Search result: Catalogue data in Spring Semester 2019

Environmental Sciences Master Information
Major in Environmental Systems and Policy
Theoretical Foundations for Environmental Policy
NumberTitleTypeECTSHoursLecturers
701-0758-00LEcological Economics: Introduction with Focus on Growth Critics
Does not take place this semester.
W2 credits2V
AbstractStudents become acquainted with the basics / central questions / analyses of Ecological Economics. Thereby, central will be the topic of economic growth. What are the positions of Ecological Economics in this regard? What are the theories and concepts to found this position in general and in particular economic areas (e.g. resource consumption, efficiency, consumption, labour market, enterprises)?
ObjectiveBecome acquainted with basics and central questions of Ecological Economics (EE): e.g. 'pre-analytic vision', field of discipline, development EE, contributions of involved disciplines such as ecology or political sciences, ecological-economic analysis of topics such as labour market, consumption, money. Critical analysis of growth and learning about approaches to reduce growth pressures.
ContentWhat is Ecological Economics
Field of the discipline and basics
Resource consumption, its development and measurements
Measurement of economic activity and welfare
Economic growth, growth critics and post-growth society
Consumption, Money, Enterprises, labour market and growth pressures
Starting points for a post-growth society
Lecture notesNo Script. Slides and texts will be provided beforehand.
LiteratureDaly, H. E. / Farley, J. (2004). Ecological Economics. Principles and Applications. Washington, Island Press.

Seidl, I. /Zahrnt A. (2010). Postwachstumsgesellschaft, Marburg, Metropolis.

Ausgewählte wissenschaftliche Artikel.
Prerequisites / NoticeParticipation in a lecture on environmental economics or otherwise basic knowledge of economics (e.g. A-Level)
701-0764-00LCrtical Reflection Upon the Economic Growth Paradigm Restricted registration - show details
Does not take place this semester.
Number of participants limited to 25.

Target groups: Agricultural Sciences (BSc/MSc) and Environmental Sciences (BSc/MSc).
W1 credit1S
AbstractIn this seminar we will read and discuss about three scientific papers which thoroughly and critically deal with economic growth and environmental topics.
ObjectiveEnhanced knowledge on ecological economics, growth critics of ecological economics, energetical-material implications of growth, consumer criticism and growth-critical traditions of thought. Reading and reflection upon scientific textes.
ContentGrowth theory, growth paradigm, growth criticism, energy, entropy, neoclassics versus ecological economics, consumer theories and consumerism.
Prerequisites / NoticeParticipation in course 701-0758-00L Ecological Economics: basics and growth critisism (parallel oder former participation) or very good basic knowledge in ecological economics or environmental economicse
701-1652-00LEnvironmental Behaviour and Collective Decision MakingW3 credits2GR. Hansmann
AbstractEnvironmental Behavior and Decision-making is considered from different perspectives (psychological approaches, evolutionary biology, game theory, and political sciences). The course is focusing ascending levels of human regulatory systems (individuals, groups, organizations) in contexts of forest & landscape management and other environmentally relevant areas.
ObjectiveEnvironmental decision-making can be analyzed from different disciplinary perspectives, and the level at which scientists analyze decision-making depends on the context and research goals. In the course, students get acquainted with theoretical approaches from psychology and political sciences. Theories are explained through examples of their application in different contexts of environmental behaviour, management and planning.

The course focuses environmental behaviour and decision-making on ascending levels of human regulatory systems:
1) Individual behaviour and decision-making
2) Decision-making in small groups
3) Decision-making in Institutions, and organizations
Psychological theories are frequently applied to individual behaviour and decision making and various social psychological theories focus on small group decision making. The course shall provide a framework for the students, which enables them to identify and apply theories that are helpful for answering certain research questions. Exercises and examples of application shall enable the students to get in depth knowledge of certain theories, which shall enable them to apply the models and theories themselves in own research activities.
ContentDecision-making is considered from different disciplinary perspectives (psychology, game theory, political sciences) and in different contexts. The course is structured by focusing decision making on ascending levels of human regulatory systems in contexts of focusing forest & landscape management and other environmentally relevant areas:
1. Individual-level models (psychological theories and modeling, communication and public campaigns, leisure activities, green spaces and health and well-being, waste disposal and recycling behavior)
2. Group level models (psychological theories and modeling, group think phenomena, group techniques, decision process analyses)
3. Organization-level models (institutions, political science, green space and urban planning)

