Economics of Environment: the Age of Constraints

Slides 2026

Autrices, auteurs & résumé
Par
Xavier Timbeau and Anissa Saumtally ;

1Introduction to the course

Objectives of the course, evaluation and calendar

2Malthus

How a unified growth model can demonstrate the importance of scarcity in the economic structuration of the society

3 The Case of Air Pollution

The nearly completed battle against air pollution has been fought with some interesting policy instruments such as Right to pollute exchange markets

4 Limits to Human Activity

Planetary limits are the right concept for sustainability

5 IPCC&Earth Summit

A short history of environnemental international institutions

6 Climate Change: a Crash Course

The main mechanism of climate change will be reviewed. It as as well a toolbox against deniers than a necessary basic knowledge to understand public policies

6.1 Sources of emissions

The important question of who emits (the rich, the poor, both) will be revealed !

6.2 Damages

Global temperature anomaly is nearly at 1.5°C, what are the consequences ?

6.3 Geoengineering

Can we manage climate mlike we manage home heating or cooling ? Is it a further step in the modern hubris toward full extinction ?

6.4 Deniers

More evidence has not reduced the number of deniers, it has simply change the way they deny.

6.5 Nuclear Energy

Nuclear energy is a fascinating technology, with haters and lovers. What are the facts ?

7 A plan: the European Green Deal

The Green Deal is a fantastic — yet ultra tecchnocratic — tool for Europe, rather unique in the world. Is it going to melt under the reaction forces of the society ?

8 Ozone Layer and Montreal Protocol

Resolution of the Ozone Layer Question is a great achievment — let’s hope climate change will not compromized it. The lessons from that successful international cooperation are of the utmost importance for understanding what’s needed to be solved for CC and planetary limits.