Person:
Ebadi, Ebad

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Last updated: May 19, 2025
Biography
Ebad Ebadi is an Economist in the Office of the Chief Economist of the Sustainable Development Global Practice at the World Bank. He specializes in applying econometric and data analysis techniques to explore developmental issues, with a focus on labor markets, international trade, and the economic and social consequences of environmental externalities. Prior to joining the World Bank, he was involved in academia, teaching at George Washington University and the University of Tehran. He also engaged in research roles at various think tanks and institutions, including the IMF. Ebad earned his Ph.D. in Economics (George Washington University, the US) and holds an MSc in Economics (London School of Economics, UK).

Publication Search Results

Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
  • Publication
    Nature's Paradox: Stepping Stone or Millstone?
    (Washington, DC: World Bank, 2025-05-13) Damania, Richard; Ebadi, Ebad; Mayr, Kentaro; Rentschler, Jun; Russ, Jason; Zaveri, Esha
    Does access to natural resources and a clean environment provide a stepping stone out of deprivation, or does it act as a millstone that impedes the transition to greater progress? Nature’s Paradox: Stepping Stone or Millstone? assesses the intersection of the two major crises of the 21st century—the growing scarcity of land, air, and water and rising vulnerability. As countries around the world grapple with multiple crises, local communities and the most vulnerable populations often bear the brunt of the impacts. Vulnerable and underrepresented groups predominantly reside in rural areas, are employed in agriculture, and have limited access to essential public services. While these groups may be less exposed to air and water pollution, the impact of their underrepresentation in decision-making processes is disproportionately high, likely due to a lack of public services and an inability to cope with environmental stresses. These groups also suffer more due to land degradation and deforestation, with the notable exception of Indigenous peoples in Latin America, who experience lower deforestation rates. Understanding the intersection of social vulnerability and environmental degradation helps address these dual crises more effectively. Through this thorough analysis, Nature’s Paradox highlights how sound policy designs can create economic opportunities by promoting environmental sustainability. Its findings will interest policy makers, stakeholders, researchers, development practitioners, and the general public.
  • Publication
    Fit for (re)purpose?: A New Look at the Spatial Distribution of Agricultural Subsidies
    (World Bank, Washington, DC, 2023-04-21) Ebadi, Ebad; Russ, Jason; Zaveri, Esha
    Agricultural subsidies make up a large share of public budgets, exceeding 40 percent of total agricultural production value in some countries. Subsidies are often important components of government strategies to raise agricultural productivity, support agricultural households, and promote food security. They do so by reducing production costs, promoting the use of inputs or modern farming techniques, encouraging the production of certain crops, and raising household incomes. Given the magnitude of these subsidies, their distributional implications and the externalities they impose on the environment are of significant consequence. This paper uses a new spatial analysis to explore the distributional implications of agricultural output subsidies across 16 countries/regions and the distributional and select environmental implications of input subsidies across 23 countries/regions. The findings show that, relative to the spatial distribution of income, both types of subsidy are distributionally mixed. Output subsidies are relatively progressive in 10 countries/regions and regressive in six, while input subsidies are relatively progressive in 11 countries/regions, regressive in nine, and neutral in three. The results also show that input subsidy schemes significantly increase fertilizer use, particularly in richer regions within countries, leading to soil saturation of nitrogen, an indicator of accelerated environmental degradation.