Document type
Working paperPublication date
Publication license
Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/2445/215020
The political economy of coastal development
Journal Title
Director/Tutor
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Related resource
Abstract
Coastal development has advantages, such as job creation, and drawbacks, such as the loss of environmental amenities, for both residents and nonresidents. Local governments may prioritize their constituents' interests, resulting in suboptimal coastal development. We investigate how political alignment among neighboring mayors facilitates intergovernmental cooperation in the development of coastal areas. We leverage causal effects by applying a close-elections Regression Discontinuity Design to the universe of buildings in Spain. Municipalities with partyaligned mayors develop 46% less land than politically isolated ones, and politically homogeneous coastal areas develop less than fragmented ones. The effect is more salient for land closest to shore or previously occupied by forests, in municipalities with a large share of protected land, and for relevant environmental markers, such as air and bathing water pollution. These results underscore the importance of cooperative political endeavors in managing development spillovers, with environmental considerations assuming a central role.
Subject (English)
Citation
Citation
MAGONTIER, Pierre, SOLÉ OLLÉ, Albert and VILADECANS MARSAL, Elisabet. The political economy of coastal development. IEB Working Paper 2024/10. [consulted: 18 of August of 2026]. Available at: https://hdl.handle.net/2445/215020