We investigate and compare the spatial distribution of manufacturing activity and its determinants in Belgium, Ireland and Portugal using comparable, exhaustive micro-level data sets. We find some similarities between Portugal and Belgium, but little for Ireland. Moreover, there is some evidence...

This paper analyses the impact of foreign direct investment (FDI) on the development of local firms. We focus on two likely of FDI: a competition effect which deters entry of domestic firms and positive market externalities which foster the development of local industry. Using a simple...

The relationship between growth and pollution is studied through a vintage capital model, where new technologies are more environmentally friendly. We find that once the optimal scrapping age of technologies is reached, an economy may achieve two possible cases of sustainable development, one in...

We investigate the role that climatic change has played in the pattern of urbanization in sub-Saharan African countries compared to the rest of the developing world. To this end we assemble a cross-country panel data set that allows us to estimate the determinants of urbanization. The results of...

This paper re-examines the existence of an Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) across countries using a semi-parametric regression estimator, which places no restrictions on the functional form. Our results using crosscountry panel data on Sulfur and Carbon Dioxide strongly suggest that the...