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on Agricultural Economics |
| By: | Van Campenhout, Bjorn; Nabwire, Leocardia; Kramer, Berber; Trachtman, Carly; Abate, Gashaw T. |
| Abstract: | In developing countries, semi-subsistence farmers typically assume dual roles as both consumers and producers of the same crops, which shape their adoption decisions as they balance household food security with market-driven incentives. This study, conducted in eastern Uganda, employs a field experiment with two intervention arms to assess the relative importance of these factors in farmers’ decisions to adopt improved maize seed varieties. The first intervention focuses on production traits, distributing free sample packs of an improved hybrid maize variety to showcase benefits such as higher yields, pest resistance, and drought tolerance. The second intervention emphasizes consumption traits, offering cooking demonstrations and blind taste tests using flour from the same improved maize variety to highlight its taste, texture, and ease of preparation. Our findings reveal that while seed sample packs positively influenced farmers’ perceptions of both production and consumption traits, cooking demonstrations primarily affected perceptions of consumption qualities. We find some evidence that the cooking demonstrations and tasting sessions significantly boosted adoption of the improved maize seed variety promoted by the intervention. However, farmers who received seed sample packs tended to recycle the harvested grain as seed in subsequent seasons, thereby crowding out fresh seed purchases. This practice led to productivity losses, suggesting that the seed trial packs did not translate into lasting improvements in food security or increased market participation. |
| Keywords: | technology adoption; consumption; cooking; maize; Uganda; Africa; Eastern Africa; Sub-Saharan Africa |
| Date: | 2025–03 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:ifprid:173943 |
| By: | Luca Salvatici; Marco Sforza (Department of Economics, Roma Tre University); Cristina Vaquero-Piñeiro |
| Abstract: | The paper aims to examine how the existing economic simulation models have addressed environmental and emission issues in agriculture. From a modelling perspective, assessing the impacts of agricultural emissions is bound to be complex, and currently, we are far from reaching a consensus on which modelling approaches are more effective and why. This lack of agreement can be partly explained by a severe data constraint at detailed levels, different theoretical modelling foundations, and institutional aspects, such as model maintenance and dissemination of results. We select eight general and partial equilibrium models, which include the agriculture sector, to provide a comparative assessment of al- ternative modelling approaches for agricultural emissions. Specifically, the review intends to: i) contribute to the taxonomy of simulation models, including the agrifood sector and the status of current research at the global level; ii) identify factors influencing the quality of the results in terms of opportunities for decarbonizing agriculture, reducing net emissions related to land use, and mitigating non-CO2 greenhouse gases; and iii) present how the models in the literature deal with mitigation potential, cost-benefits and side effects, and cost-effectiveness of selected technologies. |
| Keywords: | Economic models, Ex-ante simulation models, GHG emissions, Agricultural economics |
| JEL: | Q53 D58 Q11 C68 |
| Date: | 2025–04 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:rtr:wpaper:0286 |
| By: | Lin, Jesse; Gale, Fred; Johnson, Michael E. |
| Abstract: | Rice is one of the world’s most widely cultivated and consumed crops, and the efficient operation of the rice market is a critical concern for global food security. From 1991 to 2021, the share of rice used for animal feed and industrial use increased from 4.6 to 7.6 percent. Broken rice (a byproduct of milling) is sold at a lower price than full grain rice for direct consumption, animal feed, or for industrial use. From 2020 to 2022, China more than tripled the volume of broken rice imports (largely for use in animal feed) when prices surged in global corn and wheat coupled with low broken rice prices from India. In 2022, India banned exports of broken rice, rice prices rose and China cut imports back to pre-2021 levels. A potential exists that increased demand for broken rice for feed and industrial use could affect importing countries that depend on broken rice for food. The report authors did not find this potential to be the case in 2021–22. They examined recent broken rice trade fluctuations in detail and analyzed related shifts in rice policy and consumer preferences, based on multiple sources of trade data. |
| Keywords: | Crop Production/Industries, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety, Food Security and Poverty, International Relations/Trade, Livestock Production/Industries |
| Date: | 2025–04 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:uersib:356607 |
| By: | Johan Gars; Daniel Spiro; Gustav Engström; Steven J. Lade |
