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Environmental Policy Instruments (ENST90017)
Graduate courseworkPoints: 12.5On Campus (Parkville)
About this subject
- Overview
- Eligibility and requirements
- Assessment
- Dates and times
- Further information
- Timetable(opens in new window)
Contact information
Semester 2
Overview
Availability | Semester 2 |
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Fees | Look up fees |
The course focuses on the economic theory and application of environmental policy instruments. The course covers both the conceptual and the practical understanding of regulatory as well as incentives-based approaches. Topics include pollution control, urban and rural water use, climate change, transportation, biodiversity loss, fisheries management and energy policy. Case studies from Australia, Europe, and the U.S. are used to analyse a range of policy instruments, including taxes, rebates, fees, permit trading, bans, informational policies, and legal instruments. The course will enable students to evaluate policy options using cost-effectiveness, economic efficiency, equity, fairness and other economic concepts as criteria.
Intended learning outcomes
Critically evaluate different regulatory approaches for dealing with environmental degradation;
Explain the difference between command-and-control and incentives-based policy instruments;
Explain the causes of market failure and their relationship to environmental problems;
Assess the reasons for and evaluate the effects of government intervention;
Understand the difference between taxes, tradable permits, subsidies, legal and information-based instruments, design standards and how they may be used to address environmental problems;
Apply the theories discussed in class to real-world environmental issues, including water use, energy use, climate change, pollution control, biodiversity, and fisheries management.
Generic skills
- High level of development: oral communication; written communication; application of theory to practice; critical thinking; synthesis of data and other information; evaluation of data and other information.
- Moderate level of development: collaborative learning; problem solving; team work; statistical reasoning; interpretation and analysis; accessing data and other information from a range of sources; receptiveness to alternative ideas.
- Some level of development: use of computer software.
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
None
Corequisites
None
Non-allowed subjects
None
Recommended background knowledge
Environmental Economics, Microeconomics, Managerial Economics
Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)
The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.
Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Assessment
Additional details
Assignment 1 (Approximately week 6) – 10% (approx. 750 words)
Assignment 2 (Approximately week 11) – 30% (approx. 2150 words)
End of Semester Exam (2 hours) - 60%
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Dates & times
- Semester 2
Principal coordinator Veronika Nemes Mode of delivery On Campus (Parkville) Contact hours 2.5 hours of lectures/seminars per week Teaching period 24 July 2017 to 22 October 2017 Last self-enrol date 4 August 2017 Census date 31 August 2017 Last date to withdraw without fail 22 September 2017 Assessment period ends 17 November 2017 Semester 2 contact information
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Further information
- Texts
Prescribed texts
Tom Tietenberg, Environmental and Natural Resource Economics, Pearson International Edition (9th ed), 2012.
Additional readings, journal articles, and multimedia materials may also be assigned and provided.
Recommended texts and other resources
Thomas Sterner, Policy Instruments for Environmental and Natural Resource Management, Published by Resources for the Future and The World Bank, 2012 (selected chapters)
James R. Kahn, The Economic Approach to Environmental and Natural Resources, Harcourt Brace Publisher, (3rd ed), 2004
- Related Handbook entries
This subject contributes to the following:
- Links to additional information
- Available through the Community Access Program
About the Community Access Program (CAP)
This subject is available through the Community Access Program (also called Single Subject Studies) which allows you to enrol in single subjects offered by the University of Melbourne, without the commitment required to complete a whole degree.
Entry requirements including prerequisites may apply. Please refer to the CAP applications page for further information.
Last updated: 3 November 2022