Course: Economics 353: Ecological Economics (Klain, Spring ... · Ecological Economics can inform choices about how we use, value and manage the living systems that underpin both

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Image from Millenium Ecosystem Service Assessment

In the age of the anthropocene, the future of life as we know it is in human hands. EcologicalEconomics can inform choices about how we use, value and manage the living systems thatunderpin both human and non-human life.

Class Time & LocationMondays and Wednesdays, 1:10-2:30p, L203

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Economics 353: Ecological Economics (Klain, Spring 2018)

Announcements Edit

Ereserves, Economics 353, Spring 2018 Edit

Course Syllabus, Spring 2018 Edit

Journal Reflection Expectations Edit

Link to form for submitting two class discussion questions before11am on the day of our classes with assigned readings

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Link to form for submitting feedback to your peers on their classpresentations

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EditJanuary 22 - January 26 Course Synopsis and Introduction, Jan 22

Why study ecological economics?

What do you want to understand about the economy and sustainability?

Review materials on good practices for presenting papers here and here.

Origins of Ecological Economics, Jan 24

How does ecological economics differ from mainstream economics and environmental economics?

Why does transdisciplinarity matter for ecological economics?

You will start building your reference library with reference management software in the first half of this

class.

Required

Forward and introduction of: Brown, P. G., & Timmerman, P. (2015). Ecological Economics for theAnthropocene. Columbia University Press. e-book

Fullerton, D., & Stavins, R. (1998). How economists see the environment. Nature, 395(6701), 433–434.

pdf

Spash, C. (1999). The development of environmental thinking in economics. Environmental Values, 8,

413-435. pdf

Economist. (2015). The Economist explains Ecological Economics. The Economist blog. pdf

Review and select a reference management system that you will use throughout the course (and beyond if

you choose). I recommend Papers, Zotero or Mendeley. Here is an overview of options.

Optional

Weintraub, E.R. (2002). Neoclassical economics. The Concise Encyclopedia of Economics.

Questions and Feedback on Syllabus, due before class Jan

24

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First Journal Reflection, due Tues, Jan 30

All journal entries will follow a “What, So What, Now What” approach. See Journal Reflection

Expectations for more details on these weekly reflections.

This includes:

• What: identify a moment in class related to the weekly journal prompt.

• So What: Explain why this moment was significant in relation to yourself.

• Now What: Explain what significance this moment has in relation to a bigger picture or how

it will impact the way you do things moving forward.

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January 29 - February 4 Moral Underpinnings of Ecological Economics, Jan 29

What evidence supports Amartya Sen’s observation in 1987 that economics “has been substantiallyimpoverished by the distance that has grown between economics and ethics”?

Why do ecological economists argue for integrating ethics into economic research?

What features of the diverse economic systems described in Tillerman's chapter surprised you? Whichinterest you most? Do find any of them troubling?

What are opportunities to integrate features of these worldviews into improving how our economyfunctions? Is this integration possible given the current configuration of the global economy? Why or whynot?

Required

Alvey, J.E. (1999). A short history of economics as a moral science. Journal of Markets & Morality, 2, 53-73. pdfChapter 1 The Ethics of Re-Embedding Economics in the Real: Case Studies from Brown, P. G., &Timmerman, P. (2015). Ecological Economics for the Anthropocene. Columbia University Press. online

Optional (and fun)

Track various demographic, social and/or economic attributes over time with GapMinder here. Main point:on average, global human well being as measured in various ways (e.g., life expectancy, infant survival rate,educational achievement) has increased as the world has gotten wealthier. Hans Rosling created thisdatabase and gave this popular TED talk, The Best Stats You've Ever Seen. The question remains as to howwe can maintain and improve human well being while maintaining or restoring environmental quality andbiodiversity.

Required Assignments

1. Sign up to lead 3 class discussions based on three readings. The readings can be required or optionalreading. Sign up on this google sheet by Monday evening, Jan 29th.

