Achieving sustainable development is a key challenge for the 21st century. Economics is crucial both for understanding sustainability challenges and for helping to develop solutions. This course will survey the research landscape on sustainability economics with input lectures. We will discuss developments at the frontier and facilitate the development and presentation of own research ideas.

PhD students in public policy (or related fields) get an introduction to epistemology and an overview of different methodological approaches. The course will help them design their own (interdisciplinary) research and create meaningful and policy-relevant insights.

This course presents an economic perspective and core tools relevant to the private and public management of sustainability. Covered topics include how to define and measure sustainability, dynamic systems, core trade-offs, and essential tools for both business and policy, such as how to quantify consumer demand for sustainability. Applications include climate, energy, and biodiversity.