To develop your critical thinking and analytical reasoning skills in the following areas:
Additional Learning Objectives:
It is possible to succeed in this course without having done any previous
study of economics, but you will have a bit more work ahead of you than those
who do have an economics background. Emphasis is given to respecting diverse
viewpoints and perspectives.
Hackett, Steve, Environmental and Natural Resources Economics: Theory, Policy, and the Sustainable Society, (3rd Edition, M.E. Sharpe, Publishers, 2006). Note that the first and second editions of the textbook are not a satisfactory substitutes for the third edition.
Week 1 (21 & 23 Aug): Chapter 1--Introduction to Environmental and Natural Resources Economics
Week 2 (28 & 30 Aug): Chapter 2--Value Systems and Economic Systems
For further reading on the Internet:
· Internet Classics Archive (http://classics.mit.edu/Browse/index.html)
· McMaster U. History of Economic Thought Archive (http://socserv.mcmaster.ca/econ/ugcm/3ll3/)
Week 3 (04 & 06 Sept): Chapter 3--The Economics of Market Allocation
For further reading on the Internet:
· Antitrust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice (http://www.usdoj.gov/atr/index.html)
· European Union Competition Policy Website (http://europa.eu.int/comm/competition/index_en.html)
· Hayek Research Website (http://www.hayekcenter.org/friedrichhayek/research.html)
Week 4 (11 & 13 Sept): Finish Chapter 3, start Chapter 4--Externalities
For further reading on the Internet:
·
EPA’s
· Environmental Externalities in Electric Power Markets: Acid Rain, Urban Ozone, and Climate Change (http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/pubs_html/rea/feature1.html)
Week 5 (18 & 20 Sept): Quiz 1. Finish Chapter 4, start Chapter 5--The Economics of Natural Resource Systems Part I: Theory and Concepts. NOTE: Also read the parts of Chapter 15 having to do with local self-governance of common-pool resources (p. 454-62). One-page outlines of term papers are due Thurs!
For further reading on the Internet:
· Energy and Resources Group, UC-Berkeley (http://socrates.berkeley.edu/erg/index.shtml)
· Economic Sustainability and Scarcity of Natural Resources (http://www.rff.org/Documents/RFF-IB-00-tahvonen.pdf)
· Racing for Crabs (http://californiaagriculture.ucop.edu/0404OND/pdfs/crabs.pdf)
· The Value of the World’s Ecosystem Services and Natural Capital (http://www.esd.ornl.gov/benefits_conference/nature_paper.pdf)
· Economic Reasons for Conserving Wild Nature (http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/abstract/297/5583/950)
Week 6 (25 & 27 Sept): Chapter 5--The Economics of Natural Resource Systems Part I, continued. Focus on CA energy crisis, recycling economics, intuition on dynamic efficiency
Week 7 (02 & 04 Oct): Tues: Review for first midterm exam. First midterm exam Thurs! (Note that unlike some of the past first midterm exams on the course website, this first midterm includes coverage of Chapter 5).
Week 8 (09 & 11 Oct): Chapter 5 –Gordon model of a fishery; common-pool resource economics
Week 9 (16 & 18 Oct): Chapter 7--Measurement and Analysis of Benefits and Costs (summary coverage of key concepts; discuss CA Energy Comm. study on Klamath dams)
For further reading on the Internet:
· EPA's Guidelines for Preparing Economic Analyses (http://yosemite.epa.gov/ee/epa/eed.nsf/webpages/Guidelines.html)
· Resources for the Future’s Cost Benefit Analysis Website (http://www.rff.org/rff/Cost-BenefitAnalysis.cfm)
· Elwha River Ecosystem Restoration Environmental Impact Statement and other documents
·
California Energy Commission study of dam re-licensing
and decommissioning options for the
·
Addendum to California Energy Commission study
of dam re-licensing and decommissioning options for the
Week 10 (23 & 25 Oct): Chapter 8--The Political Economy of Environmental Regulation and Resource Management.
For further reading on the Internet:
· Federal Elections Commission Campaign Finance Reports (http://www.fec.gov/disclosure.shtml)
· National Institute on Money in State Politics (http://www.followthemoney.org/)
· Montreal Protocol for Substances that deplete the Ozone Layer (http://ozone.unep.org/Treaties_and_Ratification/2B_montreal_protocol.shtml)
· Keohane et al: The Positive Political Economy of Instrument Choice in Environmental Policy (http://www.rff.org/Documents/RFF-DP-97-25.pdf)
Week 11 (30 Oct & 01 Nov): Quiz 2. Chapter 9--Motivating Regulatory Compliance: Monitoring, Enforcement, and Sanctions.
For further reading on the Internet:
· Code of Federal Regulations (http://www.gpoaccess.gov/cfr/index.html)
· Cornell University Legal Information Institute's Coverage of Environmental Law (http://www.law.cornell.edu/topics/environmental.html)
· EPA Compliance and Enforcement Portal (http://www.epa.gov/compliance/)
Week 12 (06 & 08 Nov): Chapter 10--Creating Incentives for Environmental Protection and Resource Management (focus on cap-and-trade). Final term papers due Thurs!
