ECON 5250 - Environmental and Natural Resource Economics

Why do firms pollute the air, water, and ground? What public policies are available to reduce pollution, and how do policies such as taxes, quotas, and tradable permits work? What economic circumstances threaten the existence of species and ecosystems, in the US and abroad? Also, what factors drive the exploitation of nonrenewable energy and mineral resources? What effect does that exploitation have on future generations, and is that effect ethical? What is the consequence of the economic exploitation of renewable natural resources such as fish and trees? Are there implications for these concerns from entropy and thermodynamics? What are the prospects for perpetual economic growth? Graduate students should register for ECON 6250 and will be held to higher standards and/or additional work.