ECON 2277 Environmental Economics and Policy

This course provides an introduction to the economics of environmental policy. We begin by examining market failures from externalities and public goods. We then discuss public policy options to correct these failures, and develop tools to assess the costs and benefits of each approach. With this framework in place, the remainder of the course is spent evaluating past efforts to conserve land and improve air and water quality, before concluding with an extensive discussion about global climate change policy.

Course overview

Department
Economics
School
MCAS
Credits
3
Level
Undergraduate
Offered
Every Fall

Catalog details

Prerequisites
ECON1101 or MCEC1101

Catalog text is imported from the reviewed Boston College course snapshot. Confirm eligibility in EagleApps.

Requirements fulfilled

  • Environmental Geoscience B.S.: (C) Electives: approved non-EESC courses (up to 6 credits of the 18 elective credits) (Current University Catalog; students should confirm their catalog year)
  • Economics B.A.: Economics elective options (Current University Catalog; students should confirm their catalog year)
  • Environmental Studies: C. Two foundation courses (6 credits) — One in the Social Sciences or Humanities (Current University Catalog; students should confirm their catalog year)

Requirement eligibility can vary by school, cohort, and section. Confirm the selected section in EagleApps or with an advisor.

Official evaluation summary

4.07 / 5

Based on 105 aggregate responses from BC Avalanche/Blue evaluations.

Data freshness

Course and evaluation data last updated 2026-08-02. Source details and limitations are documented in Data Sources and Methodology.

Instructors

  • Pietro Visaggio
    Summer 2026, Summer 2025, Summer 2024 · Official rating 4.60/5
  • Richard Sweeney
    Fall 2023, Fall 2022, Fall 2021 · Official rating 4.14/5

Sections

  • Section 01
    Summer 2026 · Pietro Visaggio · On-line Asynchronous · Offered
  • Section 02
    Summer 2026 · Pietro Visaggio · On-line Asynchronous · Offered