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351-0538-00L 2 Credits

Sustainability and Long-run Ecnomic Development

Nachhaltigkeit und langfristige Wirtschaftsentwicklung

Lecturers & Examiners: Prof. Dr. Karen Pittel
VVZ CR n/a

Last Updated: 2026-02-05 15:02:04

Abstract

The lecture firstly introduces different concepts of sustainability and sustainable development. Building on this foundation and following a general introduction to the modelling of economic growth, conditions for growth to be sustainable are derived. The focus is thereby on the different implications arising from the scarcity of renewable versus non-renewables resources.

Objective

Building on different concepts of sustainability and sustainable development, the aim is to derive conditions for sustainable economic development and to analyze implications for economic and environmental policy.

Content

The lecture first introduces different concepts of sustainability and sustainable development. Building on this foundation the term "sustainable growth" is introduced and conditions for growth to be sustainable are derived. We distinguish explicitly between renewable and exhaustible resource use. Furthermore implications of externalities that are associated with environmental degeneration and resource depletion are analyzed. We take a look at economic and environmental policies aiming at internalizing these externalities.

Resources

Lecture Notes

Will be provided successively in the course of the semester.

Literature

Neumayer, E. (2003) Weak and Strong Sustainability, 2nd ed., Cheltenham: Edward Elgar. Bretschger, F. (1999), Growth Theory and Sustainable Development, Cheltenham: Edward Elgar. Further references will be given throughout the lecture.

General Information

Language
German
Frequency
Yearly recurring

Examination

Type
session examination
Mode
oral 30 minutes

Course Components

Type Title Time & Place Hours
lecture Nachhaltigkeit und langfristige Wirtschaftsentwicklung
  • Wed 10:15-12:00 (HG D 3.1)
  • 13.04 Date 10:15-12:00 (HG D 7.2)
2 h weekly

Offered In

  • Geistes-, Sozial- und Staatswissenschaften (Die Sprachkurse sind nicht mehr im Angebot des D-GESS, sondern im Angebot des Sprachenzentrums der Universität und der ETH Zürich enthalten. Adresse: Predigergasse 9, 8001 Zürich, Tel. 01 632 2958, Fax 01 632 1221 Mail: )