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Write a Policy Brief of 2000 word on the climate crisis and recommend a policy response to this economic challenge.

Faculty of Business and Law

Assignment Brief 2025/26

5L6Z0053 Economic Policy Challenges

Module Title: Economic Policy Challenges

 

Module Code:

5L6Z0053

Credits: 15

Level: 6

Assignment Identifier: Assessment 1

Module Leader:

Contact Details:

Submission Deadline and Feedback Return Dates

The Submission Deadline is on May 1 2026, and feedback will be provided one month later.

Submission Instructions

Please submit via the Moodle submission point for the unit.

Please submit your assignment by the submission deadline. If you are having difficulty with uploading any work to a summative assessment and are not able to resolve the issue with your tutor or other teams then you can use this form. Please ensure that this is done BEFORE the due date and time passes. On-time submissions will be uploaded to Moodle reflecting the date/time the form was submitted.

Assessment Type: Policy Brief

Assessment Weighting: 100%

Length: 2000 words, excluding the references in the bibliography.

This unit will provide students with an understanding of how economic policymakers are seeking to address `real world’ economic challenges, primarily in the UK but also in other domestic environments and at the international level.

Assignment Task:

Write a Policy Brief of 2000 word on the climate crisis and recommend a policy response to this economic challenge. You will need to assess the successes and failures of previous and existing climate policies – in the UK and elsewhere – and make evidence-based recommendations. The assignment demands an ability to communicate complex issues and policy recommendations coherently and succinctly.

Your report should include:

  • A statement of the economic challenge, its root causes, and its impacts
  • A critical evaluation of historical, existing and/or available policy solutions
  • Recommendations on appropriate policy action.

You must therefore display a clear understanding of the topic, an evaluation of policy options based on in-depth analysis (going beyond mere description of policies and building a reasoned evidence-led analysis) and the ability to persuasively recommend economic policies (recommendations which should cohere to the prior analysis).

Please be aware that the word limit is 2000 words, excluding the bibliography. There is no 10% leeway on word count – please be careful as the person marking the essay will stop reading after you have reached the maximum number of words, regardless of whether you have concluded or not.

Instructions:

Your policy report should include:

  1. A statement on the scale and nature of the economic challenge, its root causes, and its broader impacts.
  2. A critical evaluation of historical, existing and/or available policy solutions
  3. Recommendations on appropriate policy action.

The authoring of your reports will be supported by the taught material and by your own reading of the academic literature and other policy reports. Draw on appropriate economic and political economy literature in order to strengthen your understanding of the topic. It is essential that you support your learning by reading around each topic widely throughout the duration of the course.

Ensure that content drawn from academic journal articles, textbooks, specialist reports, industry standards, government data etc., is appropriately cited and full references provided in a References section in the assignment.  You must adopt MMU Harvard referencing style and current guidance is available at https://libguides.mmu.ac.uk/refguide/mmuharvard

Check your work carefully and correct any spelling and grammar issues prior to submission. Submit your assignment electronically via the Turnitin assignment submission link on the unit Moodle page. 

There is no 10% leeway on word count – please be careful as the person marking the assignment will stop reading after you have reached the maximum number of words, regardless of whether you have concluded or not. The word count excludes the bibliography section.

The font used should be point 12, and line spacing should be single line.

Resources:

  • The unit’s lecture content and tutorial activities;
  • References and related material provided in the Unit Handbook and the weekly reading suggestions available on Moodle.
  • Independent literature searches, focusing on the journals listed in the Unit Outline or web searches using specific search terms.
  • Economic data available from public sources such as ONS, OECD, government department websites
  • Draw upon your knowledge of economic policy-making structures and the socio-economic and political context to deduce logically what a Minister’s concerns and objections may be.

Plagiarism and Academic Integrity

Academic Integrity is about engaging in good academic practice. It means being honest and transparent, and demonstrating rigour and accuracy in your work. This can include the proper citation and referencing of the sources of your ideas and information, ensuring that you are using appropriate research methods, or checking that your work is free of errors.

Additional information, video tutorials and guides to support good academic practice and maintain Academic Integrity in your assignments can be found on the Academic Integrity area of the Academic and Study Skills page on Moodle.

