Spring 2024. Subject to refinement/updating.
Economics of Sustainability SUS7400C + Environmental Economics & Natural Resources ECO B9256 Spring 2024 Mondays 6pm -8:40pm
In-Person Marshak 829
Live - Subject to Further Updates*
Instructor: Paul Bartlett
Description: Economics is used to study the incentives and tradeoffs associated with environmental protection and natural resource conservation. Government's possible and actual role in protecting the environment is explored in depth. Are the goals of economic development and sustainability at odds with one another? This course introduces students to the major theories and applications in environmental economics.
*Sustainability is a developing field, new content will be added as they become available and the curriculum will be modified according to student/class interests. Upcoming required Perusall articles may change to Optional as new readings are added.
Course Questions? Post on Discussion Board > Course Q & A
Instructors are subscribed to the forum and will get email with post automatically. Students can answer other student questions for extra credit.
Instructor Contact Information:
pbartlett@jjay.cuny.edu
pbartlett@fordham.edu
preferred
[do not email to ccny address rarely checked]
Perusall web link https://app.perusall.com/courses/2024-sp-econ-of-sustainability-ccny Al… access via Bb. Enrollment instructions on Bb > Perusall
Perusall Course Code BARTLETT-PNFUZ
Office Hours (email in advance for time slot & zoom link)
Wednesdays 4:00pm-5:00pm & by appt (Prof. Paul Bartlett)
CCNY course shared Google Drive class folder
Sign in to Google Drive with CCNY Citymail email and password
For Team work, Takeaway sheet (weekly inclass and Perusall case studieshttps://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1cQtPcTxNMf_XfAuAzm1fKcggSq9j3nZ…
Zoom Link - Experimental use - email in advance Join Zoom Meeting Mondays 6pm -8:40pm
Mondays 06:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Meeting ID 823 6743 0728
Passcode 026716 https://fordham.zoom.us/j/82367430728?pwd=TmxibGJhaWwzWU1ZbjFwMERKODFIU… tap mobile
+16465588656,,82367430728# US (New York) +16469313860,,82367430728# US
Dial by your location
• +1 646 558 8656 US (New York)
• +1 646 931 3860 US
Learning Outcomes:
By the end of this course, students should:
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Be able to explain the key economic arguments for/against environmental
policy instruments
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Be able to apply quantitative analysis to answer real-world environmental
policy questions
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Be well-versed in the conceptual linkages between the environment, the
micro- and macro economy, and globalization
Sustainability Competencies for Learning.
Course curriculum is designed to facilitate the development of student Sustainability Meta-Competencies. Engle et al 2017; Wiek et al. 2015; UNESCO; Bartlett et al. 2020. Table & sources on Bb
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Systems Thinking and understanding of interconnectedness and complexity.
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Temporal/Strategic Thinking: Long-term, foresighted reasoning and strategizing.
Formulate multiple scenarios
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Inter-/Intra-Personal Literacy / Group Collaboration / Communities of Practice
(interpersonal literacy; understand and work with diverse perspectives and
knowledge; emotional intelligence, nonviolent communication).
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Ethical Literacy (awareness of values of self, others, and society; moral reasoning).
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Creativity / Imagination.
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Action-orientation and Systemic Change Agent Skills.
Sustainability Professional Competency Areas
Case studies and projects are used to develop student professional sustainability competencies.
1. Core Sustainability Concepts. Demonstrated
familiarity with the core issues, trends, concepts and
frameworks of sustainability.
2. Stakeholder Engagement. Skills and knowledge
related to collaboratively working with stakeholders to
forward a mutually satisfactory beneficial agenda.
3. Plan Sustainability Strategies. Create a
comprehensive, long-term and inclusive approach to
the systematic implementation of sustainability vision and initiatives.
4. Implement Sustainability Strategies. Managing the ongoing activities related to successful integration and fulfillment of sustainability goals.
5. Evaluate and Report Sustainability Efforts. Collect, analyze and report the results of sustainability metrics.
6. Adjust plans. Continuously review efforts and adjust to meet emerging needs and opportunities.
Source: ISSP Sustainability Certification Candidate Handbook, International Society for Sustainability Professionals. 2017. (On Bb).
