ENVIROMENTAL ECONOMICS

Knowledge and understanding

The course focuses on the terminology and basic methods of economic science and environmental economics. The student will become aware of the complexity of environmental problems, and their economic nature.

Applying knowledge and understanding

The acquired knowledge allows the student to develop skills in environmental assessment. In addition, the student will be able to understand tools such as cost-benefit analysis, and policies to protect the natural resources and ecosystems of a sustainably developed country.

Making judgements

The course allows the student to develop independent judgment and to express considerations on the relationship between man and the environment and environmental sustainability.

Communication skills

The acquired knowledge allows to development of communicative and relational skills useful to the activity of environmental consulting 

Learning skills

The study of the discipline will help the student to understand economic dynamics, ecosystems, and the relationship between man and environment.

Part A (2 Credits)

Prof: Simona Monteleone

The program focuses on the basic principles of economic science, particularly on the themes of microeconomics, behaviors of economic agents, and the function of the market.

The content of part A of the course is as follows: economic science, the tools of economic analysis, demand, supply and market, the elasticity of supply and demand, the theory of consumer choice, the theory of supply, technology, and costs, perfect competition, and monopoly.

Part B (4 Credits)

Prof: Sebastiano Patti

The program is based on the basic principles of the environmental economy, focusing on the causes of environmental degradation, control policies, the assessment of environmental assets, the circular economy, and economic, environmental, and social sustainability.

The content of part B of the course is as follows: Economy and environment, sustainable development, economic, environmental, and social sustainability the causes of environmental degradation, pollution as negative externality, pollution control tools, the cost-benefit analysis, overview of methods of assessment of environmental assets, circular economy.

Part A (prof. Monteleone)

1. The consumer equilibrium
2. Define the meaning of the indifference curve
3. The marginal rate of substitution 
4. Externality 
5. The economies of scale
6. The profit of the monopolist
7. The demand curve 
8. The price elasticity of demand
9. The cross elasticity
10. The optimal combination of productive factors

Part B (prof. Patti)

1. Strong and weak sustainability 
2. The circular economy
3. The European Union Action Plan
4. The externality of pollution
5. The instruments of pollution control
6. The cost and benefit analysis
7. The method of contingent valuation 
8. The assessment of environmental assets
9. Ecological taxes
10. Environmental degradation