| Abstract: | This paper develops a tractable integrated assessment model of the two-way interaction between biodiversity and the economy. To capture the main causes of biodiversity loss and the economic harm from it, we focus on agriculture and its expansion at the expense of forest land. We answer the question: What are the effects of pricing policies for land use on biodiversity and agricultural output? We show that there exist multiple economic-ecological equilibria and that a single ”bad” policy maker can cause virtually irreversible harm – a ratchet effect of land-use change. We further find that a brown paradox may emerge in which, in anticipation of a future lenient policy maker, farmers halt current land-use change. We characterize the optimal mix and level of land-clearing fines and land-use taxes. Fines only have the effect of slowing down land-use change but cannot be used to restore biodiversity. For that land-use taxes, or other policies such as restoration subsidies, are necessary. |
| Keywords: | biodiversity, policy, land-use, agriculture. |
| JEL: | H23 O13 Q12 Q15 Q57 |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ces:ceswps:_11814 |
| By: | Danzer, Alexander M. (Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt); Zeidler, Helen (Technical University of Munich) |
| Abstract: | This paper examines the link between dynamically inconsistent time preferences and individual food waste behavior. Food waste is conceptualized as unintentional outcome of choices along the food consumption chain. Capitalizing on a nationally representative longitudinal survey from Germany, we construct targeted metrics of food consumption and waste behaviors. We find that more present-biased individuals waste more food. Our study investigates the behavioral mechanism that involves postponing domestic consumption of healthy food despite good consumption intentions, resulting in food spoilage. Studying inconsistencies between grocery shopping and food preparation is pivotal for understanding the significant, persistent amounts of food waste within households. |
| Keywords: | food waste, food consumption, dynamic inconsistency, healthy eating |
| JEL: | D12 D15 Q53 Q18 |
| Date: | 2025–03 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iza:izadps:dp17802 |
| By: | Fritz, Manuela; Luck, Nathalie; Sawhney, Udit |
| Abstract: | Social norms and perceptions within farming networks can influence the adoption of new agricultural practices. In Indonesian rice farming communities, norms around the desired level of rice plant greenness are widespread, with some farmers valuing deep green plants. Since greenness levels depend on the content of chlorophyll in the plants, which in turn depends on nitrogen fertilizer inputs, these norms can lead to high usage of chemical fertilizer. This study uses a mixed-method approach to examine whether social norms, personal beliefs, and perceptions about peers’ opinions influence rice farmers’ fertilizer input decisions. We combine quantitative regression analyses with qualitative content analysis to explore these dynamics. Our findings show that farmers who are unaware of a saturation point for fertilizer application tend to use more chemical nitrogen and less organic fertilizer. These farmers are also less willing to experiment with new farming practices that might reduce plant greenness but improve soil health. However, second-order perceptions – beliefs about whether lower greenness levels lead to talking within the farming community – do not significantly affect fertilizer use or farmers’ willingness to try new methods. A survey experiment further confirms that increasing the salience of potential talking has little effect on farmers’ willingness to experiment with new practices. Dyadic regressions reveal that actual fertilizer adoption behaviors of neighboring farmers are more predictive of fertilizer input decisions than neighbors’ greenness norms. This suggests that while social norms around plant appearance exist, farmers’ decisions are more strongly influenced by their own knowledge and the observable actions of their peers. |
| Date: | 2025–03–18 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:osf:osfxxx:qxndc_v1 |
| By: | Sandambi, Nerhum |
| Abstract: | The approach does show some inefficiencies in agricultural policy in many African countries, where in fact there is no optimum relationship between agricultural policies and the particular levels of development that countries should adopt in the first place. Thus, the approach suggests the existence of some inefficiencies related to the way in which agriculture in Africa is a continuous failure. On the other hand, investments contribute to success, for example the low levels of investment that exist promote such inefficiencies in line with institutional inefficiencies, which in turn promote the increase in food insecurity in these countries in particular. The failure of agrarian reform in many countries contributes to the inefficiency of agrarian policy, where its absence is significant. On the other hand, countries that have achieved a turnaround, such as South Africa, have nevertheless managed to change the course and direction of agriculture, in line with the initiatives of Rwanda and Ghana. |
