Search result: Catalogue data in Autumn Semester 2016
Environmental Sciences Bachelor ![]() | ||||||
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Number | Title | Type | ECTS | Hours | Lecturers | |
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363-0387-00L | Corporate Sustainability | O | 3 credits | 2G | V. Hoffmann | |
Abstract | The lectures addresses the assessment of corporate sustainability and its links to strategy, technology, and finance. Students learn why sustainability matters for managers and how businesses can act towards it. E-modules allow students to train critical thinking skills. In the 2nd half of the semester, sustainability challenges on water, energy, mobility, and food are explored in group projects. | |||||
Learning objective | Understand the limits and the potential of corporate sustainability for sustainable development Develop critical thinking skills (argumentation, communication, evaluative judgment) that are useful in the context of corporate sustainability using an innovative writing and peer review method. Be able to recognize and realize opportunities for corporate sustainability in a business environment | |||||
Content | Overview of the key concepts of corporate sustainability and topics related to Water, Energy, Mobility, and Food Business implications of sustainable development, in particular for the assessment of sustainability performance, strategic change towards sustainability, technological innovations and sustainability, and finance and corporate sustainability. Critical thinking skills for corporate sustainability. In-depth case studies of corporate sustainability challenges in the track phase: How to deal with environmental pressure groups? How to use the strengths of business to solve pressing sustainability problems? How to catalyze technological innovations for sustainability? How to invest money in a sustainable way? | |||||
Lecture notes | Presentation slides will be made available on moodle prior to lectures. | |||||
Literature | Literature recommendations will be distributed during the lecture | |||||
751-1551-00L | Ressourcen- und Umweltökonomie ![]() | O | 3 credits | 2V | L. Bretschger, A. Müller | |
Abstract | Relationship between economy and environment, market failure, external effects and public goods, contingent valuation, internalisation of externalities; economics of non-renewable resources, economics of renewable resources, cost-benefit analysis, sustainability, and international aspects of resource and environmental economics. | |||||
Learning objective | Understanding of the basic issues and methods in resource and environmental economics; ability to solve typical problems in the field using the appropriate tools, which are concise verbal explanations, diagrams or mathematical expressions. Topics are: Introduction to resource and environmental economics Importance of resource and environmental economics Main issues of resource and environmental economics Normative basis Utilitarianism Fairness according to Rawls Economic growth and environment Externalities in the environmental sphere Governmental internalisation of externalities Private internalisation of externalities: the Coase theorem Free rider problem and public goods Types of public policy Efficient level of pollution Tax vs. permits Command and Control Instruments Empirical data on non-renewable natural resources Optimal price development: the Hotelling-rule Effects of exploration and Backstop-technology Effects of different types of markets. Biological growth function Optimal depletion of renewable resources Social inefficiency as result of over-use of open-access resources Cost-benefit analysis and the environment Measuring environmental benefit Measuring costs Concept of sustainability Technological feasibility Conflicts sustainability / optimality Indicators of sustainability Problem of climate change Cost and benefit of climate change Climate change as international ecological externality International climate policy: Kyoto protocol Implementation of the Kyoto protocol in Switzerland | |||||
Content | Economy and natural environment, welfare concepts and market failure, external effects and public goods, measuring externalities and contingent valuation, internalising external effects and environmental policy, economics of non-renewable resources, renewable resources, cost-benefit-analysis, sustainability issues, international aspects of resource and environmental problems, selected examples and case studies. | |||||
Lecture notes | The script and lecture material are provided at: https://moodle-app2.let.ethz.ch/course/view.php?id=140 | |||||
Literature | Perman, R., Ma, Y., McGilvray, J, Common, M.: "Natural Resource & Environmental Economics", 3d edition, Longman, Essex 2003. |
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