- Psychological theory shall be taught in connection with economic/political approaches and with an orientation towards modeling of individual behavior and group decision-making. (Approaches covered include e.g. Theory of planned behavior, Norm activation Theory, Neutralization Theory, Rational Choice and Expected Utility models, Social Decision Schemes, DISCUSS model, Probabilistic model of Opinion Change including Distance).
- Solution oriented approaches towards influencing environmental behavior (environmental education, communication, campaigns) and improving group processes (Groupthink phenomena, Group Techniques) shall be covered by the course.
- Political and economic approaches on individuals, organizations and Management of Human-Environment Systems complement the psychological view (e.g. Collective Action Theory by E. Ostrom).
Lecture notesWill be provided in the lecture.
LiteratureWill be provided/announced during the lecture.
364-0576-00LAdvanced Sustainability Economics Information
PhD course, open for MSc students
W3 credits3GL. Bretschger
AbstractThe course covers current resource and sustainability economics, including ethical foundations of sustainability, intertemporal optimisation in capital-resource economies, sustainable use of non-renewable and renewable resources, pollution dynamics, population growth, and sectoral heterogeneity. A final part is on empirical contributions, e.g. the resource curse, energy prices, and the EKC.
ObjectiveUnderstanding of the current issues and economic methods in sustainability research; ability to solve typical problems like the calculation of the growth rate under environmental restriction with the help of appropriate model equations.
752-2121-00LConsumer Behaviour IIW2 credits2GM. Siegrist, B. S. Sütterlin
AbstractThis course examines important concepts and theories in order to describe and to explain consumer behavior. The focus is on decision making processes, influencing consumer behavior, consumer research, and market segmentation. Selected topics are explained in some depth.
ObjectiveThis course examines important concepts and theories in order to describe and to explain consumer behavior. The course Consumer Behavior I provides an overview, whereas in this course selected topics are explained and discussed in some depth. The focus is on decision making processes, influencing consumer behavior, consumer research, and market segmentation.
752-2123-00LRisk Awareness, Risk Acceptance and TrustW3 credits2VM. Siegrist
AbstractThe course provides an overview about risk perception and acceptance of new technologies. In addition, the most important findings of the research related to decisions under uncertainty are presented.
ObjectiveStudents know the most important theoretical approaches in the domains of risk perception and acceptance of new technologies. Furthermore, students understand the paradigms and the research results in the domain of decision making under uncertainty.
851-0735-11LEnvironmental Regulation: Law and Policy Restricted registration - show details
Number of participants limited to 20.

Particularly suitable for students of D-USYS
W3 credits1SJ. van Zeben
AbstractThe aim of this course is to make students with a technical scientific background aware of the legal and political context of environmental policy in order to place technical solutions in their regulatory context.
ObjectiveThe aim of this course is to equip students with a legal and regulatory skill-set that allows them to translate their technical knowledge into a policy brief directed at legally trained regulators. More generally, it aims to inform students with a technical scientific background of the legal and political context of environmental policy. The focus of the course will be on international and European issues and regulatory frameworks - where relevant, the position of Switzerland within these international networks will also be discussed.
ContentTopics covered in lectures:

(1) Environmental Regulation
a. Perspectives
b. Regulatory Challenges of Environment Problems
c. Regulatory Tools
(2) Law: International, European and national laws
a. International law
b. European law
c. National law
(3) Policy: Case studies

Assessment:
(i) Class participation (25%): Students will be expected to contribute to class discussions and prepare short memos on class readings.
(ii) Exam (75%) consisting of two parts:
a. Policy brief - a maximum of 2 pages (including graphs and tables);
b. Background document to the policy brief - this document sets out a more detailed and academic overview of the topic (maximum 8 pages including graphs and tables);
Lecture notesThe course is taught as a small interactive seminar and significant participation is expected from the students. Participation will be capped at 15 in order to maintain the interactive nature of the classes. All classes, readings, and assignments, are in English.

Teaching will take place over two weeks in February and March. The exam date will be in May.

During the second week of the teaching period, students will have individual 30-minute meetings with the lecturer to discuss their project.
LiteratureAn electronic copy of relevant readings will be provided to the students at no cost before the start of the lectures.
Prerequisites / NoticeNo specific pre-existing legal knowledge is required, however all students must have successfully completed Grundzüge des Rechts (851-0708-00 V) or an equivalent course.