2. First Journal Reflection due by end of Tuesday, Jan 30.

3. Select two concepts with a partner from this slide deck. Write your names in the notes section of the twoslides that you choose. See slide two for more detailed instructions or here. Populate slide for class on

Wednesday, Jan 31st. Explain concepts in class with partner, 2-4 minutes per slide.

Environmental Economics Concepts, January 31

Aim for journal submission entries of 400-500 words. Please submit these assignmentselectronically via this Moodle site on Fridays. I expect MS Word documents so I can provideyou feedback as track changes.

This week's prompt:

In the forward of Ecological Economics for the Anthropocene, Erickson characterizesneoclassical economics as built on a "house of cards." What does he mean here? Do youagree or disagree? Why? Refer to the text and to our class discussion.

Class Intro Slides Edit

Origins and Goals of EE Edit

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Ecological economists use, extend and critique many concepts from environmental economics, a few of

which we cover today.

Make distinctions between positive and normative economics

Review of concepts: market failures, externalities, cost-benefit analysis, market and non-market valuation,

willingness to pay, discounting and more listed on these slides.

RequiredField, B.C., & Field, M.K. (2009). Environmental economics: an introduction. Chapters 1 & 2 and

selected parts of chapters 3 & 4. Note: Based on the superficiality of some examples in this text,

Exhibit 1.4 and the section on suburban sprawl are optional.

Clark, D. (2012). Why do economists describe climate change as a 'market failure'? The Guardian. May

21. link


February 5 - February 11 Planetary Boundaries, Thermodynamics and Questions of Infinite Growth on a Finite Planet, February5How does understanding ecological boundaries inform sustainable development?

Tips for effective slide presentations Edit

Slides for historical context for re-embedding economics in

ethics

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Submit two questions and answers that address what you

think the class should have learned up until now.

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where to put your name on the slide Edit

Required

Watch Johan Rockstrom’s TED talkSteffen, W., Richardson, K., Rockstrom, J., Cornell, S. E., Fetzer, I., Bennett, E. M., et al. (2015).Planetary boundaries: Guiding human development on a changing planet. Science. pdfChapter 7 of Daly, H., Farley, J. (2010). Ecological Economics, Principles and Applications, 2nd Edition.Washington, D.C.: Island Press. pdfFundamental principles of energy. Encyclopedia of Earth.

Optional

Ripple, W. J., Wolf, C., Newsome, T. M., Galetti, M., Alamgir, M., Crist, E., et al. (2017). World Scientists’Warning to Humanity: A Second Notice. BioScience, 67(12 N2 -), 1026–1028. linkRaworth, K. (2012). A Safe and Just Space for Humanity: Can we live within the doughnut. Oxfam &GSE Research. pdf

Systems Thinking, February 7

What is a system? What are system surprises? Where are effective places to focus system interventions?

In-class quiz on key concepts and vocabulary for the first 30 minutes.

Required

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Meadows, D. (2009). Leverage points: Places to intervene in a system. Solutions 1(1): 41-49. linkMeadows, D.H. (2008). Thinking in systems: A primer. White River Junction, VT: Chelsea GreenPublishing. Chapter 1, 2 and 4 pdfMoore, M.-L., Tjornbo, O., Enfors, E., Knapp, C., Hodbod, J., Baggio, J. A., et al. (2014). Studying thecomplexity of change: toward an analytical framework for understanding deliberate social-ecologicaltransformations. Ecology and Society, 19(4), art54–10. http://doi.org/10.5751/ES-06966-190454 pdf

Optional

Watch In a World of Systems, ~10min videoA New Liberal Art: How systems thinking prepares students for a complex world


February 12 - February 18 Social-Ecological Systems: Resilience, February 12

What is resilience?

What inhibits resilience? What fosters resilience?

How can resilience thinking be applied to natural resource management?

