Course Information
SemesterCourse Unit CodeCourse Unit TitleT+P+LCreditNumber of ECTS Credits
8ECON 426Environmental Economics3+0+035

Course Details
Language of Instruction English
Level of Course Unit Bachelor's Degree
Department / Program BA Program in Economics
Type of Program Formal Education
Type of Course Unit Elective
Course Delivery Method Face To Face
Objectives of the Course This course will explore the development of ideas on natural resources and the environment from Adam Smith’s laissez-faire to Kenneth Boulding’s spaceship economy in a chronological order. Then the modern theories such as system dynamics, limits to growth and sustainability debate will be discussed.

The economic principles for the rational use of specific natural assets will be analysed along with existing policies. Pollution problem will be discussed at various levels and existing ideas on pollution control will be analysed from economic, social and legal viewpoints.

The course will seek to provide students with knowledge of concepts, methods, techniques and politics that underlie the study of contemporary environmental problems and natural resource use.
Course Content The environment is now at the top of the political agenda in all democratic countries. The issue is gathering a greater importance in Turkey under the pressure by the EU.

This course draws attention to regional, national and global environmental and resource problems (especially global warming) and discusses economic principles for the rational use of world’s natural resources such as air, water, farm land, fish stocks, forests, fossil fuel and metal deposits. Pollution problems, including the safe disposals of highly toxic nuclear wastes, are emphasised within the context of the spaceship economy.
Course Methods and Techniques
Prerequisites and co-requisities None
Course Coordinator None
Name of Lecturers Instructor Ayuba Napari ayubanapari@ihu.edu.tr
Assistants None
Work Placement(s) No

Recommended or Required Reading
Resources Kula E. (2012) Economics of Natural Resources, the Environment and Policies (2nd edition), London: Springer and Johnson Press.
Kula E. (2017) History of Environmental Economic Thought London and New York: Routledge
Tietenberg T. (2015) Environmental and Natural Resource Economics New York; Harper Collins
Kula E. (2017) Economics of Forestry-Modern Theory and Practice, Timber Press, Oregon, USA
Environmental and Resource Economics, Environmental Conservation, Interdisciplinary Journal of Economics and Business Law.
Electronic Journals: A number of journals disseminate their papers in electronic form. Also use Google’s search facility with keywords suck as Kyoto Protocol, carbon tax, energy policy, etc.

Course Category
Social Sciences %100

Planned Learning Activities and Teaching Methods
Activities are given in detail in the section of "Assessment Methods and Criteria" and "Workload Calculation"

Assessment Methods and Criteria
In-Term Studies Quantity Percentage
Mid-terms 1 % 40
Final examination 1 % 60
Total
2
% 100

 
ECTS Allocated Based on Student Workload
Activities Quantity Duration Total Work Load
Course Duration 14 3 42
Hours for off-the-c.r.stud 14 5 70
Mid-terms 1 15 15
Final examination 1 15 15
Total Work Load   Number of ECTS Credits 5 142

Course Learning Outcomes: Upon the successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
NoLearning Outcomes
1 Understand environmental problems at national, European and global levels
2 Acquire a firm idea on development of economic thought on the protection of the environment and the rational use of world’s limited resources
3 Appreciate strengths as well as weaknesses of fiscal and other tools designed to protect the environment
4 Develop a critical outlook on the proposed environmental protection policies
5 Understand economic principles for the best use of destructible resources such as fishing, fossil fuel deposits, mining, etc
6 Be aware of the risks involved in the nuclear sector


Weekly Detailed Course Contents
WeekTopicsStudy MaterialsMaterials
1 Economics of pollution control, global environmental problems, challenges facing Turkey and developing countries such as China and India, European carbon tax, pollution control policies in various countries, the Kyoto deal.
2 Economics of pollution control, global environmental problems, challenges facing Turkey and developing countries such as China and India, European carbon tax, pollution control policies in various countries, the Kyoto deal.
3 History of environmental economic thought including Adam Smith, Malthus, Ricardo, Mill, Jevons, Marx, Pigou, Coase, Boulding, Galbraith, Forrester’s system dynamics, Club of Rome’s limits to growth, sustainability debate.
4 History of environmental economic thought including Adam Smith, Malthus, Ricardo, Mill, Jevons, Marx, Pigou, Coase, Boulding, Galbraith, Forrester’s system dynamics, Club of Rome’s limits to growth, sustainability debate.
5 Christian and Islamic views on environmental protection.
6 Problems of nuclear waste disposal and the policies developed in the UK, USA, EU with case studies, economic appraisal of Akkuyu nuclear power plant.
7 Problems of nuclear waste disposal and the policies developed in the UK, USA, EU with case studies, economic appraisal of Akkuyu nuclear power plant.
8 Environmental valuation methods, hedonic price, contingent valuation, travel cost, option value, bequest value and case studies.
9 Environmental valuation methods, hedonic price, contingent valuation, travel cost, option value, bequest value and case studies.
10 Economics of mining and petroleum (the cake eating model) with examples.
11 Economics of forestry, profitability in forestry, case studies and identifying the optimum cutting age with and without carbon sequestration, environmental consequences of forest destruction in the tropics.
12 Economics of forestry, profitability in forestry, case studies and identifying the optimum cutting age with and without carbon sequestration, environmental consequences of forest destruction in the tropics.
13 Economics of fisheries (static and dynamic models) the common access problem, and right based fishery management in the tradition of Ronald Coase, USA and the European Union’s Common Fishery Policy.
14 Economics of fisheries (static and dynamic models) the common access problem, and right based fishery management in the tradition of Ronald Coase, USA and the European Union’s Common Fishery Policy.


Contribution of Learning Outcomes to Programme Outcomes
P1 P2 P3 P4 P5 P6 P7 P8 P9 P10 P11 P12
All 5
C1 5
C2 5
C3 5
C4 5
C5 5
C6 5

Contribution: 1: Very Slight 2:Slight 3:Moderate 4:Significant 5:Very Significant


https://obs.ihu.edu.tr/oibs/bologna/progCourseDetails.aspx?curCourse=209999&lang=en