In this course we will analyze how current economic and social problems – especially high income and wealth inequality – are connected with environmental degradation. We will discuss why in our society some people are able to impose environmentally harmful activities on others and how environmental policy can be designed to include both efficiency as well as equity considerations. Moreover, we will discuss different dimensions of inequality – economic, social, and environmental inequality – and analyze how they are interconnected. After successful completion of this course, you will have an overview over current debates in environmental and ecological economics and you will be able to analyze environmental problems, such as climate change or air pollution, from a distributional perspective. This course gives an overview of current topics and scientific methods and debates in environmental economics and policy. We will focus on global and European climate policy and discuss different environmental policy options, such as regulations, environmental taxes, and emissions trading schemes in theory and practice.

See also detailed syllabus on learn.

After completion of the course, students will have acquired knowledge about the social and ecological context of economic activitiy. They will acquire a comprehensive perspective and understand how the economy is embedded in social context. Students will realise that their actions in their later professional life will have implications on society and environment, that they carry social responsibility and that they can contribute to longterm sustainable development. They will acquire transferable skills and competences such as self-reflection, sensibility for diversity and understanding of complex relationships that are the economy. They will be able to engage with and critically analyse information, understand problems, think about solutions for them and communicate those effectively.

Examination-immanent courses (PI) have compulsory attendance.
In case of absence the lecturer is to be informed in advance if possible.
More detailed regulations on absenteeism will be explained in the first unit.

•  Lectures
•  Student Presentations
•  Class Discussions

• Final exam (35 points)
• Summary and reflection assignment (20 points)
• Quizzes (20 points)
• In-class presentation (15 points) and its handout (5 points)
• In-class participation (5 points)

Course enrollment is on the basis of "first-come, first-served” principle. If you have registered but cannot participate in the course, please de-register via LPIS during the registration period so that your course is available to students on the waiting list. If there is a waiting list for enrollment in the course, students at the waiting list will be notified after the end of the enrollment period, and will be allocated to available places. Students will be ranked by their study progress not by their rank on the waiting list. This procedure, however, is not to be understood as a place guarantee.

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