Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/127303 
Year of Publication: 
2009
Series/Report no.: 
Discussion Paper Series No. 484
Publisher: 
University of Heidelberg, Department of Economics, Heidelberg
Abstract: 
Land is an essential but limited natural resource. We employ the concept of stocks to analyse driving forces for land-use conversion and to assess, whether the German political "30- hectares-goal" is feasible given the current institutional setting. In this paper major driving forces for land-use conversion are identified and underlying stocks and persistent institutional structures as well as their dynamics are investigated. It will be shown that meeting the 30- hectares-goal is unlikely. We further argue that due to persistent stocks and institutional structures land-use conversion from agricultural into urbanised land takes place on smaller time scales than its reconversion. We conclude that demographic change and regional migration processes may result in further land-use conversion even with declining population. Economic structural change as well as an increasing traffic volume will likewise contribute to further land-use conversion.
Subjects: 
Sustainability
Land use
Stocks
Institutional Reform
JEL: 
Q24
Q56
R14
R52
Document Type: 
Working Paper

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