Environmental challenges are among the most pressing issues of our time—from climate change and biodiversity loss to pollution and resource depletion. Understanding the economic forces behind these challenges is essential for designing effective policies and sustainable solutions.

With 90+ lectures and 26 hours of on-demand video, this course offers a thorough introduction to the field of Environmental and Resource Economics, blending economic theory with real-world environmental issues. Through engaging lectures and practical examples, you’ll explore how economic principles can be applied to analyze and address environmental problems.

You’ll begin by examining the historical evolution of environmental economics and the philosophical foundations of environmental ethics. From there, you’ll delve into the economics of population growth, sustainable development, and the valuation of environmental goods and services. The course also covers market failures, government interventions, pollution control mechanisms, and the role of property rights in resource management.

Advanced topics include risk and uncertainty in environmental decision-making, the economics of climate change, and global environmental issues such as ozone depletion, acid rain, and challenges in the developing world.

Whether you're a student, policymaker, development practitioner, or simply someone passionate about sustainability, this course will equip you with the analytical tools and insights needed to understand and influence environmental outcomes through an economic lens.

By the end of this course:

• Apply economic reasoning to environmental and resource management issues.

• Evaluate environmental policies using cost-benefit and valuation techniques.

• Understand the trade-offs between economic development and environmental sustainability.

• Contribute to policy discussions and decision-making with a solid grounding in environmental economics.

Apply economic reasoning to environmental and resource management issues.

Evaluate environmental policies using cost-benefit and valuation techniques.

Understand the trade-offs between economic development and environmental sustainability.

Contribute to policy discussions and decision-making with a solid grounding in environmental economics.

What makes this course unique:

• Comprehensive and Interdisciplinary Approach: This course integrates economics, ethics, environmental science, and real-world case studies to provide a holistic understanding of environmental challenges.

• Structured Around Real-World Problems: Each section is designed to tackle actual environmental issues—such as climate change, fisheries collapse, pollution, and biodiversity loss—using economic tools and reasoning.

• Rich, University-Level Content Made Accessible: Based on a full academic lecture series, the course distills complex ideas into clear, engaging lessons suitable for learners at all levels, without requiring advanced economics or math backgrounds.

• Valuation Techniques You Can Apply: Learn practical methods for valuing environmental goods and services—skills that are directly applicable in policy analysis, development work, and sustainability planning.

• Global Perspective with Local Relevance: The course covers international environmental issues while also addressing challenges faced by developing countries, making it especially relevant for global development professionals.

• Ethics Meets Economics: Few courses explore the ethical dimensions of environmental decision-making alongside economic analysis. This course bridges that gap, encouraging critical thinking and responsible policy design.

Comprehensive and Interdisciplinary Approach: This course integrates economics, ethics, environmental science, and real-world case studies to provide a holistic understanding of environmental challenges.

Structured Around Real-World Problems: Each section is designed to tackle actual environmental issues—such as climate change, fisheries collapse, pollution, and biodiversity loss—using economic tools and reasoning.

Rich, University-Level Content Made Accessible: Based on a full academic lecture series, the course distills complex ideas into clear, engaging lessons suitable for learners at all levels, without requiring advanced economics or math backgrounds.

Valuation Techniques You Can Apply: Learn practical methods for valuing environmental goods and services—skills that are directly applicable in policy analysis, development work, and sustainability planning.

Global Perspective with Local Relevance: The course covers international environmental issues while also addressing challenges faced by developing countries, making it especially relevant for global development professionals.

Ethics Meets Economics: Few courses explore the ethical dimensions of environmental decision-making alongside economic analysis. This course bridges that gap, encouraging critical thinking and responsible policy design.