The course is (inter)related to materials discussed in Politikwissenschaft: Grundlagen (851-0577-00 V), Ressourcen- und Umweltökonomie (751-1551-00 V), Umweltrecht: Konzepte und Rechtsgebiete (851-0705-01 V), Rechtlicher Umgang mit natürlichen Ressourcen (701-0743-01 V), Environmental Governance (701-1651-00 G), Policy and Economics of Ecosystem Services (701-1653-00 G), International Environmental Politics: Part I (851-0594-00 V).
Modeling and Statistical Analysis
NumberTitleTypeECTSHoursLecturers
701-1522-00LMulti-Criteria Decision AnalysisW3 credits2GJ. Lienert
AbstractThis introduction to "Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis" (MCDA) combines prescriptive Decision Theory (MAVT, MAUT) with practical application and computer-based decision support systems. Aspects of descriptive Decision Theory (psychology) are introduced. Participants apply the theory to an environmental decision problem (group work).
ObjectiveThe main objective is to learn the theory of "Multi-Attribute Value Theory" (MAVT) and "Multi-Attribute Utility Theory" (MAUT) and apply it step-by-step using an environmental decision problem. The participants learn how to structure complex decision problems and break them down into manageable parts. An important aim is to integrate the goals and preferences of different decision makers. The participants will practice how to elicit subjective (personal) preferences from decision makers with structured interviews. They should have an understanding of people's limitations to decision-making, based on insights from descriptive Decision Theory. They will use formal computer-based tools to integrate "objective / scientific" data with "subjective / personal" preferences to find consensus solutions that are acceptable to different decision makers.
ContentGENERAL DESCRIPTION
Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis is an umbrella term for a set of methods to structure, formalize, and analyze complex decision problems involving multiple objectives (aims, criteria), many different alternatives (options, choices), and different actors which may have conflicting preferences. Uncertainty (e.g., of the future or of environmental data) adds to the complexity of environmental decisions. MCDA helps to make decision problems more transparent and guides decision makers into making rational choices. Today, MCDA-methods are being applied in many complex decision situations. This class is designed for participants interested in transdisciplinary approaches that help to better understand real-world decision problems and that contribute to finding sustainable solutions. The course focuses on "Multi-Attribute Value Theory" (MAVT) and "Multi-Attribute Utility Theory" (MAUT). It also gives a short introduction to behavioral Decision Theory, the psychological field of decision-making.

STRUCTURE
The course consists of a combination of lectures, exercises in the class, exercises in small groups, reading, and one mandatory exam. Some exercises are computer assisted, applying MCDA software. The participants will choose an environmental case study to work on in small groups throughout the semester. Additional reading from the textbook Eisenführ et al. (2010) is required.

GRADING
There will be one written examination at the end of the course that covers the important theory (50 % of final grade). The group work consists of two written reports (50 %).
Lecture notesNo script (see below)
LiteratureThe course is based on: Eisenführ, Franz; Weber, Martin; and Langer, Thomas (2010) Rational Decision Making. 1st edition, 447 p., Springer Verlag, ISBN 978-3-642-02850-2.

Additional reading material will be recommended during the course. Lecture slides will be made available for download.
Prerequisites / NoticeThe course requires some understanding of (basic) mathematics. The "formal" parts are not too complicated and we will guide students through the mathematical applications and use of software.
701-1674-00LGeospatial Data Management and Analysis Restricted registration - show details
Number of participants limited to 25.

