• Class Number 7175
  • Term Code 3260
  • Class Info
  • Unit Value 6 units
  • Topic On Campus
  • Mode of Delivery In Person
  • COURSE CONVENER
    • Prof Paul Burke
  • LECTURER
    • Prof Paul Burke
  • Class Dates
  • Class Start Date 25/07/2022
  • Class End Date 28/10/2022
  • Census Date 31/08/2022
  • Last Date to Enrol 01/08/2022
SELT Survey Results

This course provides a broad coverage of environmental economics for Master and PhD-level students. The course covers market failure, the economics of pollution control, market-based instruments, environmental cost-benefit analysis, environmental valuation, the environment and the economy, global environmental problems, and other topics. Students will apply economic approaches to analyse policy options to better manage the environment at both the local and global levels.

Learning Outcomes

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

  1. Understand of the discipline of environmental economics, including its key principles and methods.
  2. Use economic techniques to analyse environmental problems.
  3. Apply economic techniques to analyse policy interventions aimed at improving the environment.
  4. Develop research skills in the field of environmental economics.

Required Resources

Textbook:

Perman, R, Ma, Y, Common, M, Maddison, D & McGilvray, J. 2011. Natural Resource and Environmental Economics, 4th edn, Addison Wesley.

Additional readings are an important part of the course and will be provided on Wattle.

Suitable texts for supplementary reading include:

Grafton, RQ, Adamowicz, W, Dupont, D, Nelson, H, Hill, RJ & Renzetti, S 2004, The Economics of the Environment and Natural Resources, Blackwell Publishing.

Hanley, N, Shogren, JF & White, B 2007, Environmental Economics: In Theory and Practice, 2nd edn, Palgrave Macmillan.

Kolstad, CD 2011, Environmental Economics, 2nd edn, Oxford University Press.

Tietenberg, T & Lewis, L 2018, Environmental and Natural Resource Economics, 11th edn, Routledge.

Staff Feedback

Students will be given feedback in the following forms in this course:
  • Written comments
  • Verbal comments
  • Feedback to the whole class, to groups, to individuals, focus groups

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.

Class Schedule

Week/Session Summary of Activities Assessment
1 Introduction to environmental economics
2 The economy and the environment
3 Market failure
4 Pollution analysis
5 Introduction to environmental policy instruments
6 Emissions taxes and abatement subsidies
7 Emissions trading schemes Mid-semester exam
8 Pollution control with imperfect information
9 International environmental problems
10 Environmental cost-benefit analysis
11 Valuing the environment
12 Irreversibility, risk and uncertainty

Assessment Summary

Assessment task Value Due Date Return of assessment Learning Outcomes
Mid-semester exam 20 % 23/09/2022 30/09/2022 1, 2, 3
Essay 30 % 24/10/2022 04/11/2022 1, 2, 3, 4
Contribution to class discussion forum 5 % 28/10/2022 04/11/2022 1, 2, 3, 4
Group tutorial problem set 5 % 28/10/2022 04/11/2022 1, 2, 3
Final exam 40 % 19/11/2022 * 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:

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 ANU Online website Students may choose not to submit assessment items through Turnitin. In this instance you will be required to submit, alongside the assessment item itself, hard copies of all references included in the assessment item.

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.

Assessment Task 1

Value: 20 %
Due Date: 23/09/2022
Return of Assessment: 30/09/2022
Learning Outcomes: 1, 2, 3

Mid-semester exam

Online exam during mid-semester exam period. 90 minutes of writing time.

Assessment Task 2

Value: 30 %
Due Date: 24/10/2022
Return of Assessment: 04/11/2022
Learning Outcomes: 1, 2, 3, 4

Essay

A list of essay topics will be distributed in Week 1. The topics will invite students to apply economic techniques and/or principles to analyse an environmental issue or policy. Please choose a topic and write a 2,500-word essay on it.

Your essay should not exceed the word limit and will be subject to standard ANU penalties if it does. The limit is for everything other than references.

Plagiarism will be treated extremely seriously, in keeping with ANU policies. The essay must follow the Crawford School referencing style.

The following criteria will be used in assessing essays:

(1) Relevance to the topic.

(2) Soundness and clarity of argument and economic thinking.

(3) Clarity of structure.

(4) Familiarity with relevant literature.

(5) Accuracy.

(6) Originality and independence of thought.

(7) Clarity of communication (requires good spelling, grammar, punctuation).

(8) Appropriate references and referencing style.

Assessment Task 3

Value: 5 %
Due Date: 28/10/2022
Return of Assessment: 04/11/2022
Learning Outcomes: 1, 2, 3, 4

Contribution to class discussion forum

Discussion questions will be posted on Wattle. Students will be expected to actively contribute to the online discussion, making a minimum of 3 posts during semester. The grade will be based on each student's overall contribution in terms of high-quality and timely posts. Provided that the threshold of 3 posts is met, the grade will be based on quality and timeliness of posts.

Assessment Task 4

Value: 5 %
Due Date: 28/10/2022
Return of Assessment: 04/11/2022
Learning Outcomes: 1, 2, 3

Group tutorial problem set

Form a group of two and submit a tutorial problem set prior to one tutorial during the semester.

Assessment Task 5

Value: 40 %
Due Date: 19/11/2022
Learning Outcomes: 1, 2, 3

Final exam

Online exam during the final exam period. 180 minutes of writing time.

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a core part of our culture as a community of scholars. At its heart, academic integrity is about behaving ethically. This means that all members of the community commit to honest and responsible scholarly practice and to upholding these values with respect and fairness. The Australian National University commits to embedding the values of academic integrity in our teaching and learning. We ensure that all members of our community 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 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 University has policies and procedures in place to promote academic integrity and manage academic misconduct. Visit the following Academic honesty & plagiarism website for more information about academic integrity and what the ANU considers academic misconduct. The ANU offers a number of services to assist students with their assignments, examinations, and other learning activities. The Academic Skills and Learning Centre offers a number of workshops and seminars that you may find useful for your studies.

Online Submission

The ANU uses 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. While the use of Turnitin is not mandatory, the ANU highly recommends Turnitin is used by both teaching staff and students. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website.

Hardcopy Submission

For some forms of assessment (hand written assignments, art works, laboratory notes, etc.) hard copy submission is appropriate when approved by the Associate Dean (Education). Hard copy submissions must utilise the Assignment Cover Sheet. Please keep a copy of tasks completed for your records.

Late Submission

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 specified in the course outline for the return of the assessment item. Late submission is not accepted for take-home examinations.

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.

Extensions and Penalties

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 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.

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).
Prof Paul Burke
u4372088@anu.edu.au

Research Interests


environmental economics, energy economics, development economics

Prof Paul Burke

Monday 17:00 18:00
Prof Paul Burke
02 6125 0093
paul.j.burke@anu.edu.au

Research Interests


Prof Paul Burke

Monday 17:00 18:00

Responsible Officer: Registrar, Student Administration / Page Contact: Website Administrator / Frequently Asked Questions