Required

Resilience in Oxford Research EncyclopediaFolke, C. (2006). Resilience: The emergence of a perspective for social–ecological systemsanalyses. Global environmental change, 16(3), 253-267. pdfCarpenter, S., Walker, B., Anderies, J. M., & Abel, N. (2001). From Metaphor to Measurement: Resilienceof What to What? Ecosystems, 4(8), 765–781. pdfWatch How to apply resilience thinking

Optional

Jackley, J., Gardner, L., Djunaedi, A. F., & Salomon, A. K. (2016). Ancient clam gardens, traditionalmanagement portfolios, and the resilience of coupled human-ocean systems. Ecology and Society,21(4), art20–18. pdf

Social-Ecological Systems: Complexity, February 14

Why are social-ecological systems difficult to model? How can these models be useful?

Slides on Thermodynamics and Planetary Boundaries Edit

Journal Reflection 2, due end of the day Friday, Feb 9 Edit

Nicolas Pulik's slides on Planetary Boundaries Edit

Monika Anderson's slides: A Summary & Critique of Thinking inSystems, a primer

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Edit

Required

Watch Part 1: Understanding environmental problems through a socio-environmental lens and Part 2:Synthesis research and team science process to address socio-environmental problems via this link tothe Socio-Environmental Synthesis Center (SESYNC). Jianguo et al. (2007). Complexity of coupled human and natural systems. Science, 317, 1513-1516. pdfOstrom, E. (2009). A General Framework for Analyzing Sustainability of Social-Ecological Systems.Science, 325, 1–4. pdfCinner, J. E., Folke, C., Daw, T., & Hicks, C. C. (2011). Responding to change: Using scenarios tounderstand how socioeconomic factors may influence amplifying or dampening exploitation feedbacksamong Tanzanian fishers. Global Environmental Change, 21(1), 7–12. pdf

Optional

Explore resources and links from SESYNC, including the video about wild fire and salience and Part3 Approaches and methods to integrate diverse socio-environmental dataFolke et al. (2002). Resilience and sustainable development: Building adaptive capacity in a world oftransformations. Ambio, 31, 437-440. pdf


February 19 - February 25 Vulnerability and Adaptive Capacity, February 21 (note that classes are on Wednesday and Friday this

week)

What contributes to vulnerability? How is vulnerability reduced?

What influences adaptive capacity?

Required

Adger, W. N. (2006). Vulnerability. Global Environmental Change, 16(3), 268–281. pdf Smit, B., & Wandel, J. (2006). Adaptation, adaptive capacity and vulnerability. Global EnvironmentalChange, 16(3), 282–292. pdf

Optional

Folke et al. (2002). Resilience and sustainable development: Building adaptive capacity in a world oftransformations. Ambio, 31, 437-440. pdf

Social Ecological System Transformation Diagram Edit

Discussion questions on resilience and social-ecologicalsystems

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Siena's slides on Resilience Concepts based on Folke (2006) Edit

Cooper's slides on Clam Gardens & Resilience Edit

Andrea's slides on amplifying and dampening exploitationfeedbacks among Tanzanian fishers

Edit

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Cinner, J. E., Huchery, C., Hicks, C. C., Daw, T. M., Marshall, N., Wamukota, A., & Allison, E. H. (2015).Changes in adaptive capacity of Kenyan fishing communities. Nature Climate Change, 5(9), 872–876.pdf

Property Regimes, ****February 23, 12-1p in Vollum 110****

Compare and contrast private property, common property, and common pool resources.

Required

Hardin, G. (1968). "The tragedy of the commons." Science 162(13 December): 1243-1248. pdfMcKean, M. A. (1996). Common Property: What Is It, What Is It Good For, and What Makes It Work? (pp.1–33). FAO. LinkOstrom, E., J. Burger, C. B. Field, R. B. Norgaard and D. Policansky (1999). Revisiting the commons:Local lessons, global challenges. Science 284(5412): 278-282. pdfCox, M., Arnold, G., & Villamayor-Tomas, S. (2010). A review of design principles for community-basednatural resource management. Ecology and Society, 15(4), 1–19. pdf

Optional

Klain, S. C., Beveridge, R., & Bennett, N. J. (2014). Ecologically sustainable but unjust? Negotiatingequity and authority in common-pool marine resource management. Ecology and Society, 19(4), art52.pdf


February 26 - March 4 Ecosystem Services, February 26

Where did the concept of ecosystem services come from? Why has there been extensive uptake of thisconcept, but global biodiversity and habitat loss continues?