Prerequisites: 701-0951-00L "GIS - Introduction into Geoinformation Science" in autum semester or comparable preparatory training.
W5 credits4GM. A. M. Niederhuber, T. Crowther
AbstractProblems encountered in forest and landscape management often have a spatial dimension. Methods of geoinformation sciences provide support in identifying creative solutions. Students will learn to a) understand, search for, and manage different forms of geospatial data; b) conceptualize, implement, and combine spatial analysis methods; and c) interpret the results.
ObjectiveUnderstand, search for, and manage various types of geospatial data; Carry out conceptual data modelling for a spatial problem and translate it into a tangible form within a GIS software; Conceptualize spatial problems and design a workflow that transitions from "data processing" through "advanced spatial analysis" to "presentation of results"; Implement such a workflow in standard GIS software, verify and validate the procedures, then present the final results.
Prerequisites / NoticeKnowledge and skills equal those of the course "GIST - Einführung in die räumliche Informationswissenschaften und Technologien"
363-1076-00LDiffusion of Clean TechnologiesW3 credits2GB. Girod, C. Knöri
AbstractHow can the diffusion of clean technologies be accelerated by policy or business strategies?
Participants learn to apply analytic tools to evaluate environmental and business potentials of clean technologies. Exercises that evaluate a selected clean technology deepen the theoretical knowledge gained. Students are trained to evaluate, explain and present a clean technology.
ObjectiveStudents are able to ...
1) apply the theoretical concepts introduced to a specific clean technology case
2) determine key drivers and barriers (economic, environmental, technological, regulatory) for diffusion of clean technologies
3) quantitatively model key characteristics or dynamics of selected clean technologies
4) convincingly present a selected clean technology to a business or policy audience
ContentAnalytical tools to assess the environmental performance of clean technologies (e.g. Life Cycle-Assessment); economic view on the diffusion of clean technologies; evolutionary perspective (e.g. technological learning); decision process of adopters (e.g. status-quo bias of consumers, rebound effect); relevant environmental policies (e.g. standards, labels, carbon pricing); modelling approaches for diffusion of clean technologies (e.g. agent based modelling); techniques for convincing presentations (e.g. TED style presentation).
Lecture notesSlides and exercises will be available on electronic platform.
LiteratureRelevant literature will be available on electronic platform.
752-2110-00LMultivariate Statistical Analysis Restricted registration - show details W3 credits2VC. Hartmann, A. Bearth
AbstractThe course starts by introducing some basic statistical concepts and methods, e.g. data exploration, the idea behind significance testing, and the use of the statistical software SPSS. Based on these fundaments, the following analyses are discussed: regression analysis, factor analysis and variance analysis.
ObjectiveStudents will learn to use multivariate analysis methods and to interpret their results, by means of theory and practice.
ContentThis course provides an introduction into the theories and practice of multivariate analysis methods that are used in the fields of food sensory science, consumer behavior and environmental sciences. The course starts by introducing some basic statistical concepts and methods, e.g. data exploration, the idea behind significance testing, and the use of the statistical software SPSS. Based on these fundaments, the following analyses are discussed: regression analysis, factor analysis and variance analysis. During the course, theoretical lectures alternate with practical sessions in which data are analyzed and their results are interpreted using SPSS.


Agenda

21.02 Introduction to the course and basic concepts of multivariate statistics (Hartmann) in Room HG D5.2

28.02 Data handling and exploration + SPSS Introduction (Hartmann)

07.03 Exercise 1a+b (Hartmann)

14.03 Basic Statistical Tests (Bearth)

21.03 Exercise 2: Basic Statistical Tests (Bearth)

28.03 Regression analysis (Hartmann)

04.04 Exercise 3: Regression analysis (Hartmann)

11.04 Variance Analysis (Bearth)

18.04 Exercise 4: Variance Analysis (Hartmann)

02.05 Reliability Analysis (Bearth)

09.05 Principle Component Analysis (Bearth)

16.05 Exercise 5: PCA and Reliability Analysis (Hartmann)

23.05 EXAM (Room will be announced)
LiteratureField, A. (2013). Discovering Statistics Using SPSS (all Editions). Sage Publications. ISBN: 1-4462-4918-2
Prerequisites / NoticeThis course will be given in English.
860-0022-00LComplexity and Global Systems Science Information Restricted registration - show details
Number of participants limited to 64.

Prerequisites: solid mathematical skills.

Particularly suitable for students of D-ITET, D-MAVT and ISTP
W3 credits2VD. Helbing, N. Antulov-Fantulin
AbstractThis course discusses complex techno-socio-economic systems, their counter-intuitive behaviors, and how their theoretical understanding empowers us to solve some long-standing problems that are currently bothering the world.
ObjectiveParticipants should learn to get an overview of the state of the art in the field, to present it in a well understandable way to an interdisciplinary scientific audience, to develop models for open problems, to analyze them, and to defend their results in response to critical questions. In essence, participants should improve their scientific skills and learn to think scientifically about complex dynamical systems.
ContentThis course starts with a discussion of the typical and often counter-intuitive features of complex dynamical systems such as self-organization, emergence, (sudden) phase transitions at "tipping points", multi-stability, systemic instability, deterministic chaos, and turbulence. It then discusses phenomena in networked systems such as feedback, side and cascade effects, and the problem of radical uncertainty. The course progresses by demonstrating the relevance of these properties for understanding societal and, at times, global-scale problems such as traffic jams, crowd disasters, breakdowns of cooperation, crime, conflict, social unrests, political revolutions, bubbles and crashes in financial markets, epidemic spreading, and/or "tragedies of the commons" such as environmental exploitation, overfishing, or climate change. Based on this understanding, the course points to possible ways of mitigating techno-socio-economic-environmental problems, and what data science may contribute to their solution.
Prerequisites / NoticeMathematical skills can be helpful
Policy Engagement
NumberTitleTypeECTSHoursLecturers
701-0016-00LPhilosophical Issues in Understanding Global Change Restricted registration - show details
Does not take place this semester.
Number of participants limited to 9.
Priority is given to D-ERDW Master in Atmospheric and Climate Science or doctoral students and D-USYS Master's and doctoral students.
W2 credits1SC. J. Baumberger, R. Knutti
AbstractThis course investigates the potentials and limitations of models and computer simulations that aim at understanding global change. We also discuss the limitations of observations and the role that results from models and computer simulations may take in decision making on policies for sustainable development.
ObjectiveStudents learn to reflect on concepts, methods, arguments and knowledge claims based upon computer simulations by critically analysing and assessing topical and recent research papers from philosophy and the sciences.
ContentGlobal change is not just a major real-world problem, but also a challenge for the natural and social sciences. The challenge is due to the spatial and temporal scales considered, the diversity, complexity and variability of aspects involved, and, last but not least, the pragmatic and normative questions raised by global change. This course investigates the potentials and limits of research methods such as modelling for understanding global change with a focus on climate change. We also discuss the role of results from modelling and computer simulations in decision making on policies for sustainable development.

