Project evaluation - Einzelansicht

The core objective of this course is introducing the concepts and frameworks used to evaluate a range of policy projects and interventions within the realm of environmental problems. For example, in which frameworks do people use to evaluate potential climate change mitigation strategies to meet out climate change objectives. Another example is the decision of how well to protect a certain area from flooding and is it even worth the resources in the first place.

Therefore, rather than providing a discussion and methodology and how to assess if a project or intervention is successful, we will start from the point which assumes that such projects are in fact successful and we want to judge if they are a good idea or not overall. Therefore, we will take an economic perspective in evaluating projects.

This is particularly important because policymakers and individuals rarely only want to achieve one thing from an investment or intervention, and we must always give up something to achieve it. In economics this is known as the opportunity cost.  For example, suppose that you are a government minster and wish to spend €1,000,000 on a climate change mitigation project. You can no longer spend that money on a new hospital or school. Therefore, you must validate that to society your €1,000,000 investment in climate change mitigation brings more benefits to society than would investing in a new hospital.

There are many ways of approaching this validation exercise, however, there are two main frameworks that can be used to judge of a project is successful, which are interconnected. These are Cost-Benefit Analysis (CBA) and Multi-Criteria Analysis (MCA). These are very prominent methodologies within climate change and disaster risk management debates and policy circles.

We will also discuss one statistical method to show that an intervention can be successful. This the methodological approach known as a Randomized Controlled Trial. This is often an important component of evaluating an intervention at a small scale and can feed into larger evaluations and is considered as the gold standard for determining if an intervention is successful.

Finally, the course will be evaluated by an assignment, in which you propose a framework for analysis an government project aimed at limiting negative climate change of your choice.

A copy of the course outline can be seen at: shorturl.at/xACRY 

https://uni-potsdam.zoom.us/j/82232547050

Meeting-ID: 822 3254 7050

Password: 27806512

 https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLnUW9WRxGxNiXKY__6TNM8_h1nFIHaJEU

https://moodle2.uni-potsdam.de/course/view.php?id=26149