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Short-run environmental effects of COVID-19: Evidence from forest fires

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  • Paudel, Jayash

Abstract

The outbreak of the 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has raised questions about changes in economic production and subsequent effects on the environment. This article employs satellite data on real-time active fire locations in Nepal to evaluate the short-term environmental effects of COVID-19. Using plausibly exogenous variation in the number of reported COVID-19 cases across the country, this study finds that the incidence of COVID-19 led to a strong negative effect on the incidence of human-induced forest fires. Results indicate that an additional reported case of COVID-19 resulted in a 4.54% decrease in the number of forest fire incidents and a 11.36% reduction in fire radiative power associated with these events. Findings also show that districts with smaller areas of community-managed forests per capita experienced a 8.11% decrease in the number of forest fire incidents. Restrictions on movement of people across districts in response to the pandemic likely reduced the incidence of forest fire events in Nepal. These short-run estimates of environmental benefits, which do not account for negative consequences of the virus outbreak on health and labor market outcomes, partially offset the social cost of pandemics in the developing world.

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  • Paudel, Jayash, 2021. "Short-run environmental effects of COVID-19: Evidence from forest fires," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 137(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:wdevel:v:137:y:2021:i:c:s0305750x20302473
    DOI: 10.1016/j.worlddev.2020.105120
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Paudel, Jayash, 2021. "Why Are People Energy Poor? Evidence From Ethnic Fractionalization," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 102(C).
    2. Paudel, Jayash, 2022. "Deadly tornadoes and racial disparities in energy consumption: Implications for energy poverty," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 114(C).
    3. Ho, Anson T.Y. & Huynh, Kim P. & Jacho-Chávez, David T. & Vallée, Geneviève, 2023. "We didn’t start the fire: Effects of a natural disaster on consumers’ financial distress," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 119(C).
    4. Jia, Zhijie & Wen, Shiyan & Lin, Boqiang, 2021. "The effects and reacts of COVID-19 pandemic and international oil price on energy, economy, and environment in China," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 302(C).
    5. Paudel, Jayash, 2021. "Beyond the Blaze: The Impact of Forest Fires on Energy Poverty," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 101(C).
    6. Shakya, Shishir & Basnet, Subuna & Paudel, Jayash, 2022. "Natural disasters and labor migration: Evidence from Nepal’s earthquake," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 151(C).
    7. Fonseca Morello, Thiago, 2023. "Hospitalization due to fire-induced pollution in the Brazilian Amazon: A causal inference analysis with an assessment of policy trade-offs," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 161(C).
    8. Miguel Castillo & Jorge Saavedra & Tomás Quiñones & Tatiana Osses & María José Torres, 2021. "Assessment of the Occurrence of Forest Fires in Pandemic Period by COVID-19 in Chile. Preliminary Backgrounds," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(19), pages 1-11, October.
    9. Paudel, Jayash, 2023. "Shaking things up: Do seismic shocks affect energy choices?," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 172(C).
    10. Paudel, Jayash, 2021. "Home Alone: Implications of COVID-19 for Mental Health," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 285(C).

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