Welcome! I am a third-year PhD student in Economics at the University of Southern California.
My research focuses on International Trade, Spatial Economics, and Environmental Economics.
Prior to my doctoral studies, I studied at SciencesPo Paris and Universitat Pompeu Fabra. I also worked at SciencesPo Paris, the European Central Bank, and the OECD. You can view my CV here.
Feel free to reach out via email: pcoster@usc.edu.
Working Papers
Firms’ Supply Chain Adaptation to Carbon Taxes
Co-authored with Julian di Giovanni and Isabelle Méjean
📚 CEPR Discussion Paper: No. 19644 - FRBNY Staff Report: No. 1136 (v.Nov24)
Abstract
This paper investigates how firms adapt their sourcing of clean and dirty inputs in response to changes in climate policy. We use information from the European Union's Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) and the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) to create a new classification of clean and dirty products based on whether they are subject to a domestic or a border carbon tax. We then combine this dataset with French firms’ product-level import data over 2000–2019 and estimate that firms’ propensity to import dirty inputs from non-EU countries increased in the 2010s, reflecting carbon leakage. A heterogeneous firm model is then used to quantify the impact of changes in firms' sourcing of clean and dirty inputs given the implementation of a carbon tax and a carbon tariff. The simulated ETS carbon tax scenario is able to match leakage observed in the data and leads to a higher price level and a modest decline in emissions. The scenario that further includes the CBAM carbon tariff reverses carbon leakage at the cost of an additional rise in prices. Overall, household welfare declines because the higher costs associated with the carbon policies outweigh the benefits of reduced emissions. This result holds even when considering values of the social cost of carbon up to €1500.
Teaching
Teaching Assistant
Macroeconomic Theory II (PhD level)
University of Southern California, Profs. Pablo Kurlat and Andy Neumeyer – Spring 2025Introduction to Macroeconomics (Undergraduate level)
University of Southern California, Prof. Lodovico Pizzati – Fall 2024
Student Evaluations
Tutoring and Grading Assistant
The Price of Democracy: Media, Participation, and Elections
(Translated from “Le prix de la démocratie : Médias, participation et élections”)
Sciences Po Paris, Prof. Julia Cagé – Spring 2022Introduction to Macroeconomics
Columbia University Undergraduate Programs in Paris – Fall 2021