Required

Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (2005). Ecosystems and Human Well-being: Synthesis. Washington,DC, Island Press. (focus on p.1-24, skim the rest)Costanza, R., R. d'Arge, R. de Groot, et al. (1997). The value of the world's ecosystem services andnatural capital. Nature 387(15 May 1997): 253-260. pdf Nature (1998). Audacious bid to value the planet whips up a storm. Nature 395(6701): 430-430. pdf

Optional

Voosen, P. (2013). Who is Conservation For? Chronicle of Higher Education. Nov 10.

Ecol Econ Quiz 1 with Answers Edit

Nicolas' slides on Ostrom's Revisiting the Commons Edit

Property Regimes slides made by class Edit

Valuation, Feb 28

How can assigning monetary values to ecosystems and ecosystem components bring attention topreviously overlooked ways in which nature benefits people? What is the purpose of economic valuation incurrent policy frameworks? What do prices reflect? What are the strengths and limitations of marketvaluation? What are appropriate uses of different methods of non-market valuation?

Required

Arrow, K. J., M. L. Cropper, G. C. Eads, et al. (1996). Is there a role for benefit-cost analysis inenvironmental, health, and safety regulation? Science. 272(5259): 221-222.http://www.jstor.org/stable/2889625 pdfEconomist, T. (2005). Are you being served? The Economist. 2005: 76-78. linkFisher, B., Turner, K., Zylstra, M., Brouwer, R., de Groot, R., Farber, S., et al. (2008). Ecosystem Servicesand Economic Theory: Integration for Policy-Relevant Research. Ecological Applications: a Publicationof the Ecological Society of America, 18(8), 2050–2067. pdfKremen, C. and R. S. Ostfeld (2005). A call to ecologists: measuring, analyzing, and managingecosystem services. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 3(10): 540-548. pdf

Choose a topic for your mid-term paper, which will be due March 9th. This paper will be 1000-1500 words.Please select from the United Nation’s Sustainable Development goals (SDGs). Choose one goal. What arethe challenges to achieving this goal? How do concepts from ecological economics pertain to this goal?Specify your scale of analysis, which can be global, regional, national or local. Include statistics related tothis goal. Reference at least 3 pertinent case studies from academic literature demonstrating the extent ofsuccess or failure of initiatives related to these goals. Provide an overview of ways forward towardsachieving this SDG in a way that incorporates concepts from ecological economics.

Optional

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TEEB – The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity for National and International Policy Makers(2009). Wesseling, Germany, United Nations Environment Programme. onlinePascual, U., R. Muradian, L. Brander, et al. (2010). The economics of valuing ecosystem services andbiodiversity. The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity Ecological and Economic Foundations. P.Kumar, Earthscan. linkEPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Science Advisory Board) (2009). Valuing the Protection ofEcological Systems and Services. Washington, D.C.: 121. link


March 5 - March 11 Shortcomings of Ecosystem Services and Economic Valuation, March 5

What are the limitations of an ecosystem service approach? What values are left out?

Required

Spash, C. L. (2008). How much is that ecosystem in the window? The one with the bio-diverse trail.Environmental Values, 17(2), 259–284. pdfNorgaard, R. B. (2010). Ecosystem services: From eye-opening metaphor to complexity blinder.Ecological Economics 69(6): 1219-1227. pdf Spash, C. L. (2008). Deliberative monetary valuation and the evidence for a new value theory. LandEconomics, 84(3), 469–488. pdfListen to Radio Lab How do you put a price tag on nature? (24 min)

Optional

Luck, G. W., Chan, K. M. A., Eser, U., Gómez-Baggethun, E., Matzdorf, B., Norton, B., & Potschin, M. B.(2012). Ethical Considerations in On-Ground Applications of the Ecosystem Services Concept.BioScience, 62(12), 1020–1029. pdf Gomez-Baggethun, E., & Ruiz-Perez, M. (2011). Economic valuation and the commodification ofecosystem services. Progress in Physical Geography, 35(5), 613–628. pdf

What is value? What are environmental values? March 7

Why distinguish between values and valuation? What kinds of values are relatively stable? What kinds ofvalues change easily?

