The article "Public policies and global forest conservation: Empirical evidence from national borders" examines how national policies influence global forest conservation. Using high-resolution remote sensing data and advanced econometric methods, the study quantifies the impact of countries on forest outcomes such as tree-cover loss, forest degradation, and net primary production. It finds that national policies significantly reduce the risk of tree cover loss by nearly 4 percentage points globally, with variations depending on factors like policy enforcement, stringency, property rights, and rule of law. The study employs a spatial regression discontinuity design and a differences-in-discontinuities design to identify causal relationships between national policies and forest dynamics. It reveals that countries with stronger institutions, better enforcement, and more stringent environmental policies are more effective in conserving forests. The research highlights the importance of international cooperation to support and improve national policies for forest protection and their implementation. The findings suggest that effective forest conservation depends on strong governance, institutional quality, and the enforcement of environmental policies. The study underscores the need for policies that address the mismatch between private and societal benefits of forest conservation, emphasizing the role of national policies in mitigating deforestation and promoting sustainable forest management.The article "Public policies and global forest conservation: Empirical evidence from national borders" examines how national policies influence global forest conservation. Using high-resolution remote sensing data and advanced econometric methods, the study quantifies the impact of countries on forest outcomes such as tree-cover loss, forest degradation, and net primary production. It finds that national policies significantly reduce the risk of tree cover loss by nearly 4 percentage points globally, with variations depending on factors like policy enforcement, stringency, property rights, and rule of law. The study employs a spatial regression discontinuity design and a differences-in-discontinuities design to identify causal relationships between national policies and forest dynamics. It reveals that countries with stronger institutions, better enforcement, and more stringent environmental policies are more effective in conserving forests. The research highlights the importance of international cooperation to support and improve national policies for forest protection and their implementation. The findings suggest that effective forest conservation depends on strong governance, institutional quality, and the enforcement of environmental policies. The study underscores the need for policies that address the mismatch between private and societal benefits of forest conservation, emphasizing the role of national policies in mitigating deforestation and promoting sustainable forest management.