Environmental Science & Policy 215 - Introduction to Environmental Policy Analysis

How is actionable advice to decision makers about how to address environmental challenges best provided? What makes a policy effective or desirable? How are policy analysis documents best evaluated? This course introduces the frameworks and methodologies of environmental policy analysis. Working from a step-by-step approach to policy analysis, students practice defining problems, identifying policy alternatives, selecting appropriate evaluation criteria and producing well-supported policy recommendations. The course explores the strengths and limitation of this “rational” model of policy analysis as well as commonly used evaluation techniques including cost-benefit and cost-effectiveness analysis, environmental impact analysis and environmental justice analysis.