Post by Angela Stefania Bergantino

🚍 Can better transport reduce poverty? Our latest research suggests the answer is yes but it's more nuanced than that! I'm pleased to share our new paper, published in Economic Modelling, with Mario Intini and Younes Nademi: "Transport poverty, inequality and absolute poverty: Testing a Transport Kuznets Curve in a dynamic panel framework" 📄 https://lnkd.in/d3xtbq3S In this study, we examine how transport poverty - the inability to access essential opportunities because of inadequate transport - contributes to absolute poverty across Italy. Our findings show that: 🔹 Transport poverty is a significant driver of absolute poverty, particularly in Southern Italy, reinforcing the persistent North–South divide. 🔹 We introduce the Transport Poverty–Growth–Inequality (TPGI) framework, linking transport development, inequality, and poverty. 🔹 We provide evidence supporting a Transport Kuznets Curve (TKC): transport development initially increases transport inequality, but after a critical threshold it begins to reduce it. 🔹 While both transport development and equity-oriented policies help alleviate transport poverty, transport development has the stronger marginal effect. 📌 The key policy message is clear: investing in transport infrastructure is essential, but investments should be accompanied by policies that ensure equitable access to mobility if we want transport systems to contribute to inclusive growth and poverty reduction. Thanks to my great co-authors, part of the Laboratory of Applied Economics (LEA) of Università degli Studi di Bari and Ayatollah Boroujerdi University, and to the #Riparti project of the Regione Puglia and Grins Foundation & #MUR research. #TransportEconomics #TransportPoverty #Mobility #Poverty #RegionalDevelopment #EconomicModelling #Infrastructure #InclusiveGrowth #Sustainability #PublicPolicy #Internationalisation