Economic growth - empirics
Technology adoption
Environmental economics
Sustainable water use
Last updated: May 7, 2008
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Economic growth - empirics
My current research
on the empirics of economic growth focuses on the robustness of previously
obtained results (extending the seminal work of Levine and Renelt 1992
and Sala-i-Martin 1997) by developing and applying a quasi-experimental
meta-analytic approach. The most recent version of the paper is available
upon request. Starting on January 1, 2001, this and related research will
be extended since a research proposal on 'Growth and Institutions' was
awarded with a research grant for two years by NWO. For more details on
the proposal and the intended research, please contact me.
As an outgrowth of
a series of recent conferences of the International Regional Science Association,
I am preparing a Special Issue of Papers in Regional Science (with Peter
Nijkamp and Zoltan Acs). This issue addresses from different perspectives
the importance of knowledge spillovers in understanding regional economic
development. The Special Issue will appear as Issue 80/3 in the summer
of 2001.
Publications and work in progress on economic growth - empirics
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Technology adoption
My current research
on technology adoption is performed in the context of an NWO project and
a NOP-project (the latter is currently being finalised and a final report
is currently under preparation).
Several themes are
being addressed in this context. A first one focuses on the importance
of vested interests and the age composition of economies in explaining
the speed of adoption of new technologies. In one paper, we argue that
the ageing of the Western economies is likely to have a negative impact
on the growth performance, due to reduced adoption of favorable technologies.
A second central
theme tries to add to the explanation of the socalled 'energy-effciency
paradox'. In a series of papers, we are looking at the potential importance
of learning effects, uncertainty and complementarities in explaining the
slow adoption of seemingly superior technologies. Also the possibilities
for subidies in speeding up adoption are addressed, both theoretically
and empirically.
As an outgrowth of
the NOP-project, we are currently preparing a book on the possibilities
for policy instruments to steer the adoption of energy-saving technologies.
Publications and work in progress on technology adoption
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Environmental economics
In the field of environmental
economics, I am currently involved in a project assessing whether or not
an environmental Kuznets curve can be found in the regions of China. Also
the optimal timing of environmental policies aimed at fighting greenhouse
gas emissions and stabilizing CO2 concentrations is currently addressed,
applying the DICE model as it has been developed by Nordhaus.
Publications and work in progress on environmental economics
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Sustainable water use
The European research
project on sustainable water use in urban areas is currently in the stage
of finalisation. Some of the key issues that we are currently focsing
on are an assesment of the possibilities and desirability of privatization
and liberalization in the water sector and the responsiveness of consumers
to price and income changes. In the latter project, we use meta-analytical
techniques to explain the differences in price- and income elasticties
of demand as they are observed in empirical studies.
Publications and work in progress on sustainable water use