“We must be able to design the right environmental policies for Africa”

​Justice Tei Mensah from Ghana says that two key strengths of the University of Gothenburg’s specialization course in natural resource economics distinguish this course from others of its kind: “Recent developments in the respective research fields are included, and the course brings students and lecturers from different parts of the world together.”

In total 33 students from 15 countries are attending the four specialization courses offered by the Environmental Economics Unit at the Department of Economics, School of Business, Economics and Law, University of Gothenburg during spring 2014. The lecturers come from 9 countries (see below).

“To become a good researcher you need a good network. You need to know researchers not only from your country of origin, but from different parts of the world. You also need to know what is happening elsewhere, and link up and collaborate with good researchers from different countries,” says Justice Tei Mensah.

In 2012 he applied for the full PhD program in Environmental Economics at the University of Gothenburg, funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida). However due to the admissions process being highly competitive , he was not successful. In the same year he gained admission to pursue PhD studies in Economics at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences in Uppsala, specializing in environmental economics.

And so finally, when Justice Tei Mensah applied for the five-week long specialization course in Natural Resources Economics at the University of Gothenburg in spring 2014, he was admitted.

“My expectations were highly met,” he says and smiles after having completed the exam.

“I am now confident in natural resource modeling, and to some extent in policy design. Among my best experiences is that I’ve also got to know so many people here, not only from Gothenburg but from many different countries.”

Student diversity in the class room

Observations, examples and insights from young African scholars might be very different from the ones from Asian and Latin American students. Student diversity in the classroom influences and contributes to discussions in a very positive way, according to Justice Tei Mensah:

“The interesting thing is that even among the people from Africa the experiences and examples differ. This course really gives an opportunity to know what’s going on in other parts of the world.”

His professional dream is to become a researcher that influences environmental policy in Africa. Justice Tei Mensah also likes being a teacher. He teaches master students in Uppsala sustainable development in a course called Man, Society and Environment.

 An excursion to the research station Lovén Centre Tjärnö included a boat trip. Justice Tei Mensah sits in the middle, Thomas Sterner stands second from right. An excursion to the research station Lovén Centre Tjärnö included a boat trip. Justice Tei Mensah sits in the middle, Thomas Sterner second from right.

 
A desire to change
“My goal is to go back to Ghana. Most students from Africa that I meet in Sweden want to return, and it is all about a desire to change something. Africa is arguably the most endowed continent in terms of natural resources but very little has been received by the people,” says Justice Tei Mensah.

At the same time, he says, there are lots of environmental issues in Africa, for instance in terms of pollution and disposal of waste. And furthermore, many people in Africa are suffering from climate change effects.

“Obviously, these environmental and climate effects are linked to development and economic growth in Africa.  If we want development, then it is important that we can design the right policies to be able to manage our natural resources and environmental issues efficiently.

Students on the specialization course in natural resource economics. Justice Tei Mensah at the front left.Students on the course in natural resource economics. Justice Tei Mensah at the front left.

 
Praises the lecturers
Justice Tei Mensah praises the lecturers of the Gothenburg specialization courses for teaching at the very front line of their own research fields. As an example he says that the spatial theory and econometrics component of the course was very interesting.

“To be able to design effective and well-functioning management policies for nature reserves we must know how to take the spatial dimension into account, and not only the dimension of time.”

He explains with an example. “Let’s say that you have a forest reserve in community X. People living in this community benefit directly from using the forest resources. But, most often the activities of people in the adjoining villages Z and Y also affect the forest directly or indirectly, and often also benefit them. If you then neglect this spatial dimension and control the reserve only from the point of view that community X is benefitting over time, it may be misleading. Hence, designing a policy instrument for such a reserve must control for such spatial effects and this is what modelling with spatial effects is about.”

Key difference between Ghana and Sweden
Justice Tei Mensah received his Bachelor and Master degrees in Economics from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology and the University of Ghana respectively. He notes a key difference when comparing his education with the University of Gothenburg, and that is facilities:

“Here you have easy access to lecture notes, text books, journal articles and teaching materials, and all of good quality. When you go to the library in Ghana there are not enough books for all students. It is a bit difficult to buy books in Ghana. There is no funding. Here you get enough funding to support yourself and to buy books.”

“Another thing is that most online bookstores do not always accept VISA cards from our part of the world. So, if you don’t find the book in the local bookshop, and in most cases you don’t, you have to go for the old books, and share them.”

Finally, when asked if he would like to add anything, Justice Tei Mensah gently suggests that the number of vacancies might be extended just a little for students coming from developing countries on the PhD program in Global Change and Climate Economics as well as on the specialization courses in Environmental and Climate Economics.

“A few more vacancies for students from developing countries will benefit a lot more people.”

By Karin Backteman

 

Students from 15 countries and lecturers from 13
33 students from 15 countries are attending the four specialization courses in Environmental and Climate Economics during spring 2014:
Chile, China, CostaRica, 
Czech Republic, Ecuador, Ethiopia, Germany, Ghana, India, Italy, Kenya, 
Sweden, Tanzania, Vietnam, and Zambia.

The lecturers come from 9 countries:
Chile: Jessica Coria
China: Xiangping Liu
Ethiopia: Yonas Alem
France: Stefan Ambec
Germany: Svenn Jensen
Greece: Efthymia Kyriakopoulou
Sweden: Håkan Eggert, Daniel Johansson, Martin Persson, Thomas Sterner, Måns Söderbom
UK: Elizabeth Robinson
USA: Peter Berck, Carolyn Fischer, Kyle Meng

University of Gothenburg’s Environmental Economics Program
From January to June 2014 the Environmental Economics Unit at the Department of Economics, School of Business, Economics and Law, University of Gothenburg offers four Specialization courses in Environmental and Climate Economics:
1. Climate Modelling and Energy Systems
2. Natural Resource Economics
3. Policy Instruments Design
4. Development Microeconomics
These courses are given every other year as part of the Sida funded environmental economics capacity building program for sustainable development, which also includes a full PhD program in Global Change and Climate Economics and the Environment for Development initiative, a program and network for cross-country research collaboration, research-policy interaction and academic training www.efdinitiative.org

Countries
News | 9 April 2014