Natural Resources and Public Goods Economics and Policy

This course aims to provide students with the necessary tools to analyze the natural resources and public goods issues from both an economic and political point of view. In particular, the course is split in two main parts. In a first phase the natural resources and public goods conceptual framework are outlined and developed, while in the second part of the course will be discussed different themes related to renewable and non-renewable natural resources and ecosystem services with both a regulatory and evaluation approach.

The skills acquired will make the students able to:
- understand the role of natural resources and public goods in economic development;
- implement an efficient approach for a sustainable use of natural capital in respect to both non-renewable resources and renewable resources;
- understand the basic concepts related to the main economic and assessment tools for the management of natural resources and ecosystem services;
- understand how natural resources concerns can be integrated in policy instruments with specific focus on rural and agricultural sectors.