EEPSEA conducted a ten-day Introductory Course on Environmental Economics on 19-29 August 2013 at Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The course was designed to enable participants to understand the linkages between economic activities and the environment. It discussed theories and tools that can be used to understand and measure this relationship so that appropriate decisions on how to best manage natural resources can be identified.
The course was divided into four modules, the last three of which focusing on selected research topics related to environmental problems in Southeast Asia. The first module provided an overview of basic economics and was delivered by Dr. Myriam Hadness of the Vietnamese German University in Ho Chi Minh. The second module, delivered by EEPSEA Senior Economists Dr. Pham Khanh Nam and Dr. Orapan Nabangchang, focused on various valuation tools that can be used to value environmental services. Dr. Piyaluk Buddhawongsa of Chiang Mai University delivered the third module on Economics and Policy Analysis. Dr. Bui Dung The of Hue University closed the course with a module on Climate Change Economics.
The course was tailored for research purposes with research-oriented topics. Of the more than 100 applicants of the course, 32 researchers were chosen to participate, most of which coming from various universities in Southeast Asia.
The course was conducted in partnership with the Sustainable Mekong Research Network (SUMERNET) and the University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City (UEH).