The development of the global economy is increasingly coming up against planetary challenges, as demonstrated by the crises surrounding climate change, loss of biodiversity, ocean acidification and other environmental problems and risks. Considering all natural resources and ecosystems from a sustainable development perspective means taking responsibility for living in the "Anthropocene", and this implies implementing a global and ambitious environmental policy.
These lectures will explore how to choose and design economic instruments for environmental policy at different scales, from instruments to manage local problems (eco-taxes, tradable permits, subsidies, etc.) to major international agreements to tackle global challenges such as climate change. The seminars that follow each lecture will provide additional insights into these issues.
Thomas Sterner is a professor at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden. He is associated with the Environmental Defense Fund in the United States and with the international network of the Environment for Development initiative, which specializes in environmental economics in developing countries. He chaired the European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists in 2008 and 2009.