INTS 4397: The Environment, The Economy, & Human Well-Being
General Class Information
Quarter: Fall 2013
Class Times: Tuesdays Sep 10-Nov12, 2:00PM to 4:50PM
Final Exam Period: Tuesday Nov 19 2:00 to 3:50PM
Location: Sie 150
Instructor Information
Name: Dr. Dale S. Rothman
Office Hours: Thursdays 10-noon and by appointment
Office: Ben Cherrington Hall 178 (within the Pardee Center)
Email: drothman@du.edu
The Plan of the Course
In this course we will explore the role of the environment plays in society and the
determination of human well-being, and how this can be addressed from an economic
perspective. A core premise of the course is that the human economy is embedded within
the broader context of human society, which in turn is embedded within a natural
environment. The natural environment provides a variety of goods and services, which,
through interactions between the environment, individuals, and society, contribute to
human well-being. Some of these services are directly used by people. Others contribute
indirectly by allowing for the continued provision of other services. As such, any
discussion of human well-being and development that ignores the natural environment is
inherently problematic. We will specifically adopt an economic perspective, but one that
goes well beyond that of conventional neoclassical economics.
In a 10-week session it is not possible to cover fully all aspects of the role of the
environment plays in society and the determination of human well-being. Thus, this
course is intended to provide a basic foundation upon which students will be able to
build. Through a research project, each student will have the opportunity to explore in
more depth an issue of specific interest to them.
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Session 1 will provide a general overview of the topics to be addressed in the
course. In addition, we will spend some time getting to know each other and
going over my expectations for the course, your expectations for the course, and
the course requirements.
In the next two weeks we will focus on the two concepts that lie at the heart of the course
– human well-being and the natural environment.
 Session 2 will focus on the concept of human well-being. What is it? How has it
been defined? What are the implications for thinking about the role of the
environment in enhancing it?
 Session 3 will focus on what we mean by the natural environment. What goods
and services does it provide? What are key characteristics of these goods and
services? What is necessary for their continued provision.
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In the next four weeks, we will examine the treatment of human well-being and the
natural environment in economic thought.
 Session 4 will provide a review of basic concepts in microeconomics. What are
the basic axioms and what are key complications. Where and how do human wellbeing and the natural environment fit in?
 Session 5 will focus on the concepts of value and valuation. What is value? Can it
be measured? If so, how?
 Session 6 will focus on questions of intra- and inter-temporal distribution and
value. How are measures of value aggregated across groups of people and over
time?
 Session 7 will focus on how society can, does, and should measure human wellbeing. How is the natural environment included? What are the differences
between measuring well-being at a single point in time versus measuring wellbeing over an extended period of time.
In the final three weeks, we will explore the implications of what we have learned for
policy making and development planning.
 Session 8 will look at basic ideas about how to apply our knowledge about the
contribution of the environment to human well-being to economic and more
general policy. How should we balance benefits and costs in the face of
uncertainty, ignorance, and multiple perspectives? What are the limits of
economics in helping us to make decisions?
 Session 9 will explore the concept of the Green Economy, which is becoming a
key buzzword among the international community. What does it mean and how is
the idea being used?
 Session 10 will provide us with a chance to reflect on what we have covered
during the quarter and to discuss how and where you might want to go beyond
this class in exploring the issues we have explored.
I am also looking in to bringing in some guests throughout the quarter. For example,
Andreas Rechkemmer, and incoming professor in the Graduate School of Social Work
and a former Executive Director of the International Human Dimensions Programme on
global environmental change will joint us at some point to provide us with a first hand
reflection on the upcoming UN Summit on the Millennium Development Goals.
Reading Materials:
We will be relying on two main texts for this class. The first is available at the DU
bookstore. You can purchase the second one if you wish online, but also feel free to read
the draft version of the chapters available for free at http://www.teebweb.org/wpcontent/uploads/Study%20and%20Reports/Reports/Ecological%20and%20Economic%2
0Foundations/TEEB%20Ecological%20and%20Economic%20Foundations%20report/TE
EB%20Foundations.pdf.
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Daly and Farley Daly, Herman E. and Joshua Farley. 2011. Ecological
Economics: Principles and Applications, 2nd ed. Washington: Island Press.
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TEEB Kumar, Pushpam (ed.). 2010. The Economics of Ecosystems and
Biodiversity: Ecologic and Economic Foundations, London: Earthscan.