| Date: | 2025–04–24 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:osf:osfxxx:k9gtr_v1 |
| By: | Nasagre, Ebenezer; Dugle, Gordon (Simon Diedong Dombo University of Business and Integrated Development Studies (SDD UBIDS)); Bawontuo, Vitalis |
| Abstract: | Introduction Malnutrition in children under five years remains a critical public health concern in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), where an estimated 148 million children are stunted and 45 million are wasted. While malnutrition is often discussed as a persistent issue, evidence suggests it frequently exhibits distinct seasonal patterns linked to agricultural cycles, climatic conditions, and socio-economic factors. Despite ongoing interventions, efforts have often overlooked the role of food system dynamics in seasonal undernutrition. Using a systems perspective, this scoping review aims to examine the food systems determinants of seasonal malnutrition in children under five years in SSA. Methods and analysis This scoping review will follow the JBI scoping review framework and PRISMA-ScR reporting guidelines. We will search electronic databases including Google Scholar, PubMed, Scopus and ProQuest for relevant literature published from 2015 to the present. Grey literature from institutional repositories will also be included. Two independent reviewers will screen titles, abstracts, and full texts based on predefined inclusion criteria. Data extraction will capture study characteristics and multi-level food systems determinants (micro, meso, and macro) of seasonal malnutrition. The Food Insecurity and Vulnerability Information and Mapping Systems (FIVIMS) framework will guide the analysis to understand how factors at micro, meso and macro levels contribute to seasonal nutritional outcomes in children under five. The results will provide a map of the breadth and depth of evidence on food system determinants of seasonal malnutrition in children under five in SSA. Ethics and dissemination As this review involves analysis of previously published data, ethical approval is not required. Findings will be disseminated through a peer-reviewed publication and a conference presentation. Results will inform the development of integrated systems-based approaches to address seasonal malnutrition in children under five in SSA. The full study protocol, datasets and supplementary forms will be published in an open-access repository in compliance with the Findability, Accessibility, Interoperability and Reuse principles. Registration This scoping review protocol will be registered with the Open Science Framework: https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/RU4ZX |
| Date: | 2025–03–06 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:osf:osfxxx:2hn54_v1 |
| By: | Brown, Christina Estela; Tanner, Sophia J.; Hrozencik, R. Aaron; Gramig, Benjamin M. |
| Abstract: | Water is an essential resource that sustains not only agriculture and human communities but also the natural environment. It provides a suite of ecosystem services, such as recreation and habitat for wildlife, that affect the well-being of the public. However, the use and allocation of water involve tradeoffs, especially in the context of competing demands and limited availability. This report presents a targeted review of the economics literature on the economic value of water for agriculture and environmental flows, leveraging both observed behavior and survey methods. It examines the economic implications of these tradeoffs, with a focus on environmental and resource economics, energy economics, and applied econometrics. The report also highlights the challenges and opportunities associated with measuring the economic value of water, including the complexity of the systems involved, the heterogeneity of preferences and behaviors, and the uncertainty of water availability. |
| Keywords: | Environmental Economics and Policy, Land Economics/Use, Resource/Energy Economics and Policy |
| Date: | 2025–04 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:uersib:356606 |
| By: | Ceballos, Francisco; Aguilar, Francisco; de Brauw, Alan; Nguyen, Trang; van den Berg, Marrit |
| Abstract: | Concurrent with its rapid economic growth, Viet Nam has been experiencing a food systems transformation. Broad changes in the food environment have been a key part of this transition. While the availability of processed food is ubiquitous, the food environment continues to be largely dominated by micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs). So, to build strategies to improve the availability and affordability of healthy foods, MSMEs are a key entry point. In this paper, we use primary survey data to separate key sources of variation in MSMEs’ organizational dimensions and business practices by type of outlet, rural-urban location, and gender of the owners. We focus on outcomes related to employment, food sources, business finance, good business practices, and nutrition knowledge and attitudes. We find limited differences in this set of outcomes in terms of whether an outlet is located in a rural, peri-urban, or urban area, or in terms of the gender of its owners. Instead, most of the variation in outcomes can be linked to the type of outlet, raising specific types of outlets as a key focus when seeking to foster the supply of healthier foods in the food environment. |
