Nicolas Coeurdacier

Nicolas COEURDACIER is Professor of Economics in the Department of Economics of SciencesPo. He holds a PhD in Economics from the Paris School of Economics and was Assistant Professor at the London Business School before joining Sciences Po in 2010. His main research interests are in macroeconomics, investigating international financial integration and capital flows, the economic consequences of demographic ageing, the dynamics of land use and housing markets. He is also CEPR Research Fellow.

Title of the presentation: Structural Change, Land Use Reallocation and the Carbon Balance

Abstract: Land use and the geographic distribution of economic activity are key determinants of a territory’s emissions of greenhouse gases. Emissions depend on whether land is built-up in cities, used for agriculture, or covered with forests. In cities, emissions depend on the extent of sprawl. We develop a quantitative spatial theory of land use where different sectors compete for land. Technological and demographic evolutions trigger structural change and shape land use, commuting and residential choices. Emissions change as a result. We estimate the quantitative model using French spatial data since 1950 across sectors. The estimation delivers novel insights on the determinants of land use and emissions across space and time and allows to evaluate the effect of technological change and agricultural policies on welfare, productivity and the environment.

Email: nicolas.coeurdacier@sciencespo.fr