Environmental Economics
| Module title | Environmental Economics |
|---|---|
| Module code | BEMM260DA |
| Academic year | 2025/6 |
| Credits | 30 |
| Module staff | Morgan Witzel (Convenor) |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 12 |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 25 |
|---|
Module description
Environmental Economics?recognizes the vital interplay?between the economy and the natural environment.?This branch of Economics further?acknowledges the urgent need for sustainable development?for?the benefit of?both current and?future?generations.?In?a contemporary setting,?achieving?acceptable?levels of?sustainability means?the?successful?alignment of business models with Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) metrics.?This module will?introduce students to the ways in which economists think about the environment. The module?will explore the most pressing environmental issues, and how addressing the?same?should be incorporated?into ESG-conscious?business?practices.?
Module aims - intentions of the module
This module will?introduce the?core ideas and philosophies underpinning the study?of Environmental Economics, as well as explore?the key environmental issues,?which?impact the achievement of sustainable development,?with special?reference to climate change, pollution,?waste, resource depletion,?deforestation and biodiversity.
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. critically reflect on how economists view and approach the environment
- 2. critically evaluate the vast interdependence between the economy and the natural environment in terms of a materials balance perspective
- 3. critically discuss the ?Limits to Growth? hypothesis and whether it stands up to thorough academic scrutiny
- 4. critically discuss Sustainable Development as a prerequisite for minimizing the impacts of economic growth on resource use and waste assimilation sinks
- 5. critically reflect on the contemporary environmental issues that inform Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) metrics, with special reference to climate change, pollution, resource depletion, waste, deforestation, and biodiversity
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 6. interpret secondary data and published findings
- 7. evaluate the effectiveness and appropriateness of environmental-related ESG interventions
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 8. synthesise relevant data to substantiate the need for ESG alignment
- 9. display written communication skills
- 10. carry out a critical evaluation of environmental policies
Syllabus plan
- How do Economists Perceive the Environment??
- Why is the ‘Limits to Growth’ Hypothesis Controversial??
- Is the Quest for Sustainable Development Achievable??
- Climate Change: How Bad Is It? How Bad Could It Get? What Can We Do About It???
- Pollution: How Bad is It? What Can be Done??
- Resource?Use:?How Much is?Enough??
- Waste: The Search for Effective?Waste Management Policies?
- Deforestation: Where,?Why?and How Much??
- Biodiversity?Conservation: Do or Die??
- Business and the Environment: Where to From Here??
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 120 | 180 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activity | 120 | Asynchronous online learning activities |
| Guided Independent Study | 180 | Including preparation for online content, reflection on taught material, wider reading and completion of assessments |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Open Ended Questions | 120 words per week | 1-10 | Individual Feedback |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 65 | 0 | 35 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Video presentation | 35 | 10 ? 15 minutes | 1-3 | Written feedback |
| Individual assignment | 55 | 3000 words or equivalent | 4-10 | Written feedback |
| Module Reflection | 10 | 500 words or equivalent | 1-10 | Written feedback |
Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Video presentation | Video presentation | 1-3 | Reassessment Period |
| Individual essay | Individual essay | 4-10 | Reassessment Period |
| Module reflection | Module reflection | 1-10 | Reassessment Period |
Re-assessment notes
Deferral – if you have been deferred for any assessment you will be expected to submit the relevant assessment. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of deferral will not be capped and will be treated as it would be if it were your first attempt at the assessment.
Referral – if you have failed the module overall (i.e. a final overall module mark of less than 50%) you will be expected to submit the relevant assessment. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of referral will be capped at 50%
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
?
Field, B. and Field, M.K. (2020). ISE Environmental Economics. 8th Edition. McGraw-Hill: New York.
Tietenberg, T.H. and Lewis, L. (2019). Environmental Economics: The Essentials. Taylor & Francis: New York.
Please note:?The above-mentioned textbooks?are introductory in nature, and are to be consulted?if further clarification of basic concepts and tools of analysis is required.
| Credit value | 30 |
|---|---|
| Module ECTS | 15 |
| Module pre-requisites | none |
| Module co-requisites | none |
| NQF level (module) | 7 |
| Available as distance learning? | Yes |
| Origin date | 10/11/2021 |