363-0532-00L Economics of Sustainable Development
| Semester | Spring Semester 2019 |
| Lecturers | L. Bretschger |
| Periodicity | yearly recurring course |
| Language of instruction | German |
Courses
| Number | Title | Hours | Lecturers | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 363-0532-00 V | Ökonomische Theorie der Nachhaltigkeit | 2 hrs |
| L. Bretschger |
Catalogue data
| Abstract | Concepts and indicators of sustainable development, paradigms of weak and strong sustainability; neoclassical and endogenous growth models; pollution, environmental policy and growth; role of substitution possibilities and technological progress; Environmental Kuznets Curve: concept, theory and empirical results; economic growth in the presence of exhaustible and renewable resources. |
| Learning objective | The aim is to develop an understanding of the implications of sustainable development for the long-run development of economies. It is to be shown to which extent the potential for growth to be sustainable depends on substitution possibilities, technological change and environmental policy. |
| Content | The lecture introduces different concepts and paradigms of sustainable development. Building on this foundation and following a general introduction to the modelling of economic growth, conditions for growth to be sustainable in the presence of pollution and scarce natural resources are derived. Special attention is devoted to the scope for substitution and role of technological progress in overcoming resource scarcities. Implications of environmental externalities are regarded with respect to the design of environmental policies. Concepts and indicators of sustainable development, paradigms of weak and strong sustainability, sustainability optimism vs. pessimism; introduction to neoclassical and endogenous growth models; pollution, environmental policy and growth; role of substitution possibilities and technological progress; Environmental Kuznets Curve: concept, theory and empirical results; economic growth in the presence of exhaustible and renewable resources, Hartwick rule, resource saving technological change. |
| Lecture notes | Will be provided successively in the course of the semester. |
| Literature | Bretschger, F. (1999), Growth Theory and Sustainable Development, Cheltenham: Edward Elgar. Bretschger, L. (2004), Wachstumstheorie, Oldenbourg, 3. Auflage, München. Perman, R., Y. Ma, J. McGilvray and M. Common (2003), Natural Resource and Environmental Economics, Longman , 3d ed., Essex. Neumayer, E. (2003), Weak and Strong Sustainability, 2nd ed., Cheltenham: Edward Elgar. |
Performance assessment
| Performance assessment information (valid until the course unit is held again) | |
Performance assessment as a semester course | |
| ECTS credits | 3 credits |
| Examiners | L. Bretschger |
| Type | end-of-semester examination |
| Language of examination | German |
| Repetition | A repetition date will be offered in the first two weeks of the semester immediately consecutive. |
| Additional information on mode of examination | Prüfung am Computer |
| Digital exam | The exam takes place on devices provided by ETH Zurich. |
Learning materials
| No public learning materials available. | |
| Only public learning materials are listed. |
Groups
| No information on groups available. |
Restrictions
| There are no additional restrictions for the registration. |
