Semester II

The course describes the interactions between physical ecology and economic development, and stresses the two-way interactions and interdependencies between them. Ecological constraints (climate, disease ecology, physical resources such as soils and energy sources, topography and transport conditions) significantly shape the patterns of economic development, demography and wealth and poverty. At the same time, anthropogenic activities (farming, resource depletion, demographic stresses and energy use) change the physical environment. This course aims to give an in-depth treatment of this two-way interaction, building on a rigorous foundation of earth systems processes to understand the ecological basis of human settlement. This course differs substantially from a traditional course on economic development by placing the greatest stress on the interactions between the physical environment and human society. It does not deal at great length with traditional microeconomic topics of household consumption and saving, nor with industrial organization and risk-sharing in low-income setting.