Economics of Climate Change

Course Description

Summary

This course explores climate change through economics while also asking a deeper question: how do economic tools shape what we see, measure, and ultimately value about the climate crisis?

You will examine how climate change affects economies through rising prices, inflation, and shifts in output, as well as through less visible but equally important impacts on health, ecosystems, and well-being. Alongside this, you will learn how economists use tools such as cost–benefit analysis and integrated assessment models to study climate damages and evaluate responses to them.

Using case studies from different regions, the course highlights how climate impacts are unevenly distributed and raises questions of climate justice, inequality, and responsibility across countries and communities. It also considers how policy choices—from local adaptation efforts to national mitigation strategies—shape both environmental and economic outcomes.

No prior background in economics is required. The course uses discussion, readings, and case-based learning to give you a clear and accessible entry point into how economics helps explain climate change—and how it sometimes limits what we understand about it.

Course Requirements:

The course invites you to engage with your peers in a spirit of mutual appreciation, collaboration, and intellectual curiosity. It is built around three core commitments: (a) active engagement with assigned readings through consistent class participation, (b) completion of written assignments, and (c) collaborative work, including group presentations.

Each class session depends on your preparation. You are expected to engage carefully with the readings in advance and contribute thoughtfully to discussion. Attendance is essential, as readings, discussion, and written work together form an integrated learning process.