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Political affiliation affects adaptation to climate risks: Evidence from New York City

Author

Listed:
  • W. J. Wouter Botzen

    (VU University
    Utrecht University School of Economics)

  • Erwann Michel-Kerjan

    (University of Pennsylvania)

  • Howard Kunreuther

    (University of Pennsylvania)

  • Hans Moel

    (VU University)

  • Jeroen C. J. H. Aerts

    (VU University)

Abstract

Research reveals that liberals and conservatives in the United States diverge about their beliefs regarding climate change. We show empirically that political affiliation also matters with respect to climate related risks such as flooding from hurricanes. Our study is based on a survey conducted 6 months after Superstorm Sandy in 2012 of over 1,000 residents in flood-prone areas in New York City. Democrats’ perception of their probability of suffering flood damage is significantly higher than Republicans’ and they are also more likely to invest in individual flood protection measures. However, 50% more Democrats than Republicans in our sample expect to receive federal disaster relief after a major flood. These results highlight the importance of taking into account value-based considerations in designing disaster risk management policies.

Suggested Citation

  • W. J. Wouter Botzen & Erwann Michel-Kerjan & Howard Kunreuther & Hans Moel & Jeroen C. J. H. Aerts, 2016. "Political affiliation affects adaptation to climate risks: Evidence from New York City," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 138(1), pages 353-360, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:climat:v:138:y:2016:i:1:d:10.1007_s10584-016-1735-9
    DOI: 10.1007/s10584-016-1735-9
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Wändi Bruine de Bruin & Gabrielle Wong-Parodi & M. Granger Morgan, 2014. "Public perceptions of local flood risk and the role of climate change," Environment Systems and Decisions, Springer, vol. 34(4), pages 591-599, December.
    2. Dan M. Kahan & Ellen Peters & Maggie Wittlin & Paul Slovic & Lisa Larrimore Ouellette & Donald Braman & Gregory Mandel, 2012. "The polarizing impact of science literacy and numeracy on perceived climate change risks," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 2(10), pages 732-735, October.
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    4. Howard Kunreuther & Mark Pauly, 2004. "Neglecting Disaster: Why Don't People Insure Against Large Losses?," Journal of Risk and Uncertainty, Springer, vol. 28(1), pages 5-21, January.
    5. repec:cup:judgdm:v:10:y:2015:i:4:p:365-385 is not listed on IDEAS
    6. W.J. Wouter Botzen & Howard Kunreuther & Erwann Michel-Kerjan, 2015. "Divergence between individual perceptions and objective indicators of tail risks: Evidence from floodplain residents in New York City," Judgment and Decision Making, Society for Judgment and Decision Making, vol. 10(4), pages 365-385, July.
    7. Howard Kunreuther & Elke Weber, 2014. "Aiding Decision Making to Reduce the Impacts of Climate Change," Journal of Consumer Policy, Springer, vol. 37(3), pages 397-411, September.
    8. Howard Kunreuther & Elke U. Weber, 2014. "Aiding Decision-Making to Reduce the Impacts of Climate Change," NBER Working Papers 19776, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
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    Cited by:

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    2. Molitor, David & White, Corey, 2024. "Do cities mitigate or exacerbate environmental damages to health?," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 107(C).
    3. Peter D. Howe, 2018. "Perceptions of seasonal weather are linked to beliefs about global climate change: evidence from Norway," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 148(4), pages 467-480, June.
    4. Frondel, Manuel & Simora, Michael & Sommer, Stephan, 2017. "Risk Perception of Climate Change: Empirical Evidence for Germany," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 137(C), pages 173-183.
    5. Peter John Robinson & W. J. Wouter Botzen, 2018. "The impact of regret and worry on the threshold level of concern for flood insurance demand: Evidence from Dutch homeowners," Judgment and Decision Making, Society for Judgment and Decision Making, vol. 13(3), pages 237-245, May.
    6. Haoluan Wang, 2025. "Socio-demographic disparities in the familiarity with coastal climate adaptation strategies: implications for coastal management and climate justice," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 121(3), pages 3603-3619, February.
    7. Kousky, Carolyn & Michel-Kerjan, Erwann O. & Raschky, Paul A., 2018. "Does federal disaster assistance crowd out flood insurance?," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 87(C), pages 150-164.
    8. repec:cup:judgdm:v:13:y:2018:i:3:p:237-245 is not listed on IDEAS
    9. Jinjia Wu & Jiansheng Qu & Hengji Li & Li Xu & Hongfen Zhang & Suman Aryal & Jingjing Zeng & Yujie Fan & Qin Wei & Xiafei Liu, 2018. "What Affects Chinese Residents’ Perceptions of Climate Change?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(12), pages 1-14, December.
    10. Kristina Hill, 2016. "Climate Change: Implications for the Assumptions, Goals and Methods of Urban Environmental Planning," Urban Planning, Cogitatio Press, vol. 1(4), pages 103-113.
    11. McDermott, T.K.J. & Surminski, S., 2018. "Normative interpretations of climate risk assessment and how it affects local decision making – a study at the city scale in Cork, Ireland," Working Papers 309607, National University of Ireland, Galway, Socio-Economic Marine Research Unit.
    12. Meri Davlasheridze & Qing Miao, 2019. "Does Governmental Assistance Affect Private Decisions to Insure? An Empirical Analysis of Flood Insurance Purchases," Land Economics, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 95(1), pages 124-145.
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    14. W. J. Wouter Botzen & Howard Kunreuther & Erwann Michel-Kerjan, 2019. "Protecting against disaster risks: Why insurance and prevention may be complements," Journal of Risk and Uncertainty, Springer, vol. 59(2), pages 151-169, October.

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