In the seminar, topics such as the following are discussed:
(1) What is a model? What are purposes and potential pitfalls of models? What are the basic steps of modelling?
(2) What are computer simulations and what is their relation to models? How do we learn about the real world by running computer simulations? How do computer simulations differ from classical experiments?
(3) What do data tell us about the problem we are investigating? What are the difficulties in assessing and interpreting data?
(4) What is the role of results from modelling and computer simulation in decision making on policies for sustainable development? What are the consequences of model uncertainties for policy making?
Lecture notesA set of papers from philosophy and from science to be discussed and a guide to analyzing texts are provided.
LiteratureThe papers to be discussed in the seminar sessions and guidelines about the analysis of texts are provided.
Prerequisites / NoticeThis seminar is offered at the ETH and the University of Bern. There are four seminar sessions, each lasting 4 hours. The sessions take place from 13:45 to 17:15. The places alternate between Zurich and Berne in the following way
DATUM Berne, BHF Soz. Arbeit, Raum 310, Hallerstrasse 10
DATUM Zurich, CHN P12 Universitätstrasse 16
DATUM Berne, BHF Soz. Arbeit, Raum 310, Hallerstrasse 10
DATUM Zurich, CHN P12 Universitätstrasse 16

In the first meeting, participants are introduced to methods on how to read a philosophical paper. For each meeting, every participant answers a couple of questions about one of the papers scheduled for discussion. The preparation for each session will take about 5 hours. Answers have to be sent to the lecturers before the seminar takes place and provide a basis for the discussion. All students that have subscribed will get the questions and texts for the first meeting by email.
Seminar discussions are chaired jointly by lecturers from philosophy and from science. Interest in interdisciplinary reading and discussion is a prerequisite. The number of participants is limited to 18, viz. 9 from the University of Bern and 9 from ETH Zurich.

Requirements for 2 CP: (1) Answer the questions about one paper before the meetings and read another paper (4 times), (2) Write a short essay of about 2-3 pages about a topic discussed in our meetings. This essay should be delivered until 3 weeks after the end of the spring semester.
Master or PhD students of D-USYS or students of Atmosph. + Climate Science MSc have priority.
701-1350-00LCase Studies in Environment and HealthW4 credits2VK. McNeill, N. Borduas-Dedekind, T. Julian
AbstractThis course will focus on a few individual chemicals and pathogens from different standpoints: their basic chemistry or biology, their environmental behavior, (eco)toxicology, and human health impacts. The course will draw out the common points in each chemical or pathogen's history.
ObjectiveThis course aims to illustrate how the individual properties of chemicals and pathogens along with societal pressures lead to environmental and human health crises. The ultimate goal of the course is to identify common aspects that will improve prediction of environmental crises before they occur. Students are expected to participate actively in the course, which includes the critical reading of the pertinent literature and class presentations.
ContentEach semester will feature case studies of chemicals and pathogens that have had a profound effect on human health and the environment. The instructors will present eight of these and the students will present approx. six in groups of three or four. Students will be expected to contribute to the discussion and, on selected topics, to lead the discussion.
Lecture notesHandouts will be provided as needed.
LiteratureHandouts will be provided as needed.
701-1502-00LTransdisciplinary Case Study Information Restricted registration - show details
Number of participants limited to 25.
Students have to apply for this course by sending a two-page motivation letter (why are you interested? what do you want to learn? what can you contribute?) to Link and Link (latest by January 31, 2019).

