nep-lam New Economics Papers
on Central and South America
Issue of 2026–08–31
three papers chosen by
Maximo Rossi, Universidad de la RepÃúºblica


  1. Challenges in Environmental Provisions: Toward an Identification of Determinant Factors in Latin American Trade Agreements By De la Peña, Nicolas; Vasquez-Merchan, Irma Liliana
  2. Cities as Engines of Opportunities: Evidence from Brazil By Barza, Radu; Glaeser, Edward; Hidalgo, César A.; Viarengo, Martina
  3. Did the Green Brazil Operations Reduce Wildfires in the Legal Amazon? Evidence from a Municipal Panel Difference-in-Differences Analysis. By Souza Bezerra, Bruno Felipe Lenin

  1. By: De la Peña, Nicolas (Universidad de La Salle); Vasquez-Merchan, Irma Liliana
    Abstract: International Environmental Agreements (IEAs) and Preferential Trade Agreements (PTAs) are supposed to influence domestic environmental norms. Although recent literature has examined global patterns, there remains a lack of understanding regarding the situation in Latin America. This paper aims to assess the effect of international agreements on domestic environmental law in Latin America. We develop an empirical analysis of the relationship between international agreements and national environmental legislation by combining three datasets: International Environmental Agreements Database (IEADB), Trade & Environment Database (TREND), and Food, Agriculture and Renewable Natural Resources Legislation Database (FAOLEX), to address IEAs, PTAs, and domestic legislation, respectively. Our paper contributes to scientific debates on international political economy because Latin America exhibits particularities regarding the influence of international norms on domestic legislation due to political regime, environmental protectionism, the influence of high-income partners, and the more significant impact of PTAs compared to EIAs.
    Date: 2026–07–24
    URL: https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:osf:socarx:7623c_v1
  2. By: Barza, Radu; Glaeser, Edward; Hidalgo, César A.; Viarengo, Martina
    Abstract: Are developing-world cities engines of opportunities for low-wage earners? In this study, we track a cohort of young low-income workers in Brazil for thirteen years to explore the contribution of factors such as industrial structure and skill segregation on upward income mobility. We find that cities in the south of Brazil are more effective engines of upward mobility than cities in the north and that these differences appear to be primarily related to the exposure of unskilled workers to skilled co-workers, which in turn reflects industry composition and complexity. Our results suggest that the positive effects of urbanization depend on the skilled and unskilled working together, a form of integration that is more prevalent in the cities of southern Brazil than in northern cities. This segregation, which can decline with specialization and the division of labor, may hinder the ability of Brazil's northern cities to offer more opportunities for escaping poverty.
    JEL: D63 I24 N90 N96 O10 O11 O18 O43 R10 R23
    Date: 2024–07
    URL: https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cpr:ceprdp:19301
  3. By: Souza Bezerra, Bruno Felipe Lenin
    Abstract: The Legal Amazon, a critical biome for global climate stability, has experienced a significant increase in wildfires, driven by both natural and human factors. In response, the Brazilian government launched the Green Brazil Operations (1 and 2) to combat illegal deforestation and wildfires. This study evaluates the effectiveness of these operations in reducing wildfire occurrences using a Difference-in-Differences (DiD) methodology on a monthly panel dataset spanning 2017–2023. Results indicate that neither operation significantly reduced fire outbreaks. Additionally, contrary to policy objectives, the number of environmental fines decreased during the operational periods. These findings highlight the limitations of the Green Brazil Operations in addressing the root causes of wildfires and underscore the need for more comprehensive, integrated strategies that align enforcement with socio-economic realities in the region.
    Keywords: Environmental Economics and Policy
    Date: 2026
    URL: https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:aaea26:404476

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