| Keywords: | enterprises; food environment; food systems; gender; Vietnam; Asia; South-eastern Asia |
| Date: | 2025–04–08 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:ifprid:174099 |
| By: | Völker, Richard (Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg); Hirschauer, Norbert; Lind, Fabienne; Gruener, Sven |
| Abstract: | Agricultural and environmental economists frequently use content analyses of textual data to gain a deeper understanding of public discourses that reflect the conflicting interests and attitudes of various stakeholders on agricultural issues. These discourses encompass topics such as nitrogen leaching, climate change, biodiversity loss, and animal welfare. However, the procedural standards of content analysis established in communication science are rarely fully adhered to due to a lack of interdisciplinary communication. This paper provides applied agricultural economists with the conceptual background of systematic search term validation that facilitates the transparent generation of high-quality databases for the content analysis of large datasets. |
| Date: | 2025–03–05 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:osf:osfxxx:v68r7_v2 |
| By: | Takeshima, Hiroyuki; Kishore, Avinash |
| Abstract: | Despite recognition of the potentially significant cumulative effects of input use on annual crop output—such as the effect of applying inorganic fertilizer in one year on crop output in the subsequent year—real-world evidence from smallholder farmers’ fields in lower-income countries remains scarce. We narrow this knowledge gap using unique district-level and farm-household-level annual panel datasets in India. We start with flexible translog production functions, which are well-suited for identifying cumulative effects in farmers’ actual production environments. We then apply shrinkage methods (LASSO and GMM-LASSO) to approximate the production function with reduced parameter dimensions, addressing various challenges such as multicollinearity among multiple inputs, including the same inputs from the current and previous years, and potential endogeneity in inputs. Our results indicate that, throughout the shrinkage process, potassium remains a key predictor of outputs, while other inputs (land, labor, capital, irrigation, and other fertilizer nutrients) drop out. More important, the cumulative quantity of potassium from both the previous and current years is a consistently more critical determinant of production than the quantity of potassium from the current year alone, demonstrating the potassium’s significant cumulative effects. These patterns hold at both the district and farm levels across diverse agroecologies and cropping systems. Furthermore, the dynamic panel data analyses suggest that farmers’ use of potassium in the current year is significantly negatively affected by its use in the previous year, potentially stabilizing outputs across years. Our results support earlier agronomic findings suggesting that the cumulative effects of potassium may be relevant across wider geographic regions than previously thought. |
| Keywords: | fertilizers; inputs; machine learning; potassium; India; Asia; Southern Asia |
| Date: | 2025–04–08 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:ifprid:174101 |
| By: | Mike Hernandez Romero; Germ\`a Coenders |
| Abstract: | This study analyzes the financial resilience of agricultural and food production companies in Spain amid the Ukraine-Russia war using cluster analysis based on financial ratios. This research utilizes centered log-ratios to transform financial ratios for compositional data analysis. The dataset comprises financial information from 1197 firms in Spain's agricultural and food sectors over the period 2021-2023. The analysis reveals distinct clusters of firms with varying financial performance, characterized by metrics of solvency and profitability. The results highlight an increase in resilient firms by 2023, underscoring sectoral adaptation to the conflict's economic challenges. These findings together provide insights for stakeholders and policymakers to improve sectorial stability and strategic planning. |
| Date: | 2025–04 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:arx:papers:2504.05912 |
| By: | Krista J. Ruffini; Orgul Ozturk; Pelin Pekgun |
| Abstract: | Many community organizations provide services similar to government programs, but there is limited evidence how increased government aid affects the use and availability of charitable services. This study examines how greater access to federal nutrition assistance through schoolwide free meal programs affects food bank use within the U.S.’s largest food bank network. A 10 percent increase in access to free school meals reduces the amount of food that food banks distribute by 0.9-1.4 percent, without significantly reducing donations, fundraising activity, or the amount of food available. The reduction of food bank use is only found in areas where relatively few students previously qualified for government aid. Our findings highlight that even safety net programs that serve a specific population and offer distinct services can reduce pressures on charitable organizations, particularly in areas previously underserved by government assistance. |