Important: for students in Agricultural Sciences, the case study can replace the compulsory course 751-1000-00L Interdisciplinary Project Work!
W7 credits15PM. Stauffacher, P. Krütli
AbstractThis course is project-based and organized in a real-world context. Students scientifically deal with complex, societally relevant problems where environmental issues are key and that demand mutual learning among science and society.
In 2019, the case area is the Hunziker Areal, a project of the housing cooperative “mehr als wohnen” (more than housing) in the North of the city of Zurich.
ObjectiveStudents learn how to plan and organize their research work in interdisciplinary group of students, how to structure complex wicked problems and derive relevant research questions, how to design respective research work, how to use empirical methods answering these questions, and how to organise transdisciplinary collaboration between research and people from outside academia.
ContentThe goal of the course is to identify and explore sustainable practices in the Hunziker Areal. Intensive collaboration between ETH students, people living and working in the Hunziker Areal, and various stakeholders important for the development of the area will be a major focus in the course.

The Hunziker Areal is a project of the housing cooperative “mehr als wohnen” (more than housing) offering living and working space for approx. 1300 people in the North of the city of Zurich. The project started in 2007 with a participatory planning process. Building lasted from 2012 to 2015 with first people moving in November 2014. The cooperative mehr als wohnen understands itself as a learning platform to explore and learn from sustainable future living solutions.

The preparation of the case study happens in in close collaboration with the cooperative mehr als wohnen to secure that research is relevant for the local context and can have concrete impact in the case. Together we defined mobility as the topic for next year, namely issues like the optimisation potential of the mobility infrastructure at the Hunziker Areal, effects of limited transport possibilities, bicycle traffic and health, mobility in leisure time or holidays.

This is the second time that the transdisciplinary case study is organized at the Hunziker Areal. In 2017, several interventions in the food domain were developed and systematically analysed, see: Link.


See as well the short film here which explains what the transdisciplinary case study is
Link
Prerequisites / NoticeThe number of participants is limited. Students have to apply for this course by sending a two-page motivation letter (why are you interested? what do you want to learn? what can you contribute?) to Link and Link (latest by January 31 2019).