Required

Brown, T. C. (1984). The concept of value in resource allocation. Land Economics, 60(3), 231–246. pdfSatterfield, T. and L. Kalof (2005). Environmental values: An introduction. The Earthscan Reader inEnvironmental Values. L. Kalof and T. Satterfield. Sterling, VA, Earthscan: xxi-xxxiii. pdf

Mid-Term Paper Outline & References Edit

Andrea's slides on Costanza's ES valuation and critique of this inNature

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Indra's Slides on the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA) Edit

Jonathan's slides on Arrow et al. (1996) Edit

Edit

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Marris, E. (2017). Can we love nature and let it go? Breakthrough Journal, 7. online


March 12 - March 18 Spring Break


March 19 - March 25 Accounting for diverse values, March 19

Why consider non-monetary values? What are robust methods to identify, characterize and account fordifferent types of value?

Required

Chan, K. M. A., A. Guerry, P. Balvanera, et al. (2012). "Where are ‘cultural’ and ‘social’ in ecosystemservices: A framework for constructive engagement." BioScience 6(8): 744-756. pdfChan, K. M. A., T. Satterfield and J. Goldstein (2012). "Rethinking ecosystem services to better addressand navigate cultural values." Ecological Economics 74: 8-18. pdfSatterfield, T., Gregory, R. S., Klain, S., Roberts, M., & Chan, K. M. (2013). Culture, intangibles andmetrics in environmental management. Journal of Environmental Management, 117, 103–114. pdfRuckelshaus, M., McKenzie, E., Tallis, H., Guerry, A., Daily, G., Kareiva, P., et al. (2013). Notes from thefield: Lessons learned from using ecosystem service approaches to inform real-world decisions.Ecological Economics, 115. pdf

During class, we will select an environmental controversy to focus on in our next class. Students will selectrelevant academic and non-academic information sources to create a shared understanding of the valuesand information underpinning the controversy.

Optional

Turner, N., Gregory, R., Brooks, C., Failing, L., & Satterfield, T. (2008). From invisibility to transparency:identifying the implications. Ecology and society, 13(2). pdf

Deliberative Decision-Making, March 21

Mid-term paper, submit by end of Friday, March 9 Edit

Hannah's slides on Kremen & Osfeld (2009) A call to ecologists:measuring, analyzing, and managing ecosystem services

Edit

Mayou's slides on Noorgard (2010) ES Metaphor to ComplexityBlinder

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Cooper's slides on Spash (2008) about deliberative monetaryvaluation

Edit

What are robust methods to consider multiple goals, objectives and trade-offs in natural resource decision-making?

In-class exercise of Structured Decision Making (SDM). Each student will be assigned a role (see tablebelow) and opinion related to a proposed offshore wind farm near Martha's Vineyard Island, MA. We willwork through the steps of the SDM process together as we consider the facts, values and conflicting goalsrelated to this proposed project.

*** Pre-class assignment for March 21: Find at least one news or academic article that informs how youwrite your assigned opinion on the proposed wind farm near Martha's Vineyard Island. Copy and pasterelevant links related to your assigned role as well as 150-250 words justifying for your position here. Iprovided some initial links related to the various roles that I assigned to students.

