The course “Economics for the Environment’ begins with an explanation of what economics is. In this explanation, a role for economics in the consideration of environmental matters is established. The potential for markets to solve environmental problems is explored and this is accompanied by an analysis of government, or ‘command and control’ mechanisms for dealing with environmental issues. Throughout the course economic principles and techniques are set out. These include opportunity cost, demand, transaction costs, property rights and benefit cost analysis.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:

1. explain how the discipline of economics, and economic tools such as cost-benefit analysis, can be used to analyse environmental and natural resource use issues
2. describe the potential for market and government ('command and control) mechanisms to address environmental issues
3. appreciate the role of economics in the management of natural resources, including water, forests, energy, agriculture and wildlife, at local, regional and global levels. This course also provides the basic skills for further studies in environmental and resource economics.

Research-Led Teaching

A feature of the course will be the use, where possible, of recent research on real world examples.

Field Trips

There are no field trips. Students will be given feedback during tutorial sessions throughout the semester.

Additional Course Costs

None

Examination Material or equipment

Both Mid-term and Final Exams are open-book.

Required Resources

Harris, Jonathan M. and Brian Roach (2018). = HR. Environmental and Natural Resource Economics: A Contemporary Approach, 4th edn. Routledge. ANU Library e-book (shown as published in 2017)

HR is the main course textbook, except for some lectures on pollution economics, though TL may also be referred to in several places. Individual chapters can be found online in the e-books.

Note that only 3 people may access an ANU e-book at the same time. Thus, you may well not get online access to the textbooks at key times like just before an assessment or exam. You may wish to consider buying HR and/or download chapters you might need before those times.

Recommended Resources

Tietenberg, Thomas H. and Lynne Lewis (2018). = TL. Environmental and Natural Resource Economics, 11th edn. Routledge. ANU Library e-book (the first item listed under Tietenberg, Thomas H., author)

Optional Background Reading and Resources

See Additional Readings section of Wattle for extra sources, e.g. of data for lecture slides. Do open & browse the Reference Notes there on Jargon/Terminology, and on Numeracy & Units.

A textbook in ANU Library that may be found useful to explain basic economic concepts, with a lively style and many interesting examples, is:

Acemoglu, Daron, David Laibson and John A. List (2019). Microeconomics, 2nd edn. Pearson, 512pp. ANU Library e-book.

Recommended student system requirements 

ANU courses commonly use a number of online resources and activities including:

• video material, similar to YouTube, for lectures and other instruction
• two-way video conferencing for interactive learning
• email and other messaging tools for communication
• interactive web apps for formative and collaborative activities
• print and photo/scan for handwritten work
• home-based assessment.

To fully participate in ANU learning, students need:

• A computer or laptop. Mobile devices may work well but in some situations a computer/laptop may be more appropriate.
• Webcam
• Speakers and a microphone (e.g. headset)
• Reliable, stable internet connection. Broadband recommended. If using a mobile network or wi-fi then check performance is adequate.
• Suitable location with minimal interruptions and adequate privacy for classes and assessments.
• Printing, and photo/scanning equipment

For more information please see https://www.anu.edu.au/students/systems/recommended-student-system-requirements

 

 

Staff Feedback

Students will be given feedback in the following forms in this course:

• Verbal feedback during tutorials

Student Feedback

ANU is committed to the demonstration of educational excellence and regularly seeks feedback from students. Students are encouraged to offer feedback directly to their Course Convener or through their College and Course representatives (if applicable). The feedback given in these surveys is anonymous and provides the Colleges, University Education Committee and Academic Board with opportunities to recognise excellent teaching, and opportunities for improvement. The Surveys and Evaluation website provides more information on student surveys at ANU and reports on the feedback provided on ANU courses.

Other Information

Referencing in tutorial exercises, and in exams

For the tutorial exercises, including references in your answers is optional. Just stating standard results accurately without references is enough; but you can add references if you wish, though make sure they are appropriate ones! To save space, you can reference a textbook like this in the text of your answer: '(HR Box 3.2)', '(HR Fig. 3.4)' or '(TL pp63-4)', and the lecture slides like this: '(Lec 2 slide 34)' or '(Lec 3 slide 10)' – without having to add any citations in a References list at the end. Referencing is permitted but not expected in exams.

