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Technological innovation, social learning and natural hazard mitigation: evidence on earthquake fatalities

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  • Miao, Qing

Abstract

How do people learn from disasters? Do they constantly develop and accumulate new knowledge that enables them to address recurrent disaster risks? This paper investigates whether social learning and, in particular, the development of earthquake-mitigating technologies reduces earthquake-induced fatalities. Combining patent data with a global cross-section of 894 earthquakes that occurred between 1980 and 2010, we find that countries with more disaster-mitigating innovations and more earthquake exposure in the past suffer fewer fatalities. This study is the first to empirically examine the role of technological change and social learning in disaster mitigation. It sheds light on knowledge as a key element of adaptive capacity, and suggests the importance of incorporating technology development into a long-term hazard mitigation and adaptation policy. The paper also contributes to the empirical disaster literature as the first to address the problem of missing data on disaster losses.

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  • Miao, Qing, 2017. "Technological innovation, social learning and natural hazard mitigation: evidence on earthquake fatalities," Environment and Development Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 22(3), pages 249-273, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:cup:endeec:v:22:y:2017:i:03:p:249-273_00
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    Cited by:

    1. Simon Touboul & Matthieu Glachant & Antoine Dechezleprêtre & Sam Fankhauser & Jana Stoever, 2023. "Invention and Global Diffusion of Technologies for Climate Change Adaptation: A Patent Analysis," Review of Environmental Economics and Policy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 17(2), pages 316-335.
    2. Meri Davlasheridze & Qing Miao, 2021. "Does post-disaster aid promote community resilience? Evidence from federal disaster programs," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 109(1), pages 63-88, October.
    3. Antoine Dechezlepretre & Sam Fankhauser & Matthieu Glachant & Jan Stoever & Simon Touboul, 2020. "Invention and Global Diffusion of Technologies for Climate Change Adaptation," World Bank Publications - Reports 33883, The World Bank Group.

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