals and the interactions among them. The concept of sustainability through the doughnut economics. Planetary boundaries and the social basic needs.

Topic 2. Economic approaches to global challenges
Introduction to environmental economics and economic concepts. Why do we need environmental policy? Failure of markets and governments. A framework for designing and evaluating environmental policies.
International environmental agreements

Topic 3. Climate change
The scientific basis. Climate change as a threat multiplier. Science & policy. International negotiations. Modelling approaches to study global climate change policies.

Topic 4. EU environmental and climate policy.
Historical overview of environmental policy in Europe. Key EU legislation and policies. Climate action in Europe up to the EU Green Deal.

The Core Team. The Economy. Chapters 4, 20. Freely available at https://www.core-econ.org/the-economy/
Delbeke J., P. Vis EU Climate Policy Explained.
Ponthieu, E. The Climate crisis, democracy, and governance. Chapter 2, 3, 4.
Blewitt, J. Understanding sustainable development, Routledge, 2018, chapters 1, 2, 3.
Grubb, M. Planetary economics, selected chapters.
Additional lecture notes and scientific articles will be uploaded in Moodle. Moodle will also be the main tool to communicate with students therefore all students are encouraged to sign in.

Written and oral. Students will write a short essay on a topic they will choose within a list of selected themes. Students will also present their essay.

Frontal lecture, group discussion.

English

Moodle will be the main tool of communication for the course. All students are encouraged to sign in.

written and oral

This subject deals with topics related to the macro-area "Climate change and energy" and contributes to the achievement of one or more goals of U. N. Agenda for Sustainable Development