AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The teaching presents basic tools for valuing environmental goods and services and for environmental accounting, develops the student's knowledge of the latest environmental and European directives, and fosters the skills needed to address research developments in the field. In particular, an overview of tools and methods for assessing and monitoring changes in the value of ecosystem services and building accounting and reporting systems capable of internalizing these values will be provided. The content will be developed with due consideration of what is prescribed by the latest European initiatives on biodiversity and environmental management and in accordance with the policies and regulations dictated by the European Commission.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

The teaching aims to provide students with the knowledge and tools needed to value and report, at the territorial scale, the contribution that ecosystems make to income generation, well-being and environmental quality for the economic system and society as a whole.

This contribution is represented by the benefits derived from ecosystem services, whose maintenance also depends on management, conservation and restoration activities carried out by institutions and organisations at different territorial levels, such as regional authorities, park authorities, associations of municipalities and other public and private actors. Conversely, inadequate ecosystem management or unregulated economic activities may lead to the loss of ecosystem services and generate economic costs for specific groups of users and for society as a whole.

Knowledge and Understanding

By the end of the course, students will have acquired adequate knowledge of the scientific, economic and methodological foundations of environmental valuation and ecosystem accounting. They will be able to understand the role of natural capital and ecosystem services in economic, political and financial decisions concerning the use of natural resources and the environment.

Applying Knowledge and Understanding

Students will be able to apply the tools acquired in the course to interpret and assess the role of environmental policies in steering markets, firms and institutions towards sustainability objectives. They will also be able to analyse emerging issues such as the economic valuation of ecosystem services, carbon credits and certificates, biodiversity markets and the debate on the possible “commodification” of nature.

Making Judgements

Students will be able to use the knowledge acquired with a critical approach, developing independent assessments of the limits, potential and economic, environmental and social implications of environmental valuation and accounting tools.

Communication Skills

Students will acquire the technical language of the discipline and will be able to communicate clearly and unambiguously with specialist and non-specialist audiences, including firms, institutions, territorial bodies and actors involved in the management of natural resources.

Learning Skills

Students will acquire conceptual and methodological tools that will enable them to continue studying the main topics of the discipline independently, including in the professional and institutional contexts in which they may operate.

PREREQUISITES

There are no specific requirements.

TEACHING METHODS

Teaching consists of lectures, practical exercises and small-group activities aimed at consolidating acquired knowledge and self-assessment of the level of learning and understanding.

Classroom lectures are delivered through multimedia presentations.

Attendance at classes is strongly recommended, while attendance at practical and laboratory activities is mandatory at 75%.

The way lessons are taught may be modified due to emergencies that prevent in-person lessons from being held. In this case, classes will be held via the Teams platform using suitable substitute teaching tools.

Students who have valid certification of physical or learning disabilities on file with the University and who wish to discuss possible accommodations or other circumstances regarding lectures, coursework and exams, should speak both with the instructor and with Professor Sara Ferrando (sara.ferrando@unige.it), the Department’s disability liaison.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

The teaching addresses the reasons for and methods of systematically integrating ecological and economic data, as an information base for public and private decisions concerning territorial policies and productive sectors with significant impacts on environmental and social sustainability, such as agriculture, tourism, energy, transport and urban development.

The topics covered include:

• Introduction to economic, environmental and social sustainability.
• The main European strategies for sustainability: the European Green Deal, the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030, the Farm to Fork Strategy and the Nature Restoration Regulation.
• Economic and environmental performance indicators: from GDP to national income, from Green GDP to the ecological footprint.
• Economic accounting and the System of National Accounts.
• Approaches to green accounting, environmental accounting and ecosystem services accounting.
• Natural capital and ecosystem services: definitions, classifications and valuation methods.
• The System of Environmental-Economic Accounting – Ecosystem Accounting as an integrated statistical framework for organising data on ecosystems, habitats and landscapes, measuring ecosystem services, monitoring changes in ecosystem assets and linking this information to economic and human activities.
• Ecosystem accounts within the European framework for environmental-economic accounting.
• Environmental reporting tools and territorial-scale applications.
• The use of environmental accounting to support public policies, territorial planning and the sustainable management of natural resources.
• Case studies and applications related to the valuation and reporting of ecosystem services. 

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

There is a combination of different materials that will be made available on Aulaweb at the beginning of class.

All students are encouraged to periodically consult the page for this teaching on the AulaWeb e-learning portal (accessible from the University website or at: http://www.aulaweb.unige.it/). All information and materials related to this teaching are posted exclusively on that site.

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

BARBARA CAVALLETTI (President)

GEROLAMO TACCOGNA (President Substitute)

LESSONS

LESSONS START

For lessons start and timetable visit: https://easyacademy.unige.it/portalestudenti/

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

The final assessment consists of the presentation of a project developed by students during the course. 

ASSESSMENT METHODS

The final assessment consists of the presentation of a project developed by students during the course. The assessment will evaluate students’ mastery of the tools introduced in the course, as well as their ability to present information clearly and accurately, using appropriate technical terminology.