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Environment and Climate

Course developer

Prior knowledge

Ekon3142, Bioeconomics

Ekon3144, Sustainable Development and the Circular Economy

VidZ3047, Environmental Protection and Sustainable Development

Course abstract

The study course introduces students to the topicalities of environmental and climate issues in various economic processes, explains the responsibility and opportunities of economic actors in solving environmental and climate issues, develops students' skills in using various tools to assess and reduce the impact of economic processes on the environment and climate. The study course covers such issues as the role of the state and local governments in promoting green growth and the formation of public demand, the environmental and climate aspect in business, green and sustainable finance, new business and social dialogue models for solving environmental and climate issues. This study course expands students' understanding of the interaction between economics, environment and climate and provides practical skills in assessing the impact of economic processes on the environment and climate and analyzing the situation from the point of view of various economic actors. The aim of the study course is to provide knowledge about the interaction of the economy, environment and climate and to develop practical skills in assessing the impact of economic processes on the environment and climate.

Learning outcomes and their assessment

KNOWLEDGE
1. Knowledge of the interaction of various economic processes with the environment and climate, trends and regularities - Discussions in the practical lessons.
2. Knowledge of the policy tools for solving environmental and climate issues, of the technologies for reducing environmental pollution and impact on climate, their application in production processes, of the tools for evaluating green projects and investments – 1st and 2nd test.
3. Understanding of structural changes in the economy and knowledge of new business and social dialogue models to address environmental and climate issues - Discussions in practical lessons, vision-based planning (GROW model).
PROFESSIONAL SKILLS
1. Ability to use various tools for assessing the impact of economic processes on the environment and climate - Group work, presentation.
2. Ability to carry out a cost-benefit analysis of climate mitigation measures - Task with calculations.
SOFT SKILLS
1. Working in a team and justifying own opinion – Group work.
2. Ability to logically arrange various regularities and visualize the process - Vision-based planning (GROW model).
COMPETENCE
1. Ability to link economic processes with their impact on the environment and climate and to analyse the situation from the point of view of different economic actors - Group work, presentation.
2. Ability to offer sound and calculation-based solutions for reducing environmental and climate impacts - Task with calculations.

Course Content(Calendar)

Full-time face-to-face studies:
1. The interaction of economics, environment, and climate. Impact of economic activity on the environment and climate, trends and regularities. A model of interaction between the economy and the environment. A model of interaction between the economy and climate. Basic principles of assessment of economic processes in the context of sustainable development. The need for structural change in the economy. Sustainability of the economy. Green growth, its limitations, potential solutions. The transition to cleaner, more efficient production of products, processes and services. (2 hours)
2. The role of state and local governments in promoting green growth. State, local government competences and responsibilities in the context of reducing the impact on the environment and climate. Policy instruments to address environmental and climate issues: taxes, tariffs, transfers, subsidies, private-public partnerships, product standards, technology requirements, production volume quotas, emission licences, location control. (2 hours)
3. Building green public demand. Green procurement, its regulatory framework, support institutions. The main principles, requirements and the procedure for their application. The most common obstacles. Comparison of green procurement and ordinary pre-emption, experience of municipalities and entrepreneurs. Green procurement calculators. Eco-label. Ecodesign. Energy labelling. (2 hours)
4. Sharing economy. Explanation of the business model. The main principles of activity, goals, benefits. Solutions to reduce the impact on the environment and climate, sharing models, from product to service. (2 hours)
5. Corporate social responsibility. Historical development. Influencing factors. Public benefits. Impact on the economy, environment and climate. The impact of corporate social responsibility on the labor market. A new model of social dialogue. Examples of corporate social responsibility in business, state institutions, public organizations. (1 hour)
6. Aspect of environmental and climate issues in entrepreneurship. Interaction of production processes with environment and climate. Dependence of companies on the environment and their impact on the environment. Technologies for mitigating environmental pollution and impact on the climate, their application in production processes, analysis of costs and benefits. Environmental impact assessment. (3 hours)
7. Tools for assessing the impact of economic processes on the environment and climate. Life cycle analysis. Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions calculator. Ammonia emissions calculator. Carbon calculator. Ecological Footprint Calculator. (1 hour)
8. Green and sustainable finance. Explanation of the concept of green finance, extent of implementation. Adaptation of the financial system to the Green Course policy of the European Union. Segments of green finance: green bonds, green loans, green investments. Tools for identifying green assets. Green taxonomy. Green project and investment assessment tools. (3 hours)
List of practical works
1. Life cycle cost calculator. Group work on various household items - light bulbs, computers, refrigerators, vacuum cleaners, steam extractors, washing machines, clothes dryers, etc. - life cycle costs. (2 hours)
2. Sharing economy. Its main actors, their roles. Examples of collaborative economy in different life situations. Group work on building the GROW model for the collaborative economy. (2 hours)
3. Evaluation and comparison of different calculators. Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions calculator. Ammonia emissions calculator. Carbon calculator. Ecological Footprint Calculator. 1st test. (4 hours)
4. Cost-benefit analysis of environmental pollution-reducing technologies. Gas purification technologies. Water treatment technologies. Wastewater treatment technologies. The latest waste management technologies. (2 hours)
5. Cost-benefit analysis of climate mitigation measures. CO2 capture and storage technologies. Greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reducing technologies and measures. Marginal Abatement cost Curve (MACC), its explanation and evaluation of practical examples. Exercise with calculation. (4 hours)
6. Green investments. Evaluation of green projects and investment evaluation tools, problem situation solving. 2nd test. (2 hours)