Required

Chapter 1 & 2. Gregory, R., Failing, L., Harstone, M., Long, G., McDaniels, T., & Ohlson, D. (2012).Structured Decision Making. John Wiley & Sons. e-bookGregory, R., S. Lichtenstein, and P. Slovic, P. 1993. Valuing environmental resources: A constructiveapproach. Journal of Risk and Uncertainty 7: 177-197. pdf

Optional

Structured Decision Making websiteKlain, S. C., Satterfield, T., MacDonald, S., Battista, N., & Chan, K. M. A. (2017). Will communities“open-up” to offshore wind? Lessons learned from New England islands in the United States. EnergyResearch & Social Science, 34, 13–26. pdf See introduction on offshore wind and sections 3.1.1 and3.1.2

Image from Vox.

Offshore wind turbines: Industrial eye sore, bird killer or symbol of a clean, green future of energy?


Accounting for cultural ecosystem services & set-up for

Structured Decision Making (SDM)

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Link to Structured Decision Making assigned role, opinion, and

where you upload your justification of the assigned opinion. Please

copy and paste your 150-250 word justification into this shared

spreadsheet before 11am on Wednesday. Also, take a look at your

classmates justifications before we start class.

Edit

Gabe's presentation on Gregory et al. (1993) Valuing Environment

Resources and critique of CV

Edit

Alex's slides about Chan et al. (2012) on Cultural Ecosystem

Services

Edit

Sarah's slides on Structured Decision Making with offshore wind

farm example

Edit

Mayou's presentation on community engagement and wind farms

based on Klain (2017)

Edit

EditMarch 26 - April 1 Mapping Ecosystem Services, March 26

How does mapping ecosystem services inform decision making?

Required

Nelson, E., Mendoza, G., Regetz, J., Polasky, S., Tallis, H., Cameron, D., et al. (2009). Modeling multipleecosystem services, biodiversity conservation, commodity production, and tradeoffs at landscapescales. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, 7(1), 4–11. pdfRaymond, C., Bryan, B., & MacDonald, D. (2009). Mapping community values for natural capital andecosystem services. Ecological Economics. pdfKlain, S. C., Satterfield, T. A., & Chan, K. M. A. (2014). What matters and why? Ecosystem services andtheir bundled qualities. Ecological Economics, 107(C), 310–320. pdf

Optional

Chap 1, 2 and 12 in Kareiva, P. (Ed.). (2011). Natural capital: theory and practice of mapping ecosystemservices. Oxford University Press. e-bookSacks, M. (2018) The Environment and the Bottom Line. Stanford Magazine. link

The promise of Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES), March 28

Under what circumstances do PES protect natural capital and biodiversity?

Image from Dempsey, J. (2016). Enterprising Nature. John Wiley & Sons.

Required

Wunder, S. (2005). Payments for environmental services: some nuts and bolts (No. CIFOR OccasionalPaper no. 42, p. 24p). pdf

Edit

Wegner, G. I. (2016). Payments for ecosystem services (PES): a flexible, participatory, and integratedapproach for improved conservation and equity outcomes. Environment, Development andSustainability, 18(3), 617-644. pdfJack, B. K., Kousky, C., & Sims, K. R. E. (2008). Designing payments for ecosystem services: Lessonsfrom previous experience with incentive-based mechanisms. Proceedings of the National Academy ofSciences, 105(28), 9465–9470. pdf

Optional

Kinzig, A. P., Perrings, C., Chapin, F. S., Polasky, S., Smith, V. K., Tilman, D., & Turner, B. L. (2011).Paying for ecosystem services—promise and peril. Science, 334(6056), 603-604. pdfPascual, U., Muradian, R., Rodríguez, L. C., & Duraiappah, A. (2010). Exploring the links between equityand efficiency in payments for environmental services: A conceptual approach. Ecological Economics,69(6), 1237-1244. pdfPorras, I., Barton, D. N., Miranda, M., & Chacón-Cascante, A. (2013). Learning from 20 years ofpayments for ecosystem services in Costa Rica. International Institute for Environment andDevelopment, London, 35. pdf


April 2 - April 8 The Perils of Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES) and Ways Forward, April 2

What are shortcomings of PES systems? When are financial incentives effective or not effective? How mightthese shortcomings be addressed?

