An Illiquid Market in the Desert: Estimating the Cost of Water Trade Restrictions in Northern Chile /

This paper estimates the cost of a policy to restrict water trades to mining firms in northern Chile to protect riparian ecosystems and indigenous agriculture. In response to the policy, mining firms have developed high-cost desalination and pumping facilities to secure adequate water supplies. We d...

Ausführliche Beschreibung

Gespeichert in:
Weitere Titel:
Illiquid Market in the Desert
1. Verfasser:
Edwards, Eric C.
Körperschaft:
National Bureau of Economic Research
Weitere Verfasser:
Cristi, Oscar, Edwards, Gonzalo, Libecap, Gary D.
Format:
Elektronisch E-Book
Sprache:
Englisch
Veröffentlicht:
Cambridge, Mass. National Bureau of Economic Research 2016.
Zusammenfassung:
This paper estimates the cost of a policy to restrict water trades to mining firms in northern Chile to protect riparian ecosystems and indigenous agriculture. In response to the policy, mining firms have developed high-cost desalination and pumping facilities to secure adequate water supplies. We develop a methodology and estimate the cost of market transactions that fail to occur due to the policy. Lost trade surplus is estimated at $52 million per year. Without trade restrictions, around 86% of the remaining agricultural water in the region would be transferred to mining.
Umfang:
1 online resource: illustrations (black and white);
Anmerkungen:
January 2016.
Schlagworte: