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Natural disaster experience does not affect environmental attitudes or prosociality: Evidence from the 2021 flood in Germany

Author

Listed:
  • Hönow, Nils Christian
  • Karki, Kiran
  • Burger, Maximilian N.

Abstract

In July 2021, severe floods devastated parts of Germany, causing numerous casualties and extensive damage to property and infrastructure. As climate change is expected to increase the frequency and severity of such extreme weather events, understanding their social implications is crucial. Using data from three nationwide surveys, we examine the impact of the 2021 flood on environmental attitudes, pro-environmental behaviors, and the support for climate-related policies across a wide range of indicators. Results reveal no statistically significant effects, regardless of the estimation methods or measures of flood exposure used. We additionally investigate the flood's effect on prosociality, assessed through measures such as past charitable donations and incentivized decisions in a dictator game. Similarly, we find only limited variation in prosociality, but with impacts differing based on whether respondents in affected areas also sustained damage to their households. These findings challenge the expectation that direct exposure to natural disasters increases environmental awareness and prosocial behavior.

Suggested Citation

  • Hönow, Nils Christian & Karki, Kiran & Burger, Maximilian N., 2025. "Natural disaster experience does not affect environmental attitudes or prosociality: Evidence from the 2021 flood in Germany," Ruhr Economic Papers 1147, RWI - Leibniz-Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung, Ruhr-University Bochum, TU Dortmund University, University of Duisburg-Essen.
    • Handle: RePEc:zbw:rwirep:314410
    DOI: 10.4419/96973330
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Kuroishi, Yusuke & Sawada, Yasuyuki, 2019. "Motivations behind prosocial behavior: Evidence from the Philippines," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 64(C), pages 1-1.
    2. Christina Demski & Stuart Capstick & Nick Pidgeon & Robert Gennaro Sposato & Alexa Spence, 2017. "Experience of extreme weather affects climate change mitigation and adaptation responses," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 140(2), pages 149-164, January.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Natural disaster; flood; environmental awareness; environmental attitudes; environmental behavior; climate policy; prosociality;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D64 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Altruism; Philanthropy; Intergenerational Transfers
    • D91 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics - - - Role and Effects of Psychological, Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Factors on Decision Making
    • 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

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