Course Webpage: All students should have access to Blackboard. Readings and assignments will be posted on Blackboard, Perusall, and on shared Google Drive (or be available online).
Tools: Perusall Annotations (readings & videos); Discussion Board; Google Drive & Google Docs (collaborations); Google Sheets (takeaways); ePortfolio (collaborations - optional).
Perusall: Class page. Register with your CCNY email. Direct link. https://app.perusall.com/courses/2024-sp-econ-of-sustainability-ccny
Resources: Required and Recommended Reading: There is no required course textbook. Readings will be provided throughout the course. Additional resources on Bb, shared CCNY Google Drive (Resources, Colab), and Perusall.
Environmental/Ecological Economics & Degrowth (excerpts from)
Stavins, Ed., Robert N. . Economics of the Environment, 6th. ed., WW Norton, 2012. Anderson, David A. Environmental Economics and Natural Resource Mgmt, 4th ed., Routledge, 2013.
Heal, Geoffrey. Endangered Economies, Columbia University Press, 2016.
Raworth, Kate. Doughnut Economics. Stockholm Resilience Center
Heinberg, Richard & Daniel Lerch (eds.), The Post Carbon Reader, Watershed, Post Carbon Institute, 2010. [Issues & Topics]
Daly, Herman E. Ecological Economics and Sustainable Development, Edward Elgar, 2007.
Hickel, Jason, Less is More, How degrowth will save the world. 2020.
Brown, P. G., & Timmerman, P. (Eds.). (2015). Ecological Economics for the Anthropocene: An Emerging Paradigm. Columbia University Press. [Ethics, Measurements, Ecological Macroeconomics]
Jackson, Tim. Prosperity without Growth. UK Sustainability Commission
Victor Peter & Tim Jackson. (2012, 2015) Towards an Ecological Macroeconomics National Academy of Engineering. 1996. Engineering Within Ecological
Constraints. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/4919.
Red Natural History, Social Text, 2024
Red Design and the Green New Deal, Social Text, 2024
EJOLT Glossary of Ecological Economics and Environmental Justice concepts and tools. (CEECEC Handbook Appendix on Bb)
Ecosystem Services (See also Millenium Ecosystem Assessment & IPBES reports)
Ecosystem Service https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecosystem_service
Ecosystem Valuation https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecosystem_valuation
Journal of Ecosystem Services https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/ecosystem-services Ruppert et al. Ecosystem Big Ideas excerpts. (on Perusall and Google Drive)
Intergovernmental & National Reports (2015-2022)
IPBES & IPCC Workshop Report for Climate Change & Biodiversity; Scientific Outcome IPCC v6 International Panel on Climate Change. W1 Climate Science 2021, W2 Vulnerabilities, Impacts & Adaptation 2022; W3 Mitigation 2022; Synthesis Report March? 2023. IPCC SPR15 1.5 Degrees
Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA) (Foundation for SDG Targets and Metrics)
https://www.millenniumassessment.org/en/index.html
NOAA & U.S. Global Change Research Program: Draft Fifth National Climate Assessment (NCA5) United States Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) 2023. NCA4 Reports.
UNEP 2021. UN Environmental Program. Making Peace With Nature: A scientific blueprint to tackle the climate, biodiversity and pollution emergencies. Esp. Ch7 Transforming economic, financial and productive systems can lead and power and the shift to sustainability
UNEP 2022 Emission Gap Report 2022. Esp. Chapter 7 Transforming the finance system to enable the achievement of the Paris Agreement.
Ecological Economics Case Studies
Students will identify in case studies: ecological conflict, ecosystem services, stakeholders economic, political and environmental interests, economic drivers and solutions, environmental justice, relevant SDGs, ecological economic concepts and tools, alternative scenarios, lessons learned.
