NIFK13006U The Economics of Climate Change

Volume 2023/2024
Education

MSc Programme in Climate Change

MSc Programme in Environmental Science
MSc Programme in Forest and Nature Management

 

Content

This course investigates the economic aspects of climate change and the economics of climate policy in a global perspective.

The course starts with a brief introduction of the key economic concepts, which are useful to analyze the climate change problem (e.g., efficiency and optimality, externalities and public goods, property rights, market failure).

The course then discusses the issues around international environmental problems from a game theory perspective. It analyzes several pollution control instruments, with a particular focus on the use of tax incentives and marketable permits to control emissions of greenhouse gases. As production of food is related to substantial emissions of greenhouse gases, the course also discusses how policy instruments can be applied to improve the sustainability of our eating habits.  

The final part of the course addresses the mitigation/adaptation problem, specific issues such as the role of energy prices, the transition to renewable energy and the situation and role of developing countries. The latter includes ethical principles underlying equity and environmental justice considerations in a North-South perspective.

The economic understanding and analysis of the transition to a sustainable and carbon neutral future is core to the course. Focus is on how to achieve sustainable and efficient regulation of GHG emission reductions and to identify costs and benefits of carbon reducing initiatives. The course treat the United Nations World sustainable development goals no. 7. Affordable and clean energy, 11. Sustainable cities and communities, 12. Responsible production and consumption and 13. Climate action.

Learning Outcome

The aim of the course is to provide a good understanding of the economic aspects of climate change and the economics of policy measures to control climate change. After completing the course the student should be able to:

Knowledge:

- Describe the basic concepts of market failure, (global) externalities and the rationale for public intervention to control externalities.

- Describe the relevant instruments to control the emission of GHG.

- Describe the economic principles and problems associated with global climate change agreements.

- Summarise the magnitudes of global costs and benefits associate with the control of climate change.

- Summarise the existing international climate change agreements and the instruments applied.

- Reflect on the ethical aspects of environmental justice and burden sharing in international climate policy.

 

Skills:

- Identify relevant approaches to economic analysis of GHG emissions and climate change.

- Select relevant instruments to control GHG emissions.

- Identify economic obstacles to global climate change agreements.

- Identify economic approaches to remove obstacles to global climate agreement.


Competences:

- Incorporate economic considerations in scientific and political analyses of climate change issues.

- Evaluate the different policy instruments available to control GHG emissions.

- Explain the relevance and limitations of economic approaches to the control of climate change.

- Assess the economic aspects of (current) climate policy negotiations and the relevance of the policy instruments suggested to realise the targets.

It is highly recommended that students have acquired basic competences in micro economics (e.g. LOJB10259 or similar courses).

Academic qualifications equivalent to a BSc degree is recommended.
Teaching comprises lectures and exercises including written course assignments where the students analyse the economic aspects of specific climate change issues. The assignments are organized as group work.
  • Category
  • Hours
  • Lectures
  • 42
  • Preparation
  • 136
  • Exercises
  • 24
  • Exam
  • 4
  • Total
  • 206
Oral
Collective
Credit
7,5 ECTS
Type of assessment
Written examination, 4 hours under invigilation
Type of assessment details
The written exam is in the course literature specified as "Curriculum for exam".
The course has been selected for ITX exam
See important information about ITX-exams at Study Information, menu point: Exams -> Exam types and rules -> Written on-site exams (ITX)
Exam registration requirements

Active participation in group assignment work and hand-in of a group assignment report. The report must be approved to allow participation in the final exam.

Aid
All aids allowed

As the exam is an ITX-exam, the University will make computers available to students at the exam. Students are therefore not permitted to bring their own computers, tablets, calculators, or mobile phones.

Marking scale
7-point grading scale
Censorship form
External censorship
Re-exam

Identical to ordinary exemination. If 10 or fewer register for the re-examination the examination form will be oral. The oral exam lasts 20 - 25 minutes with no time for preparation and no aids allowed.

If the student did not get the group project report approved, then the project must be carried out individually and it must be handed in three weeks prior to the  re-exam. It must be approved before the exam.

Criteria for exam assesment

Please refer to course description and learning goals