Individual Essay Instructions
ECOS3013 Environmental Economics, Semester 1, 2024
Essay question
Find a news article about any substantive pollution problem. For this pollution problem, discuss the following:
1. How do we determine the socially-desirable level of this particular pollution according to the Pareto
Criterion?
2. What key information do you require to determine the socially-desirable level?
EG: For each group that may be affected, what are the specific costs and benefits that you would
need to measure?
EG: If damages that occur in the future are important, what discount factor do you recommend?
How would you use this information to determine the socially-desirable level of this pollution?
3. Are there any distributional consequences from reducing this pollution? If so, how should we respond
to these (if at all)?
4. Consider one other criteria that we might use to assess the socially-optimal level of this pollution.
How would this change the socially-desirable level of pollution? Which criteria do you consider to be
more appropriate? Explain why.
Your audience is a government decision-maker, who is trying to decide whether or not to regulate polluters. A
non-economist should be able to understand your essay. Concise clear writing is important.
Marking criteria
You are being asked to make a normative judgement. Therefore, there is no correct or incorrect answer.
Instead, marks will be allocated for how well you justify and explain the judgement that you have made.
The best essays will have the following features.
1. It is clear what pollution issue and news article is being examined. Article and link to article is included
at the end of the essay.
2. Specifically addresses the particular pollution problem mentioned in the news article, rather than
discussing the pollution in general terms.
3. Considers a range of arguments for and against the approach recommended in the essay.
4. Supports arguments using facts and statistics from reputable sources.
5. References all sources.
6. Sticks to the word limit.
7. Explains the author’s position in a way that non-economists can understand. To do this, it will avoid:
1. technical language and jargon
2. supply and demand diagrams
3. equations
8. Contains a first paragraph that introduces the issue and states an opinion, and a concluding paragraph
that summarizes the arguments and leaves a lasting impression.
Your essay will be compared against previously submitted essays at USyd and elsewhere. Do not base your
essay on a previously written essay.
Length
Your essay must be 500-1000 words. References and any diagrams are not included in the word limit.
You must include a link to your news article, and attach a copy of it at the end of your essay (not included in
the 2 page limit). Please ensure that your essay and article are in one file because only one file upload is
permitted.
Submission
Submit your essay on Canvas as a machine-readable (meaning you can highlight and copy the text; photos etc
aren’t suitable) format of PDF or word.
Due Date
Week 12, 13 May 2024, 23:59pm