Spring 2005
Environmental Quality and the Economy in The Mexican Caribbean.
Environmental Quality and the Economy in The Mexican Caribbean.
Economic 385/386 takes an interdisciplinary approach to environmental economics by allowing students to learn economic theory in the classroom, apply it in the field, and learn about coastal ecology by living in the coastal state of Quintana Roo, Mexico. The primary question to be addressed in this course is how much are individuals, (tourists, residents, and non-users) willing to pay to protect the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System (MBRS). Corollary to this is the question of what is the economic impact of the MBRS on the economy of Quintana Roo.
This course will introduce techniques economists have developed to value non-market environmental resources. The two valuation techniques to be explored are (1) Travel Cost Method (TCM), and (2) Contingent Valuation Method (CVM). In addition to learning the theory, we will also design and administer a survey to determine how user groups and non-users value the MesoAmerican Barrier Reef System. This entails the application of economic theory and modeling to a real environmental issue.
At the end of this course students will be able to (1) read the literature on TCM and CVM, (2) determine for themselves the validity of environmental valuation for policy purposes and (3) more deeply understand the importance and value of environmental resources as they will have spent three weeks studying and living in the coastal ecosystems of Quintana Roo, Mexico** (Prerequisite: economics 101and permission of instructor).
**Normally in
the Spring I teach a 3 credit course on non-market valuation techniques.
ECON 385/386 builds upon the 3 credit course by covering the same amount
of material in 3 weeks that I normally cover in 6 weeks and allows students
to study coastal ecology, in the field, for 3 weeks, for a truly interdisciplinary
experience.
Evaluation of students will be based on (1) two exams (one on each valuation model) 20%, (2) the final paper and presentation 30%, (3) participation in evening discussion groups 30%, and (4) the content of a daily journal kept in the field 20%.
(4) http://www.ocean.udel.edu/level1/facultystaff/faculty/gparsons/ParsonsTravelCostText.pdf
(12) "International Ecotourism and the Valuation of Tropical Rainforests in Costa Rica." Menkhaus and Lober, Journal of Environmental Management. 1996.
(13) "Valuing Ecotourism in Madagascar." Maille and Mendelsohn, Journal of Environmental management. 1993.
(14) “The Contingent Valuation Debate: Why Economists Should Care.” – Paul R. Portney, The Journal of Economic Perspectives, Fall 1994, pp. 3-17.
(15) “Valuing the Environment through Contingent Valuation.” – W. Michael Hanemenn, The Journal of Economic Perspectives, Fall 1994, pp. 19-43.
(16) “Contingent Valuation: Is Some Number Better than No number?” – Peter A. Diamond & Jerry A. Hausman, The Journal of Economic Perspectives, Fall 1994, pp. 45-64.
(17) "Was the NOAA Panel Correct about Contingent Valuation?” - Richard T. Carson et al. Discussion Paper, Resources for the Future, 1996. pp. 1-28.
(18) “Valuing a Global Environmental Good” - Randall A. Kramer and D. Evan Mercer, Land Economics, May 1997, pp. 196-210.
(19) “Part-Whole Bias in Contingent Valuation: Will Scope Effects be Detected with Inexpensive Survey Methods?” – John C. Whitehead et al. Southern Economic Journal, July 1998, pp. 160-168.
(20) http://www.crc.uri.edu/field/lac/mexico/index.html
(21) http://marineeconomics.noaa.gov/Reefs/nwfl1.html
Monday, April 18 – Overall objective and expectations, Writing and presenting a scientific paper
“Valuing the Environment for Environmental Decision Making” – James R. Kahn Ch.4, pp. 87-127. "Nonmarket Economic User Values of the Florida Keys/Key West." Leeworthy and Bowker, 1997. Ecotourism and Sustainable Development: Who owns Paradise? Martha Honey. Island Press,1999.
“A Practitioner’s Primer on Contingent Valuation.” John C. Whitehead, 2001 "The Economic Value of Hiking: A Travel Cost Analysis of the Grandfather Mountain Wilderness Preserve." James F. Casey, 1994. http://www.ocean.udel.edu/level1/facultystaff/faculty/gparsons/ParsonsTravelCostText.pdf
More on TCM
Tuesday,
April 26 -
Survey Design and Focus Groups
Wednesday, April 27 - Survey Design and Focus Groups
Thursday, April 28 - Pretesting, discussion and comments
Friday, April 29 - Pretesting, discussion and comments
Monday, May 2 - Coral Reef Ecology introduction
Thursday, May 5 - Ecotourism, Turtle Walk,
Friday, May 6 - Community Participation
Saturday, May 7 - Overnight EXCURSION TO CALAKMUL RUINS.
Sunday, May 8 - Return to Akumal.
Monday, May 9 - Wetland Waste Treatment Technology, Sailing trip
Tuesday, May 10 - Interviews / Fieldwork
Wednesday May 11 - Interviews / Fieldwork
Thursday May 12 - interviews / Fieldwork
Friday May 13 - Snorkel the reef
Saturday May 14 - Overnight Excursion to Sian Kaan
Sunday May 15 - Transfer Tulum - Akumal
Monday May 16 - Interviews
Tuesday May 17 - Interviews
Wednesday, May 18- Interviews
Thursday, May 19 - Interviews
Friday, May 20 - Interviews
Saturday May 21 - Overnight excursion to Chetumal - UQROO
Sunday May 22 - Return to Akumal
Monday, May 23 - Summary statistics / Model Estimation
Tuesday, May 24 - Model Estimation
Wednesday, May 25 - Conclusions
Thursday, May 26 - Presentation at CEA
Friday, May 27 - Return to Virginia