Economics of Climate Change

August 25-29, 2025 in Amsterdam, Zuidas

Faculty

Carolyn Fischer obtained her PhD from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, USA, in 1997 and is Research Manager of the Sustainability and Infrastructure Team in the Development Research Group of the World Bank.

Gerard van der Meijden obtained his PhD from Tilburg University, The Netherlands, in 2013 and is Associate Professor of Environmental and Natural Resource Economics at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam.

Rick van der Ploeg obtained his PhD in Engineering from the University of Cambridge, USA, in 1981 and is Professor of Economics at the University of Oxford and University Professor of Environmental Economics at the University of Amsterdam.

Steven Poelhekke obtained his PhD from the European University Institute, Florence, Italy in 2008 and is Professor of International Environmental Economics at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam.

Florian Wagener obtained his PhD in Mathematics from the University of Groningen, The Netherlands, in 1998, and is Associate Professor at the University of Amsterdam. He currently works on strategic decision making in complex environments.

Meet the lecturers

Course

This course is about one of the greatest challenges of our time: climate change. What are the latest insights of the science of economics into its causes and potential solutions? How large are the costs of climate change? Should we tax carbon, cap-and-trade emission rights, or subsidize solar and wind power? Why is it so difficult to stick to environmental agreements such as ‘Paris’, despite the evident benefits to all? How can we prevent our industry from moving abroad if we take a leading role and ‘go it alone’ in taking environmental action? What is the role of economic growth and development? Should we stop it to avert a climate catastrophe and biodiversity loss, or can we pin our hopes on green growth?

Topics
Introduction to the economics of climate change (Poelhekke)
Optimal climate policy, carbon budgets and uncertainty (Van der Ploeg)
International environmental agreements (Wagener)
Green growth, limits to growth and degrowth (Van der Meijden)
Climate policy instruments and carbon leakage (Fischer)

Format
Each day will cover one of the topics above, in the form of two interactive one-hour lectures starting at 9:30am and a practical two-hour tutorial session based on (empirical) assignments after lunch. The two-hour tutorial session is based on (empirical) assignments, including use of Stata or R, analytical problems, live experiments, and analysis of real policies.

Schedule
Lectures will be in person in Amsterdam. The lectures by Carolyn Fischer will be online in the afternoon if her World Bank schedule does not allow her to be in Amsterdam in person. 
Day 1: Steven Poelhekke
Day 2: Rick van der Ploeg
Day 3: Florian Wagener
Day 4: Gerard van der Meijden
Day 5: Carolyn Fischer

Level

The Summer School welcomes (research) master students, PhD students and post-docs who are interested in learning the state-of-the art economics of climate change. We also welcome professionals from policy institutions such as central banks or international firms and institutions.

Admission requirements

Students currently pursuing a MSc, MPhil or a PhD degree; professionals with a MSc, MPhil, PhD, or equivalent degree. Especially a background in quantitative studies (mathematics, statistics, econometrics, engineering, etc.) and a basic knowledge of differential equations is useful, but no formal specific background will be required.