Description/Abstract
This paper studies how neighborhood density affects residential carbon emissions, using detailed data from Indonesia and the Philippines. To address simultaneity, we instrument density with soil characteristics, and to address sorting, we control for community averages of observed characteristics. Unlike cities in developed countries, we find that density is positively correlated with residential energy use. After controlling for sorting, we find a precise null relationship between density and residential carbon emissions. Our results suggest that policies to control urban sprawl may not be successful in reducing residential carbon emissions in developing country cities.
Document Type
Working Paper
Date
1-9-2026
Keywords
Urban sprawl, carbon emissions
Language
English
Series
Working Papers Series
Disciplines
Economic Policy | Economics | Environmental Studies | Public Affairs, Public Policy and Public Administration | Public Policy | Regional Economics | Urban Studies
ISSN
1525-3066
Recommended Citation
Jiang, Yi; Lathrop, Taylor; Rothenberg, Alexander D.; and Wang, Yao, "Urban Sprawl and Residential Carbon Emissions: Evidence from Indonesia and the Philippines" (2026). Center for Policy Research. 519.
https://surface.syr.edu/cpr/519
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Included in
Economic Policy Commons, Environmental Studies Commons, Public Policy Commons, Regional Economics Commons, Urban Studies Commons
Additional Information
CPR Working Paper No. 281