Environmental Economics

3 Credits · Level: Graduate, Undergraduate

How much should we pay to improve air quality or to protect endangered species? Which is better: pollution taxes or cap-and-trade? How concerned should we be about climate change damages that may occur 100 years from now? Does economic growth help or hurt the environment? What about international trade? What about international trade in endangered species? This course is designed to frame economic answers to those questions and more. Readings will include a textbook, several Kennedy School case studies, and articles in leading academic economics journals. Students will be assigned problem-set based homework, short policy memos based on the case studies, and a final exam.