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We present a growth model whose novelty is to explicitly account for the direct, preference-related factors that reinforce the delay in the timing of childbearing. Given the strength of these factors, the model generates the empirically observed dynamics in completed cohort fertility. Furthermore, the quantitative analysis of our results verifies that our model provides a good fit for actual data of the rebound of the completed cohort fertility rates in Nordic countries. The fact that these countries are widely considered as the most progressive ones, in terms of their cultural norms and in terms of their family-oriented policies, offers credence to the hypothesis that our model advances. More generally, our framework provides a platform for research that can uncover empirically relevant, but yet unexplored, mechanisms in the joint analysis of demographic change and economic growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The controversies on the relationship (called 'gradient') between the time trend of GDP and of subjective well-being oppose those who claim that the gradient is positive, to those who argue that it is nil. The possible existence of significant changes of the two trends and of the gradient within the same country is a challenge to both views. By focusing on the case of Italy, we show that the long-run trends of GDP and of well-being turned from increasing to decreasing, and that the gradient exhibits a rise through two structural breaks. This evidence is consistent with the 'loss aversion' hypothesis. From this macro-analysis we further go into micro-analysis to explain why subjective well-being declined so steeply. We find that the erosion of trust in others, the increase of financial dissatisfaction, worsened health, and greater importance of income contribute to the decline of subjective well-being. As far as we know, this is the first attempt to test the role of loss aversion in the long run using both macro- and micro-economic approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The controversies on the relationship (called 'gradient') between the time trend of GDP and of subjective well-being oppose those who claim that the gradient is positive, to those who argue that it is nil. The possible existence of significant changes of the two trends and of the gradient within the same country is a challenge to both views. By focusing on the case of Italy, we show that the long-run trends of GDP and of well-being turned from increasing to decreasing, and that the gradient exhibits a rise through two structural breaks. This evidence is consistent with the 'loss aversion' hypothesis. From this macro-analysis we further go into micro-analysis to explain why subjective well-being declined so steeply. We find that the erosion of trust in others, the increase of financial dissatisfaction, worsened health, and greater importance of income contribute to the decline of subjective well-being. As far as we know, this is the first attempt to test the role of loss aversion in the long run using both macro- and micro-economic approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The perception of a global crisis of groundwater over-abstraction and pollution is assumed to include Sub-Saharan Africa, a region where groundwater resources are on average greatly under-utilized. This perception of crisis contributes to a "discourse of shortage" which in turn has led to a neglect of the potential role of groundwater to support irrigation, water security and economic growth and is underpinned by beliefs about the availability of the resource itself. However, examples from southern Africa suggest that it is the absence of the services needed to support groundwater development (including energy, drilling and pumping equipment, hard and soft infrastructure, physical access, finance and credit, and institutional support) that are the real constraint. These are likely to be more important than average hydrogeological potential in determining the viability of groundwater supplies, and examples suggest that when these factors are in place, higher-yielding sources tend to be found and developed. Rather than consider the interlinkages between these elements, a discourse of shortage in Sub-Saharan Africa appears to take precedence. Sub-genres including the village-level discourse, the transboundary discourse, and the sustainability discourse are also identified, and these are likely to reinforce the idea of shortage. The policy impact of these more dominant narratives may retard progress towards a much-needed structural change in economic activity enabled by increased agricultural production, resilience and water security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing evidence shows that global warming has exerted important influence on the economies of societies in the past and will continue to have effects in the future. The provinces of China differ substantially in terms of their temperatures and their degrees of economic development. Therefore, discussion of the positive and negative effects of global warming on economic development at the provincial level is beneficial for determining the effects of global warming on economic development in different provinces, and this discussion also helps to answer the question of how to increase the resilience of economies to global warming. This paper studies the effects of annual average temperature changes on economic growth in the 31 provinces of China from 1978 to 2013 (here referred to as the historical period) and in the 5 typical provinces from 2010 to 2100 (here referred to as the future) under the RCP8.5 scenario. The results indicate that (a) from 1978 to 2013, economic growth exhibits a quadratic nonlinear response to local temperature in all provinces of China and that temperature has both positive and negative effects on the economic growth rates of different provinces. In addition, taking 23.37 °C as a threshold value, over 96% of the provinces display positive effects. (b) Under the RCP8.5 scenario, from 2010 to 2100, although the 5 typical provinces maintain trends reflecting economic growth, the average rate of growth is 80% lower than the value during the historical period. The purpose of this study is to draw the attention of the government to the implications of future global warming for the economic development of different provinces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]