Environmental and Forest Surveying and Economics

A.Y. 2024/2025
8
Max ECTS
80
Overall hours
SSD
AGR/01
Language
Italian
Learning objectives
The aim of the course is to provide:
- basic knowledge related to the judgement of value pertaining the rural world, both with reference to public and private activities
- the tools for the economic evaluation of assets and entrepreneurial choices
- the basis for the study of the microeconomics of the environment and the macroeconomics of the environment
- the elements for understanding the functioning and for evaluating the efficiency of economic policy instruments for the regulation of environmental quality (taxes, emission trading, subsidies).
- a vision on the institutional framework of the EU Rural Development Policies (RDP) and on the implementation of the main RDP schemes to support agriculture multifunctionality and rural sustainability
Expected learning outcomes
The skills acquired will make the student able to:
- estimate and to conduct market valuation related to rural activity, both with reference to private and public goods
- Interpret the main economic dynamics underlying environmental phenomena
- to choose and adopt public support instruments tailored for the specific needs of entrepreneurs in the mountain rural areas
Single course

This course can be attended as a single course.

Course syllabus and organization

Single session

Responsible
Lesson period
First semester
Course syllabus
Environmental Economics and Policy
1) Introduction to environmental economics; Environmental economics history; Natural resources in classical and neoclassical economics; Environmental economics, natural resources economics and ecological economics
2) Environment-economy interactions; Economic growth and environmental sustainability; Sustainable development
3)Environmental microeconomics; Market failure; Private and public goods; Externalities; The socially optimal level of pollution; Pollution regulation: Incentive vs command-and-control mechanism; The socially optimal level of pollution and taxation; The polluter-pays principle; The pigouvian tax; The costs of pollution reduction; Pollution taxes effects on consumers; Economical implications of command-and-control approach; Taxes vs standards in the presence of information asymmetry; Environmental subsidies; Deposit-refund systems; Tradable emission permits; The Kyoto Protocol and EU emission trading system
4) Renewable natural resources economics
5)Agriculture multifunctionality; Multifunctionality: theoretical background; Joint production and externalities linked to agricultural production; The multiple functions of agriculture and ecosytem services; Multifunctionality: policy implications
6) The Common Agricultural Policy; The green architecture of the CAP; The CAP greening process CAP cross-compliance; The Rural Development Policy; The agro-environmental measures; the CAP 2023-2027. Detailed analysis of the main schemes of Lombardy Region Rural Development Programme 2023-2027

Environmental and forest economic appraisal
Capital, interest, rate. Simple interest, compound interest. Transfer of values over time.
Characteristic's and aims of appraisals. The value. Economical aspects (market value, cost value, capitalization value, complementary value, transformation/stumpage value, subrogation value). Estimation procedures.
Conceptual foundation for the economic valuation of public goods. The total economic value (use and non-use). Monetary and non-monetary assessments;
Procedures for the assessment of plans and projects, nature and object of valuation. Economic evaluation of public and private projects, cost benefit analysis. Outline on monetary methods for estimating the total economic value: (travel costs, hedonic prices, contingent valuation, choice experiments, benefit transfer). The social discount rate. Financial evaluation of investment convenience.
Methods for the evaluation of private investments: cash flows analysis, indexes analysis (net present value, internal rate of return)
Prerequisites for admission
Principles of microeconomics and mathematics are required
Teaching methods
Frontal lessons and classwork
Teaching Resources
ENVIRONMENTAL ECONOMICS AND POLICY
1) Slides provided by teacher
2)D.W. Pearce, R.K. Turner, Economia delle risorse naturali e dell'ambiente, il Mulino Chapters: 1,2,4,5,6,7,8,16(paragrafi da 1 a 5) (out of sale, available a UNIMI library).
Alternatively, Turner R.K., Pearce D.W., Bateman I., Economia ambientale, Il Mulino Chapters 1,2,4,5.
3)Coldiretti, Divulga (2023), Dove sta andando la PAC. Il PSP dell'Italia 2023-2027. Linee guida
Download at:
https://giovanimpresa.coldiretti.it/notizie/attualita/pub/la-prima-pubblicazione-sulla-nuova-pac-italiana
4) Papers and websites indicated by the teacher
To deepen: T. Tietenberg, Economia dell'ambiente; McGraw-Hill

ENVIRONMENTAL AND FOREST ECONOMIC APPRAISAL
Malagoli C., Bertoldo M., Estimo territoriale e ambientale. Aspetti di carattere generale. Aracne ed.
Polelli M., Trattato di Estimo. Maggioli ed.
Michieli I., Trattato di Estimo. Edagricole ed.
ANPA, Il danno ambientale ex art. 18 L. 349/86 available at http://www.isprambiente.gov.it/
APAT, Il risarcimento del danno ambientale: Aspetti teorici e operativi della valutazione economica. http://www.isprambiente.gov.it/
Assessment methods and Criteria
The exam consists in two written test:
- a written test of Environmental and forest economic appraisal (Prof Peri)
- a written test of Environmental economics and policy (Prof Bertoni)

The two written tests will be held in independent rounds
The final grade is given by the arithmetic mean of the marks obtained in the two tests, provided that a grade of at least 18/30 is obtained in each of the two tests.
The order in which the tests are taken is free

WRITTEN TEST OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND FOREST ECONOMIC APPRAISAL
The test is based on multiple-choice questions, open-ended questions and the performance of several exercises.
The assessment parameter used concerns the correctness of the answers
The final score is expressed as n/30.
The final scores are communicated via the Ariel teaching site.

WRITTEN TEST OF ENVIRONMENTAL ECONOMICS AND POLICY
The test is based on 7 multiple choice questions (T/F) and 1 open question.
The assessment parameter used relates to the correctness of answers, competence in the use of specialist vocabulary and the effectiveness of written exposition.
The final score is expressed as n/30.
The final scores are communicated via the Ariel teaching site.

Students with SLD or disability certifications are kindly requested to contact the teachers at least 15 days before the date of the exam session to agree on individual exam requirements. In the email please make sure to add in cc the competent offices: [email protected] (for students with SLD) o [email protected] (for students with disability).
AGR/01 - AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS AND RURAL APPRAISAL - University credits: 8
Practicals: 32 hours
Lessons: 48 hours
Shifts:
Turno
Professors: Bertoni Danilo, Peri Massimo
Professor(s)
Reception:
Contact the teacher by email to arrange an appointment
Department of Environmental Science and Policy (third floor, via Celoria 2)
Reception:
the teacher receives by appointment
ESP (sede di via Celoria,2 - first floor)