Links:
[1] http://www.iesabroad.org/study-abroad/programs/freiburg-environmental-studies-sustainability
[2] http://www.pro-e.org/germany1.htm%3B
[3] http://www.bmu.de/english/waste_management/doc/3432.php
[4] http://www.nachhaltige.uni-/
[5] http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/mar/23/freiburg.germany.greenest.city)
Freiburg Green City – Economic Aspects Of Environmental Change
In this course we will take a look at the “Green City” Freiburg. After a thorough introduction to environmental economics, we will analyze and discuss efficiency, effectiveness and other properties of policies in several different areas of environmental concern. In three accompanying field trips, we will get to know local enterprises and learn firsthand about the relevance of economic incentives, the “Freiburg factor,” and individual entrepreneurship in doing “green business.” Prior exposure to economics is an advantage, but not a prerequisite.
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
Lecture, discussion, student presentations, field trips
Classroom Participation (20%) - This includes contributions to discussions and group work in and outside class as well as reading assignment presentations.
Freiburg Green Diary (15%) – The students reflect individually about an environmental policy measure, project or green business idea they have come across in Freiburg.
Quiz (15%) – This is a combination of multiple choice questions and structured short questions to check on the students’ learning outcome after having laid the basis in environmental economics.
Term Paper (20%) – Based on their diary entry, a field trip, or other impulse, students write a short research paper (8-10 pages).
Final Exam (30%) – Comprehensive in nature, consisting of structured short questions and a longer essay question.
Introduction
Session 1: Introduction & Organizational issues
Session 2: Freiburg – a primer: History, Politics, Economy, Society and Environment
Reading: Frey, pp. 32 - 67
Environmental Economics and Policy
Session 3: Introduction to Economic Principles; Economics and the Environment
Readings: Mankiw, Ch. 1; Hanley et al. Ch.1
Session 4: Environmental Externalities and Pollution Control Targets
Readings: Mankiw Ch. 10; Perman et al. Ch. 6
Session 5: Pollution Control Instruments: Criteria for Choice of Policies; Institutional Approaches; Command-and-Control Instruments; Economic Incentive Instruments
Readings: Mankiw Ch. 10; Perman et al. Ch. 7
Session 6: Project Appraisal: Valuing the Environment; Cost-Benefit Analysis
Readings: Hanley et al. Ch. 3 and 4
Session 7: Quiz
Environmental Policy: A multi-level field of policy: Supranational – National – Local
Environmental Policy Areas
Session 8: Waste Management I: Economics of Waste and Policy Implications
Reading: Tietenberg, Ch. 19
Session 9: Waste Management II: global trends and German policies (green dot/yellow bag; the can deposit); Freiburg’s waste management in practise
Readings: Stadt Freiburg, Ch. I, 5; http [2]://www.pro-e.org/germany1.htm; [2]
http://www.bmu.de/english/waste_management/doc/3432.php [3]
Session 10: Waste Management III: FIELD TRIP 1: “Recycling of Freiburg”
Session 11: Energy Management I: Economic Analysis and Policy Options
Reading: Tietenberg, Ch. 8
Session 12: Energy Management II: Global trends, German targets and policies, Freiburg specifics
Readings: BMU; Stadt Freiburg, Ch. I, 4;
Session 13: Green Production and Consumption I: the Economics of Agriculture and the Environment; EU Policy and its Implications
Reading: Tietenberg, Ch. 11
Session 14: Green Production and Consumption II: FIELD TRIP 2 “Dachswanger Mühle” (organic farm)
Session 15: Sustainable Transport I: the Economics of Transport and the Environment; Policy
Implications
Reading: Hanley et al., Ch. 9
Session 16: Sustainable Transport II: Freiburg’s Traffic Concepts: public transport strategies;
discouraging use of cars; encouraging use of bikes
Reading: Stadt Freiburg, Ch. I, 2; FitzRoy/Smith
Green Freiburg: The Triangle of Municipal Government – Businesses and Institutions – The Citizens
Session 17: City Planning and citizens’ participation; research institutes and international environmental organisations; Uni Freiburg: a Green University?
Readings: Stadt Freiburg, Ch. I, 1 and Ch. III, 1 and 3; website www.nachhaltige.uni- [4]freiburg.de
Session 18: Environmental Education and “Green Tourism” in Freiburg: Ökostation, Waldhaus, Mundenhof; Green City Office; the Green City and its image: praise by international
media; critique by environmental organisations
Readings: Stadt Freiburg, Ch. I, 7 and Ch. III, 2; various articles and online sources
(http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/mar/23/freiburg.germany.greenest.city) [5]
Session 19: Vauban Reality Check I: Has Vauban deserved its status as a role model for green urban construction and living? Preparation of groups’ tasks (investigation of different environmental policy areas; role of different actors)
Reading: Frey, pp. 100-141
Session 20: Vauban Reality Check II: FIELD TRIP 3: Vauban with group assignments
Session 21: Vauban Reality Check III: Group reports and discussion
Session 22: Final discussion
Annette Kern holds a Master's degree in economics from the University of Freiburg, and a post-graduate qualification in Japanese language and culture from Tübingen University and Doshisha University/Kyoto. She previously worked for Green Cross International, an environmental NGO in Geneva/Switzerland. Currently, she is working as the International Program Coordinator at the Department of Economics at Freiburg University. She has also been lecturing in Competition Policy, and International Economics at IES Abroad as well as at the University.