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Discount Rates in Risk v. Money and Money v. Money Tradeoffs

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  • Alberini, Anna
  • Chiabai, Aline

Abstract

We use data from a survey of residents of five Italian cities conducted in late Spring 2004 to estimate the discount rates implicit in (a) money v. future risk reductions and (b) money v. money tradeoffs. We find that the mean personal discount rate is 2% in (a) and 8.7% in (b). The latter is lower than the discount rates estimated in comparable situations in many recent studies, greater than market interest rates in Italy at the time, and exhibits modest variation with age and gender. The discount rate implicit in money v. risk tradeoffs is in line with estimates from studies in the US and Europe, and does not depend on observable individual characteristics.

Suggested Citation

  • Alberini, Anna & Chiabai, Aline, 2006. "Discount Rates in Risk v. Money and Money v. Money Tradeoffs," Sustainability Indicators and Environmental Valuation Working Papers 12209, Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei (FEEM).
    • Handle: RePEc:ags:feemsi:12209
    DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.12209
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    1. Alberini, Anna & Chiabai, Aline, 2007. "Urban environmental health and sensitive populations: How much are the Italians willing to pay to reduce their risks?," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 37(2), pages 239-258, March.

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    Keywords

    Risk and Uncertainty;

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