Essays over de kansen en kosten van globalisering

This dissertation explores two critical dimensions of globalization: the determinants of foreign market access and the environmental externalities of maritime trade. Chapter 1 analyzes the export behavior of Belgian firms and reveals that domestic production networks facilitate export participation by disseminating export-related information among connected firms. Information diffusion along network linkages lowers entry barriers, allowing small firms to access global markets. Chapter 2 leverages unique shipping data to study the carbon emissions of container traffic in the maritime shipping network. It underscores that transport providers actively influence global emission levels by strategically allocating clean and dirty vessels across shipping routes which alters the emission intensity of transport services. Chapter 3 builds on these insights and develops a quantitative model to examine how unilateral policy interventions, such as carbon taxes or fuel standards, affect maritime transport emissions and welfare. Counterfactual exercises show that unilateral policies can have unintended consequences and advocate alternative approaches that mitigate environmental costs while maintaining transport efficiency and the gains from trade. Collectively, these chapters offer a nuanced view on the costs and opportunities of globalization and illustrate pathways towards a more inclusive and environmentally friendly form of global trade.