Economic Development and Natural Resources

3 cr · Graduate

This course examines how economic development interacts with natural resources, environmental quality, and institutional conditions. Students explore key approaches to measuring development and analyze global patterns of economic growth, poverty, and inequality, including why some countries have developed while others have fallen behind. Topics include the relationship between natural resources and institutions; economic development within planetary boundaries; climate change as a development challenge; technology pathways to net-zero; and the implications of sustainability transitions for national planning and community well-being. The course emphasizes empirical evidence, policy debates, and interdisciplinary perspectives rather than formal modelling.