Hints for assessment answers:

Answer the question as written, not the question you'd like to answer, and don't include irrelevant material. Generally, it's a good idea to include the wording of the question somewhere in your answer. For example, if somewhere in your answer to "Why does X happen?" you write "X happens because...", you're showing that you're answering the question.

Avoid too many passives like saying this or that wonderful environmental action should be done, otherwise you're often just indulging in wishful thinking. Say which people, firms or governments need to do these things, so that you realise the practical and political implications of what you're suggesting.

Including diagrams can gain you marks, or it can reveal your ignorance. For example, more than half of the ENVS2007 students who tried to draw HR Fig 8.5, or TL Fig 14.3 or 14.6, for an exam answer in 2019 made a mistake which showed they didn't understand the diagram.

 

General points:

Back up your laptop notes every day! Losing or breaking a laptop just before an assessment is due is not a valid reason for any special consideration.

Do not make travel plans during teaching weeks or the exam period! Planned travel (as opposed to travel for unforeseen reasons) is not a valid reason for deferred assessment.

For all assessment extensions, Special Assessment Considerations and Deferred Examinations, contact whoever of Paul or Thang is currently lecturing (copied to your tutor if appropriate) in the first instance.

Class Schedule

Week/Session	Summary of Activities	Assessment
1	Week dates: 22-26/2; Lecturer: Paul Wyrwoll; Topic: Introduction to economy & environment issues. Marginal cost & marginal benefits, total net benefit. Equilibrium, consumer & producer surplus; Text Reading: Harris & Roach Chapters 1, 2 and Appendix 3.1
2	Week dates: 1-5/3; Lecturer: Paul Wyrwoll; Topic: Environmental externalities, government and market failure, internalising externalities; Text Reading: Harris & Roach Chapter 3	Class work and quizzes during weekly lecture Tutorial exercises
3	Week dates: 8-12/3; Lecturer: Paul Wyrwoll; Topic: Economics of pollution control: principles; Text Reading: Harris & Roach Chapters 3, 8	Class work and quizzes during weekly lecture Tutorial exercises
4	Week dates: 15-19/3; Lecturer: Paul Wyrwoll; Topic: Cost-benefit analysis & discounting; Text Reading: Harris & Roach Chapter 7	Class work and quizzes during weekly lecture Tutorial exercises
5	Week dates: 22-26/3; Lecturer: Paul Wyrwoll; Topic: Tragedy of the commons and public goods; Text Reading: Harris & Roach Chapter 4	Class work and quizzes during weekly lecture Tutorial exercises
6	Week dates: 29/3-2/4; Lecturer: Paul Wyrwoll; Topic: Fisheries economics and policy; forestry economics and policy; Text Reading: Harris & Roach Chapters 4, 18; 19	Class work and quizzes during weekly lecture Tutorial exercises Mid-semester examination
7	Week dates: 19-23/4; Lecturer: Thang Do; Topic: Environmental valuation; Text Reading: Harris & Roach Chapter 6	Class work and quizzes during weekly lecture Tutorial exercises
8	Week dates: 26/4-30/4; Lecturer: Thang Do; Topic: Water economics and policy; Text Reading: Harris & Roach Chapter 20	Class work and quizzes during weekly lecture Tutorial exercises
9	Week dates: 3-7/5; Lecturer: Thang Do; Topic: Economics of pollution control: applications; taxes vs. tradable permits; Text Reading: Harris & Roach Chapters 8, 13	Class work and quizzes during weekly lecture Tutorial exercises
10	Week dates: 10-14/5; Lecturer: Thang Do; Topic: Non-renewable resources and energy; Text Reading: Text Reading: Harris & Roach Chapters 5, 11, 17	Class work and quizzes during weekly lecture Tutorial exercises
11	Week dates: 17-21/5; Lecturer: Thang Do; Topic: Climate change; Text Reading: Harris & Roach Chapters 12-13	Class work and quizzes during weekly lecture Tutorial exercises
12	Week dates: 24-28/5; Lecturer: Thang Do; Topic: National income and environmental accounting. Global sustainability; Text Reading: Harris & Roach Chapterss 9, 10, 22