CEECEC (Civil Society Engagement with ECological EConomics) Ecological Economics by and for NGOs Case Studies. [Shared Google Drive & Perusall]
EJ Atlas (Environmental Justice Case Studies). http://etlas.org
AMAP Arctic Monitoring & Assessment Program. Arctic Regional Adaptation Case Studies. [Also Arctic Science Assessments & Video]. On Perusall
Online Resources
Review Undergrad [Orthodox] Economics [undergrad non-econ majors recommended to review in first few weeks of class and use as reference]
Principles of Economics 3e Greenlaw, Shapiro & MacDonals OPEN STAX
https://openstax.org/details/books/principles-economics-3e
Principles of Economics OPEN Textbooks UMN
https://open.umn.edu/opentextbooks/subjects/economics
Introduction to Economic Analysis, McAfee & Lewis
https://open.umn.edu/opentextbooks/textbooks/47
Website Links
Circular Economy Ellen MacArther Foundation
European Green Deal 2019-2024
Story of Stuff Educational Videos https://www.storyofstuff.org/
Seeds for a Good Anthropocene Crowd sourced successful case studies. https://goodanthropocenes.net/seedbank/
Economics for the Anthropocene. https://e4a-net.org/ NextSystemProject https://thenextsystem.org/
Institute for New Economic Thinking https://www.ineteconomics.org/ International Society for Biophysical Economics https://www.isbpe.org/ International Association for the Integration of Science and Engineering - Thermodynamics2.0I https://iaisae.org/index.php/publications/ International Society for Ecological Economics https://www.isecoeco.org/
Journals https://www.isecoeco.org/publications/
Ecological Economics | Journal
Ecosystem Services Partnership https://www.es-partnership.org/ Ecosystem Services | Journal
Please suggest additional online resources for class. Esp. Degrowth, ...
Self-Assessments & Polls. (Pass/Fail - score anonymous - required but not graded.) Sustainability Literacy Test - SuLiTest Awareness mode (Special units Energy [SDG 7], Circular Economy), Socio-Scientific Reasoning (SSR) Case Study.
Sustainability PSA @CCNY
Student Pre-Survey https://forms.gle/rtjL46GLL5Vpicrw9
S PSA Commons https://ccnyspsa2023.commons.gc.cuny.edu/ Slides SPSA.Slides.2024
Free Microeconomics Refreshers
Openstax, Principles of Economics, Rice University, 2017 (available online) CORE. The Economy. Economics for a Changing World (available online)
Grading Policy: Students will be evaluated based on the following course components.
35% - In-Class Assignments, Discussion, Class Participation (e.g. takeaway spreadsheet) & Homework (e.g. Perusall readings & annotations)
30% - Case Studies & Group Projects
15% - Midterm Team Assignment: EE Article Critical Review (updated)
20% - Final Take Home Reflection Essay with Peer Review Team Project
Extra credit options available throughout the course (e.g. attending sustainability events at UN and reporting back to class).
Course Policies:
Absences & Late Assignments:
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Regular attendance is essential and expected. Since we meet weekly, missing one session would be equivalent to missing several lectures' worth of content. You have TWO unexcused absences for the course; each subsequent absence will affect your participation grade.
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If you have religious observances during the scheduled grading events of this course, please let the Instructor know during the first week of class. In case of a medical or personal emergency you are asked to alert the Instructor as soon as conveniently possible. Exceptions are provided on a case-by-case basis. In general, no make-up exams will be held.
In-Class Assignments, Class Participation, & Homework:
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During each class, you will be asked to participate in in-class assignments, discussions, debates, and other activities. Completion of Problem Sets also counts toward this grade.
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Perusall annotations & Class shared google docs
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Group Project Presentation: We will be discussing a variety of environmental
problems and case studies.. You are to use economic tools we learn in this course to analyze an environmental policy issue; groups will be formed or assigned based on mutual interest. Your work will culminate in a short Group Presentation.
Academic Integrity: Please familiarize yourselves with the university’s Academic Integrity Policy. Plagiarism is the act of presenting another person's ideas, research or writings as your own. A student who plagiarizes may incur academic and disciplinary penalties, including failing grades, suspensions, and expulsion.
AcademicCalendar https://www.cuny.edu/academics/academic-calendars/
Students Customized Curriculum. Students can propose customized curriculum content reading tracks according to their interest and instructor approval (from Perusall supplemental library or other proposed reading).
Tentative Course Content Outline & Schedule (subject to updates): Perusall Reading/Video Annotation Legend
. These readings may be difficult for students that have not taken many economics courses, your annotations will be helpful for our class preparation for Monday evening. Annotations are accepted up to Monday 6pm class, but may not be read by 6pm Monday.
