SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS, SINGAPORE MANAGEMENT UNIVERSITY
ECON 213 Environmental Economics Term II 2008-2009
Instructor
Room:
Telephone:
E-mail:
Assistant Professor Tomoki FUJII
5038, SOE
6828-0279
tfujii@smu.edu.sg
Course Overview
This course aims at equipping students with economic methods to analyze environmental and
resource management issues. Students should have a basic knowledge in algebra,
elementary calculus, and optimization theory. This course combines theoretical analysis with
discussion on policy and management issues.
Course Objectives
Students in this course should:
1. Acquire a basic knowledge of the theories, concepts and principles of the field of
environmental and resource economics.
2. Understand the key issues in environmental and resource management.
Class Sessions
There will be one meeting in each week, each lasting three hours. Each class session will
involve a lecture and student presentations. There will be eight in-class quizzes. Lecture
notes are posted on SMUVista at least one week prior to start of class. Students are
expected to do the suggested readings before the class and bring a hard-copy of slides to
class. Students are expected to actively participation in the class.
Student Project
Students are required to review academic literature in environmental economics on a topic of
their choice in a group of three or less. Every group is expected to make mid-term
presentation and final presentation. You can start from a good survey article published in
journals like the Journal of Economic Literature, the Journal of Economic Perspectives and
the Review of Environmental Economics and Policy. Each group is required to submit a
synopsis of the presentation.
Assessment & Evaluation
Class Participation
Quizzes
Student Project
Midterm Exam
Final Exam
10%
30% (5% x 6)
15%
15%
30%
Required Texts
Perman, R., Ma, Y., McGilvray, J. and Common, M. Natural Resource and Environmental
Economics. 3rd Edition. Pearson.
Required Texts
Oates, W.E. (ed.) The RFF Reader in Environmental and Resource Policy. 2nd Edition.
Resources for the Future.
1
Course Schedule (Tentative)
The table below provides a guide to the course schedule but is subject to change.
Week
Topics
Chapter
Wk 1
Lecture 1: Math Review
-
Wk 2
Lecture 2: Introduction
1-4
Wk 3
Lecture 3: Welfare economic foundations
5
Wk 4
Lecture 4: Policy Instruments (I)
6-7
Wk 5
Lecture 5: Policy Instruments (II)
Wk 6
Lecture 6: International Problems
8
Wk 7
Mid-term Exam
Mid-term Student Presentation
10
Wk 8
RECESS
Wk 9
Lecture 7: Environmental valuation
Wk 10
Lecture 8: Risk and Uncertainty
11-12
Wk 11
Lecture 9: Non-renewable Resource Extraction
13
Wk 12
Lecture 10: Renewable Resources
14-15
Wk 13
Final student presentation
17
Wk 14
Revision Week
Wk 15
Examination
2