EfD contributes to Tanzania Country Environmental Analysis 2019
On May 6th, 2019 the World Bank together with the Vice President’s office launched the Tanzania Country Environmental Analysis 2019 at the Hyatt hotel in Dar es Salaam Tanzania.
Plastic pollution and aquaculture brought together researchers and policy makers in Chile
The VI Workshop on Economics of Natural Resources and Environment was held on March 21st and 22nd in Santiago, Chile.
‘Water Map’ helps Cape Town through last days of drought emergency
In January 2018, Cape Town came within three months of initiating ‘Day Zero’, the day when emergency rationing measures would kick in, and city utility managers would shut off water to homes in the suburbs, and to businesses outside of the city centre.
Recent publications
Sanctioned Quotas vs. Information Provisioning for Community Wildlife Conservation in Zimbabwe: A Framed Field Experiment Approach
We investigate the behavioural responses of resource users to two policy interventions: sanctioned quotas and information provisioning. We do so in a context in which multiple resources (pastures and wild animal stocks) are connected and could substantially and drastically deteriorate as a result of management. We perform an experimental study among communities that are managing common pool wildlife in Zimbabwe.
Climate Impact on China’s Residential Electricity Consumption. Does the Level of Income Matter?
It is widely accepted that energy use contributes to climate change, but, in turn, climate change can also affect energy demand. Plenty of literature proves the existence of this feedback mechanism, but there is still no consensus on its exact operation. This needs to be studied in detail in China, which is the largest electricity consumer in the world. One particularly interesting question is how the increasing income of China’s residents affects the climate sensitivity of electricity demand.
Integrating Econometric Models of Land Use Change with Models of Ecosystem Services and Landscape Simulations to Guide Coastal Management and Planning for Flood Control
This study develops an integrated framework to evaluate the relative effectiveness of alternative land use policies that target the management of natural resources in the face of climate change pressures. This framework is then applied to evaluate the relative performance of three different land use regulations that protect natural resources and alter current trends of urbanization using data from three rapidly urbanizing coastal counties in the southeastern United States facing growing risks of flooding.
Factors Influencing People’s Perceptions Towards Conservation of Transboundary Wildlife Resources
Local people’s perceptions about protected areas are important determinants of the success of conservation efforts in Southern Africa, as their perceptions affect their attitude and behaviour towards conservation. As a result, the involvement of local communities in transboundary wildlife conservation is now viewed as an integral part of regional development initiatives involving several countries.
Coal Taxation Reform in China and its Distributional Effect on Residential Consumers
There is an ongoing reform in coal taxation in China, from a quantity-based to a pricebased approach. While the coal tax could play an important role in resource conservation and air pollution reduction, its distributional effect is not well studied. This paper investigates the distributional effect of China’s coal taxes on households before and after the reform.
The Effects of Storage Technology and Training on Post-Harvest Losses. Evidence from Small-Scale Farms in Tanzania
We analyze the impact of a new storage technology and training on post-harvest losses among small-scale maize farmers in rural Tanzania. The analysis is based on data collected by means of a randomized controlled trial (RCT) in which farmers were randomized into one of three groups: a control group and two treatment groups. Farmers in the first treatment group received training on post-harvest management practices, and farmers in the second treatment group were provided with hermetic (airtight) bags for storing maize, as well as the training administered to the first treatment group.
Institutional Preferences, Social Preferences and Cooperation. Evidence from a Lab-in-the Field Experiment in Rural China
In this study, we examine institutional preferences, social preferences, and contribution in public goods games by conducting a lab-in-the-field experiment in rural China. Specifically, we examine whether people contribute differently depending on whether they are facing their preferred enforcement institution – punishment versus reward – and what factors are behind their institutional preferences.
The Origins of Cultural Divergence. Evidence from a Developing Country
Cultural norms diverge substantially across societies, often within the same country. In the present paper, we propose and investigate the selective migration hypothesis, proposing that cultural differences along the individualism collectivism dimension are driven by the out-migration of individualistic people from collectivist societies to frontier areas, and that such patterns of historical migration are reflected even in the current distribution of cultural norms.
Quantifying the Temperature Effects on China's Total Agricultural Output
We pair a county-level panel of annual agricultural production with daily weather outcomes to measure the effects of temperature fluctuations on total agricultural output value of farming, forestry, animal husbandry and fishing in China.
Household Demand for Water in Rural Kenya
To expand and maintain water supply infrastructure in rural regions of developing countries, planners and policymakers need better information on the preferences of households who might use the sources. What is the relative importance of price, distance and quality in a households decision to use a source? If a water source increases fees, perhaps to cover maintenance or planned replacement, how will the total amount of water abstracted and revenue collected change?