Environmental Studies 7
The Economy vs. The Environment
Course description:
Since the first Earth Day in 1970, the environment has become an increasingly important issue both domestically and internationally. Questions of how much environmental protection is desirable and how it should be achieved have been the subject of considerable debate. The contention stems from the fact that the economy and the environment are inextricably linked—i.e., raw materials are depleted from the environment to produce economic goods and are ultimately returned to the environment as waste products. This seminar attempts to grapple with the difficult economic, political, and moral issues surrounding environmental protection. In addition to readings on subjects such as environmental regulation and competitiveness, environmental valuation and risk, international environmental policymaking, and equity, students participate in a number of negotiation exercises in an attempt to understand the difficulties faced by policymakers who must decide on the appropriate level of environmental protection.
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Karen Fisher-Vanden