Required

Kosoy, N., & Corbera, E. (2010). Payments for ecosystem services as commodity fetishism. EcologicalEconomics, 69(6), 1228–1236. pdfMcAfee, K., & Shapiro, E. N. (2010). Payments for ecosystem services in Mexico: nature, neoliberalism,social movements, and the state. Annals of the Association of American Geographers, 100(3), 579-599.pdfChan, K. M. A., Anderson, E., Chapman, M., Jespersen, K., & Olmsted, P. (2017). Payments forEcosystem Services: Rife With Problems and Potential For Transformation Towards Sustainability.Ecological Economics, 140(C), 110–122. pdf

Optional

Muradian, R., Arsel, M., Pellegrini, L., Adaman, F., Aguilar, B., Agarwal, B., ... & Garcia‐Frapolli, E. (2013).Payments for ecosystem services and the fatal attraction of win‐win solutions. Conservation letters,6(4), 274-279. pdf

Journal Reflection 3, due Friday, March 30 Edit

Corey's PES slides on Wegner (2016) Edit

Jonathan's PES slides on Wunder (2005) Edit

Siena's slides on equity and efficiency based on Pascual (2010) Edit

Dempsey, J. (2016). Enterprising Nature. John Wiley & Sons. e-bookGuerry's essay blog post Nature is Priceless so Let's Value it

Equality and Equity, April 4

How do equality and equity differ? Why is social equity a pillar of sustainable development? Why areequitable outcomes difficult to achieve?

Guest Speaker: Brody Abbott, built environment and planner at Ecotrust

Image: Urbandata

Required

Taylor, D.E. (2014). The State of Diversity in Environmental Organizations. Green 2.0. Executivesummary, Chap 1 (skim for familiarity with initiatives), 8 (skim for main ideas), and 9 (read thoroughly)

Optional

Wilkinson, R., & Pickett, K. (2010). The Spirit Level. Bloomsbury Publishing USA.Schneider, F., Kallis, G., & Martinez-Alier, J. (2010). Crisis or opportunity? Economic degrowth for socialequity and ecological sustainability. Introduction to this special issue. Journal of cleanerproduction, 18(6), 511-518. pdfEconomist. (2014). Thomas Piketty’s “Capital”, summarised in four paragraphs. TheEconomist. link or pdf


Monika's slides on Mexican PES, McAfee & Shapiro, 2010 Edit

Cooper's slides on PES and Fatal Attraction of Win-WinSolutions, Muradian et al. 2012

Edit

Final Project Options and PES Discussion Questions Edit

EditApril 9 - April 15

Intergenerational Equity: Discounting, April 9What is a discount rate? What are the long-term impacts of different discount rates? How is

intergenerational equity related to discount rates?

RequiredGoulder, L. H., & Stavins, R. N. (2002). Discounting: an eye on the future. Nature, 419(6908), 673–674.

doi:10.1038/419673a pdf

Sumaila, U. R., & Walters, C. (2005). Intergenerational discounting: a new intuitive approach. EcologicalEconomics, 52(2), 135–142. pdf

Treves A, Artelle KA, Darimont CT, Lynn WS, Paquet P, Santiago-Ávila FJ, Shaw R, Wood MC.

Intergenerational equity can help to prevent climate change and extinction. Nature Ecology & Evolution.

2018 Jan 18:1. online

Scale, April 11What is the scale of a sustainable economy?

What role do teleconnections play in influencing economic activity?

RequiredDaly, H. E. (1992). Allocation, distribution, and scale: towards an economics that is efficient, just, and

sustainable. Ecological economics, 6(3), 185-193. pdf

Adger, W. N., H. Eakin and A. Winkels (2008). "Nested and teleconnected vulnerabilities to

environmental change." Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 7(3): 150-157. pdf

In class workshop for presenting and getting feedback on proposed final projects.


