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Shaping climate and environmental policy that works

Spatial and Applied Economics: Environmental Economics

The Environmental Economics track dives into the economic aspects of local, regional, and global environmental challenges, the use and depletion of natural resources, and the role of market-based policies in promoting sustainable practices and technologies.

These issues are crucial for securing a sustainable future and tackling the effects of climate change. You'll explore how governments and societies can manage environmental quality, natural resources, and the energy transition effectively and responsibly. 

Some of the key questions you will explore include:  

  • What policies are most effective in tackling pollution and other negative externalities of economic activity?  
  • What defines the efficient use of renewable (like forestry and fishery) and non-renewable (like fossil fuels and minerals) resources, and how does that differ from free-market outcomes?  
  • How do environmental policies stimulate innovation, and what is the role of technology policy in regulation?  
  • How can climate policy avoid backfiring through effects such as ‘carbon leakage’, the ‘rebound effect’, or the ‘Green Paradox’? 

This master’s specialisation in Environmental Economics equips you with cutting-edge economic knowledge and tools to analyse and answer these questions, providing a solid foundation of evidence-based insights. 

Why study Environmental Economics?

The programme is grounded in real-world data and rigorous empirical methods, equipping you to assess and shape policies at the household, firm, and national level. What sets the programme apart is the strength of the development economics group at VU Amsterdam, which includes four full professors and has close ties to institutions such as the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the World Bank. The group leads research projects across Africa, East and South Asia, and Latin America, offering a vibrant academic community and direct links to practice.

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