enrironment

Economics 255: Environmental and Natural Resource Economics

Spring 2004
Instructor: Jim Casey
Contact Info: Rm. 104, Ext. 8102, Email: Caseyj
Prerequisite: Economics 101

This course meets from 9:00-12:00 on TTh

Contents
(1) Course Objectives
(2) Readings
(3) Requirements
(4) Course Outline

(1)Course Objectives: The course is an introduction to both environmental and natural resource economics. Throughout the semester we will see how economic principles can be and are being used in public and private decision making involving the management and use of environmental and natural resources. Aspects pertaining to fisheries, forests, species diversity, agriculture, solid waste and various economic policies to reduce air, water and toxic pollution will be discussed. The lectures, reading assignments, discussions and papers will be directed at using microeconomic analysis for dealing with environmental and natural resource problems.

(2) Readings:

Kahn, James R. The Economic Approach to Environmental and Natural Resources, The Dryden Press, Second Edition 1998.

Selected articles from - Resources for the Future

(3) Requirements: This class is normally taught during the 12 week semester, but due to overwhelming demand it is being offered as a spring term course. This means we are, quite literally, covering 12 weeks of material in 6 weeks. Therefore, for each class we will be reading two chapters from the textbook and at least one outside article (I will present and lead discussions of the articles).

The first week of the course will be lecture-oriented and I will provide notes (see below).

Each of the next two weeks a pair of students will be responsible for outlining and presenting each chapter to the class. Of course, you are not expected to be an expert, but you can certainly give us the high points from the chapter and prepare detailed notes for your classmates.

Week number four will bring us back to lecture oriented classes.

The final two weeks of the semester will be utilized for student paper presentations. Each student will write a short paper (Example below)

http://home.wlu.edu/~caseyj/sustainable_development/

and will prepare a 15 minute presentation (Powerpoint) for the class. The paper should be posted on the webpage by five p.m. the day before class so that the rest of us have a chance to read it before the presentation.

Additionally, there will be a problem set assigned each Thursday (due the following Tuesday) each of the first 5 weeks.

Finally, there will be a final exam to be scheduled at your convenience during the exam period.

Grading

Assignment Points
& discussion leading 25

paper & presentation 25
Problem sets (5) 25

Final Exam 25

(4) Course Outline

week 1 -

Tuesday April 20: Kahn chapters 1-2 Discussion Leader: Prof. Casey, chapter_notes_1& 2

Thursday April 22: Kahn Chapters 3-4 Discussion Leader: Prof. Casey, chapter_notes_3 & 4

week 2 -

Fisheries and Water Resources -