There will also be a number of additional readings. These will either be available on the
web or will be provided by the instructor. Most of these are already indicated in this
syllabus. Others will be added during the quarter. Some of these may seem a bit dated,
e.g., the Maslow piece from 1943 in week 2. These are generally classics, however, and it
is likely you have come across references to them (or at least their authors) even if you
have never read the originals. They also provide a nice complement to some of the more
‘cutting edge’ items we will be looking at throughout the quarter.
Use of Blackboard
I use Blackboard to help manage the course. This syllabus and any revisions will be
posted on the course Blackboard site as will any readings that are not readily available
through the library or internet. There will also be periodic announcements related to the
class. You will find the following menu choices on the site:
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Announcements: general announcements related to the course, including weekly
questions
Course Documents: this contains several subfolders
o Syllabus and Class Roster – the syllabus and a photo class roster
o Readings – required readings/other material that are not in the main text or
easily accessible on the internet
o Class Presentations and Notes – copies of my class presentations and
lecture notes (added after each session)
o Samples – a sample weekly writing, paper outline, power point
presentation, and final paper from a previous student, along with a list of
past paper topics. There is no sample poster as this is replacing the power
point presentation from past years
Web Sites: a collection of links to websites of interest for the class
Email: here is where you can send an email to me and other members of the class
as a group or to select persons.
Faculty Information: this provides my basic contact information.
Course Requirements and Grading.
Your course grade will be based upon the following components:
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Weekly writings and class participation (50%): Most weeks you will be required
to prepare a brief, no more than 1-page, think piece related to the required
readings and any other material for that week. I will provide a couple of questions
to stimulate your thinking each week at the end of the previous session and will
post these in the announcements section of the class website. In addition, I will be
looking for your personal reactions to and reflections on the week’s topic. I am
not looking for summaries of the readings.
Please bring hard copies of your writings these to the class sessions so that
you have them available for the discussion. You will hand these in at the end
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of each class. If you know in advance that you will be unable to attend a
specific class, please let me know and submit your think piece to me
electronically prior to the class session.
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Research project (50%): You will be required to undertake a research project
focusing on a topic related to the subject matter of the course. This can be any
topic proposed by the student and agreed to by the instructor. Your deliverables
for this project include an annotated outline, a poster presentation, and a final
paper.
o Annotated Outline: This should be a complete outline including: an initial
annotated table of contents, including brief text providing an indication of
what each section will cover, and list of key resources you expect to draw
upon. You will have the opportunity to revise this outline as you continue
to research your topic and prepare your final paper. Bring a hard copy of
a first draft the week we have the writing workshop, October 1.
Submit a revised version electronically to me by the start of class the
following week, October 8.
o Poster presentation: The final exam period, November 19, will be
devoted to presentations of your research topics research. This will take
the form of a poster session. Your poster should provide an overview of
your research and utilize text and figures from your final paper. You need
to be prepared to give a brief verbal overview of your research as the class
will rotate around the room viewing each other’s posters and listening to
your spiel. Specific details for the posters, e.g. size, will be forthcoming.
o Final Paper: The paper should be presented as a professional paper, as
nearly ready for distribution/publication as possible. The length of the
paper should be approximately 15 pages for all components beyond the
title page and table of contents, i.e. text, figures, tables, bibliography, and
appendices. They should include a brief abstract/executive summary of no
more than one page. They should be single-spaced with double spacing
between paragraphs, use 12-point Times New Roman font, 1-inch margins
on all four sides, and have page numbers. I am happy to provide feedback
on early drafts. Submit your final paper electronically by the end of the
Final examination period, i.e. by 5PM on Thursday Nov. 21.
In working on your research project, in addition to consulting with me, please
consider using the Research Center, located in the Anderson Academic Commons
(nee the library). The Center answers research questions seven days a week by phone,
email, in-person, and chat. One-on-one research consultations are also available on a
drop-in basis or by appointment. Consultations can help you at any stage of the
research process, from refining your topic, to finding books and articles, to creating a
bibliography with RefWorks. Ask a question or make an appointment by clicking on
the “Ask Us” button at http://library.du.edu. I have also scheduled for Chris Brown to
provide a Library Workshop during the first hour of our second class session on Sept.
17.
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A sample weekly writing, outline, presentation, and final paper from a previous student
can be found on the Blackboard site under Course Documents, Samples. The poster
presentation is new this year, replacing a power point presentation in previous years, so
there is not a sample from past classes.
Course Policies
I follow a flexible before/rigid after (putty/clay) approach to deadlines. In other words, if
you foresee a problem meeting a specific deadline and speak with me beforehand, I will
usually be fairly flexible. However, if you wait until the day of the deadline or sometime
after, do expect to have deductions taken from your mark for that assignment.
