Risk and adaptation: Evidence from global hurricane damages and fatalities

Laura A. Bakkensen; Robert O. Mendelsohn

doi:10.1086/685908

Risk and adaptation: Evidence from global hurricane damages and fatalities

Laura A. Bakkensen, Robert O. Mendelsohn

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

79 Scopus citations

Abstract

We examine whether countries adapt to hurricanes. A spatially refined global tropical cyclone data set is created to test for adaptation. We find evidence of adaptation in most of the world by examining the effects of income, population density, and storm frequency on damage and fatalities. In contrast, there is no evidence of adaptation to damage in the United States, leading to a damage function which is 14 times higher than other developed (OECD) countries.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	555-587
Number of pages	33
Journal	Journal of the Association of Environmental and Resource Economists
Volume	3
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1086/685908
State	Published - Sep 1 2016

Keywords

Adaptation
Economic damages
Hurricanes
Natural disasters
Risk
Tropical cyclones

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Economics and Econometrics
Nature and Landscape Conservation
Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law

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10.1086/685908

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KW - Risk

KW - Tropical cyclones

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Risk and adaptation: Evidence from global hurricane damages and fatalities

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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