Research
Research
Selected Works in Progress
“Internalizing Environmental Externalities: A Coasean Approach to Urban Solid Waste Management in Kampala, Uganda” joint with Aaron Berman (MIT) (pilot in progress)
Abstract: Cities in developing countries are generating increasing volumes of solid waste, straining existing waste management systems. Open dumping and burning are common means of disposal, generating meaningful environmental and health externalities, especially in low-income communities and informal settlements. We partner with the Kampala Capital City Authority to test a new intervention designed to deter dumping: installing nets to catch household solid waste that would otherwise flow through rainwater drainage channels, causing flooding downstream. We are piloting a mechanism to elicit downhill households’ willingness-to-pay, and uphill households’ willingness-to-accept, to install nets along shared drainage channels, facilitating Coasean bargaining to realign private and social costs from improper waste management practices.
"The Economics of Informal Recycling Markets: Evidence from Indonesia's Waste Banks" joint with Aaron Berman (MIT)
Funding: JPAL K-CAI
“Environmental Scapegoating and the Political Economy Implications of Transboundary Pollution” joint with Seonmin Will Heo (UCSB) (draft coming soon!)
Abstract: Transboundary pollution is an increasingly common phenomenon that raises interesting and complex questions about environmental accountability and cooperation. In this paper, we study the political economy impact of transboundary PM2.5. We obtain data on hourly particle trajectories to estimate how transboundary PM2.5 affects various political outcomes, including environmental legislation, regulatory behavior, and rhetoric. We introduce a novel mechanism – environmental scapegoating – to help explain the behavior of politicians faced with significant transboundary pollution inflows.
“Spatial Misallocation and Supply-Demand Feedback: Evidence from the Boda-Boda Market in Kampala, Uganda” joint with Juliana Pinillos (USC) and Santiago De Martini (USC)
Funding: CEGA
“Private Markets for Public Goods: Understanding the Urban Spatial Distriubtion of Recycling Markets in India" joint with Vanshika Fotedar (USC)
Policy Writings
Reducing the waste burden in Ugandan cities (IGC Policy Note) joint with Andrew Womer (IGC)
https://www.theigc.org/publications/internalising-environmental-externalities-coasean-approach-urban-solid-waste (IGC Policy Brief) joint with Aaron Berman (MIT)