Pollution and the efficiency of urban growth

Arbeitspapier

We analyze the efficiency of urbanization patterns in a dynamic model of endogenous urban growth with two sectors of production. Production exhibits increasing returns to scale on aggregate. Urban environmental pollution, as a force that discourages agglomeration, is caused by domestic production. We show that cities are too large and too few in number in equilibrium, compared to the efficient urbanization path, if economic growth implies increasing aggregate emissions. If, on the other hand, production becomes cleaner over time (`quality growth') the urbanization path approximates the efficient outcome after finite time.

Object Details

• Language: Englisch

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: Series: Nota di Lavoro ; No. 75.2008

Classification and Topics

• Classification: Wirtschaft ; Environment and Development; Environment and Trade; Sustainability; Environmental Accounts and Accounting; Environmental Equity; Population Growth ; Size and Spatial Distributions of Regional Economic Activity ; Economic Development: Urban, Rural, Regional, and Transportation Analysis; Housing; Infrastructure
• Subject: Cities ; Urbanisation ; Pollution ; Growth ; Migration ; Sustainable Development

Contributors, Places and Time

• Event: Geistige Schöpfung
• (who): Quaas, Martin F. ; Smulders, Sjak
• Event: Veröffentlichung
• (who): Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei (FEEM)
• (where): Milano
• (when): 2008

Further information

• Handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10419/53253
• Last update: 10.03.2025, 11:44 AM CET