Since I assume your research project will be of high quality and turn up literature in
which I will likely have an interest, make sure that you do not have missing or incomplete
references. This is a particular peeve of mine and will be reflected in your mark on the
paper.
All work submitted in this course must be your own and produced exclusively for this
course. The use of sources (ideas, quotations, paraphrases) must be properly
acknowledged and documented. For the consequences of violating the Academic
Misconduct policy, refer to the University of Denver website on the Honor Code
(www.du.edu/honorcode), which defines academic misconduct as:
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Plagiarism, including any representation of another’s work or ideas as one’s
own in academic and educational submissions.
Cheating, including any actual or attempted use of resources not authorized by
the instructor(s) for academic submissions.
Fabrication, including any falsification or creation of data, research or
resources to support academic submissions.
Furthermore, all members of the University of Denver are expected to uphold the values
of Integrity, Respect, and Responsibility. These values embody the standards of conduct
for students, staff, faculty, and administrators as members of the University community.
These values are defined as:
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Integrity: acting in an honest and ethical manner;
Respect: honoring differences in people, ideas, and opinions;
Responsibility: accepting ownership for one’s own conduct.
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Sept 10. Session 1. Introduction and Course Overview
Readings providing
 Dr. Suess (1971) The Lorax – (story available on class Blackboard site; video
available at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKHar6X3Nnw)
 Birkett, Terri (1994). The Truax (available on class Blackboard site)
 Daly and Farley Ch. 1-3 “Why Study Economics?”, “The Fundamental Vision”,
and “Ends, Means, and Policy”
 Listen to Planet Money Podcast on Ecuadorian Rainforest (available on class
Blackboard site)
Sept 17. Session 2. Human Well-Being
 Library Workshop with Chris Brown during first hour of class
Readings
 Daly and Farley Ch. 13 “Human Behavior and Economics”
 Maslow, Abraham H. 1943. “A Theory of Human Motivation” in Psychological
Review, 50(4): 370-396. (available online)
 Sen, Amartya. 1993. “Capability and Well-being” in Martha C. Nussbaum and
Amartya Sen (eds.) The Quality of Life Oxford: Clarendon Press. pp. 30-53.
(available on class Blackboard site)
 Max-Neef, Manfred, Antonio Elizalde, and Martin Hopenhayn. 1991.
“Development and Human Needs” in Manfred Max-Neef (ed.) Human Scale
Development New York: The Apex Press. pp. 13-54 (available on class
Blackboard site)
 Listen to Bread and Roses (available on class Blackboard site)
Sept 24. Session 3. Nature’s Services
Readings
 Daly and Farley Ch. 4-6 “The Nature of Resources and the Resources of Nature”,
“Abiotic Resources”, and “Biotic Resources”
 TEEB Ch. 2 “Biodiversity, Ecosystems and Ecosystem Services”
http://www.voanews.com/content/the-secret-life-of-egyptian-pigs/1662922.html
http://www.doka.ch/ScottWillisAmigo.jpg
Oct 1. Session 4. Microeconomics: Foundations and Flaws
 Writing Workshop during first hour of class; bring in draft of your annotated
outline
Readings
 Daly and Farley Ch. 8-12 “The Basic Market Equation”, “Supply and Demand”,
“Market Failures”, “Market Failures and Abiotic Resources”, Market Failures and
Biotic Resources”
Oct 8. Session 5. Valuation
 Annotated outlines to be submitted electronically prior to start of class
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Readings
 Daly and Farley Ch. 24 “Efficient Allocation” only pp. 457-464
 TEEB Ch. 4-5 “The Socio-cultural Context of Ecosystem and Biodiversity
Allocation”, “The Economics of Valuing Ecosystem Services and Biodiversity”
 Goulder, Lawrence H. and Donald Kennedy. 2011. “Chapter 2: Interpreting and
Estimating the Value of Ecosystem Services” in Natural Capital: Theory and
Practice of Mapping Ecosystem Services (available on class Blackboard site).
