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| ECON0920-1 | Basis of environmental economy
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| Duration : | 20h Th, 5h Pr |
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| Credits/ECTS : |
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| Holder(s) : | Henry‑Jean Gathon, Axel Gautier, Michel Hermans, Bernard Jurion |
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| Coordinator : | Bernard Jurion |
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| Language : | French language |
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| Course contents : | This course is conducted collegially by four teaching staff from the economics department. It consists of 4 parts each lasting four to six hours, and each with a different theme:
- market instruments and environmental fiscality (B. JURION): this part of the course highlights the "tools" used by politicians to persuade households and companies to adopt behaviour which is more appropriate for the protection of the environment. The advantages of market instruments (taxes, grants, delivery of negotiable permits) in terms of other policies such as the decision to impose direct constraints will be demonstrated. The decision to adopt environmental fiscality (eco-taxes, carbon taxes, ...) will be discussed and the reasons for delivering negotiable permits with the objective of minimising the costs of reducing polluting emissions will be explained.
- the economy of natural resources (A. GUATIER): this part of the course focusses on price setting, stock management, exhaustion of resources, extinction of species and sustainable development. The economic problems linked to natural renewable resources (fish, forests) and non-renewable resources (oil, minerals) will be discussed.
- transport and the environment (H.J. GATHON): this part of the course focusses,from the economic science point of view, on the links between transport and the environment. More specifically, the explanatory factors of demand and the characteristics of the offer of transport will be briefly analysed. This will be followed by a few action plans in the sector with a view to achieving the best allocation possible of resources and the guarantee of sustainable growth.
- energy policy (M. HERMANS): this part of the course will address the problem of climate change based on choices made by governments between fossil fuels and renewable energies. Initially, demographic development will be analysed as an important cause of climate change, highlighting the cases of China and India. Secondly, the choice between fossil fuels and renewable energy as made by different governments will be presented, focussing on the availability of energy resources for each country and the geopolitical situation of these resources. Thirdly, an analysis of major energy consumers and major polluters will be tackled, considering the consequences for the environment. Finally, a presentation of the methods of slowing down pollution of fossil energies, focussing on the difficulty of a simple and cheap solution while highlighting a future full of choices and a relatively higher cost for various consumers, as well as the lack of decisions taken by governments when faced with this dilemma. |
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| Course objective : | The aim of the course is to show, through a few significant themes, the contribution which economic science has made to the study of environmental questions and environmental policies. It also highlights the close links between economic development and the establishment of policies for protecting the environment, thus contributing to creating sustainable development. |
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| Prerequisites : | Students who have no prior training in economics should, if they can, choose the Introduction to Economics course, from the various initiation courses offered by the programme. |
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| Workshops : | There are no practical work sessions related to this course. |
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| Organization : | Four lectures of four to six hours each, on the themes given above. The course is organised in the first term. The exact time of the class is yet to be set. |
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| Written notes : | Each teacher will provide students with a document summarising the content of their presentation. |
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| Assessment : | A written exam is organised during the 1st and 2nd terms. Each teacher will set a questions relating to the subject matter they have taught. Each question is worth five points. |
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| Contacts : | Professor: B. JURION, Building B31, Room 1/55 - Phone: 04/366.30.47, e-mail: b.jurion@ulg.ac.be
Teaching assistant:
M. LEFEBVRE, Building B31, Room 1/57 - Phone: 04/366.30.42, e-mail: mathieu.lefebvre@ulg.ac.be |
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