Lawson and Jouf (2021) European farmers’ responses to higher commodity prices: Cropland expansion or forestlands preservation?, Ecological Economics.
The interconnection between commodity prices, agricultural expansion and forestland conservation by farmers has received little scholarly attention in existing literature. This paper analyses the influence of European farmers’ responsiveness to changes in agri-commodity prices on how they manage the trade-offs between agricultural expansion and forestland preservation. In so doing, we rely on a comprehensive dataset relating to European agricultural holdings over the period of 2008–2017, covering 128 regions, and use a recursive equation system that links commodity prices to economic output per area, and the latter to forestland privately owned by farmers. Controlling for farm characteristics, geographical spillovers as well as regressor endogeneity, we find results suggesting that there is indeed evidence of such a trade-off. Specifically, with increased prices, European agricultural holdings expand crop production (respectively agricultural land), which reversely conflicts with private forestland. Replicating the analysis on different subsamples confirms the robustness of these findings. Based on these results, we advocate for further incentive towards the preservation of forests privately owned by agricultural holdings.
Lawson and Nguyen-Van (2019), Is there a peaceful cohabitation between human and natural habitats? Assessing global patterns of species loss, Globa.l Ecology and Conservation. [Open Access]
Abstract: The ongoing ecological crisis has motivated systematic studies on biodiversity loss, mostly pointing to economic and human population pressure as root causes of natural habitat destruction. The present paper proposes to globally assess the case of threatened animal and plant species, discussing whether the cohabitation between human habitat and biodiversity (natural habitat) is peaceful. Thereby, by controlling for species richness and reverse causality, we show that the number of threatened species depicts an inverted U-shaped relationship with income per capita. We also find that the more biological species-rich a country is, the more threatened species it holds. Moreover, compared to low-income countries, high-income countries definitely appear to be threatening fewer animal and plant species, suggesting a possible peaceful cohabitation. Other factors like production structure (mostly secondary and tertiary) and trade seem to be some of the forces behind the peaceful cohabitation observed in high-income countries.
Lawson and Nguyen-Van (2020), Institutions and geography: A ‘two sides of the same coin’ story of primary energy use in Sub-Saharan Africa, in The Energy Journal, A preprint can be found here
Abstract: Do institutional and geographical characteristics matter for energy consumption similar to the case of economic development? Why do coastal Sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries appear to be more energy consuming than inland ones? To answer these questions, surprisingly rarely addressed in the existing literature, we empirically assess the determinants of primary energy use across SSA, exploiting spatial analysis methods. Our results highlight the existence of positive geographical spillovers in primary energy use. We also derive factors (income, exports, population dynamics and urbanization) explaining the reasons coastal countries are more energy intensive. Furthermore, good political institutions and geographical location enhance primary energy use, connoting a ‘two sides of the same coin’ role played by both factors. Our results impel SSA countries to develop alternative energy strategies and deploy energy resources management policies, since adverse environmental consequences associated to increasing fossil energies use are to expect in the near future.
Lawson (2019), Do Species-poor Forests Fool Conservation Policies? Assessing the Role of Forests, Biodiversity and Income in Global Conservation, in Journal of Environmental Planning and Management. A preprint can be found here
Abstract: This paper exploits World Development Indicators and IUCN Red-List data to empirically assess the socio-economic and environmental drivers of conservation efforts. In addition to spatial spillovers, our results firstly indicate that forest cover, income level along with good political institutions positively drive protected areas (PAs), while human population growth conflicts with nature conservation efforts. Secondly, indicators of biodiversity (species richness and extinction risk) are found to be statistically neutral to PAs share, suggesting that species-rich countries are not predominantly the ones sheltering the largest PAs share. As species-poor forests matter as well, in addition to ecosystem centered approaches, our results encourage conservation practitioners to further account for species richness and extinction risks in establishing and managing PAs.
Laté Lawson, Roberto Martino and Phu Nguyen-van (2020), Environmental convergence and environmental Kuznets curve: A unified empirical framework, in Ecological Modelling A preprint can be found here
Abstract: Existing studies separately addressed the environmental convergence and environmental Kuznets curve hypotheses, though the two research lines are highly interconnected. This paper provides a unified empirical framework to simultaneously investigate the latter hypotheses, relying on a semi-parametric dynamic panel data model which accounts for regressor endogeneity. The approach allows to concurrently check (i) whether the current growth process is sustainable and (ii) whether existing global agreements are sufficiently efficient in reducing pollutant emissions. We propose an application to CO2 emissions data consisting of 106 countries observed over the period 1970-2015. Our results, robust across specifications, suggest that there is no global level evidence supporting the environmental Kuznets hypothesis, while a convergence process takes place, even though it is not associated with a reduction in CO2 emissions. This implies that current international efforts and agreements have not been strict enough to globally curb gas emissions for an environmental sustainability of the development process.
