Course syllabus adopted 2025-02-18 by Head of Programme (or corresponding).
Overview
- Swedish namePolicymaking för klimat och cirkulär ekonomi
- CodeFSC005
- Credits5 Credits
- OwnerFRIST
- Education cycleFirst-cycle
- Main field of studyGlobal systems
- DepartmentNATIONALEKONOMI MED STATISTIK (GU)
- GradingUG - Pass, Fail
Course round 1
- Teaching language English
- Application code 99113
- Maximum participants400
- Minimum participants40
- Open for exchange studentsNo
Credit distribution
Module | Sp1 | Sp2 | Sp3 | Sp4 | Summer | Not Sp | Examination dates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0123 Examination 5 c Grading: UG | 2.5 c | 2.5 c |
|
In programmes
Examiner
- Fredrik Carlsson
- Visiting Teacher, Educational area for life-long learning
Eligibility
General entry requirements for bachelor's level studiesSpecific entry requirements
English 6Aim
In the wake of the increased pace of ongoing sustainability transitions, environmental policies are becoming more comprehensive, complex, and controversial. The purpose of this course is to give participants an introduction to environmental economics and the underlying mechanisms causing environmental problems and to present a portfolio of environmental policy instruments to address these problems skillfully in their own practice or future work. A second purpose is to learn to deal with the paradoxical information environment in which we find ourselves today characterized on the one by better access to powerful tools for information gathering and processing (AI) but at the same time escalating levels of public desinformation.Learning outcomes (after completion of the course the student should be able to)
1. describe how the market mechanisms function and relate them to market failures that underlie environmental issues2. describe how environmental policy instruments work
3. differentiate the impact that different environmental policy instruments have on incentives for technological and behaviour change as well as how these effect the distribution of costs related to environmental improvements.
4. identify the environmental policy instruments crucial for the climate challenge and circular economy within the sectors of transportation, construction, energy, and analyse public acceptance of these instruments
5. determine the significance of environmental/climate policy design to achieve set goals
6. describe the concept of a circular economy and explain how efficiency can be increased and pressure on ecosystems reduced by following its principles
7. recognize common misconceptions about climate physics and explain the role net-zero emissions have for a stable climate
8. be able to use Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a tool in learning to deepen knowledge in the above areas and be able to reflect on potential opportunities and risks associated with the use of AI in the field
Content
Organisation
The course combines online sessions, digital learning materials, individual assignments, group work, and cutting-edge AI applications to enhance the learning process. The online sessions include academic lectures, guest lectures from industry experts, seminars, and workshops. The digital learning materials consist of videos, self-assessment quizzes, texts, exercises, a course-specific chatbot (a so-called digital study buddy), and case studies on environmental challenges.
The mix of students and professionals from various disciplines and sectors creates a dynamic and engaging learning environment where different perspectives and experiences are highly valued and actively utilized.
The online resources are organized into structured modules on a learning platform, where participants prepare for online materials and synchronous sessions in advance. In this course, students also receive guidance on how to integrate various AI tools into their studies to make learning more accessible and engaging.
The course will also be connected, to some extent, to a global Massive Open Online Course (MOOC). This connection enhances opportunities for specialization in a specific geographic or thematic area of interest and deepens the understanding of the diverse conditions for addressing climate and resource challenges in different parts of the world.
The course is delivered online during daytime hours, with one mandatory in-person session for the final exam, which takes place on Chalmers Campus. Most calendar weeks include a course session, while a few weeks are entirely dedicated to self-study.
This 5-credit course is designed for both professionals and students. It is recommended to be taken alongside its complementary course, Policymaking for Climate and Circular Economy Project (2.5 credits), in which participants engage in project-based work to analyze a relevant issue.
Literature
The main course literature is the book Sterner, T., & Coria, J. (2012). Policy Instruments for the Management of Natural Resources and Ecos. Policy Instruments for Environmental and Natural Resourse Management (Second Edi, Vol. 53, Issue 9). RFF Press. The course literature is available on our learning platform. In addition to this book, most of the course concepts are presented in video clips in the online material that can be accessed via the course's learning platform.Examination including compulsory elements
Pass level on at least 3 out of 4 hand-ins. Attendance on at least 7 out of 11 semi-mandatory online sessions. Pass the final exam. The exam is the course only mandatory physical meeting and it is located in Gothenburg.The course examiner may assess individual students in other ways than what is stated above if there are special reasons for doing so, for example if a student has a decision from Chalmers about disability study support.