This was the second edition of Economía y Finanzas para el Liderazgo Ambiental (Economics and Finance for Environmental Leadership). Our course was 100% online and in Spanish. The objective of the course was to teach Latin American professionals essential economic tools they can apply to their nature conservation work. The course helped participants design more effective conservation programs and enable them to better assess the socio-environmental impacts of planned development projects. The course was directed toward professionals and academics working in conservation and sustainable management of natural resources in the private, public, and non-profit sectors.
Methodology
The course combined asynchronous lessons and virtual discussion sessions with experienced professors and seasoned professionals from Latin America. The course was hosted at the Numbers For Nature Training Institute and through live Zoom sessions. Pre-recorded lectures, lecture materials, and readings are hosted on the Numbers for Nature Training Institute, and participants are asked to complete about two hours of work per week on the platform. Two live sessions of two hours each were held each week, where the instructor reviews key points, responds to questions, presents case studies, and leads course exercises.
The 13-week course, divided into eight modules, was aimed at professionals working in nature conservation and sustainable management of natural resources in the private sector, governmental and non-governmental agencies, academia, and grassroots organizations. The course structure allowed participants to continue with their daily work and participate in the course through a combination of pre-recorded classes, online sessions with experts, updated readings, debates, and practical and interactive exercises.
Course content:
- Economic Basis
- Cost Benefit Analysis
- Financial Sustainability for Biodiversity Conservation
- Natural Resource Economics
- Ecosystem Services and Economic Valuation
- Behavioral Economics
- Financial Solutions
- Environmental Policy