(POLS 411) Environmental Valuation for Policy Design

3 Credits

Seminar on how to value the environment for the purpose of designing and analyzing environmental policies. Review of the "contingent valuation method" currently used to price environmental resources, and assessment of this method's empirical and normative strengths and weaknesses. Evaluation of "deliberative monetary valuation" as an improved method for environmental assessment. Consideration of non-monetary approaches to environmental valuation as alternatives to understanding the environment's relationship to human well-being in policy contexts.