KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING: Understand the main theoretical and empirical aspects of the relationship between economics and the environment. Understand the basic theoretical models and methods of evaluating natural resources and the environment, as well as the main public intervention policies in the environmental field. Understand the concepts of sustainable development and circular economy in their multidisciplinary contexts. APPLYING KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING: Understand and interpret the complexity of the relationships between the economic system, the environmental ecosystem and the social context according to a multidisciplinary approach to sustainable development in various sectors and production contexts. MAKING JUDGEMENTS By the end of the course, students must demonstrate that they have acquired knowledge and theoretical concepts and can carry out autonomous critical analyses of specific case studies documented in papers and additional materials provided by teachers. COMMUNICATION SKILLS: The written exam on the main topics analysed during the course, and on articles assigned by teachers, aims to verify students' ability to communicate the concepts learned during the course using the proper disciplinary lexicon. LEARNING SKILLS: By the end of the course, students must demonstrate that they have acquired the knowledge and skills described in this syllabus and a critical analytical ability, by taking a written exam on the topics presented during the course and the articles and reports assigned by the teachers.

Basics of microeconomics and macroeconomics.

1. Introduction: economics, natural resources and the environment 2. Markets and public goods 3. Environmental policies. 4. Environmental evaluation: principles and methods. 5. Renewable and nonrenewable resources economics.

Hanley, N., Shogren, J., White, B. (2013) Introduction to Environmental Economics, Oxford Univ. Press, Glasgow. Tietenberg, T., Lewis, L. Environmental and natural resource economics, Routledge, 11 ed Brent, J. (2017). Cost-benefit analysis. Edward Elgar Publishing, UK. Additional material: Turner, R.K., Pearce, D.W. , Bateman, I. (2003) Economia ambientale, Il Mulino, Bologna. Perman, R., Ma, Y., McGilvray, J., Common, M. (2003) Natural resource and environmental economics, Pearson Education.

1. Introduction: economics, natural resources and the environment 1.1 Economic Growth, Demographic Growth and Environment. 1.2 Ethics, economics and the environment. 1.3 Sustainable Development: origin and evolution of the concept. 1.4 Case studies 2. Markets and public goods. 2.1 Externalities and public goods. 2.2 Markets function and markets failure. 2.3 Case studies 3. Environmental policies. 3.1 Environmental regulation, command and control instruments. 3.2 Environmental taxes 3.3 Subsidies and incentives for environmental protection. 3.4 The Coase Theorem. 3.5 Negotiable environmental permits. 3.6 The role of innovation. 3.7 Uncertainty and intergenerational equity. 3.8 Case studies 4. Environmental evaluation: principles and method. 4.1 Cost-Benefit Analysis 4.2 Hedonic pricing method. 4.3 Travel cost method. 4.4 Contingent valuation. 4.5 Case studies. 5. Renewable and nonrenewable resources economics. 5.1 Irreversibility, risk and uncertainty. 5.2 The Economics of Non-Renewable Natural Resources. 5.3 The Economics of Renewable Resources 5.4 Case studies concerning fisheries; forestry; mining activities; agriculture; biodiversity conservation; water management; waste management 5.3 The Economics of Climate Change 5.4 Accounting for the environment. 5.5 Case studies.

Lectures, discussions on economic reports and articles, and individual and team working.

The written exam will focus on the topics and scientific articles covered during the course. It will include open-ended and multiple-choice questions, as well as exercises. Each intermediate test must be passed (18/30). If the evaluation is not positive, it is possible to retake the intermediate tests at the end of the course. The course programme and exam rules also apply to Erasmus students and students participating in other international mobility projects. The final exam aims to assess students' knowledge and understanding of the topics presented during the course, their ability to apply this knowledge and understanding and make critical judgements, and their learning and communication skills. 60% of the exam mark will be based on questions and exercises dealing with topics covered during the course, and 40% will be based on questions focused on papers presented and discussed during the course. To pass the exam, both parts of the test must be evaluated positively (18/30).

This course focuses on some topics closely related to one or more objectives of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development of the United Nations.