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Social inequalities in climate change-attributed impacts of Hurricane Harvey

Author

Listed:
  • Kevin T. Smiley

    (Louisiana State University)

  • Ilan Noy

    (Victoria University of Wellington)

  • Michael F. Wehner

    (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory)

  • Dave Frame

    (Victoria University of Wellington)

  • Christopher C. Sampson

    (Fathom)

  • Oliver E. J. Wing

    (Fathom)

Abstract

Climate change is already increasing the severity of extreme weather events such as with rainfall during hurricanes. But little research to date investigates if, and to what extent, there are social inequalities in climate change-attributed extreme weather event impacts. Here, we use climate change attribution science paired with hydrological flood models to estimate climate change-attributed flood depths and damages during Hurricane Harvey in Harris County, Texas. Using detailed land-parcel and census tract socio-economic data, we then describe the socio-spatial characteristics associated with these climate change-induced impacts. We show that 30 to 50% of the flooded properties would not have flooded without climate change. Climate change-attributed impacts were particularly felt in Latina/x/o neighborhoods, and especially so in Latina/x/o neighborhoods that were low-income and among those located outside of FEMA’s 100-year floodplain. Our focus is thus on climate justice challenges that not only concern future climate change-induced risks, but are already affecting vulnerable populations disproportionately now.

Suggested Citation

  • Kevin T. Smiley & Ilan Noy & Michael F. Wehner & Dave Frame & Christopher C. Sampson & Oliver E. J. Wing, 2022. "Social inequalities in climate change-attributed impacts of Hurricane Harvey," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-10, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:13:y:2022:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-022-31056-2
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-31056-2
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    11. Sally Owen & Ilan Noy, 2019. "Regressivity in Public Natural Hazard Insurance: a Quantitative Analysis of the New Zealand Case," Economics of Disasters and Climate Change, Springer, vol. 3(3), pages 235-255, October.
    12. David J. Kaczan & Jennifer Orgill-Meyer, 2020. "The impact of climate change on migration: a synthesis of recent empirical insights," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 158(3), pages 281-300, February.
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    Cited by:

    1. Taghizadeh-Hesary, Farhad & Dong, Kangyin & Zhao, Congyu & Phoumin, Han, 2023. "Can financial and economic means accelerate renewable energy growth in the climate change era? The case of China," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 730-743.
    2. Thomas Dudek & Eric R. Ulm & Ilan Noy, 2021. "Demand for Multi-Year Catastrophe Insurance Contracts: Experimental Evidence for Mitigating the Insurance Gap," CESifo Working Paper Series 9442, CESifo.
    3. Braun, Alexander & Braun, Julia & Weigert, Florian, 2023. "Extreme weather risk and the cost of equity," CFR Working Papers 23-08, University of Cologne, Centre for Financial Research (CFR).
    4. Rebecca Newman & Ilan Noy, 2023. "The global costs of extreme weather that are attributable to climate change," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-13, December.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • Q54 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Climate; Natural Disasters and their Management; Global Warming

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