Pollution, extreme weather, and global warming have become increasingly important in today’s society. This dissertation examines these topics in three chapters, analyzing the effects of pollution and environmental factors on human behavior. The first chapter uses a dataset of unique daily crimes in the U.S. to unveil the relationship between weather/pollution and the crime rate for seven major U.S. cities. The results reveal that temperature significantly affects both violent and property crime rates. The rate of violent crime is lower on extreme and unpleasant weather days (i.e., when the temperature is above 99°F) in comparison to good or unremarkable days. There is little evidence on how air pollution affects the crime rate by using fine particulates (PM2.5) and coarse particulates (PM10). However, pollution does have an effect on crime if the area of analysis is located closer to an operated toxic release facility. The second chapter examines how weekly hours worked by individuals vary with respect to snowfall in 265 metropolitan areas (about 75% of the US workforce) over the years 2004-2014. The results reveal that working hours are significantly affected by snow events, with magnitudes varying by types of workers, types of employment (class of worker, occupation, and industry), and regions. Overall, each average daily inch of snowfall, during a Current Population Survey (CPS) monthly reference week, reduces working hours by about 1 hour. Snow storms reduce weekly hours worked considerably more among construction workers and in the South than elsewhere in the U.S.. We find little evidence that hours lost from large snowfalls are “made-up” in subsequent weeks. The third chapter investigates whether housing age, which has been missing in the conventional environmental justice literature, has an impact on the distribution of households in a pollution area. Income and race were believed to be predominant factors that affect the location choices of individuals. By controlling for this additional housing age variable in the conventional model, I examine which factor, income or race, is affected most. The results indicate that older houses are located closer to pollution sites. Additionally, once I control for the housing age, the marginal effect of income declines significantly, approximately by 50%. The effect on race was insignificant in empirical analysis.

[pt] Seguindo modelo desenvolvido por Prescott (2002), este estudo questiona qual seria hoje a renda per capita do brasileiro em idade ativa se o país adotasse os sistemas tributários de três países desenvolvidos: EUA, França e Inglaterra. Esta pesquisa mostrou que, no Brasil, a tributação sobre consumo é superior à francesa, enquanto que os impostos sobre renda são praticamente equivalentes aos cobrados nos EUA. E apresentou, para comparar, o total de horas trabalhadas por indivíduo em idade ativa de cada país. Por fim, apresentou o resultado de uma possível apli-cação deste modelo para o Brasil, concluindo que o PIB por pessoa em idade ativa seria superior ao atual com o sistema americano, inferior com o francês e pratica-mente equivalente com o britânico. / [en] Following the model developed by Prescott (2002), this study investigates what would be the income per capita for each working age Brazilian, assuming the country adopted the tax systems of three developed countries: USA, France and England. Our research shows that in Brazil consumption taxes are higher than in France, while income taxes are practically equivalent to those imposed in the USA. We show, for comparison purposes, the total hours worked per each working age individual within each country. Finally, we show the results of a possible application of this model for Brazil, concluding that the Brazilian GDP per each working age individual would be higher with the American tax system, lower with the French and equal with the British.

The aim of the dissertation thesis is to develop a methodology of the compilation of symmetric Time Input-Output tables under the conditions of the Czech Republic. The following aim is to create an input-output model which is based on the compiled symmetric Time Input-Output tables. For the practical applications of this model it is crucial to link the created Input-Output model with the Semi-Dynamic Input-Output model. Semi-Dynamic Input-Output model in the conception of the submitted dissertation thesis takes into account several multiplier effects and presents more comprehensive tool for the use of the Input-Output analyses in this way. The first chapter focuses on the development of the issues linked to the Input-Output tables and analyses on the territory of the Czech Republic and in the world as well. The second chapter which is also theoretical is focused on mapping of different kinds of Input-Output analyses which are done in the world using Physical, Time or Hybrid Input-Output tables. The third chapter is a purely methodological because here it is described the methodology of the compilation of symmetric Time Input-Output tables as well as methodological approach to the various sensitivity analyses. The fourth chapter focuses on the creation Semi-Dynamic Input-Output model and on the formal linking with the Input-Output model based on the Time Input-Output tables. The last fifth chapter is focused analytically. Methods described in the third chapter are applied on the official published data on the Czech economy. The analytical chapter is perceived in the submitted dissertation thesis as a tool for the sensitivity analysis in the sense of validation of the quality of the compiled Time Input-Output tables.