The conditions for sustainable growth and development are among the most debated topics in economics, and the consensus is that institutions matter greatly in explaining why some economies are more successful than others over time. Probing the long-term effects of early colonial differences on...

Introduction -- Measuring urban environmental quality -- The urban environmental Kuznets curve -- Income growth and the urban environment: -- The role of the market -- Income growth and greener governance -- Population growth and the urban environment -- Spatial growth: the environmental cost of...

Too much gas -- What we've done when our cities have blown up -- King of the hill -- Playing 1 on 1 with kobe bryant -- Will Manhattan flood? -- Will China's cities go green? -- Bono's anxieties -- Seize the day : opportunities from our hotter future -- The future of cities

In this unique anthology, Steckel and Floud coordinate ten essays that bring a new perspective to inquiry about standard of living in modern times. These papers are arranged for international comparison, and they individually examine evidence of health and welfare during and after...