(2025) "Do Energy Bonuses Affect Consumption? Evidence from Electricity and Gas Subsidies in Italy" L. Popescu
This paper evaluates the causal effect of the Italian energy bonus (Bonus Sociale) on household electricity and gas consumption. Exploiting policy-driven variation in eligibility across time and household groups, the identification strategy relies on a difference-in-differences design applied to administrative billing data.
(2025) "Poisoned Air, Shortened Lives: PM2.5 Exposure and Premature Mortality in Southern European Cities", E. Cottini & L. Popescu & L. Salmasi & G. Turati (Revise & Resubmit, Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization)
We estimate the causal effect of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) exposure on mortality in Southern European urban areas, combining satellite-derived pollution data with administrative death records and exploiting quasi-experimental variation in pollution levels driven by meteorological instruments.
(2025) "Chilly temperatures, polluted air: the health impacts of residential heating emissions”, E. Cottini & L. Popescu & L. Salmasi & G. Turati
This paper estimates the causal health effects of residential biomass heating emissions in Italy. Exploiting staggered heating activation across municipalities and the universe of hospital admissions, we find that heating-driven pollution spikes significantly increase hospital admissions for acute myocardial infarction, STEMI and COPD, with in-hospital mortality rising substantially in high-exposure winters. Effects are concentrated among older adults and low-educated individuals, but extend to patients without prior comorbidities, indicating substantially underestimated health costs of biomass burning.
(2022) " Grandparents’ Care and Mothers’ Work in Europe. Taking Different Points of View. In: Molina, J.A. (eds) Mothers in the Labor Market. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-99780-9