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Exploring Possible Futures: Modeling in Environmental and Energy Economics

Take a look at the future and learn how to develop and use models in environmental and energy economics.

6,831 enrolled on this course

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  • Duration

    5 weeks
  • Weekly study

    4 hours

Make informed decisions about pressing environmental issues.

What will our future look like? Will we continue burning fossil fuels or will we live in a 100% renewable world? How can we address climate change and what policies do we need to implement?

We will provide you with model examples to make you familiar with aspects of economic modeling and state-of-the-art research on current debates in energy policy.

This online course explores these concerns, using models in environmental and energy economics. You will learn how to design models, how to interpret and use results to make informed decisions, and how to use models to assess energy and environmental policies.

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Skip to 0 minutes and 11 seconds What will our future look like?

Skip to 0 minutes and 23 seconds Will all our cities continue to be fueled by burning fossil fuels and harvesting nuclear energy?

Skip to 0 minutes and 32 seconds Or will we live a life in 100% renewable future fueled by solar and wind?

Skip to 0 minutes and 41 seconds How can we address the challenges of climate change?

Skip to 0 minutes and 48 seconds Are we running out of time?

Skip to 0 minutes and 56 seconds If you want to learn how economists use models to predict the future and develop climate policies or how these policies can be simulated in order to predict the impact and shape different futures, join us in our course starting soon.

What topics will you cover?

  • Climate change and energy policies.
  • Evidence-based recommendations on current problems of energy policy.
  • Models in environmental economics and energy economics.
  • Building blocks of models and possible applications.
  • Informed decisions by the results of different modeling approaches.

When would you like to start?

Start straight away and join a global classroom of learners. If the course hasn’t started yet you’ll see the future date listed below.

  • Available now

Learning on this course

On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

  • Develop and use models in environmental economics and energy economics, covering conceptual aspects, basic design choices, and numerical and computational challenges.
  • Discuss topical issues like climate change and energy policies.
  • Explore different modeling approaches.
  • Investigate in the mathematical formulation underlying models.
  • Apply your knowledge to example models and adjust their specifications.
  • Interpret and use the results of different modeling approaches to make informed decisions.
  • Investigate potential future energy scenarios.
  • Reflect on the role of economic models for policy evaluations.
  • Discuss the role of modeling in economic decision making.

Who is the course for?

This course is intended for anyone interested in the topics of environmental economics and energy economics, including students at MSc or advanced BA level and policy makers.

To gain the most from this course, we encourage you to examine the details of the provided model examples, which require some basic knowledge in mathematics and microeconomics.

What do people say about this course?

"This course brings the complex subject of economic modeling closer to people. It helps us to explore this subject in designing possible futures together."

Who will you learn with?

I am professor of environmental economics at the University of Basel and head of the SCCER CREST (http://www.sccer-crest.ch). My research focusses on the design of environmental and energy policy.

I am professor for energy economics at the University of Basel (https://fonew.unibas.ch/). My research focus is on numerical modeling of energy markets.

Who developed the course?

University of Basel

The University of Basel has an international reputation of outstanding achievements in research and teaching.

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  • Learn through a mix of bite-sized videos, long- and short-form articles, audio, and practical activities
  • Stay motivated by using the Progress page to keep track of your step completion and assessment scores

Join a global classroom

  • Experience the power of social learning, and get inspired by an international network of learners
  • Share ideas with your peers and course educators on every step of the course
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  • As you work through the course, use notifications and the Progress page to guide your learning
  • Whenever you’re ready, mark each step as complete, you’re in control
  • Complete 90% of course steps and all of the assessments to earn your certificate

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