| JEL: | H52 I0 I38 |
| Date: | 2025–03 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:nbr:nberwo:33562 |
| By: | Pandit, Ram; Burton, Michael P.; Zander, Kerstin K.; Garnett, Stephen T.; Pannell, David P. |
| Abstract: | Ecosystem Accounting (EA) involves tracking the extent, condition, and services provided by ecosystems and linking them to the economy under the international standard developed by the United Nations – System of Environmental-Economic Accounting. Ecosystem assets (species, ecosystems and ecological communities) provide use and non-use benefits to society. A key challenge is how to value non-market benefits that arise from these assets. This study aims to contribute to this challenge by estimating the marginal willingness to pay for key ecosystem assets in the Gunbower-Koondrook-Perricoota (GKP) Forest Icon Site in the Murray-Darling Basin of Australia, as a necessary precursor to identifying an exchange price, from which to derive exchange values. A discrete choice experiment with three types of ecosystem assets as attributes was designed and implemented among the Australian public in 2021. The ecosystem asset attributes were six threatened species (Australian bittern, Painted honeyeater, Superb parrot, Koala, Green-comb spider-orchid, Winged pepper-cress), three ecosystem types (River-swamp wallaby grass, River red gum, Black box) and two species groups or ecological communities (water birds and vascular plants). Collected data was analysed using a mixed-logit model. Findings suggest that the estimated marginal willingness-to-pay (WTP) for improvement in status (population or habitat condition index) of ecosystem assets vary from AU$14.60 per year per household for 20 years for water birds to AU$1.32 for Green-comb spider-orchid. |
| Keywords: | Environmental Economics and Policy |
| Date: | 2025–05–05 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:uwauwp:356762 |
| By: | Kumar, Santosh (University of Notre Dame); Shandal, Monica (University of California, Santa Cruz); Zucker, Ariel (UC Santa Cruz) |
| Abstract: | We examine the impact of rural road connectivity on economic and social outcomes in the context of India’s PMGSY, the world’s largest rural road program. Using a novel village-level survey explicitly designed around PMGSY’s rollout, we exploit quasi-random variation in road placement to estimate causal effects. We find that roads increase producer prices by 1.4 SD, reduce consumer prices by 0.6 SD, shift labor from agriculture to local casual work, and decrease short-term migration. Additionally, road connectivity improves governance, delays marriages, and improves wedding quality. Our findings highlight the role of infrastructure in shaping rural economies and social institutions. |
| Keywords: | migration, wages, prices, PMGSY, rural roads, India |
| JEL: | I15 J43 O12 O18 R23 R42 |
| Date: | 2025–03 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iza:izadps:dp17775 |
| By: | Fiala, Lenka (University of Bergen); Kjelsrud, Anders (University of Oslo); Kujansuu, Essi (University of Innsbruck); Brodeur, Abel (University of Ottawa) |
| Abstract: | Rahman et al. (2021) study the correlation between mental health and food insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh. They report that food insecurity increases in the sample and that this is associated with increased stress. This result is not reproducible from the author-provided dataset. In fact, the data suggests that higher food insecurity reduces stress. Additionally, we identify undisclosed overlaps of respondents from datasets of related papers, with inconsistencies in sample selection and data collection descriptions. Taken together, we believe these issues undermine the credibility of the paper. |
| Keywords: | food insecurity, replication, reproduction, mental health, COVID-19 |
| JEL: | B41 C12 I12 I18 J16 O12 |
| Date: | 2025–03 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iza:izadps:dp17784 |
| By: | Dechezlepretre, Antoine; Fabre, Adrien; Kruse, Tobias; Planterose, Bluebery; Sanchez Chico, Ana; Stantcheva, Stefanie |
| Abstract: | This paper explores global perceptions and understanding of climate change and policies, examining factors that influence support for climate action and the impact of different types of information. We conduct large-scale surveys with 40, 000 respondents from 20 countries, providing new international data on attitudes toward climate change and respondents’ socioeconomic backgrounds and lifestyles. We identify three key perceptions affecting policy support: perceived effectiveness of policies in reducing emissions, their impact on low-income households, and their effect on respondents’ households (self-interest). Educational videos clarifying policy mechanisms increase support for climate policies; those merely highlighting climate change’s impacts do not. |
