Blog - Spatial Economics

Do metro interruptions increase the demand for public rental bicycles?

By Joris Klingen Urban policy makers in many cities are promoting cycling as part of a sustainable and reliable transport system. Cycling is linked to several positive outcomes. There are health benefits, it does not generate pollution, and bicycles make more efficient use of road capacity compared to cars. One of the ways through which cities…

Saving our planet: Policy design for the Anthropocene

Recently, department member Carolyn Fischer, in cooperation with other researchers, had their article on ‘Policy design for the Anthropocene’ published in Nature Sustainability, a special edition of Nature. The authors investigate the complexities of the complexities of designing policies that can keep Earth within the biophysical limits favourable to human life. Abstract: Today, more than ever, ‘Spaceship Earth’ is an…

The impact of support on the effectiveness of climate treaties

By Erik Ansink Reactions by policy-makers and part of the general public to recent events like (1) the European school climate strikes, (2) the proposed US Green New Deal, and (3) the Dutch Urgenda lawsuit showcase that the costs of climate change policies are high. At least, they are perceived as being too high compared…

Responding to food insecurities: Detecting early signs of famine

Bo Andrée is working on an ambitious high-profile project at the World Bank: the Famine Action Mechanism (FAM). Bo is the leading data scientist at the World Bank in charge of the technical development part of the FAM, and is also working at the VU on finalizing his PhD thesis on spatial time series modeling.…

Short-term rentals and the housing market: The effects of Airbnb

Short-term rental (STR) platforms, such as Airbnb, have grown spectacularly in recent years. Since its launch in 2007, Airbnb has grown into a multibillion dollar business, now offering more than 4.5 million listings in over 190 countries worldwide. Airbnb allows individuals to list their spare room or entire apartment for a self-established price to potential guests from all over the…

Expanding versus greening? On energy and emission transitions in Mozambique

Africa’s energy sector is vital to the continent’s future development and yet remains the most relatively poorly understood part of the global energy system. Africa is rich in both renewable and fossil energy sources: its energy mix is dominated by bioenergy, it has a huge solar energy potential, and renewable energy technologies (mainly hydropower) already…

A new method for measuring vegetation: LiDAR data

Modernization of agricultural land use across Europe is responsible for a substantial decline of linear vegetation elements such as tree lines, hedgerows, riparian vegetation and green lanes. These linear objects have an important function for biodiversity, e.g. as ecological corridors and local habitats for many animal and plant species. Knowledge on their spatial distribution is…

Managing congestion with tradable permits: The best of both worlds?

The recent rapid growth in traffic congestion in The Netherlands has revived discussions on how to best deal with this persistent challenge for urban policy makers. It was already back in the 1920’s that the Cambridge economist Arthur Pigou developed what is to date the textbook analysis of the economics of traffic congestion; including a clear…

The billion pound drop: Did the Blitz enhance London’s economy?

The Blitz lasted from September 1940 to May 1941, during which the Luftwaffe dropped 18,291 tons of high explosives and countless incendiaries across Greater London. Although these attacks have now largely faded from living memory, our recent paper ”The Billion Pound Drop” shows that the impact of the Blitz remains evident to this day in…