Tutorial Registration

Please register via course Wattle site

Assessment Summary

Assessment task	Value	Due Date	Return of assessment	Learning Outcomes
Tutorial exercises	10 %	*	*	1,3
Weekly quizzes	15 %	*	*	1,2,3
Mid-semester examination	25 %	21/03/2021	29/04/2021	1,2,3
Final examination	50 %	03/06/2021	01/07/2021	1,2,3

* If the Due Date and Return of Assessment date are blank, see the Assessment Tab for specific Assessment Task details

Policies

ANU has educational policies, procedures and guidelines, which are designed to ensure that staff and students are aware of the University’s academic standards, and implement them. Students are expected to have read the Academic Misconduct Rule before the commencement of their course. Other key policies and guidelines include:

• Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure
• Special Assessment Consideration Policy and General Information 
• Student Surveys and Evaluations
• Deferred Examinations
• Student Complaint Resolution Policy and Procedure

Assessment Requirements

The ANU is using Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the Academic Integrity . In rare cases where online submission using Turnitin software is not technically possible; or where not using Turnitin software has been justified by the Course Convener and approved by the Associate Dean (Education) on the basis of the teaching model being employed; students shall submit assessment online via ‘Wattle’ outside of Turnitin, or failing that in hard copy, or through a combination of submission methods as approved by the Associate Dean (Education). The submission method is detailed below.

Moderation of Assessment

Marks that are allocated during Semester are to be considered provisional until formalised by the College examiners meeting at the end of each Semester. If appropriate, some moderation of marks might be applied prior to final results being released.

Participation

Participation in both lectures and tutorials is strongly encouraged to get the most from the course.

Lectures will be recorded and available in advance of the normal time through Wattle but not in person. In addition, the lecturer will hold a Zoom meeting (Virtual Class) at the normal lecture time to highlight the lecture's main points and answer any students' questions about it.

Examination(s)

Please refer to the central examinations schedule for details about the scheduling of the final examination. The examination will be closed book. Past examination papers are available on the course Wattle site for review. These were set by a different lecturer, so there will be some changes to the topics covered, but the overall format will be the same.

Please note, that where a date range is used in the Assessment Summary in relation to exams, the due date and return date for mid-semester exams indicate the approximate timeframe in which the exam will be held; the due and return date for end of semester exams indicate the approximate timeframe in which the exam will be held and the date official end of Semester results are released on ISIS. Students should consult the course wattle site and the ANU final examination timetable to confirm the date, time and venue of the exam.

Assessment Task 1

Tutorial exercises

A short, written response (max. 1 page for ENVS students) to an assigned question (1 per student per semester, starting in Week 2, ending in week 11).

Full prose writing is required for all assessments: no writing in dot-point and/or note form. Submission of the tutorial questions are via a Turnitin link on Wattle.

Returned: by two weeks from the due dates

Students are expected to contribute on an on-going basis throughout the semester. The date range for this task comprises the start of the week 2 and the end of week 11.

Assessment Task 2

Weekly quizzes

Students will submit weekly quizzes before 10:00am Wed, via Wattle.

Returned: by two weeks from the due dates.

Quizzes will start in Week 2 and end in week 11.

The average mark of the 10 quizzes will count toward 15% of the total assessment.      

Assessment Task 3

Mid-semester examination

A Mid-semester examination (open-book) during an evening in Week 6 on content lectured in Weeks 1-4; 10 minutes study period plus 90 minutes writing.

Returned: by week 8

Assessment Task 4

Final examination

A Final examination (open-book) on all course contents from Weeks 1-12;

15 minutes study plus 120 minutes writing

The date range in the Assessment Summary indicates the start of the end of semester exam period and the date official end of semester results are released on ISIS. Please check the course Wattle site and the ANU final Examination Timetable http://www.anu.edu.au/students/program-administration/assessments-exams/examination-timetable to confirm the date, time and location exam.

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a core part of the ANU culture as a community of scholars. At its heart, academic integrity is about behaving ethically, committing to honest and responsible scholarly practice and upholding these values with respect and fairness.

The ANU commits to assisting all members of our community to understand how to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support academic integrity. The ANU expects staff and students to be familiar with the academic integrity principle and Academic Misconduct Rule, uphold high standards of academic integrity and act ethically and honestly, to ensure the quality and value of the qualification that you will graduate with.

