About 25% of greenhouse gas emissions come from the food system. Agricultural production is also responsible for significant water and air pollution. On the other hand, fuels produced from agricultural products may provide potential low-carbon alternatives to fossil fuels. In this class, we will study the large challenges in environmental quality, energy production, and climate that stem from agriculture. We will seek to understand why things are as they are and how government policies affect outcomes. We will build our understanding from economic theory and data analysis. Disagreement and debate are encouraged.

To be taught in Spring 2025

Draft syllabus

This is a field class in the Agricultural Economics and Policy PhD sequence in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics.

To be taught in Spring 2025, jointly with Sofia Villas-Boas