Part time studies:
1. The interaction of economics, environment, and climate. Impact of economic activity on the environment and climate, trends and regularities. A model of interaction between the economy and the environment. A model of interaction between the economy and climate. Basic principles of assessment of economic processes in the context of sustainable development. The need for structural change in the economy. Sustainability of the economy. Green growth, its limitations, potential solutions. The transition to cleaner, more efficient production of products, processes and services. (1 hour)
2. The role of state and local governments in promoting green growth. State, local government competences and responsibilities in the context of reducing the impact on the environment and climate. Policy instruments to address environmental and climate issues: taxes, tariffs, transfers, subsidies, private-public partnerships, product standards, technology requirements, production volume quotas, emission licences, location control. (1 hour)
3. Building green public demand. Green procurement, its regulatory framework, support institutions. The main principles, requirements and the procedure for their application. The most common obstacles. Comparison of green procurement and ordinary pre-emption, experience of municipalities and entrepreneurs. Green procurement calculators. Eco-label. Ecodesign. Energy labelling. (1 hour)
4. Sharing economy. Explanation of the business model. The main principles of activity, goals, benefits. Solutions to reduce the impact on the environment and climate, sharing models, from product to service. (1 hour)
5. Corporate social responsibility. Historical development. Influencing factors. Public benefits. Impact on the economy, environment and climate. The impact of corporate social responsibility on the labor market. A new model of social dialogue. Examples of corporate social responsibility in business, state institutions, public organizations. (1 hour)
6. Aspect of environmental and climate issues in entrepreneurship. Interaction of production processes with environment and climate. Dependence of companies on the environment and their impact on the environment. Technologies for mitigating environmental pollution and impact on the climate, their application in production processes, analysis of costs and benefits. Environmental impact assessment. (1 hour)
7. Tools for assessing the impact of economic processes on the environment and climate. Life cycle analysis. Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions calculator. Ammonia emissions calculator. Carbon calculator. Ecological Footprint Calculator. (1 hour)
8. Green and sustainable finance. Explanation of the concept of green finance, extent of implementation. Adaptation of the financial system to the Green Course policy of the European Union. Segments of green finance: green bonds, green loans, green investments. Tools for identifying green assets. Green taxonomy. Green project and investment assessment tools. (1 hour)
List of practical works
1. Life cycle cost calculator. Group work on various household items - light bulbs, computers, refrigerators, vacuum cleaners, steam extractors, washing machines, clothes dryers, etc. - life cycle costs. (1 hour)
2. Sharing economy. Its main actors, their roles. Examples of collaborative economy in different life situations. Group work on building the GROW model for the collaborative economy. (1 hour)
3. Evaluation and comparison of different calculators. Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions calculator. Ammonia emissions calculator. Carbon calculator. Ecological Footprint Calculator. 1st test. (2 hour)
4. Cost-benefit analysis of environmental pollution-reducing technologies. Gas purification technologies. Water treatment technologies. Wastewater treatment technologies. The latest waste management technologies. (1 hour)
5. Cost-benefit analysis of climate mitigation measures. CO2 capture and storage technologies. Greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reducing technologies and measures. Marginal Abatement cost Curve (MACC), its explanation and evaluation of practical examples. Exercise with calculation. (2 hours)
6. Green investments. Evaluation of green projects and investment evaluation tools, problem situation solving. 2nd test. (1 hour)

Requirements for awarding credit points

Student must get at least 10 points in the 1st test, at least 10 points in the 2nd test, at least 10 points in the task with calculations, as well as participate in group work and presentation preparation, in the development of the GROW model.

Description of the organization and tasks of students’ independent work

1) Students get to know and study the literature on environmental and climate issues in various economic processes, prepare for the 1st and 2nd test.
2) A presentation is being prepared on the tools for assessing the impact of various economic processes on the environment and climate and on their evaluation (up to 12 slides), presented in the classes.
3) Information is being sought on new models of business and social dialogue for solving environmental and climate issues, which will be used to create the GROW model in classes.
4) Information is obtained and an understanding is formed about measures that reduce the impact on the climate and the environment, the most important elements of the cost-benefit analysis, which are necessary to prepare for the task with calculations in the classes.

