BU505G: CONTEMPORARY ISSUES IN ENERGY ECONOMICS (2024-2025)

Embark on an in-depth exploration of the economic foundations shaping contemporary challenges within the energy sector. This comprehensive course provides students with a profound understanding to navigate the complex interplay of economics, sustainability, and resource management. By looking into the intricate components of the energy trilemma and scrutinising government interventions to achieve a balance between energy security, affordability, and sustainability, students gain insights into the roles of both public and private entities. This fosters a comprehensive understanding of the sector's operational dynamics, empowering students with a holistic perspective.

The course’s focal point is the intersection of sustainable resource management, sustainable development, and energy consumption, analysing issues such as depletion policies, energy efficiency, and access. Additionally, the examination of energy security at both national and global levels lays a foundation for evaluating strategies ensuring resilience in the face of challenges. Particular attention is paid to the implications of the resource curse on economic and social development, with proposed strategies for mitigating its negative effects through the effective utilisation of generated resource revenues. This course equips students with the knowledge and analytical skills needed to meaningfully contribute to the discourse and decisions shaping the future of the energy sector.

Key Focus Areas:

• Economic Growth and Environmental Impact:
  • Examine the underpinnings of economic growth and its relationship with energy consumption and environmental degradation.
  • Understand the energy trilemma and its trade-offs.
  • Understand the issue of economic efficiency and its relation to sustainable development.
  • Explore the intersectionality of economic, environmental, and social factors influencing energy policy decisions.
• Fossil Fuel Resource Management:
  • Grasp the complexities of fossil fuel resource management, including extraction, utilisation, and sustainable practices.
  • Evaluate the environmental and economic implications of resource depletion strategies.
• Sustainable Resource Revenue Management:
  • Comprehend and analyse the sustainable management of resource revenues using economic concepts.
  • Address issues such as intergenerational equity and social responsibility in the context of resource revenue utilisation.

Information on contact teaching time is available from the course guide.

More Information about Week Numbers

There are no assessments for this course.