Laté Lawson (2020), GHG emissions and fossil energy use as consequences of efforts of improving human well-being in Africa, in Journal of Environmental Management . A preprint can be found here
Abstract:This paper assesses the relationship between greenhouse gas emissions, fossil energy use and economic development, arguing that human development is not responsible for carbon dioxide emissions. To address the mechanism through which the latter relationship operates, a recursive system of three equations is estimated. The empirical results for a sample of 41 Sub-Saharan African countries observed over the period from 1990 to 2013 support our reasoning. Specifically, contrary to causality analyses which imply economic growth causing pollution, our recursive analysis indicates that greenhouse gas emissions are direct consequences of fossil energy use. Thus, economic growth is not to blame for carbon dioxide emissions. In terms of environmental policy for African countries, this study encourages efforts towards less polluting and renewable energies supply as well as investments in energy efficient technologies.
Laté Lawson (2022), A simple Ricardo-Malthusian model of population, deforestation and biodiversity loss.
A preprint can be found here
Abstract: This paper assesses the interactions between human societies and nature, arguing that population growth and forest resources harvest cause natural habitat conversion, which resolves into biodiversity loss. Relying on profit and utility maximization behaviours, we describe the joint evolution of population, forest and species stock by a dynamic system characterized by a locally stable steady state. Compared to existing studies, we enlighten the possibility of total extinction of biological species (empty forests). Furthermore, our analysis supports an impossible peaceful cohabitation, as in presence of human population growth, forest resources and species stock diverge from their carrying capacity. Finally, scenarios analyses associated with high fertility and preference for the resource-based good globally indicate rapid population growth followed by a sudden drop: A collapse.
Laté Lawson, On riots and anti-government protests in Sub-Saharan Africa: The role of economic inequalities
Abstract: Recurrent anti-government protests in Africa raise urgent interrogations towards the drivers of such disruptive events. Surprisingly, the issue has received less attention in existing literature, where the potential for inequalities to cause armed conflicts is largely discussed. This paper, considering riots and protests as potential armed battles, proposes to empirically assess the inequalities and small-scale conflicts relationship, arguing that economic inequalities, rather than income level per se, drive riots and protests in Sub-Sahara Africa (SSA). Firstly, our results show that economic inequalities significantly promote social unrest, suggesting that the extent to which few individuals hold higher shares of the aggregate product likely creates frustrations and finally resolves in riots and protests against central authorities. Secondly, our study indicates that in a context of weak political institutions and high economic inequalities, loss of real disposable incomes (due to changes in consumer price) and controversial elections prompt populations to protest.
Laté Lawson and Chouaib Jouf, The Agricultural Commodities Prices, Land-Use and Biodiversity Interconnection.
Abstract: This paper analyses the farmer’s responsiveness to changes in agri-commodities prices simultaneously with his trade-off between agricultural expansion and forestland preservation. For this purpose, we use data relative to European agricultural holdings observed in 128 regions (26 countries) over the period between 2008 and 2017. Using a recursive specification, we obtained results primarily showing that increases in commodities price positively drive crop supply in the 128 Europeans regions considered. Moreover, it appears that increasing crop output threatens forestlands owned by agricultural holdings. All other things being equal, our study indicates that with increasing commodities price, high productive farmers intensify crop supply and convert further forestlands into croplands in order to take advantage of their productivity and price.
Laté A. Lawson; Krista Samson; Pauline Essah and Michaelene Welsh-Kinnersley, Exploring Higher Education Demand and Opportunities for Young Refugees in Africa: Where do we stand?
A preprint can be found here
Abstract: Higher education for young people, including marginalised groups, is essential for equitable and sustainable development. Considering the case of young refugees’ access to higher education, especially in developing countries, limited research can be identified. This paper contributes to the academic literature on refugee education, by raising awareness about the demand for education and issues surrounding refugees’ access to higher education in West and Central Africa (WCA). Assessments of refugee demographic data indicate increasing trends in most WCA countries and a conditional convergence process towards higher values over the past two decades, which signal a growing demand for (higher) education by refugees in asylum countries. Moreover, mapping countries’ provisions of refugee education opportunities, dedicated scholarship programmes for refugees, and interviewing refugee students help understand the conditions and challenges refugees face to transition to higher education in their host countries. Our work highlights the urgency of the refugee situation in African countries and calls for immediate and practical actions to facilitate and support refugees’ access to tertiary education.
Laté Lawson, Fertility, Natural Resource Rents and Species Extinction in Sub-Saharan Africa: Theory and Empirical Assessment
Laté Lawson and Nguyen-Van Phu, A unified Theory of Economic Growth and Environmental Degradation.
Laurène Thil, Laté Lawson and Mathieu Lefebvre, The Effective Childcare and Labour Supply Trade-off across European Countries.