Thirsty Business : A Global Analysis of Extreme Weather Shocks on Firms

Using global data from the World Bank’s Enterprise Surveys that includes the precise geo-location of surveyed firms, this paper examines how dry spells and precipitation shocks influence firm performance. The study finds that firms in areas that experience dry spells have lower performance in terms of sales. This is particularly true for smaller firms and those in developing economies. A higher number of extreme dry days also increases the chances that a firm will exit the market. The main channels are largely through labor productivity and infrastructure service disruptions such as water and power outages. There is also some evidence of limited access to finance due to negative precipitation shocks. Governance may be an exacerbating factor, with negative precipitation shocks increasing exposure to corruption. Yet, there is also some indication that digitally connected and innovative firms are more resilient to negative precipitation shocks. Process innovation, website ownership, and use of technology licensed from foreign firms mediate the effects of negative precipitation shocks on firm performance. However, there is little evidence of adaptation. Negative precipitation shocks have no effect on the presence of green management practices or green investments for a subset of firms for which such data is available.