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Weather shocks, infant mortality, and adaptation: Experimental evidence from Uganda

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  • Björkman Nyqvist, Martina
  • von Carnap, Tillmann
  • Guariso, Andrea
  • Svensson, Jakob

Abstract

Climate change is increasing the intensity of extreme weather events. Health is a primary channel through which climate change affects welfare. Yet, estimates of the mitigating effects of health system strengthening are largely missing. We combine data from a randomized trial inducing variation in healthcare access with naturally-occurring variation in growing-season precipitation to study the adaptive impact of community healthcare in a low-income country setting. The risk of infant death increases following low growing-season rainfall, but access to community healthcare reduces this risk by 46 %. Using our estimates coupled with projections from climatological models implies even larger potential adaptive effects.

Suggested Citation

  • Björkman Nyqvist, Martina & von Carnap, Tillmann & Guariso, Andrea & Svensson, Jakob, 2025. "Weather shocks, infant mortality, and adaptation: Experimental evidence from Uganda," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 176(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:deveco:v:176:y:2025:i:c:s030438782500029x
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jdeveco.2025.103478
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    References listed on IDEAS

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