For further reading on the Internet:
· Clean Air Markets (http://www.epa.gov/airmarkets/)
· Stavins: Experience with Market-Based Environmental Policy Instruments (http://www.rff.org/Documents/RFF-DP-01-58.pdf)
· International Experiences with Economic Incentives for Protecting the Environment (http://yosemite.epa.gov/ee/epa/eermfile.nsf/vwAN/EE-0487-01.pdf)
Additional Optional
Week 13 (13 & 15 Nov): Tues: Review for second midterm exam. Second midterm exam Thurs!
*** Thanksgiving break week – no class on 20 & 22 Nov ***
Week 14 (27 & 29 Nov): Chapter 11--Global Climate Change: Science, Policy, and Economics
Week 15 (04 & 06 Dec): Posters due for poster session Tues! Thurs--grades, final exam comments, course evaluation
Week 16 (10 – 14 Dec): Optional final exam – 9:30 class has its final on Thurs 13 December from 8 to 9:50 am in the classroom. 11:00 class has its final on Tues 11 December from 10:20 to 12:10 in the classroom..
My responsibility as professor is to lead and motivate students who are committed to the learning process, and to determine the extent to which students have mastered the material covered in this course. I aim to be courteous, respectful, and responsive to student needs. Grades are assigned based on my professional judgment of the quality of your work and are not subject to negotiation. Students are responsible for their learning outcomes and their performance on all assignments. Students are expected to attend class regularly and on time, are expected to be active learners who contribute to the classroom discussion, and are expected to be courteous and respectful of others. Please contact me if you have a problem or a conflict relating to the course. Late or missing work will receive a grade of 0. All of us are subject to HSU and CSU policies, which include nondiscrimination, academic honesty, student discipline, and family educational rights and privacy.
It is my goal to create a friendly, inclusive, and rigorous classroom culture in which everyone is welcome to comment and contribute, and in which diversity is respected. I want this to be a class that we all look forward to attending, and that we can look back upon as having been a very positive experience.
There will be two quizzes during the semester, one before each examination. Each quiz is worth 5 percent of your total grade. Click here to see old quizzes with answers.
You will be asked to sit for two mid-term examinations. The format of these
exams may include short answer, matching, and computational problem-solving.
Click here to
see old midterm exams with answers.
You will write a research paper. The assignment begins with a one-page outline
of your planned research project, which is worth 5 percentage points. Building
on this outline, you then write a short (target length of 7 double-spaced pages
of text; do NOT exceed) word-processed research paper worth 20 percentage
points. Examples of some strong research papers from past semesters are given
in the student
essays component of the course Internet site. Research paper
requirements: All research papers will have a paper cover page
(please, no plastic covers or binders!) listing title, author, course and
professor, and date, 6 -7 pages of double-spaced text with font size
of 10 - 12, margins of at least 3/4 of an inch, and with pages numbered (have sources
cited in the text as follows: "Smith (1996) stated..."), a list of authoritative sources cited in the narrative (a minimum of 5, preferably
more; Wikipedia does not count as an authoritative source), and any tables, figures,
or other appendix material you would like to include (not a place to dump
more text). Staple your essay in the upper left-hand corner--no plastic
covers or binders! It is recommended that you discuss your topic with me
beforehand, which will allow you to get feedback from me and likely improve
your grade. Please note that the grade of "A" is reserved for work
that is truly an outstanding achievement. In contrast, "B" refers to
work that is more than satisfactory ("C") but not quite an
outstanding achievement. Your research paper grade will be determined based on
(1) mastery of economic concepts, degree of economic sophistication, and the
quality of your description of the linkages between the economic concept and
the environment or natural resources, (2) quality of writing, and (3)
thoroughness of your research. Click here
to see the grading rubric I will use on your research paper.
You will prepare of a poster that summarizes your research paper. Posters should be sufficiently large as to include the title and author's name, summary narrative in easy-to-read format, substantial economic content, accompanying pictures or diagrams or numerical examples, and key references cited. Posters will be displayed in class and a "poster session" will be held in which students can freely circulate in an unstructured setting and see other people's work. Posters will be graded based on each of the elements above and on quality of layout and graphics.
You may elect to sit for the comprehensive final examination, which is
optional. A student's grade on the final will ONLY count if it exceeds one of
her/his mid-term exam scores, in which case it will replace that score.
Students can elect not to take the final if their mid-term exam scores are
satisfactory.
Numerical scores between 0 and 100 are assigned for each graded item. Your overall course numerical score is equal to the weighted sum of your numerical scores on each graded element of the course:
Course Numerical Score = 0.10*(Class Participation Score) + 0.10*(Quiz Scores) + 0.05*(First Draft of Research Paper Score) + 0.25*(First Midterm Exam Score) + 0.20*(Research Paper Score) + 0.25*(Second Midterm Exam Score) + 0.05*(Poster Session Score).
Note: The optional final exam score replaces the lowest midterm exam score if it exceeds it.
Your overall course numerical score will then be converted into a letter grade for the course based on the following scale:
100 - 93: A
92.99 - 90: A-
89.99 - 88: B+
87.99 - 83: B
82.99 - 80: B-
79.99 - 78: C+
77.99 - 73: C
72.99 - 70: C-
69.99 - 68: D+
67.99 - 60: D
59.99 - 0: F