Contagious development: Neighbor interactions in deforestation

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Robalino, Juan A.; Pfaff, Alexander
• 署名单位: Universidad Costa Rica; Duke University
• 刊物名称: JOURNAL OF DEVELOPMENT ECONOMICS
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0304-3878
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jdeveco.2011.06.003
• 发表日期: 2012
• 页码: 427-436
• 关键词: Instrumental variable; Neighbors' interactions; Local interactions; social interactions; Land use patterns; Environmental policies

摘要

We estimate neighbor interactions in deforestation in Costa Rica. To address simultaneity and the presence of spatially correlated unobservables, we measure for neighbors' deforestation using the slopes of neighbors' and neighbors' neighbors' parcels. We find that neighboring deforestation significantly raises the probability of deforestation. Policies for agricultural development or forest conservation in one area will affect deforestation rates in non-targeted neighboring areas. Correct estimation of the interaction reverses the naive estimate's prediction of multiple equilibria. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.