| JEL: | C80 D83 D91 Q54 Q58 |
| Date: | 2025–04–30 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ehl:lserod:127870 |
| By: | KuK Mo Jung (Department of Economics, Sogang University, Seoul, Korea); Sungwon Lee (Department of Economics, Sogang University, Seoul, Korea) |
| Abstract: | We estimate long-run economic impacts of climate volatility by employing a stochastic frontier model where climate volatility is additionally included into the production frontier. Our climate panel dataset covers 157 countries over the period 1950-2014. We finnd that both temperature and precipitation affect production possibilities in a hump-shaped way. Most importantly, temperature volatility turns out to reduce long- term potential output. This negative effect is found to be statistically significant, and various robustness checks, including income as well as temperature heterogeneity across nations, confirm it. We also find short-term weather anomalies, either temperature or precipitation, are found to be insignificant across all specifications. Our findings provide supporting empirical evidence for a growing body of Integrated Assessment Model literature, emphasizing the role of uncertainty about global temperature dynamics. |
| Keywords: | climate change, long-term climate volatility, stochastic frontier analysis |
| JEL: | D24 O44 O47 Q54 |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:sgo:wpaper:2502 |
| By: | Jean Marie Cardebat (BSE - Bordeaux sciences économiques - UB - Université de Bordeaux - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement) |
| Keywords: | économie, commerce international, protectionnisme, économie internationale, dollar américain |
| Date: | 2025–04–07 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:journl:hal-05039143 |
| By: | Marie Young-Brun (Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, CNRS, Centre d'Economie de la Sorbonne, Paris School of Economics and IWH, University of Leipzig - Germany); Francis Dennig (Yale-NUS, World Bank - Italy); Frank Errickson (School of Public and International Affairs, Princeton University - USA); Simon Feindt (Mercator Research Institute on Global Commons and Climate Change (MCC) - Germany, Technische Universität Berlin, Economics of Climate Change - Germany, Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, Potsdam - Germany); Aurélie Méjean (CIRED - CNRS, Centre International de Recherche sur l'Environnement et le Développement (CNRS, Agro Paris Tech, Ponts ParisTech, EHESS, CIRAD); Stéphane Zuber (Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, CNRS, Centre d'Economie de la Sorbonne, Paris School of Economics) |
| Abstract: | Climate change and global inequality are intertwined. First, from a cross-country perspective, poorer countries have less financial capacity to abate emissions and are more vulnerable to climate impacts. Second, within countries, climate damages and mitigation costs tend to fall disproportionately on poorer households, which has implications for the political feasibility of mitigation. Integrated Assessment Models used for global climate policy evaluation have so far typically not considered inequality effects within countries. To fill this gap, we develop a global Integrated Assessment Model representing national economies and sub-national income distribution, and assess a range of climate policy schemes with varying levels of effort sharing across countries and households. The schemes are consistent with limiting temperature increases to 2°C, and account for the possibility to use revenues from carbon pricing to address distributional effects within and between countries. Among these, we explore a "Loss and Damage" scheme, aiming to compensate vulnerable countries for unavoidable damages from climate change. A key finding is that relatively low levels of international transfers can result in sizable improvements in inequality and welfare, due to the impacts on the most vulnerable households within countries. If international transfers are not feasible, our results show that the greatest inequality reductions can be achieved through sub-national transfers and reallocation of abatement efforts across time and countries |
| Keywords: | Inequality; Climate policy; "Loss and Damage" |
| JEL: | H23 Q54 Q58 |
| Date: | 2025–04 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:mse:cesdoc:25009 |
| By: | Lea-Rachel Kosnik; John C. Whitehead; Timothy C. Haab |
