Examine the Merits of Market-Based Instruments, Valuation Approaches, and Environmental Protection -

Market-Based Instruments for Environmental Protection

Write a 2,500-word essay on one of the following (i.e. either Essay 1 or Essay 2 or Essay 3)

 

Essay 1:

Examine the merits (advantages and disadvantages) of using market-based instruments (MBIs) for environmental protection. Focus on the use of environmental taxes/charges/levies/subsidies and tradable permit schemes. Use appropriate evidence, literature, and data to support your arguments. Evidence from the implementation of market- based instruments nationally or internationally would be useful. Start Point: EEA (2006) Market Based Instruments – on Canvas plus lecture notes and other readings on Canvas Bear in mind: - Advantages and disadvantages – try to be balanced on both - Evidence from Ireland and other countries – whether MBI’s were a failure or a success and why?

 

Essay 2:

Examine the merits for valuing the environment. Include in your discussion the rationale for environmental valuation from a conceptual point of view and the advantages and disadvantages of the various valuation approaches discussed in the lecture notes. Conclude by considering whether environmental valuation is a worthwhile exercise. Use appropriate evidence, literature and data to support your arguments. Start Point: See Bann (2002) on Canvas plus lecture notes and other readings on Canvas Bear in mind: 2 - In what way does the environment have value? How would economists answer that question - Is environmental valuation a worthwhile exercise? Is it just too difficult? Could we always overvalue the environment? Could we always undervalue the environment?

 

Essay 3:

One of the themes of Topic 5 is ‘the Ultimate Resource’ versus the ‘Limits to Growth’ debate. Summarise what you consider to be the key issues on both sides of the debate. Once the key issues have been considered, make an objective case for the side of the debate that you consider provides a more compelling argument. You can also suggest that both sides of the debate are compelling but explain why you think this is the case. Use appropriate evidence, literature, and data to support your arguments. Start Point: The Ultimate Resource View Horwitz S (February 2011) Are we Running out of Resources?  The Limits to Growth View Meadows D (September 2009) Growth versus Development. Bear in Mind: - Individuals are the Ultimate Resource versus We are Running out of Resources - Economic Growth versus Sustainable Development - Sustainable Development - Weak Sustainability versus Strong Sustainability - Objective Case - Use appropriate evidence, literature and data to support your arguments. Try and ‘be fair’ to both sides Further information

Advantages and Disadvantages of Market-Based Instruments

 

• Submit the assignment electronically through Canvas. The assignment will be submitted through TurnItIn. You will be able to view a Similarity Report in advance (if I can resolve the issue with this on Canvas). Please note that there is no “magic number” in the Similarity Report which is acceptable. The purpose of this report is to assist you in avoiding unintentional plagiarism.

 

• This assignment is worth 50% of your overall mark for EC3156.

 

• Please ensure that the assignment includes a cover sheet with your n ame, student ID number, and a word count. You must also include the following student declaration. Please include the following statement on the cover sheet This is to certify that the work I am submitting is my own and has been done by me solely and not in consultation with anyone else. Neither I nor anyone else have submitted this work for assessment. I have read and understood the regulations of University College Cork concerning plagiarism. Where breaches of the declaration are detected, these will be reviewed under UCC student conduct and plagiarism policies. Any breach of the examination rules is a serious issue and can incur penalties. 

 

• References are not included in the word count. A word count shoul d be included on the cover sheet. A penalty of 1% per 100 words of part there of over the 2,500 -word limit will be strictly applied. This means a word count of 2,520 incurs a 1% penalty. A word count of 2,620 incurs a 2% word count penalty, and so on. There is also a minimum word limit of 1,000. Title page, appendices, tables, graphs, and references are not included in the word count limit.

 

• Assignments must be 12-point font, spell-checked, page numbered, and proofread. A word count must be included.

 

• Any text from your original article must be cited and displayed in quotes/inverted commas, for example: As explained in the second paragraph “The Economist proved no better than anyone else at predicting this turnaround” (Krugman,, 1994: 43) or “Prices will rise in Ireland” (The Economist, 2004: 3). • A full list of all references used in the report must be included at the back of the report. A referencing guide will be posted on Canvas. I will post a video on referencing to Canvas.

 

• Plagiarism is presenting someone else's work as your own. Plagiarised work will be marked as 0%. Assignments will be submitted through Canvas using TurnItIn. This will highlight elements of the reports which are similar to other material on the web. You should be aware that plagiarism will be identified through TurnItIn. You will be able to run a Similarity Report on your submitted assignment in advance of submission.

 

• The marking scheme posted on Canvas for Assignment 1 also applied to this assignment.

 

• The level of professional presentation, which includes writing style, layout and presentation will be considered when deciding on a grade. To improve the level of professional presentation you should do more than one draft and consider the following as you draft; organise your paragraphs such that there is a point to each paragraph, check spelling and grammar checks. Ensure that a bibliography/reference list is included at the end.

 

• Please ensure that you have a backup copy of your assignment, in case material is lost. Those who submit their assignments late, citing this excuse (or similar excuses) will not.