Environment and the Economy

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Environment and the Economy…

The Environment and the Economy is a comprehensive curriculum developed by the Foundation for Teaching Economics in partnership with the Fraser Institute to introduce students to the fundamental principles of environmental economics through engaging, hands-on learning experiences. The curriculum helps students explore how economic concepts such as scarcity, incentives, opportunity cost, property rights, externalities, and the tragedy of the commons can be applied to real-world environmental challenges.

Featuring classroom-tested activities, interactive simulations, and relevant case studies, the curriculum gives students opportunities to examine complex environmental issues from an economic perspective. Topics include water-use policies, resource management, global spending and environmental priorities, common-pool resources, and the challenges of balancing economic activity with environmental sustainability. Rather than simply learning about environmental issues, students actively apply economic reasoning to analyze problems, evaluate trade-offs, and consider the potential consequences of different policies and decisions.

Each lesson includes ready-to-use instructional resources, such as slide decks, student activities, discussion questions, case studies, and extended learning assignments. Materials are designed to support in-person, virtual, and hybrid instruction, making the curriculum flexible and easy to incorporate into a variety of classroom settings.

Designed for high-school students in the United States and Canada, The Environment and the Economy can be integrated into economics, business, social studies, environmental studies, and other related courses. The curriculum provides teachers with practical tools to help students develop economic ways of thinking while exploring some of the most important environmental challenges facing communities around the world.