Important: for students in Agricultural Sciences, the case study can replace the compulsory course 751-1000-00L Interdisciplinary Project Work!
701-1562-00LCases in Environmental Policy and Decision Making Restricted registration - show details
Number of participants limited to 40.
O6 credits4PA. Patt, E. Lieberherr, F. Metz, M. Morosini, J. Wilkes-Allemann
AbstractThe course will proceed through a series of case studies, modeled after those often used in business and policy teaching curricula. Students will engage in individual and group work to practice the art of effective decision-making, recommending a course of action for the individual and organization that is the subject of each case, gaining valuable insights into environmental policy-making.
Objective- Identify the facts, assumptions, theories, and social constructions guiding the decisions of different stakeholders to a range of environmental and natural resource policy problems.
- Recognize key institutional and interpersonal challenges in decision-making situations.
- Design communication and decision-making processes that can work effectively in the context of stakeholder worldviews and perspectives.
- Conduct qualitative and quantitative analysis of value to decision-makers, and communicate that in a manner that is clear and effective.
- Consider broader policy issues applicable across the cases, such as the appropriate roles of public, non-profit, and private sector organizations, the decentralization of authority, and possible societal pathways towards sustainability.
ContentThe course will cover a range of environmental problem areas, include land conversion, water quality, air quality, climate change, and energy. Across these issues, cases will force students to confront particular decisions needing to be made by individuals and organizations, primarily in the public and non-profit sectors, but also in private sector firms.
Prerequisites / NoticeIt would be desirable, but not essential, that students had already taken a course on policy analysis and modeling.
701-1653-00LPolicy and Economics of Ecosystem ServicesW3 credits2GA. Müller
AbstractThe course addresses ecosystem services, their value for society, the causes of their degradation, the various stakeholders involved in their provision and use, and potential policies to reduce their degradation. One focus is on environmental economics approaches, highlighting their potential and limitations.
ObjectiveStudents can describe, analyse and explain
- the basic concepts used to describe ecosystem services provision, management and degradation,
- the role and characteristics of different key stakeholders involved in ecosystem services management,
- the different types of policy instruments and institutional arrangements that can be used for improved ecosystem services management and provision, and
- empirical tools
to assess the performance of various policy instruments and management systems for ecosystem services provision,
to investigate the factors of success or failure of different policy instruments, and
to assess the characteristics and motivations of key stakeholders.
ContentMany of the world's ecosystem services are being degraded or used unsustainably, which has considerable impacts on human well-being.
Various aspects need to be taken into account to change this development, to work towards improved ecosystem services management and to design appropriate policy instruments and institutional contexts.
First, the societal value of different ecosystem services and the trade-offs between them needs to be assessed.
Second, an assessment of the causes of excessive ecosystem services degradation is needed. Potential causes include the presence of externalities and public goods, improperly designed property rights systems, divergence of private and social discount rates, and lack of information and knowledge.
Third, we need to understand the drivers of human decision-making in relation to ecosystem services use.
Fourth, choosing an appropriate policy instrument (or a combination thereof) requires an understanding of the relative strengths and weaknesses of different instruments, their preconditions for success and the political economy of their implementation.
Finally, it is important to assess the actual impacts of different policy and management options. This requires a careful assessment of appropriate baselines, of the situation after a policy or management change, and of the various stakeholder groups involved, etc.
To address all these issues, we will first work with some conceptual issues and then mainly focus on a number of concrete cases of ecosystem services and their management both in developed and developing countries.
Lecture notesLecture notes, homework exercises and readings will be made available on Moodle.
LiteratureThere is no single textbook for this class. Instead, a number of texts will be distributed and used during the lecture, and some texts for further reading will be indicated.
Prerequisites / NoticeThe course is mainly organised in flipped-classroom format. It thus consists of a combination of lectures, homework assignments and subsequent discussions in small groups. The final grade will be based on the homework assignments during the course and a final exam in the last lesson.
A prerequisite for this course is a bachelor-level course in Environmental Economics (e.g. 363-0537-00L Resource and Environmental Economics). In particular, students are expected to be familiar with basic environmental economics' concepts such as externality, public good, market failure, opportunity cost, social optimum and market equilibrium, and also with the basic types of policy instruments, such as market-based (e.g. taxes, subsidies), command-and-control (e.g. access regulation) and institutional (e.g. information provision). Students with no background in environmental economics can be provided with readings but will be expected to come up to the required standards on their own, prior to starting the class. Please contact Adrian Müller (Link) for these.
751-1652-00LFood Security - from the Global to the Local Dimension Restricted registration - show details
Number of participants limited to 20.
Only for Agriculture Science MSc and Environmental Sciences MSc

Participants are selected after a competitive application process:
19.02.2019 (17:15-19:00): 1st meeting (course information)
28.02.2019: Deadline for application letter
07.03.2019: Information sent to students selected
W2 credits2GM. Sonnevelt, D. Barjolle
AbstractBased on its nature comprising production, processing, trade and consumption and the interactions of various driving forces such as e.g. poverty, resource scarcity, globalisation, urbanisation and climate change, global food systems are complex and food security depends on various, interlinked aspects.
ObjectiveTheory gives the food security four important dimensions:
• Availability of food at a certain time and a certain place
• Individuals physical and monetary accessibility
• Appropriate use of the food to make sure it’s healthy and of high quality and the
• Stability of the food system, especially regarding the economic, political and environmental conditions
This makes food security, as key output of the global food system, a highly complex issue, influenced by many different elements.

This year, the course focuses on climate change, as a main challenge for sustainable agriculture and food security. According to FAO, climate change threatens the ability of the food system to ensure global food security, eradicate poverty and achieve sustainable development. Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from human activity and livestock production are a significant driver of climate change triggering global warming. Without significant adaptations, last estimations for Switzerland give an average yearly increase of summer temperatures of 4.5°C (Meteosuisse). Climate change has both direct and indirect effects on agricultural productivity including changing rainfall patterns, drought, flooding and the geographical redistribution of pests and diseases. Many initiatives are in place seeking both mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change through a wide range of research based and practical programs and projects. These projects and initiatives are an important part of the 2030 agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) of the United Nations.

Achieving a transformation to sustainable agriculture is a major challenge of the world. Because adverse impacts of climate change are very likely to worsen with time, a global transformation to sustainable food and agriculture should begin now. During the course, we want to learn from and discuss based on case studies and promising policies, which are economically viable and which adapt to climate change. We want to address how the barriers to adopt them could be overcome. We want to share with international experts from FAO and IFAD ideas and experiences about how farmers and other actors of the food system could adapt to climate change in order to achieve global food security and poverty reduction.

