Econ 57A, Environmental Economics
Assignments
Group Project Instructions
Class outline:
0. Kickstarter (pdf)
#### Materials under this are under development, and subject to change ####
1. Why Environmental Economics?
Readings: Fullerton and Stavins (1998); Boyle and Kotchen(2018); McCarthy (2019)
Readings: Keohane and Olmstead pp 11-30; Do you think like an economist (LA Times)
Readings: Keohane and Olmstead Chapter 5; Hardin (1968)
Optional Readings: Keohane and Olmstead pp 128-138.
4. How to Correct Market Failures?
Readings: Keohane and Olmstead Chapter 8; Ronald Coase and the Misuse of Economics (the New Yorker); Ostrom's Nobel Prize Press Release (the Nobel Committee); Martin Weitzman dies on August 27th (the Economist)
Optional Reading: Ostrom's Nobel Lecture;
5. Command-and-Control vs. Market-based Policy
Readings: Keohane and Olmstead pp. 168-184; Keohane and Olmstead pp 200-207; The Invisible Green Hand (the Economist);
Readings: Goodstein and Polasky Chapter 5; EPA Plans to Revisit a Touchy Topic (New York Times)
Readings: Keohane and Olmstead pp. 35-40, 43-44; Give me green, and jobs, but not green jobs (the Economist); Why Green Energy Can’t Power a Job Engine (NYTimes)
8. Benefit-cost Analysis and Dynamic Efficiency
Readings: Keohane and Olmstead pp. 55-62; Goodstein and Polasky pp 146-150; Cunningham (2009)
Readings: Tietenberg and Lewis pp 107-116; Betting on the Planet (NYTimes)
Optinal Readings: Tietenberg and Lewis Chapter 6; Betting on the Apocalypse (NYTimes)
10. Water for Life
Readings: Tietenberg and Lewis pp 197-207; West’s Drought and Growth Intensify Conflict Over Water Rights (NYTimes, link here)