The Academic Misconduct Rule is in place to promote academic integrity and manage academic misconduct. Very minor breaches of the academic integrity principle may result in a reduction of marks of up to 10% of the total marks available for the assessment. The ANU offers a number of online and in person services to assist students with their assignments, examinations, and other learning activities. Visit the Academic Skills website for more information about academic integrity, your responsibilities and for assistance with your assignments, writing skills and study.

Online Submission

You will be required to electronically sign a declaration as part of the submission of your assignment. Please keep a copy of the assignment for your records. Unless an exemption has been approved by the Associate Dean (Education) submission must be through Turnitin.

Hardcopy Submission

No hardcopy submission is required for any assessment

Late Submission

Extensions and late submission of assessment pieces are covered by the Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure. The Course Convener may grant extensions for assessment pieces that are not examinations or take-home examinations. If you need an extension, you must request it in writing on or before the due date. If you have documented and appropriate medical evidence that demonstrates you were not able to request an extension on or before the due date, you may be able to request it after the due date.

Late submission of assessment tasks without an extension are penalised at the rate of 5% of the possible marks available per working day or part thereof. Late submission of assessment tasks is not accepted after 10 working days after the due date, or on or after the date specied in the course outline for the return of the assessment item.

Referencing Requirements

Accepted academic practice for referencing sources that you use in presentations can be found via the links on the Wattle site, under the file named “ANU and College Policies, Program Information, Student Support Services and Assessment”. Alternatively, you can seek help through the Students Learning Development website.

Returning Assignments

Marked tutorial exercises and in-class quizzes will be returned online via Turnitin within 2 weeks of submission. The Mid-semester exam will be returned in class by the beginning of Week 8, or by appointment.

Extensions and Penalties

Extensions and late submission of assessment pieces are covered by the Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure. Extensions may be granted for assessment pieces that are not examinations or take-home examinations. If you need an extension, you must request an extension in writing on or before the due date. If you have documented and appropriate medical evidence that demonstrates you were not able to request an extension on or before the due date, you may be able to request it after the due date.

Resubmission of Assignments

Resubmission of assignments is not permitted.

Privacy Notice

The ANU has made a number of third party, online, databases available for students to use. Use of each online database is conditional on student end users first agreeing to the database licensor’s terms of service and/or privacy policy. Students should read these carefully. In some cases student end users will be required to register an account with the database licensor and submit personal information, including their: first name; last name; ANU email address; and other information.
In cases where student end users are asked to submit ‘content’ to a database, such as an assignment or short answers, the database licensor may only use the student’s ‘content’ in accordance with the terms of service – including any (copyright) licence the student grants to the database licensor. Any personal information or content a student submits may be stored by the licensor, potentially offshore, and will be used to process the database service in accordance with the licensors terms of service and/or privacy policy.
If any student chooses not to agree to the database licensor’s terms of service or privacy policy, the student will not be able to access and use the database. In these circumstances students should contact their lecturer to enquire about alternative arrangements that are available.

Distribution of grades policy

Academic Quality Assurance Committee monitors the performance of students, including attrition, further study and employment rates and grade distribution, and College reports on quality assurance processes for assessment activities, including alignment with national and international disciplinary and interdisciplinary standards, as well as qualification type learning outcomes.

Since first semester 1994, ANU uses a grading scale for all courses. This grading scale is used by all academic areas of the University.

Support for students

The University offers students support through several different services. You may contact the services listed below directly or seek advice from your Course Convener, Student Administrators, or your College and Course representatives (if applicable).

• ANU Health, safety & wellbeing for medical services, counselling, mental health and spiritual support
• ANU Diversity and inclusion for students with a disability or ongoing or chronic illness
• ANU Dean of Students for confidential, impartial advice and help to resolve problems between students and the academic or administrative areas of the University
• ANU Academic Skills and Learning Centre supports you make your own decisions about how you learn and manage your workload.
• ANU Counselling Centre promotes, supports and enhances mental health and wellbeing within the University student community.
• ANUSA supports and represents undergraduate and ANU College students
• PARSA supports and represents postgraduate and research students