73-427   Sustainability, Energy, and Environmental Economics

Topics related to sustainability and the environment are increasingly important to businesses, policymakers, and the general public. This course applies the tools of economic analysis to the problems of environmental protection, natural resource management, and energy production and use. The course will begin by introducing students to how an economist approaches problems of market failure commonly found in environmental contexts. Next, we will explore models that characterize solutions to such environmental issues. We will then address questions regarding measurement, policy design, and, finally, we will apply the tools that we have developed during the semester to the problems of climate change, and the optimal management of non-renewable resources. (Lecture, 3 hours).