The Economics of Land Degradation - Assessing the socio-economic benefits of land ecosystems (ELD)

This course demonstrates how to assess the economic benefits of land as a first step towards preventing degradation. It introduces methods of economic analysis and valuation to help you manage land sustainably and efficiently.
Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:

• Explain why economic analysis can be a useful tool for decision-makers
• Describe the steps behind each valuation method, underlying assumptions and methodological and empirical limitations
• Identify a suitable method for valuation of a non-marketed good or service
• Critically assess the choice of valuation method, its application and results for an existing valuation study
• Run simple cost-benefit-analyses
• Develop simple research designs for economic assessments

The course draws from teaching material such as videos, readings, and case studies, as well as an online learning room with interactive tools to build a vibrant learning community.
The course is divided into weekly units and consists of web-based training, text-based study materials, brief videos, and webinars held and moderated by online expert tutors. These components are combined with multiple choice self-assessments, peer-graded assignments, and further reading. Participants should expect a workload of 3-5 hours per week.
Participants receive an ELD-badge upon successful completion, provided he/she has actively and collaboratively participated in the course. Participants who handed in all assignments, participated in peer-reviewing, and achieved at least 90%, will receive a certificate from the United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health (UNU-INWEH).
It is expected that course participants will be able to develop a healthy, global community of practitioners who can maintain their relationships into the future, creating a support network of on-the-ground workers in this field.