* = Leading Annotation + 2 comments on other students leads Due Monday 6pm, but instructors will only be able to browse and comment on annotations made before Sunday before Monday class. [Occasionally some assignments will only require one annotation and will be so indicated in the instructions]
- = Browse or scan, annotations not required and are OPTIONAL [Or shown in class, required only of absent students] Not all of these readings are on Perudall, for those that are Optional annotations Due Monday 6pm, but OK if done later. Some readings may be required later in the course according to class needs.
February Class Schedule with dates when CUNY Monday schedule is on Thursday (Feb 22) and Wednesday (Feb 28)
https://www.cuny.edu/academics/academic-calendars/
? = Questions for Instructor & Class + 2 Comments
Questions for instructor Due Saturday Midnight total comments and 3 annotations due
Monday 6pm
CUNY Monday schedule is on Thursday (Feb 22) and Wednesday (Feb 28)
Assignments (Perusall) Weekly Due Dates unchanged, Mondays 6pm
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Jan 29 Monday M829 CCNY
[2 Students absent, makeup assignments on Perusall and Takeaway Google Sheeton shared Google Drive CCNY]
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Feb 5 Monday M829 CCNY assignments on Perusall Due Feb 5 6pm
[Assignments (paced) past Due Feb 12th & 19th]
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Feb 26 Monday M829 CCNY class meets class discussion on readings & topics - assignments on Perusall Due Feb 26th 6pm
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Feb 28 Wednesday SYNC ONLINE ZOOM - Breakout Rooms - TeamWork
Meeting ID 823 6743 0728 Passcode 026716 https://fordham.zoom.us/j/82367430728?pwd=TmxibGJhaWwzWU1ZbjFwMERKODFIU… 9 -
Mar 4 Monday M829 class meets Discusses assignments & topics Peruall assignments Due Mar 4th 6pm
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Mar 22 Wednesday [Sync online] Guest Speaker: Yingying: ESG & Decarbonization Reporting & Planning Firm Level
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Apr 15 Draft Team Project Papers Due
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Apr 22 Spring Break
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May 6 Final Project Papers Due - Team Presentations
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May 13 Last day of class - Team Presentations Continued - Class Reflection
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May 20 Scheduled Final - Final Take Home Essay Exam Due
Team Project Due Dates
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Apr 15 Draft Team Project Papers Due
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Apr 22 Spring Break
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May 6 Final Project Papers Due - Team Presentations
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May 20 Scheduled Final - Final Take Home Essay Exam Due
Feb 12 Monday Async, working online, assignments on Perusall Due Feb 12 6pm
Feb 19 Monday Async, working online, assignments on Perusall Due Feb 19 6pm
Feb 22 Thursday M829 CCNY class meets - class discussion on readings & topics
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Week |
Date |
Class Topics |
HW & Readings |
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0 |
01-29-2024 online |
Online Preview Videos & Self-Assessment |
Survey Class Interests & Expectations (Db) Perusall Video Annotations: ?* Daly & Raworth Interview by Revkin Earth Institute - video Self-Assessment: SuLiTest Learning Mode - Sent by SuLiTest. Not graded. UNESCO SDG Review Open Access Econ textbooks on Bb, Google Drive & Syllabus to remind non Econ undergrad majors of what you have learned in previous econ courses. |
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1 |
01-29-2024 Monday |
Introductions & Foundations • Planetary Limits Video (Team Discussions) • Class introduction What is Economics? • Introduction & Foundations of Environmental/Ecological Economics and Sustainable Development • UN Secretariat on Climate Challenge |
Readings for next class 2/5 (Perusall): ? Stavins Ch 1 & 28 * Brown, Ethics for Economics in the Anthropocene [Optional] * Planetary Limits - Johan Rockstrom Ted Talk - video (absent students) * CEECEC Glossary Browse (optional): - Ecological Econ J * Case Study Ch3 Mining Ecuador |
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2 |
02-05-2024 (Monday) |
Ecological Economics & Case Studies Stavins - Environmental Econ |
Readings for this Week Due 2/12 * Case Study Ch 8 Hiware Water India |
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* CEECEC Glossary |
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3 |
02-12-2023 (Monday) |
*COLLEGE CLOSED* Lincoln BD Asynchronous class this week, interact on Perusall and Takeaways |
Perusall Assignments Due 2/19 |
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4 |
