Climate Economics with Arvid Viaene
Climate Economics with Arvid Viaene
Podcast Description
This podcast aims to raise the level of conversation around climate change by bringing data and economics to the forefront. As an economist, I focus on quantifying everything — from emissions and their impacts to the costs and trade-offs of climate policies. Episodes will be either expert interviews or solo explorations of key issues.Hosted by Dr. Arvid Viaene, a climate economist with a PhD from the University of Chicago. His research on climate-related mortality has been published in The Quarterly Journal of Economics, and he has advised the European Commission on the impacts of climate policy on firm competitiveness.
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
The show focuses on critical themes in climate change, particularly the economic implications of policies and adaptations. Example episodes include discussions on the impacts of agricultural emissions on climate policies and barriers to adaptation in the Global South, emphasizing topics like trade, adaptation strategies, and innovations in emissions measurement.
A research-focused podcast on the economics of climate change and air pollution. Episodes are released every two weeks on Tuesday at 6 am CET. Episodes will be either expert interviews or solo explorations of key issues. Hosted by Dr. Arvid Viaene, a climate economist with a PhD from the University of Chicago. He has done research on the impacts of climate change on agriculture and mortality. His research on climate-related mortality has been published in The Quarterly Journal of Economics, and he has advised the European Commission on the impacts of climate policy on firm competitiveness.
In this episode, I speak with Dr. Alec Brandon of Johns Hopkins Carey Business School about one of the most interesting questions in behavioural economics and climate policy: when do nudges actually persist?
A common example is the home energy report: a letter that tells households how their electricity use compares with that of their neighbours. These reports have been widely used by energy providers and have repeatedly been shown to reduce energy use in the short run.
But there has been a puzzle in the literature. In energy and water conservation, much of the effect seems to remain even after the letters stop. That is very different from other settings—such as voting, charitable giving, or exercise—where nudge effects tend to fade much faster.
Alec Brandon explains the core idea of the paper: persistent effects may come not only from habits, but from technology adoption. If a nudge leads a household to install something more efficient, the savings can remain with the home even after the original resident leaves.
That insight leads to a clever empirical test. Because utilities stop sending the reports when a household moves, the authors can compare what stays with the person and what stays with the property. In their sample, the initial effect is about 2.1%, and roughly 1.1% remains after the original resident moves—suggesting that a substantial share of persistence comes through durable changes to the home. Renters, by contrast, show persistence while they live there, but little that remains once they leave.
We also discuss:
- why the usual habit-formation story may be too simple
- why renters and homeowners respond differently
- why “persistent” does not mean “costless”
- how behavioural tools can complement pricing and technology policy
- what this implies for climate policy more broadly
This is a really useful episode for thinking more clearly about what nudges do well, where they fall short, and how behavioural policy can be paired with more durable structural change. The transcript frames this as a broader question for climate policy: not just whether a nudge works today, but why it works and whether that mechanism can last.
For questions, comments or suggestions, you can contact me at [email protected]
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