Title: Built to last: population aging and long run development in metropolitan Europe

Authors: Luisa Gagliardi; Marco Percoco

Addresses: CERTeT Bocconi, UK; Department of Geography and Environment, London School of Economics, Houghton Street, WC2A 2AE London, UK ' Department of Policy Analysis and Public Management, Bocconi University, Via R. Sarfatti, 25, 20100 Milan, Italy

Abstract: The paper examines the role of demography on the growth perspectives of European metropolitan areas. Our findings are in support of the key role played by the demographic structure of the population in determining the economic prospects of European cities. Regions and cities with higher levels of dependency ratios are found to show lower growth rates, in the long run. This evidence supports earlier findings on the relevance of population age on both aggregate productivity changes and the human capital stock of the local labour force.

Keywords: urban development; population aging; economic prospects; metropolitan areas; Europe; demography; European cities; dependency ratios; productivity changes; human capital stock; local labour force.

DOI: 10.1504/IJGENVI.2015.067485

International Journal of Global Environmental Issues, 2015 Vol.14 No.1/2, pp.113 - 131

Published online: 15 Feb 2015 *

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