02-19-2023 (Monday) |
*COLLEGE CLOSED* Prez Day Asynchronous content continued Tutorials: economic concepts & tools online (student exploration according to need) |
Perusall Assignments Due 2/26 |
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Commons Case Studies (EO) |
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4 |
02-22-2023 Thursday is on a Monday Schedule |
Discussions in Teams and Class (email instructor for specific topics & questions) ● Case Studies |
Readings Due Feb 26 *ESG Impact vs Risk Assessment *China New ESG Guidelines Optional - Chen & Xie ESG Disclosure & Financial Performance - Litvinenko, Global guidelines |
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5 |
02-26-2023 (Monday) |
Discussions in Teams and Class (continued) ● Case Studies |
Readings for Next Class March 4 * Victor & Jackson, Toward an Ecological Macroeconomics *CEECEC Ch5 Forestry Cameroon TBC Browse - Prosperity Without Growth (Jackson & UK Sustainability Commission) - Climate Mitigation & Adaptation IPCC v6 WG2&3 |
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6 |
02-28-2024 Wednesday on a Monday Schedule |
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Midterm Assignment - Team EE Article Review |
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6 |
3-4-2024* |
Env/Ecol & Macro Economics - Prosperity Without Growth - SDGs |
Perusall Due Mar 11 * Raworth C6 Regenerative by Design Browse: Optional |
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7 |
3-11-24 (Monday) |
Review of Dougnut Economics & CEECEC Case Studies and Concepts . Team projects: Proposal exploration on spreadsheet and in breakout groups. |
Perusall Due Mar 18 *Raworth Agnostic about Growth C7 & Conclusion |
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Sustainable Development *Midterm Team Article Critical Review due. (post on Bb assignment module AND on Discussion Board for student comment) |
Conclusions Optional |
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Course Team Project Instructions (G Drive) |
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8 |
3-18-24 (Monday) |
Resilience in Nature, Engineering & Economics, SDG Metrics TBC . • Resilience: Non-linearity, feedback,, tipping points, abundance vs efficiency, and fragility and resilience. TBC . Team projects *2 Classmate Essay Review Comments due Friday Oct 20 on Discussion Board |
Readings Due Mar 25 * Hollings Engineering & Ecological Resilience * Hickel, Jason, Paths to Degrowth Optional |
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9 |
3-24-24 (Monday) |
Applied Topics - Policy - SDGs (TBD) . Team Projects |
Readings Due Apr 1 * McDonough & Braungart: The Upcycle [C2C] |
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10 |
4-1-24 (Monday) |
Applied Topics (subject to change according to class interest)Possibilities • Examples of Applied Research |
Readings Due April 8th Optional -Psychology of Climate Change Communications (CRED, Columbia) +Student Interest one “Optional” required |
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11 |
4-8-24 (Monday) |
Applied Topics (subject to change according to class interest) |
Readings Due April 15 * Environmental justice and the SDGs: from synergies to gaps and contradictions |
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12 |
4-15-24 (Monday) |
Applied Topics (subject to change according to class interest) . Green New Deal |
+Student Interest one “Optional” required |
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. Solutions & Game Changers video (TBC) |
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4-22-24 |
Spring Break |
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13 |
4-29-24 (Monday) |
In Class Group Work Optional Topics |
+Student Interest one “Optional” required |
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4-30-24 Tuesday |
Take home final essay exam released TBC |
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14 |
5-6-24 (Monday) |
In Class Final - Group Presentations *Team project paper due (in shared google folder and on Bb) |
Readings for 12/11 Solutions & Game Changers/ System - Institutional Change (One or more Optional readings) |
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15 |
5-13-2023 (Monday) |
*Last day of online class* Economic Sustainability Solutions and System Change - Economics contribute to making a Sustainable World, not people serve Business as Usual Economics Class Reflection - Synthesis |
+Student Interest one “Optional” required |
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Final |
5-20-2024 (6pm Monday) |
Final Take Home Exam Due on Bb Reflection Essay & Peer Review of Other Team Project [Submit Essay & Peer Review on Bb Final Take Home Exam Assignment module and also post review on Discussion Board] |
Final Exam Schedule CCNY Sp24 https://www.ccny.cuny.edu/registrar/
Appendix
Last Updated: 06/12/2024 21:20