E-conference 3 : Water and Environmental Economics

The MESO program launches a new e-conference on the topic of « water and environmental economics ». The e-conference will start the 21 January 2008 and last until the end of March.

The conference will be held through the MESO discussion group. The emails sent to mesohub@yahoogroups.com will be automatically forwarded to the others participants. You can always consult the history of discussions on http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mesohub.

Ask your questions, give your opinions and stimulate the debate. The conference will be managed by members of Annaba Universtiy (Algeria) as well as Ecosys and SBA experts who are pleased to take part in the discussions. Readings and exercises will be proposed to enable active participation of everyone.

You can join the E-Conference by:

·       sending an email to mesohub-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
·       registering on the following link: http://meso-platform.org/msohub.htm

 
This 3rd e-conference of the MESO program is devoted to discussing and analysing the following questions:

¨      Introduction to water problematic (21 January 2008 - 11 February 2008)

What are the constraints linked with water (availability, quality, quantity)? What solutions are conceivable? What is the role of the economist? What can bring the economic analysis to this problematic (characteristic of the “water” as a good, value of water, opportunity cost, water price)?

 
¨      Economic value of water (11 February 2008 - 3 March 2008)

 
The economic value of water as well as the total economic value (TEV) of water will be discussed. The economic evaluation of water (how to price damages in water domain) will be introduced.

 
¨      Water pricing (3 – 17 March 2008)

 
Which water price is fair? What are the determinants of a water price? Pricing from a theoretical viewpoint (above or below the marginal cost of water? pricing according to different uses?)

 
The E-conference gives you the opportunity to deepen your knowledge, to share points of view about Environmental Economics with accompanying Ecosys and SBA experts. It allows you to keep in touch with the MESO programme.

The MESO program is supported by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). It consists of environment-economic analyses, which help to reduce environmental impacts and improve the well-being of the population, as well as economic efficiency. They set a value on environmental goods and services that tackle, among other issues, energy efficiency, climate change, water and waste management or socio-environmental conflicts.

Training in Environmental Economics analysis and in MESO methodology is the aim of the MESO current phase. Via academic and regional trainings, we develop analysis capacities allowing to link economy and environment in Mashreq and Maghreb countries. Within this framework, we are glad to announce the contribution of Annaba University to help us to manage the debates.