ØASØK4200 Environmental Economics Emneplan

Economic activities impact the environment. Plastics end up in the ocean, producing one T-shirt consumes thousands of liters of water, and salmon farmers pour toxic chemicals into the seas to fight lice infestations. Economists see the natural world around them as providing environmental goods and services that we all enjoy, such as a lake to swim in, drinking water, or a forest that filters the air. Those environmental goods are not easily traded in a market because of their public good characteristics. And pollution to an economist is an unintended byproduct - an externality - of activities that are otherwise desirable, like flying to New York, assembling computers, or eating dinner.

This course teaches students to think like economists about a wide range of environmental problems, from small, local ones like noise from a train track to the biggest one of them all, climate change. We discuss how to judge a particular amount of pollution - is it economically efficient, is it fair? Pollution characteristics - does the location of polluters and polluted matter, does pollution accumulate in the air or water? - determine how we go about trying to establish optimal levels of pollution - for example air pollution in Oslo.

We will discuss ways to "put a price" on the environment and to carry out cost-benefit-analysis to decide whether projects that have environmental impacts - such as a new highway into Oslo - are worth carrying out.

Students also learn about the economics of environmental regulation. We can try to reduce pollution in many ways: by providing information, `nudging´ people to `do the right thing´, subsidizing clean technologies, taxing emissions, creating cap-and-trade markets, or outright banning substances.

Finally, students will think about how green technology is developed and can be incentivized by policy.

Language of instruction is English.

ØASØK4100 Microeconomics

The course is taught in plenary lectures, and students work on exercises and discuss cases in groups and plenary sessions.

The following coursework requirements must have been approved in order for the student to take the exam:

• Coursework 1: One written assignment must be handed in by a set deadline during the semester. The scope of the assignment (number of pages) varies depending on the nature of the assignment.

All required coursework must be completed and approved by the given deadline in order for the student to take the exam. If the coursework requirement has not been approved, the student will be given the opportunity to submit an improved version by the given deadline.

Individuell digital skriftlig eksamen under tilsyn på 3 timer.

Eksamensresultat kan påklages.

Ved ny og utsatt eksamen kan en annen eksamensform også bli benyttet eller en ny oppgave med en ny frist gis. Hvis muntlig eksamen benyttes kan denne ikke påklages.

The following aids are permitted:

• Calculator (see regulations for the use of calculators in the programme description)
• One dictionary (either first language-English/English-first language or English/English)

Students will be provided access to a pdf file on the exam computer that contains relevant laws and regulations (specific content is shown on Canvas).

Gradert skala A-F.

To interne sensorer. Ekstern sensor brukes jevnlig.

ØARR4100 Financial Accounting and ØARR4000 Business Law

The exam papers are assessed by one internal and one external examiner.

At least 25% of the exam papers will be assessed by two examiners. The grades awarded for the papers assessed by two examiners form the basis for determining the level for all the exam papers.

Svenn Jensen