Academic Misconduct is any action that could give you an unfair advantage in coursework, exams, or any other assessed work, which could lead to undermining the academic standards of the University. This includes practices such as plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, contract cheating or falsification of data. Full details of the Manchester Metropolitan University guidelines for Academic Misconduct and definitions of terms can be found here.

Generative AI Statement:

The use of generative AI is permitted in this assessment, so long as it is used in accordance with the instructions provided in the ‘Are you allowed to use AI in assessments?’ section of the AI Literacy Rise Study Pack. All submitted work must be your own original content.

The link to explain this is https://rise.mmu.ac.uk/topic/are-you-allowed-ai-in-assessments/

Module Learning Outcomes (ULOs) assessed:

  • LO1: Assess the major challenges jeopardising prosperity, productivity, equality, growth, etc in the UK and world economy
  • LO2: Evaluate the political structures through which economic policy is made in practice in the UK and beyond, and the impact associated processes have on the economy.
  • LO3: Assess how to apply economic understanding in practice through advising powerful actors such as elected politicians.
  • LO4: Critically evaluate the way the economy operates by demonstrating awareness of alternatives to current policy and practice, and barriers to change.

This assessment will contribute to the achievement of the following Programme Learning Outcomes (PLOs):

  • Apply skills of critical analysis to real world situations within a defined range of contexts;
  • Express ideas effectively and communicate information appropriately and accurately using a range of media including ICT;
  • Find, evaluate, synthesise and use information from a variety of sources;
  • Articulate an awareness of the social and community contexts within their disciplinary field.

Referencing

References are the items you have read and specifically referred to (or cited) in your assessment submission. Do not include a list of everything you read in preparation for writing your submission, if you have not referred specifically. Attempt to summarise in your own words another person’s work, theories or ideas and then cite your sources. Use quotation marks/inverted commas to show the difference between the actual words of the writer and your own words and always acknowledge your sources in references. Using references in reports and essays is one way to avoid accusations of academic misconduct, specifically plagiarism.

All Manchester Metropolitan University students are required to use Cite Them Right Harvard referencing style. For further information, access the Cite Them Right Harvard website. We recommend using the ebook or print book in conjunction with the website, as it features additional examples and explanations. If you have any queries on using Cite Them Right Harvard, please email library@mmu.ac.uk

Academic Integrity, Academic Misconduct and Plagiarism

Academic integrity is about maintaining the highest standards of honesty and ethical conduct in your academic work. It means being transparent about the sources of your ideas and giving proper credit to other researchers through accurate citations and references. When you conduct research or complete assignments, you must ensure that your work is original, truthful, and free from any form of academic misconduct. This includes avoiding plagiarism, which means never presenting someone else`s ideas or words as your own without acknowledgement. Your academic work must demonstrate integrity by carefully referencing all sources, and submitting work that is genuinely your own. Additional information, video tutorials and guides to support good academic practice and maintain Academic Integrity in your assignments can be found on the Academic Integrity area of the Academic and Study Skills page on Moodle. [Please check hyperlink works before uploading brief to Moodle]

Academic Misconduct is any action that could give you an unfair advantage in coursework, exams, or any other assessed work, which could lead to undermining the academic standards of the University. This includes but is not limited to practices such as plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, contract cheating or falsification of data. Full details of the Manchester Metropolitan University guidelines for Academic Misconduct and definitions of terms can be found on in our Academic Misconduct Policy.

Use of Generative AI in Assessments

The use of generative AI is permitted in this assessment, so long as it is used in accordance with the instructions provided in the ‘Are you allowed to use AI in assessments?’ section of the AI Literacy Rise Study Pack. All submitted work must be your own original content.

Late Submissions & Assessment Extension Procedure

To find information for assessment extension procedure, please refer to Manchester Met’s assessment mitigation and extension procedures. Please also refer to relevant guidance on your Module Moodle submission area (where applicable)

Please note:  If you think you are unable to submit on time due to health issues or some other unforeseen issue you must request this via your Module Moodle page, referring to the guidance in the links provided above. 
             


Assessment Marking Rubric

In marking this assessment, the marking rubric below will be applied, and all aspects of the unit learning outcomes and Programme Learning Outcomes (PLOs) will be evident.