Criteria for Evaluating Learning Outcomes

The overall assessment of the study course is formed cumulatively as a test with mark, completing the following activities: group work and presentation (20 points), 1st test (20 points), development of the GROW model (20 points), exercise with calculation (20 points), 2nd test (20 points).
10 points make up 1 point of the test mark.

Compulsory reading

1. Bioekonomika: attīstības ceļvedis: monogrāfija / Dina Popluga [un vēl 6 autori]; galvenais redaktors: Kaspars Naglis-Liepa. Jelgava: Latvijas Biozinātņu un tehnoloģiju universitāte, 2024. 185 lpp. ISBN: 978-9984-48-434-1
2. Vide un ilgtspējīga attīstība. M. Kļaviņš, J. Zaļoksnis (red.). Rīga: LU Akadēmiskais apgāds, 2011., 334 lpp.
3. Klimats un ilgtspējīga attīstība. M. Kļaviņš, J. Zaļoksnis (red.). Rīga:, LU Akadēmiskais apgāds, 2016., 383 lpp. Pieejams: https://www.zalabriviba.lv/wp-content/uploads/Klimats-un-ilgtsp%C4%93j%C4%ABga-att%C4%ABst%C4%ABba.pdf
4. Biotehonomika: mācību grāmata. D.Blumberga (red.). Rīga: RTU Izdevniecība, 2016., 338 lpp.
5. Siltumnīcefekta gāzu emisiju samazināšanas iespējas ar klimatam draudzīgu lauksaimniecību un mežsaimniecību Latvijā: monogrāfija. P.Rivža (red.). Jelgava:, Latvijas Lauksaimniecības universitāte, 2018., 304. lpp.
6. Methods of environmental and social impact assessment. R Therive., G. Wood (eds). New York:, Routledge, 2017., 724 p.

Further reading

1. Roorda N. Fundamentals of Sustainable Development. New York:, Routledge, 2017., 382 p.
2. Governance, democracy and sustainable development : moving beyond the impasse. J. Meadowcroft, O. Langhelle, A. Ruud (eds.). Cheltenham: Elgar, 2012., 340 p.
3. Zaļais ceļvedis. [tiešsaiste] Biedrība “Zaļā brīvība”, 2020., 300 lpp. [skatīts 08.03.2023.] Pieejams: https://www.zalabriviba.lv/dzivesveids/zala-briviba-izdod-atjaunotu-un-papildinatu-zalo-celvedi/
4. Eiropas Savienība, Zaļais iepirkums. Rokasgrāmata par zaļo publisko iepirkumu. [tiešsaiste] Trešais izdevums. Eiropas Savienības Publikāciju birojs. [skatīts 08.03.2023.]. Pieejams: https://ec.europa.eu/environment/gpp/pdf/handbook_lv.pdf
5. Jaunais energomarķējums. Ceļvedis valsts institūcijām un profesionāliem pircējiem. [tiešsaiste] [skatīts 08.03.2023.]. Pieejams: https://www.label2020.lv/fileadmin/lv/dokumenti/T4.6._guideline_V4.pdf
6. Latvijas spēks ilgi pastāvēt: kolektīvā zinātniskā monogrāfija. B. Rivža (red.). Rīga: Latvijas Zinātņu akadēmija, 2022., 479 lpp.
7. Iannuzzi A. Greener products: the making and marketing of sustainable brands. Boca Raton:, CRC Press, Taylor & Francis Group, 2017.,250 p.

Periodicals and other sources

1. Informācija par zaļo publisko ieprikumu Vides aizsardzības un reģionālās attīstības ministrijas mājaslapā. Pieejams: https://www.varam.gov.lv/lv/zalais-publiskais-iepirkums?utm_source=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F
2. Aprites cikla izmaksu kalkulators. Pieejams: http://demo.blond.lv/lcc2/
3. SEG un amonjaka emisiju aprēķins. Pieejams: https://www.vbf.llu.lv/lv/amonjaka-emisiju-kalkulators
4. DRN kalkulators sadedzināšanas iekārtām par vides piesārņošanu. Pieejams: https://registri.vvd.gov.lv/kalkulatori/drn-kalkulatori-sadedzinasanas-iekartam-par-vides-piesarnosanu/
5. Ekoloģiskās pēdas kalkulators. Pieejams: http://www.pdf.lv/klimats/
6. Valsts vides dienesta publisko datu reģistri. Pieejams: https://registri.vvd.gov.lv/

Notes

Restricted elective course for the ESAF academic bachelor programme Economics, specialisation Sustainable Economics and Territory Development.