Environmental Economics

This course is part of the programme
Bachelor's programme in Environment (first cycle)

Objectives and competences

The main goal of this course is to give students the basic knowledge of environmental economics and in particular to analyse the differences between the neoclassical and ecological approaches applied in this field.
The second goal is to examine the used tools for measuring sustainability in connection with the environmental regulation in the EU.

The students develop critical thinking skills on the evolution of environmental regulations and the problems of their implementation connected with the economic efficiency in the EU.

Prerequisites

Basic knowledge of environmental sciences, acquired in the 1st and/or 2nd year of 1st level studies.

Content

• Pollution Global Problems
• Global Warming
• Ethics and Economics
• Social Welfare Function
• Public Goods Problem
• The efficiency standard
• The safety standards
• The value of Human Life: different approaches among developed and developing countries
• Health problems and risk assessment
• Economic Theory and Sustainable Development
• Sustainability: Neoclassical versus Ecological view
• Measuring Sustainability (Indicators)
• Benefits and Costs of Environmental Protection
• Engineering Costs, Contingent Valuation, WTP, WTA
• Benefit & Cost analysis: study cases
• Environmental Impact Assessment and Strategic Environmental Evaluation in the EU IPPC-IED Directive and BAT implementation in the EU
• Environmental taxes and resource rents
• The most comprehensive environmental project in Slovenia: "Let's clean Slovenia in one day"
• Fundamentals of business plans and financial part of project proposals.

Intended learning outcomes

Knowledge and understanding:

Students learn the principles of environmental economics and economics in general. Besides that they get knowledge from efficiency, safety, sustainability and their use in practice.
Students gain knowledge in the costs & benefits evaluation of the implementation of environmental projects. Several case studies are analysed in the course.

The students obtain basic know-how necessary to prepare an Environmental Impact Assessment, Risk assessment study and cost benefit analysis

Readings

  • E. S. Goodstein, S. Polasky (2014), Economics and the Environment, Wiley, 7th Ed, pp. 529. Catalogue E-version
  • Antwerp J.V. , Heun M.K. (2022), A Framework for Sustainability Thinking, Springer Nature Switzerland AG, pp 249 Catalogue
  • Smolej V. (2010): Ekonomika podjetja in podjetništvo, El. knjiga. - Ljubljana : Zavod IRC,: E-version
  • Vendramin, M.( 2009): Eksterni stroški sežiganja in odlaganja odpadkov, Urad RS za makroekonomske analize in razvoj. - (Zbirka Delovni zvezki UMAR ; letn. 18, št. 3): E-version

Assessment

Intermediate test with questions with multiple responses in order to examine the students’ preparation and seminar work (40 %) Written examination at the end of the course (60 %)

Lecturer's references

doc. ddr. Marko ŠETINC:
Assistant professor in the field of Economics of Environmental Protection, AMEU Maribor.

  1. KOČEVAR H., ŠETINC M. (2007): Environmental protection and investment costs as factors of road placement = okolje in investicijski stroški kot dejavnika za umeščanje cestne trase v prostor. RMZ - Materials and geoenvironment, vol. 54, no. 2, str. 223-234.
  2. ŠETINC M. (2012): Sistem za podporo odločanju pri izbiri procesov za odstranjevanje neprijetnega vonja iz odpadnega zraka = Decision support system in the selection process for odor treatment in the waste air. V: FERJAN, Marko (ur.), et al. Kakovost, inovativnost, prihodnost : zbornik 31. mednarodne konference o razvoju organizacijskih znanosti = Quality, innovation, future : proceedings of the 31st International Conference on Organizational Science Development, 31. mednarodna konferenca o razvoju organizacijskih znanosti, 21.-23. 3. 2012, Portorož, Slovenija = 31st International Conference on Organizational Science Development, March 21st-23rd, 2012, Portorož, Slovenia. Kranj: Moderna organizacija, 2012, str. 1179-1185.
  3. ŠETINC M., GRADIŠAR M. (2010) Modeliranje in optimizacija v procesu odločanja pri gradnji cest = Modeling and optimization in road network building. V: KERN, Tomaž (ur.), et al. Človek in organizacija : zbornik 29. mednarodne konference o razvoju organizacijskih znanosti = People and organization : proceedings of the 29th International Conference on Organizational Science Development, 29. mednarodna konferenca o razvoju organizacijskih znanosti, 24.-26. marec 2010, Portorož , Slovenija = 29th International Conference on Organizational Science Development, 24-26 March 2010, Portorož , Slovenia. Kranj: Moderna organizacija, 2010, str. 1535-1541.
  4. KOČEVAR H., KRIVEC D., ŠETINC M. (2004): Uporaba GIS-a za modeliranje vplivov okolja. V: VILHAR, Matija (ur.). Zbornik referatov, 7. slovenski kongres o cestah in prometu, Portorož, 20.-22. oktober 2004. Ljubljana: DRC - Družba za raziskave v cestni in prometni stroki Slovenije, str.: 511-514.
  5. GREGORC C., KOČEVAR H., ŠETINC M. (2004): Sprememba voznega parka in okolje. V: VILHAR, Matija (ur.). Zbornik referatov, 7. slovenski kongres o cestah in prometu, Portorož, 20.-22. oktober 2004. Ljubljana: DRC - Družba za raziskave v cestni in prometni stroki Slovenije, str.: 557-562.
  6. ŠETINC M., DULAR M., KOČEVAR H. (2003): K določanju tveganja pri izbiri poti za prevoz nevarnega blaga v Sloveniji. V: KLANJŠEK, Martin (ur.). Raziskovalno delo podiplomskih študentov v Sloveniji - ena znanost : e-zbornik. Ljubljana: Društvo mladih raziskovalcev Slovenije, str. 365-374.
  7. KOČEVAR H., BENSA B., ŠETINC, M., MILJEVIČ J., GREGORC C., DOJČINOVSKI L., KRIVEC D., OBERŽAN M.(2008): Smernice ukrepov za doseganje skladnosti z mejnimi vrednostmi za delce PM10 v zunanjem zraku : končno poročilo. Ljubljana: OMEGAconsult, 59 f.
  8. BENSA B., KOČEVAR H., ŠETINC M., SIRC P., KRIVEC D., VIDMAR N., BOLKO N., OBERŽAN M., RUPAR R., JURJEVEC P., BOLE A., PODGORŠEK M., KRISTL M., MILJEVIČ J., GREGORC C. (2006): Družbeno-ekonomsko in pravno vrednotenje odliva težkih tovornih vozil z avtocest in hitrih cest na vzporedne regionalne ceste : končno poročilo. Ljubljana: OMEGAconsult, maj 2006. 111 f.