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Shedding Light on the Spatial Diffusion of Disasters

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  • Felbermayr, Gabriel
  • Gröschl, Jasmin
  • Sanders, Mark
  • Schippers, Vincent
  • Steinwachs, Thomas

Abstract

Climate research suggests that global warming will lead to more frequent and more extreme natural disasters. Most disasters are local events with effects on local economic activity. Hence, assessing their economic impacts with the help of econometric country-level analysis may lead to biased results. Moreover, correct identification is further complicated by the possibility that local shocks shift production and consumption to neighboring locations. In this paper, annual night-time light emission data covering about 24,000 grid cells for the years 1992-2013 are matched to geocoded information on meteorological and geological events. Spatial econometric panel methods are applied to account for interdependencies between locations. Interpreting variation in light emissions as reflecting changes in economic activity, findings convey evidence for pronounced local average treatment effects and strong spatial spillovers, particularly for weather shocks. Moreover, substantial heterogeneity across income groups and regions is identified.

Suggested Citation

  • Felbermayr, Gabriel & Gröschl, Jasmin & Sanders, Mark & Schippers, Vincent & Steinwachs, Thomas, 2018. "Shedding Light on the Spatial Diffusion of Disasters," VfS Annual Conference 2018 (Freiburg, Breisgau): Digital Economy 181556, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
  • Handle: RePEc:zbw:vfsc18:181556
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    Cited by:

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    2. Stefan Borsky & Martin Jury, 2020. "The role of global supply chains in the transmission of weather induced production shocks," Graz Economics Papers 2020-13, University of Graz, Department of Economics.
    3. Jasmin Katrin Gröschl & Vincent Schippers & Thomas Steinwachs, 2020. "Borders, Roads and the Relocation of Economic Activity Due to Extreme Weather," CESifo Working Paper Series 8193, CESifo.
    4. Fabian, Marius & Lessmann, Christian & Sofke, Tim, 2019. "Natural disasters and regional development – the case of earthquakes," Environment and Development Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 24(5), pages 479-505, October.
    5. Sven Fischer, 2021. "Post-Disaster Spillovers: Evidence from Iranian Provinces," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 14(5), pages 1-26, April.
    6. Thomas Steinwachs, 2019. "Geography Matters: Spatial Dimensions of Trade, Migration and Growth," ifo Beiträge zur Wirtschaftsforschung, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich, number 81.
    7. Dodlova, Marina & Carias, Michelle Escobar & Grimm, Michael, 2023. "The Effects of the 2010 Haiti Earthquake on Children's Nutrition and Education," IZA Discussion Papers 16195, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    natural disaster and weather shocks; night-time light emission; spatial spillovers; grid cell analysis;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F15 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Economic Integration
    • O18 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Urban, Rural, Regional, and Transportation Analysis; Housing; Infrastructure
    • O44 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - Environment and Growth
    • Q54 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Climate; Natural Disasters and their Management; Global Warming
    • R12 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Size and Spatial Distributions of Regional Economic Activity; Interregional Trade (economic geography)
    • F15 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Economic Integration
    • O18 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Urban, Rural, Regional, and Transportation Analysis; Housing; Infrastructure
    • O44 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - Environment and Growth
    • Q54 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Climate; Natural Disasters and their Management; Global Warming
    • R12 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Size and Spatial Distributions of Regional Economic Activity; Interregional Trade (economic geography)

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