Oct 15. Session 6. Intra- and Inter-temporal Distribution
Readings
 Daly and Farley Ch. 16 “Distribution”
 TEEB Ch. 6 “Discounting, Ethics and Options for Maintaining Biodiversity and
Ecosystem Integrity”
 Arrow, K., M. Cropper, C. Gollier, B. Groom, G. Heal, R. Newell, W. Nordhaus,
et al. 2013. “Determining Benefits and Costs for Future Generations.” Science
341 (6144) (July 26): 349–350. doi:10.1126/science.1235665. (longer underlying
working paper available at http://www.rff.org/RFF/Documents/RFF-DP-1253.pdf)
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Oct 22. Session 7. Measuring Well-Being and Sustainability
Readings
 Daly and Farley Ch. 14 “Macroeconomic Concepts: GNP and Welfare”
 Stiglitz, Joseph E., Amartya Sen and Jean-Paul Fitoussi. 2009. Report by the
Commission on the Measurement of Economic Performance and Social Progress,
Executive summary and Chapters 2 and 3 (short version pp. 41-82, long version
pp. 143-291, pay close attention to sections related to the environment) (available
at http://www.stiglitz-sen-fitoussi.fr/en/index.htm)
 UNDP. 2011. Human Development Report 2011: Sustainability and Equity: A
Better Future for All (available at http://hdr.undp.org/en/reports/global/hdr2011/)
(skim entire report including tables, look at Overview and Technical notes
carefully)
Oct 29. Session 8. Policy Implications
Readings
 Daly and Farley Ch. 21-24 “General Policy Design Principles”, “Sustainable
Scale”, “Just Distribution”, and “Efficient Allocation (pp. 464-476)”
 Coase, Ronald H. 1960. “The Problem of Social Cost” in Journal of Law and
Economics 3: 1-44. (available online)
 Hicks, John R. 1939. “The Foundations of Welfare Economics” The Economic
Journal 49(196): 696–712. (available online)
 Kaldor, Nicolas. 1939. “Welfare Propositions of Economics and Interpersonal
Comparisons of Utility” The Economic Journal 49(195): 549–552. (available
online)
Nov 5. Session 9. Case Study – The Green Economy
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We will be joined today by Andreas Rechkemmer, the recently hired Professor
& American endowed Chair in GSSW. You can learn more about him at
http://www.du.edu/socialwork/facultyandstaff/facultydirectory/appointed/rechke
mmer.html
Readings
Overview – Please read
 The Future We Want – Resolution from Rio+20 (available at
http://www.uncsd2012.org/thefuturewewant.html) Read section III. Green
economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication.
 UN DESA (2012) A Guidebook to the Green Economy - Issue 2: exploring green
economy principles Available at
http://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/index.php?page=view&type=400&nr=743&
menu=1516.
 Borel-Saladin, Jacqueline Madeleine, and Ivan Nicholas Turok. 2013. “The Green
Economy: Incremental Change or Transformation?” Environmental Policy and
Governance 23 (4) (July): 209–220. doi:10.1002/eet.1614.
Big Underlying Reports – Skim Intros
 OECD. 2011. Towards Green Growth, Organisation for Economic Cooperation
and Development. (available at http://www.oecd.org/greengrowth/48224539.pdf)
Read Introduction and Executive Summary.
 UNEP. 2011. Towards a Green Economy, United Nations Environment
Programme. (available at
http://www.unep.org/greeneconomy/Portals/88/documents/ger/ger_final_dec_201
1/Green%20EconomyReport_Final_Dec2011.pdf)
 World Bank. 2012. Inclusive Green Growth: The Pathway to Sustainable
Development, World Bank. (available at
http://siteresources.worldbank.org/EXTSDNET/Resources/Inclusive_Green_Gro
wth_May_2012.pdf)
To Learn More – Please skim and follow links of interest
 Audit of current initiatives and key actors involved in Post‐
Rio+20 green economy work http://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/content/documents/1439AttachementA_Mat
rix%20summary%20of%20agency%20responses.pdf
Nov 12. Session 10. Course Reflections
Readings
 Raudsepp-Hearne, Ciara, Garry D. Peterson, Maria Tengö, Elena M. Bennett, Tim
Holland, Karina Benessaiah, Graham K. MacDonald, and Laura Pfeifer. 2010.
“Untangling the Environmentalist’s Paradox: Why Is Human Well-being
Increasing as Ecosystem Services Degrade?” BioScience 60: 576-589. (available
online)
 Duraiappah, Anantha K. 2011. “Ecosystem Services and Human Well-being: Do
Global Findings Make Any Sense?” BioScience 61(1): 7-8. (available online)
 Nelson, Gerald C. 2011. “Untangling the Environmentalist’s Paradox: Better
Data, Better Accounting, and Better Technology Will Help.” BioScience 61: 9-10.
(available online)
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Raudsepp-Hearne, Ciara, Garry D. Peterson, Maria Tengö, and Elena M. Bennett.
2011. “The Paradox Persists: How to Resolve It.” BioScience 61: 11-12.
(available online)
Daly and Farley “Looking Ahead” pp.477-479.
Nov 19. Final Exam Period. Poster Presentations
 Post an electronic version of your presentation to your workspace by noon
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