This thesis analyses the relationship between population dynamics and the environment. In particular, there are two reasons to be concerned with population when dealing with climate change. On the one hand, population's size is one of the main driver of emissions. On the other hand, climate change might affect fertility and mortality rates, as heat waves and jumps in temperature can modify the ability of people to procreate, may induce unexpected death of infants at birth and can worsen the conditions of people already sick. Chapter one gives an overview about the current debate on these themes and the previous literature. In the second Chapter we analyze the mutual relation between population growth and climate change: on the one hand, population is a driver of carbon emissions which is an important determinant of climate change; on the other hand, climate change affects the mortality rate which determines the net rate of population growth. Such population-climate feedback suggests that demographic policy may be an alternative instrument to reduce the social costs associated with climate change. We explore this possibility by introducing endogenous fertility choices and temperature-related mortality in a global integrated assessment model of climate-economy, and we consider a population policy aimed at imposing a ceiling on population growth. We show that accounting for endogenous population change substantially increases the social costs of environmental policies, but relying on demographic policy reduces such costs by 16\% by $2050$. This clearly shows that population change does matter and demographic policy may be a valid tool to promote sustainable development.

ESSAYS ON CLIMATE CHANGE ECONOMICS AND POPULATION DYNAMICS / V. Lupi ; supervisor: M. Galeotti; co-supervisors: S. Marsiglio, F. Bosello ; coordinatore: A. Missale. DIPARTIMENTO DI ECONOMIA, MANAGEMENT E METODI QUANTITATIVI, 2018 May 10. 29. ciclo, Anno Accademico 2016. [10.13130/lupi-veronica_phd2018-05-10].

ESSAYS ON CLIMATE CHANGE ECONOMICS AND POPULATION DYNAMICS

V. Lupi
2018

Abstract

This thesis analyses the relationship between population dynamics and the environment. In particular, there are two reasons to be concerned with population when dealing with climate change. On the one hand, population's size is one of the main driver of emissions. On the other hand, climate change might affect fertility and mortality rates, as heat waves and jumps in temperature can modify the ability of people to procreate, may induce unexpected death of infants at birth and can worsen the conditions of people already sick. Chapter one gives an overview about the current debate on these themes and the previous literature. In the second Chapter we analyze the mutual relation between population growth and climate change: on the one hand, population is a driver of carbon emissions which is an important determinant of climate change; on the other hand, climate change affects the mortality rate which determines the net rate of population growth. Such population-climate feedback suggests that demographic policy may be an alternative instrument to reduce the social costs associated with climate change. We explore this possibility by introducing endogenous fertility choices and temperature-related mortality in a global integrated assessment model of climate-economy, and we consider a population policy aimed at imposing a ceiling on population growth. We show that accounting for endogenous population change substantially increases the social costs of environmental policies, but relying on demographic policy reduces such costs by 16\% by $2050$. This clearly shows that population change does matter and demographic policy may be a valid tool to promote sustainable development.
10-mag-2018
Settore SECS-P/01 - Economia Politica
GALEOTTI, MARZIO DOMENICO
BOSELLO, FRANCESCO
Doctoral Thesis
ESSAYS ON CLIMATE CHANGE ECONOMICS AND POPULATION DYNAMICS / V. Lupi ; supervisor: M. Galeotti; co-supervisors: S. Marsiglio, F. Bosello ; coordinatore: A. Missale. DIPARTIMENTO DI ECONOMIA, MANAGEMENT E METODI QUANTITATIVI, 2018 May 10. 29. ciclo, Anno Accademico 2016. [10.13130/lupi-veronica_phd2018-05-10].
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/2434/572626
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