Can economics be part of the solution to our most pressing sustainability challenges? In this course, we investigate the causes and consequences of these challenges and explore how economic thinking, when used creatively and critically, can help build a more sustainable future. Designed for students with little or no prior training in economics, this course introduces fundamental economic concepts through the lens of sustainability. We'll examine how markets work and how they sometimes fail, why incentives matter, and how policies can shape behavior across individuals, businesses, and institutions. Using real-world examples from around the world such as the U.S. Clean Air Act, EU Emissions Trading System, China's War on Pollution as well as global climate agreements, we'll explore how economics can inform effective policies to address issues such as climate change, air pollution, natural resource management, and environmental justice. Through interactive class games, case studies, and group projects, students will learn how to use economics not just to understand the world but to help change it for the better.
4 units · Letter or Credit/No Credit
Can economics be part of the solution to our most pressing sustainability challenges? In this course, we investigate the causes and consequences of these challenges and explore how economic thinking, when used creatively and critically, can help build a more sustainable future. Designed for students with little or no prior training in economics, this course introduces fundamental economic concepts through the lens of sustainability. We'll examine how markets work and how they sometimes fail, why incentives matter, and how policies can shape behavior across individuals, businesses, and institutions. Using real-world examples from around the world such as the U.S. Clean Air Act, EU Emissions Trading System, China's War on Pollution as well as global climate agreements, we'll explore how economics can inform effective policies to address issues such as climate change, air pollution, natural resource management, and environmental justice. Through interactive class games, case studies, and group projects, students will learn how to use economics not just to understand the world but to help change it for the better.
Offered in Autumn 2026 at Stanford University.