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Cost and Productivity Effects of Demographic Changes on Local Water Service

We investigate the impact of demographic changes on local public services taking the case of water service. We apply a structural production function approach to a large panel of German water utilities between 2003 and 2014. Exploring variation of population density and the population age structure across service areas and over time, we provide evidence that demographics and their changes significantly ...

Carbon Contracts for Difference as an Instrument for Strengthening Climate Cooperation between Industrialized and Emerging Economies

Industrialized countries and emerging economies must cooperate in order to decarbonize the emissions-intensive industrial sector and to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. While Germany and the other G7 countries have committed to supporting emerging economies in their efforts to combat climate change via international climate finance, it remains to be seen how this support can be implemented ...

Emergency-Aid for Self-employed in the Covid-19 Pandemic: A Flash in the Pan?

The self-employed faced strong income losses during the Covid-19 pandemic. Many governments introduced programs to financially support the self-employed during the pandemic, including Germany. The German Ministry for Economic Affairs announced a €50bn emergency-aid program in March 2020, offering one-off lump-sum payments of up to €15,000 to those facing substantial revenue declines. By reassuring ...

Let's Switch to the Cloud: Cloud Adaption and Its Effect on IT Investment and Productivity

The advent of cloud computing promises to improve the way firms utilize IT solutions. Firms are expected to replace large and inflexible fixed-cost investments in IT with more targeted variable spending in cloud solutions. In addition, cloud usage is expected to increase the productivity of firms, as it allows them to quickly customize the IT they require to their specific needs. We assess these assertions ...

Market Concentration in Europe: Evidence from Antitrust Markets

An increasing body of empirical evidence is documenting trends toward rising concentration, profits, and markups in many industries around the world since the 1980s. Two major criticisms of these studies is that concentration and market shares are poorly measured at the national industry level while firm level revenues are a poor indicator of product sales. We use a novel database that identifies over ...

Fertility as a Driver of Maternal Employment

Based on findings from high-income countries, typically economists hypothesize that having more children unambiguously decreases the time mothers spend in the labor mar- ket. Few studies on lower-income countries, in which low household wealth, informal child care, and informal employment opportunities prevail, find mixed results. Using Mexican census data, I find a positive effect of an instrument-induced ...

The Value of Time in the United States: Estimates from Nationwide Natural Field Experiments

Sustainable Finance for Climate Mitigation - The Role of the Financial Sector in Achieving Net-Zero

The financial sector has an important role in the transition towards a net-zero economy. Moderated by Prof. Dr. Karen Pittel (ifo Institute) this panel will discuss policy options for the financial sector. Karsten Löffler (Green and Sustainable Finance Cluster Germany) will hold a keynote on the recommendations of the German Sustainable Finance Committee. Four panelists will then add...

Aligning finance with the Paris Agreement and unlocking $100 billion –

On Thursday 4 November, the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW Berlin) will hold an EU side event together with the World Resources Institute, Perspectives Climate Group, Frankfurt School and Climate Action Network on climate financing at the COP26. Leading European researchers will present their latest insights into aligning international financial flows with the goals of the Paris...

Fertility as a Driver of Maternal Employment

Based on findings from high-income countries, typically economists hypothesize that having more children unambiguously decreases the time mothers spend in the labor market. Few studies on lower-income countries, in which low household wealth, informal child care, and informal employment opportunities prevail, find mixed results. Using Mexican census data, I do not find evidence for negative employment ...