Domestic Climate Change Policy and Economics

Available for on-campus & online learning. Students participate in interactive, real-time classes. 2026 dates: Apr 21,24,28 May1,5,8,12,15,19,22,26,29 Climate change is a key concern for public policy making, including as part of core economic policy. Decarbonisation will require changes in technologies, production and consumption, and means transition in some industries. Meanwhile, communities and businesses will need to prepare for impacts from climate change and adapt to them. Climate policy has arrived in the mainstream of government policy making. It is contested and poses challenges for institutions and political decision making. This course is about analytical frameworks, choice and design of policy for climate change at the national and sub-national level. It provides an introduction to the principles of domestic policymaking for climate change, and their application in practice. It allows students to become familiar with some of the major debates on climate change policy especially in its economic dimensions, including selected current policy debates in Australia and other countries. The course provides a grounding to enable students to do their own analysis of climate policy instruments and options. Students are encouraged to actively engage and share their own perspectives and relevant experience. Economic concepts covered in the course are presented in a way that is accessible to non-economists and the course does not require prior study of economics. The course is convened by Prof Frank Jotzo who has done applied research and policy advisory on climate policy in Australia and internationally for over two decades.