Sarah's slides on intergenerational equity Edit

Try adding different costs, benefits and discount rates to this

Present Value of Net Benefit spreadsheet

Edit

Dr. Treves' webinar: A Constitutional Framework for

Intergenerational Equity

Edit

Alice's slides on intergenerational equity can help prevent climate

change and extinctions

Edit

Nicolas' slides on Intergenerational Discounting Edit

Jonathan's slides on Adger's teleconnected vulnerabilities paper Edit

Indra's slides on Daly (1992) Edit

EditApril 16 - April 22

Climate Change and a Just Transition? April 16

What are the anticipated social, ecological and economic consequences of “business as usual” in the

context of climate change? What is a “just transition”? How can ecological economics inform such a

transition?

Required

Stern, N. (2008). The economics of climate change. The American Economic Review, 98(2), 1–37. pdf

McKibben, B. (2012). Global warming’s terrifying new math. Rolling Stone, 2. pdf

Newell, P., & Mulvaney, D. (2013). The political economy of the ‘just transition’. The GeographicalJournal, 179(2), 132-140. pdf

Optional

Pope’s Encyclical on Climate Change

Klein, N. (2014). This Changes Everything. New York: Simon and Schuster. Reed library

Sustainable Energy, April 18

What is “sustainable” energy? What are good practices for communicating quantitative information to

public audiences, particularly as related to energy, economics and sustainability in general?

Required

MacKay, D. J. C. (2009). Sustainable Energy--without the Hot Air. U Cambridge Limited. pdf Read

preface, Chapter 1 Motivations, Chapter 2 The Balance Sheet, Chapter 28 Putting Costs in Perspective,

Chapter 32 Saying yes and pick out one other chapter that interests you.

Watch David MacKay’s TED talk

Pain, S. (2017). Power through the ages. Nature. November 29. Link

Eisenstein, M. (2017). How social scientists can help to shape climate policy. Nature. November 29. pdf

Optional

Chapter 1 of Lovins, A. (2011). Reinventing Fire. White River Junction, VT: Rocky Mountain Institute,

Chelsea Green Publishing. google books

Edit

Edit


April 23 - April 29 Ecological Economics Frontier, April 23

Has ecological economics overly conformed to the assumptions of environmental economics? How can

progress be made towards a sustainable future?

Required

Spash, C.L. (2013). The shallow or the deep ecological economics movement? Ecological Economics,

93, 351-362. pdf

Brown, P. G., & Timmerman, P. (2015). Implications: steps toward realizing an ecological economy.

Ecological Economics for the Anthropocene. Columbia University Press. p. 233-237.

Brown, P. G., & Timmerman, P. (2015). Toward an Ecological Macroeconomics. Ecological Economicsfor the Anthropocene. Columbia University Press. p. 237-259.

Brown, P. G., & Timmerman, P. (2015). Continuing the Journey of Ecological Economics. EcologicalEconomics for the Anthropocene. Columbia University Press. p. 357-366.

Optional

Diaz, S., Pascual, U., Stenseke, M., Martín-López, B., Watson, R. T., Molnár, Z., et al. (2018). Assessing

nature's contributions to people. Science, 359(6373), 270–272. link

McKibben, B. (2007). Chapter 1. Deep Economy: the wealth of communities and the durable future.

online

Student presentations of final projects, with Q&A. April 25

Students are expected to use feedback from the class to improve their final deliverable.

Course wrap-up.


April 30 - May 6 Final project due by the end of May 9, submitted electronically.

Andrea's slides on Global Warming's Terrifying New Math Edit

Alexandra's slides on The Economics of Climate Change Edit

Monika's slides on the Political Economy of the Just Transition Edit

Indra's slides on Sustainable Energy Without the Hot Air Edit

Sarah's slides on What is sustainable energy?

Discussion questions on climate change and sustainable energy

Edit


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Course: Economics 353: Ecological Economics (Klain, Spring ... · Ecological Economics can inform choices about how we use, value and manage the living systems that underpin both