Unit information: Environmental Economics in 2022/23

Unit name	Environmental Economics
Unit code	EFIM30004
Credit points	20
Level of study	H/6
Teaching block(s)	Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24)
Unit director	Professor. Birdi
Open unit status	Not open
Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units)	EFIM20033 Intermediate Microeconomics AND EFIM20034 Intermediate Macroeconomics AND EFIM20011 Econometrics 1 OR EFIM20038 Microeconomic Analysis AND EFIM20037 Macroeconomic Analysis AND EFIM20010 Applied Quantitative Research Methods
Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units)	None
Units you may not take alongside this one	None
School/department	School of Economics
Faculty	Faculty of Social Sciences and Law

Unit Information

Why is this unit important?

Environmental concern has become increasingly prominent as a matter for public debate and policy. Sustainable development, pollution, climate change and the exploitation of renewable and non-renewable resources are fundamentally resource allocation problems on which economics has much to say.

How does this unit fit into your programme of study?

This unit will address these real world environmental problems by building on microeconomic theory and quantitative methods from the first and second year.

Your learning on this unit

Unit aims

• To introduce you to some of the major concerns of environmental economics such as pollution, sustainable development, destruction of biodiversity, and global warming.

• To apply and develop tools and economic concepts introduced in the core economics units to appreciate and analyse issues related to the environment, in both national and international contexts.

• To introduce dynamic models to analyse the economics of renewable and non-renewable resources.

• To introduce valuation methods for environmental goods for which no market exists.

Intended Learning Outcomes

At the end of the unit, students should

• show close familiarity with models routinely used by economists to analyse environmental problems in areas such as valuation, management of biodiversity and climate change.
• be confident making and defending arguments about environmental policy within a context of scientific uncertainty.
• demonstrate a mature and nuanced appreciation of the contribution that economics can make to understanding complex environmental issues while being able to articulate the limitations of a single disciplinary approach.

How you will learn

Teaching will be delivered through a combination of large and small group classes, supported by online resources.

How you will be assessed

Tasks which count towards your unit mark

Project (2,500 words) (100%) based around one or more contemporary environmental issues. 2500 words

When assessment does not go to plan

Normally, there are no opportunities for reassessment in final year units. Where students are taking this as a non final-year unit, as part of an MSci, students would submit a project (100%) as a reassessment.

Resources

If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.

If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. EFIM30004).

How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks, independent learning and assessment activity.

See the Faculty workload statement relating to this unit for more information.

Assessment
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit. The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. If you have self-certificated your absence from an assessment, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (this is usually in the next assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any extenuating circumstances and operates within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.