Mark

UG Classification

95 - 100%

Outstanding

90%

Very High First

85%

High First

80%

Mid First

75%

Low First

72%

Marginal First

68%

High 2.1

65%

Mid 2.1

62%

Low 2.1

58%

High 2.2

55%

Mid 2.2

52%

Low 2.2

48%

High third

45%

Mid third

42%

Low third

38%

Marginal Fail

35%

 

32%

 

28%

Clear Fail

25%

 

22%

 

18%

Very poor Fail

15%

 

12%

 

8%

 

5%

 

2%

 

0%

Non submission

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About 5L6Z0053 Economic Policy Challenges Assignment

The 5L6Z0053 Economic Policy Challenges assignment is usually about showing that you can link real economic problems to policy choices, and explain the trade-offs clearly. You’re not just describing issues like inflation, weak productivity, unemployment, inequality, housing pressure, energy shocks, or climate transition, you’re expected to judge what government and central banks can realistically do, what might go wrong, and who is likely to gain or lose. A strong submission normally picks one or two clear challenges, uses recent evidence (charts, official statistics, or credible reports), then compares policy tools such as tax and spending decisions (fiscal policy), interest rates and money supply (monetary policy), and regulation or market reforms (supply-side policy). The key is to write in a structured way: set the context, explain the economic mechanism, evaluate policy options, and finish with a justified recommendation that matches the evidence.

Understanding LO1: Assess the major challenges jeopardising prosperity, productivity, equality, growth, etc in the UK and world economy

A) UK economy: what is putting prosperity at risk

1) Weak productivity growth (the “productivity puzzle”)

  • The UK has had a long period where output per hour worked grows very slowly, which limits pay rises and living standards.

  • The Office for National Statistics has described the post-2009 trend as historically weak, and recent data suggest the underlying weakness has continued.

  • Why it matters: when productivity is weak, it is harder to raise wages without pushing up prices, and the government collects less tax for public services.

2) Low and uncertain investment (especially business investment)

  • Productivity usually improves when firms invest in better equipment, software, R&D and skills. But UK business investment has been uneven and can fall sharply in weak periods.

  • The Office for Budget Responsibility links long-run fiscal sustainability to stronger productivity and investment, because weak growth leaves debt more exposed.

  • Why it matters: low investment today often means lower growth capacity tomorrow, and it tends to widen gaps between high-performing and left-behind areas.

3) Fewer people available to work because of long-term sickness and inactivity

  • A rising share of working-age people are economically inactive due to long-term sickness, which reduces labour supply and can slow growth.

  • This shows up directly in official labour market time-series data.

  • Why it matters: it hits prosperity twice — less output and higher pressure on public spending (health and welfare). It also worsens inequality, because long-term ill-health is not spread evenly across places or income groups.

4) Housing costs and affordability pressures

  • Housing is a big driver of inequality and living standards because it changes what people have left after paying rent or a mortgage.

  • Official affordability data show that house prices remain many times income in large parts of the UK (for example, England’s median ratio is still high).

  • Why it matters: expensive housing can reduce labour mobility (people can’t move for jobs), and it can widen inequality because homeowners and renters feel shocks very differently.

5) Inequality that is stubborn once you include housing costs

  • Measured disposable-income inequality (like the Gini coefficient) has not dramatically improved in recent years.

  • Parliamentary briefing evidence also shows inequality is higher after housing costs than before housing costs.

  • Why it matters: high inequality can reduce social mobility, weaken trust in institutions, and create long-term gaps in health, education and earnings.

6) Trade frictions and weaker goods trade performance

  • Post-Brexit, the Office for Budget Responsibility notes that trade barriers have created more friction for goods than services, which can weigh on competitiveness in sectors that rely on cross-border supply chains.

  • Office for National Statistics trade releases show how goods exports and imports can shift sharply month-to-month, including with the EU.

  • Why it matters: weaker trade in goods can reduce scale, investment and productivity, especially in manufacturing-linked regions.

7) Inflation shocks and tight financial conditions (cost-of-living pressure)

  • Inflation has been pushed by energy, food and administered prices in recent years, and the Bank of England has explicitly highlighted those drivers in its reporting.

  • Why it matters: high inflation hits low-income households hardest (they spend more on essentials), and higher interest rates used to control inflation can dampen borrowing, housing activity and investment.