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Energy Saving May Kill: Evidence from the Fukushima Nuclear Accident

Author

Listed:
  • Guojun He
  • Takanao Tanaka

Abstract

Following the Fukushima nuclear accident, Japan gradually shut down all its nuclear power plants, causing a countrywide power shortage. In response the government launched large-scale energy-saving campaigns to reduce electricity consumption. Exploiting the electricity-saving targets across regions and over time, we show that the campaigns significantly increased mortality, particularly during extremely hot days. The impact is primarily driven by people using less air conditioning, as encouraged by the government. Nonpecuniary incentives can explain most of the reduction in electricity consumption. Our findings suggest there exists a trade-off between climate change mitigation and climate change adaptation.

Suggested Citation

  • Guojun He & Takanao Tanaka, 2023. "Energy Saving May Kill: Evidence from the Fukushima Nuclear Accident," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 15(2), pages 377-414, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:aea:aejapp:v:15:y:2023:i:2:p:377-414
    DOI: 10.1257/app.20200505
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Lester Lusher & Tim Ruberg, 2024. "Unveiling the Unseen Illness: Public Health Warnings and Heat Stroke," Keio-IES Discussion Paper Series 2024-020, Institute for Economics Studies, Keio University.
    2. Lukas Brunninger & Markus Dertwinkel-Kalt & Klaus Gugler & Sven Heim, 2024. "The Gas Price Brake Increases Gas Prices: Empirical Evidence," Department of Economics Working Papers wuwp372, Vienna University of Economics and Business, Department of Economics.
    3. Lusher, Lester & Ruberg, Tim, 2023. "Killer Alerts? Public Health Warnings and Heat Stroke in Japan," IZA Discussion Papers 16562, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    4. Tang, Yuwei & He, Zhenyu, 2024. "Extreme heat and firms' robot adoption: Evidence from China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 85(C).
    5. Hu, Yichuan & Xue, Chang & Zhou, Xiaoyu, 2023. "Risk without strike: Nuclear crisis and corporate investment," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 159(C).
    6. Liang, Yuchao & Tan, Qi & Pang, Jun, 2024. "Bless or curse, how does extreme temperature shape heavy pollution companies' ESG performance?-Evidence from China," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 131(C).

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • I12 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Behavior
    • L94 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Transportation and Utilities - - - Electric Utilities
    • L98 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Transportation and Utilities - - - Government Policy
    • Q48 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Energy - - - Government Policy
    • 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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