ECN372F Climate Economics - Online Version

Credits (ECTS):10

Course responsible:Knut Einar Rosendahl

Campus / Online:Online

Teaching language:Engelsk

Course frequency:Annually

Nominal workload:250 hours

Teaching and exam period:This course starts in Autumn parallel. This course has teaching/evaluation in Autumn parallel.

About this course

The course consists of two main parts:

i) THE GLOBAL CLIMATE REGIME AND CLIMATE NEGOTIATIONS. Here we discuss factors affecting the global climate negotiations and agreements such as the Paris agreement. Topics include: 1. Economic costs of climate change - how to value future damage costs, and how to deal with risk and uncertainty? 2. Main principles for the global climate regime - emission targets, global carbon price etc. 3. Fair distribution of emission targets between countries. 4. The climate game - what does economic theory tell us, and what is actually happening in the negotiations?

ii) NATIONAL CLIMATE POLICIES. Here we discuss different policies to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases. 1. Policies to reduce emissions in Norway and the EU. 2. Climate and technology policies. 3. Carbon leakage from national climate policies. 4. Policies for implementing Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation (REDD) in developing countries.

Learning outcome

The students should:

  • Apply environmental economic theory on the climate change problem, including explaining what is optimal reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from a global perspective, and which factors that are important in this respect.
  • Apply game theory to explain what drives countries' positions in the climate negotiations, and what kind of climate agreements one may expect based on economic theory.
  • Identify, analyse and understand the effects of policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, including the effect on emissions, costs, technological progress, and carbon leakage.
  • Identify, analyse and understand driving forces behind deforestation in developing countries, and how policies might be used to reduce deforestation.
  • Have knowledge about the international climate regime and climate policies, and insight to assess the effects of proposed climate policies.
  • Work both independently and in pairs in preparing written reports, making oral presentation and taking part in scientific discussions.
  • Lectures (including guest lecturers) with streaming and recording.

    Preparation of written discussion notes and oral presentation.

  • Feedback related to writing discussion notes.
  • Basic Microeconomics such as ECN110 Microeconomics I - How to Think Like an Economist.

    Basic Environmental Economics such as ECN170 Environmental and Resource Economics.

  • Written home exam (3,5 hours) that accounts for 100% of the grade.
  • External examiner will control the quality of questions for the home exam, and principles for the assessment.
  • Writing at least two discussion notes.

    Oral presentation of own discussion note and oral comment/question to someone else's note.

    Approved activities are valid until the next time the course is given. No re-examination is offered.

  • The course is given in English. Discussion notes must be written and presented in English. The same applies for the exam.
  • 2x2 hours lectures until end of October, and then presentations of discussion notes
  • Passed / Not Passed
  • Minimum requirements for entrance to higher education in Norway (generell studiekompetanse)