| Abstract: | In 2023, a survey was given to environmental and natural resource economists to gauge levels of consensus in the field. Respondents were queried on core topics in the discipline, including air quality, groundwater, climate change, natural resource management, land conservation, environmental justice, and more. Many of the survey questions mirrored questions from the first such survey of environmental and natural resource economists in 2012, but additional questions on newer topics were also added. From these survey results, we can determine contemporary levels of consensus in the field, as well as how these levels have changed over the last decade. We find, for the most part, significant levels of consensus today, and over time, on many key topics including the prevalence of market failures and support for policy interventions including Pigouvian taxes and cap-and-trade schemes. At the same time, some areas with lower levels of consensus today, and over time, include the effects of population growth on the environment, and what to do with revenues from policy interventions such as taxes or cap-and-trade schemes. Key Words: environmental policy, natural resources, professional consensus, survey, academic opinion, AERE |
| JEL: | A1 A2 |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:apl:wpaper:25-02 |
| By: | Bressler, R. Daniel (Columbia University); Papp, Anna (Columbia University); Sarmiento, Luis (Bank of Mexico); Shrader, Jeffrey G. (Columbia University); Wilson, Andrew J. (Stanford University) |
| Abstract: | We investigate how occupation influences the relationship between temperature and mortality in Mexico. Using multiple decades of nationwide death records---which include information on occupation---linked to local weather data, we find that heat-related mortality risk varies sharply by occupation. Young adults in climate-exposed jobs, especially in agriculture, experience significantly higher death rates from warm and hot temperatures. A 15 to 24 year-old agricultural worker is over 10 times more likely to die from heat exposure than a peer in professional or managerial employment, underscoring the role of occupation in climate vulnerability. These findings show that the burden of extreme heat disproportionately falls on the working poor. Our results suggest that implementing occupational safety measures and targeted heat adaptation policies (such as mandatory rest breaks and early warnings for outdoor workers) are essential to protect vulnerable workers. Furthermore, ongoing economic shifts away from highly exposed sectors may reduce increases in heat-related mortality due to climate change. |
| Keywords: | health, occupation, climate, temperature, mortality |
| JEL: | I10 J81 Q54 |
| Date: | 2025–03 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iza:izadps:dp17759 |
| By: | Angelos Alamanos; Giannis Arampatzidis; Stathis Devves; Kostas Dellis; Christopher Deranian; Olympia Nisiforou; Phoebe Koundouri; Jeffrey D Sachs |
| Abstract: | Achieving climate-neutrality is a global imperative that demands coordinated efforts from both science and robust policies supporting a smooth transition across multiple sectors. However, the interdisciplinary and complex science-to-policy nature of this effort makes it particularly challenging for several countries. Greece has set ambitious goals across different policies; however, their progress is often debated. For the first time, we simulated a scenario representing Greece's climate-neutrality goals drawing upon its main relevant energy, agricultural and water policies, and compared it with a 'current accounts' scenario by 2050. We follow a systems-nexus approach that encompasses the FABLE Calculator, the Low Emissions Analysis Platform (LEAP), the MaritimeGCH model, and the tools WaterReqGCH, LandReqCalcGCH and BiofuelGCH. The results indicate that most individual/sector policies have the potential to significantly reduce carbon emissions across all sectors of the economy (residential, industrial, transportation, services, agriculture, and energy production). However, their implementation seems to be based on economic and governance assumptions that often overlook sectoral interdependencies, infrastructure constraints, and social aspects, hindering progress towards a unified and more holistic sustainable transition. |
| Keywords: | Climate Neutrality, Energy-emissions modelling, LEAP, FABLE Calculator, MaritimeGCH, WaterReqGCH, Decarbonization, Greece |
| Date: | 2025–04–30 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:aue:wpaper:2531 |
| By: | Mukashov, Askar; Jones, Eleanor; Thurlow, James |
| Abstract: | Achieving development goals is subject to economic uncertainties, yet policymaking rarely accounts for these risks. This Country Brief quantifies the risks facing Uganda’s economy and population, focusing on two primary sources: 1) External risks stemming from shocks in international commodity prices and foreign capital flows and 2) Domestic risks associated with production shocks in volatile sectors of the Uganda economy, such as primary agriculture and hydropower electricity generation, are often caused by extreme weather. The significance of these risks is assessed based on the range of the shocks’ impacts on four main economic and development indicators: total GDP, private consumption, poverty rate, and prevalence of undernourishment. The analysis uses data mining methods to simultaneously sample many shocks from historical data, con structing a comprehensive set of realistic shock scenarios for Uganda. A country-specific, economywide Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) model then