More details on the content and the activities and expectations will be given on the first preparatory event on 19.02.2019 (17:15-19:00). Other mandatory preparatory events are planned on 28.03.2019 (17:15-19:00) and on 09.04.2019 (17:15-19:00).
ContentThe main block of the course is a three-days workshop/seminar at the FAO headquarter in Rome 24.04-26.04.2019 (week after Easter).
On February 19th, March 28th and April 9th 2019, three mandatory events (each starting at 17:15 and lasting +/- 1.5 hours) will be held at ETH Zurich. The first two are in CHN D42, the third tbc.
Lecture notesBooks and Articles.
We will share literature and information and expect the students to activelly search for relevant information and share them with their colleagues.

We will share the presentations and other material available and compose a document of the material elaborated by the students during the workshop after the event.
Prerequisites / NoticeThe Lecture is held in English and is limited to 20 MSc-students from agricultural and environmental sciences. Interested students are invited to apply for the course, they will be informed on the application procedure at the first introduction event on February 19th 2019.
751-2700-00LLand Markets and Land PolicyW2 credits2GG. M. Giuliani
AbstractIn this course the students acquire knowledge on the particularities of land markets and the effects of policy interventions such as ceiling prices and land redistributions on land markets. Special emphasis is placed on the knowledge of land market structures and on the forms of land markets.
ObjectiveIn this course the students acquire knowledge on the particularities of land markets and the effects of policy interventions such as ceiling prices and land redistributions on land markets. Special emphasis is placed on the knowledge of land market structures and on the forms of land markets.
ContentThe first part of the course deals with the following topics: historical outline of land use; historical models of individual and collective land regulations; Swiss land regulations and land policies; specific theoretical aspects of agricultural land markets; empirical investigations on land property and land markets; interconnections between land policy and agricultural policy. The second part of the course focuses on land property structures in developing countries and in transition countries. After a general systematic and theoretical introduction on land policies and land reforms in these countries, case studies and topcis of current political relevance are discussed. This course provides principles contributing to the evaluation of the sustainability of land use and to the establishment of sustainable land use systems.
Lecture notesWill be provided in the course.
LiteratureAre included in the lecture notes.
851-0735-11LEnvironmental Regulation: Law and Policy Restricted registration - show details
Number of participants limited to 20.

Particularly suitable for students of D-USYS
W3 credits1SJ. van Zeben
AbstractThe aim of this course is to make students with a technical scientific background aware of the legal and political context of environmental policy in order to place technical solutions in their regulatory context.
ObjectiveThe aim of this course is to equip students with a legal and regulatory skill-set that allows them to translate their technical knowledge into a policy brief directed at legally trained regulators. More generally, it aims to inform students with a technical scientific background of the legal and political context of environmental policy. The focus of the course will be on international and European issues and regulatory frameworks - where relevant, the position of Switzerland within these international networks will also be discussed.
ContentTopics covered in lectures:

(1) Environmental Regulation
a. Perspectives
b. Regulatory Challenges of Environment Problems
c. Regulatory Tools
(2) Law: International, European and national laws
a. International law
b. European law
c. National law
(3) Policy: Case studies

Assessment:
(i) Class participation (25%): Students will be expected to contribute to class discussions and prepare short memos on class readings.
(ii) Exam (75%) consisting of two parts:
a. Policy brief - a maximum of 2 pages (including graphs and tables);
b. Background document to the policy brief - this document sets out a more detailed and academic overview of the topic (maximum 8 pages including graphs and tables);
Lecture notesThe course is taught as a small interactive seminar and significant participation is expected from the students. Participation will be capped at 15 in order to maintain the interactive nature of the classes. All classes, readings, and assignments, are in English.

Teaching will take place over two weeks in February and March. The exam date will be in May.

During the second week of the teaching period, students will have individual 30-minute meetings with the lecturer to discuss their project.
LiteratureAn electronic copy of relevant readings will be provided to the students at no cost before the start of the lectures.
Prerequisites / NoticeNo specific pre-existing legal knowledge is required, however all students must have successfully completed Grundzüge des Rechts (851-0708-00 V) or an equivalent course.

The course is (inter)related to materials discussed in Politikwissenschaft: Grundlagen (851-0577-00 V), Ressourcen- und Umweltökonomie (751-1551-00 V), Umweltrecht: Konzepte und Rechtsgebiete (851-0705-01 V), Rechtlicher Umgang mit natürlichen Ressourcen (701-0743-01 V), Environmental Governance (701-1651-00 G), Policy and Economics of Ecosystem Services (701-1653-00 G), International Environmental Politics: Part I (851-0594-00 V).
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