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Climate Adaptation Policies and Infant Health: Evidence from a Water Policy in Brazil

Author

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  • Da Mata, Daniel

    (São Paulo School of Economics-FGV)

  • Emanuel, Lucas

    (Universidade Federal de Pernambuco)

  • Pereira, Vitor

    (National School of Public Administration)

  • Sampaio, Breno

    (Universidade Federal de Pernambuco)

Abstract

This paper studies how in utero exposure to a large-scale climate adaptation program affects birth outcomes. The program built around one million cisterns in Brazil's poorest and driest region to promote small-scale decentralized rainfall harvesting. Access to cisterns during early pregnancy increased birth weight, particularly for more educated women. Data suggest that more educated women complied more with the program's water disinfection training, highlighting that even simple, low-cost technologies require final users' compliance ("the last mile") to be effective. In the context of growing water scarcity, adaptation policies can foster neonatal health and thus have positive long-run implications.

Suggested Citation

  • Da Mata, Daniel & Emanuel, Lucas & Pereira, Vitor & Sampaio, Breno, 2021. "Climate Adaptation Policies and Infant Health: Evidence from a Water Policy in Brazil," IZA Discussion Papers 14295, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
  • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp14295
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Pestel, Nico & Oswald, Andrew J., 2021. "Why Do Relatively Few Economists Work on Climate Change? A Survey," IZA Discussion Papers 14885, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    birth outcomes; adaptation; climate; cisterns; water;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • Q54 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Climate; Natural Disasters and their Management; Global Warming
    • Q58 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Environmental Economics: Government Policy
    • Q25 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Renewable Resources and Conservation - - - Water
    • I15 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health and Economic Development

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