simulates the impacts of these shocks on both total and sector-specific economic outcomes, deriving changes in poverty and undernourishment for each shock scenario. Finally, machine learning techniques are applied to obtain metrics for the relative im portance of different risk factors. The results suggest that domestic production volatility is the primary risk factor affecting GDP and poverty in Uganda, whereas world markets and domestic risks are equally important for household consumption and undernourishment. Individually, the most critical risk factors identified include production volatility in root crops, volatility in foreign capital flows, and volatility in fishery production, with the latter being particularly significant for rural low-income households. Understanding these economic risks is a critical first step in facilitating discussions on potential risk management strategies, such as promoting domestic productivity growth and diversifying economic activity away from high-risk sectors. |
| Keywords: | markets; domestic production; shock; risk analysis; Uganda; Africa; Eastern Africa; Sub-Saharan Africa |
| Date: | 2025–04–11 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:ewracb:174150 |
| By: | Weijia (Daisy) Dai; Ginger Zhe Jin; Ben Zou |
| Abstract: | Nutritional disparities across socioeconomic groups contribute to health inequality in the U.S. This paper studies the role of heterogeneous consumer preferences in food choices and explores pricing policies that can promote healthier eating among disadvantaged consumers. Using detailed transaction-level data from a large fast-food restaurant chain, we show that consumers in disadvantaged neighborhoods tend to choose less healthy, higher-calorie items. We estimate a mixed logit discrete choice model to identify consumer preference heterogeneity across demographic groups. Lower-SES consumers display higher price sensitivity across items with varying nutritional quality and show flexibility in substituting between healthy and less healthy options. Counterfactual simulations show that modest, targeted price adjustments in disadvantaged neighborhoods can be an effective tool to reduce nutritional disparities across neighborhoods, with little impact on restaurant revenue or profits. |
| JEL: | D12 I12 I14 L83 R20 |
| Date: | 2025–04 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:nbr:nberwo:33706 |
| By: | Ioana Botea (World Bank); Markus Goldstein (Center for Global Development); Kenneth Houngbedji (DIAL, LEDa, CNRS, IRD, Université Paris-Dauphine); Florence Kondylis (World Bank); Michael O’Sullivan (World Bank); Harris Selod (World Bank) |
| Abstract: | In settings where women’s land rights are informal, the death of a husband can severely limit a widow’s access to land and her ability to remain in her home— especially in the absence of a male heir. This paper examines whether large-scale land formalization programs can improve widows’ land access. Using data from a randomized controlled trial in rural Benin, the analysis finds that widows in villages with land formalization are more likely to stay in their homes four years after the program, with the strongest effects among those without a male heir. The paper identifies two key mechanisms: enhanced community recognition of women’s land rights and greater decision-making power over land resources. These findings highlight the potential of land formalization to strengthen women’s tenure security and promote their long-term economic stability in similar settings. |
| Keywords: | property rights, land administration, gender, widowhood, intra-household insurance |
| JEL: | D23 I31 J12 J16 O17 |
| Date: | 2025–04 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:dia:wpaper:dt202503 |
| By: | Kyungbo Han (University of Bath) |
| Abstract: | This paper studies the effectiveness of forest protected areas (PAs) in a dynamic setting. I investigate whether the establishment of PAs in the Brazilian Amazon immediately accelerates deforestation in the neighborhoods, and logging activities gradually shift back to PAs over time. This dynamic displacement stems from the fact that trees in the Amazon are treated as a nonrenewable resource. Exploiting variations in the proximity to PA boundaries and in the timing of PA establishment, I identify the dynamic effects of new PAs on deforestation in non-protected areas (NPAs) and PAs, respectively. The establishment of PAs dramatically increases the size of newly deforested areas in the neighborhoods for the first 6 years, while the incremental effect suddenly disappears or the deforestation rate even decreases 7-10 years after the establishment. In the interior of PAs close to their boundaries, the rate of deforestation gradually increases from the beginning of the establishment. Deforestation is particularly severe inside PAs in the second phase of deforestation in NPAs (i.e., 7-10 years after the establishment). This phenomenon suggests that logging activities repeatedly shift in response to the dynamics of logging costs in NPAs and PAs. |
| Date: | 2024–07–29 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:eid:wpaper:58187 |