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Energy Saving Can Kill: Evidence from the Fukushima Nuclear Accident

Author

Listed:
  • Guojun He

    (Division of Social Science, Division of Environment and Sustainability, Department of Economics, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.)

  • Takanao Tanaka

    (Division of Social Science, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.)

Abstract

Following the Fukushima nuclear accident, Japan gradually shut down all its nuclear power plants, causing a country-wide power shortage. In response, the government launched large-scale campaigns that aimed to reduce summer electricity consumption by as much as 15% in some regions. Because electricity use plays a key role in mitigating climate impacts, such policies could potentially damage the population’s health. Exploiting the different electricity- saving targets set by different regions, we show that the reduction in electricity consumption indeed increased heat-related mortality, particularly during extremely hot days. This unintended consequence suggests that there exists a trade-off between climate adaptation and energy saving.

Suggested Citation

  • Guojun He & Takanao Tanaka, 2019. "Energy Saving Can Kill: Evidence from the Fukushima Nuclear Accident," HKUST IEMS Working Paper Series 2019-67, HKUST Institute for Emerging Market Studies, revised Sep 2019.
    • Handle: RePEc:hku:wpaper:201967
    as

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    File URL: https://iems.ust.hk/assets/publications/working-papers-2019/iemswp2019-67.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Janjala Chirakijja & Seema Jayachandran & Pinchuan Ong, 2019. "Inexpensive Heating Reduces Winter Mortality," NBER Working Papers 25681, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Electricity Saving; Climate Change Adaptation; Fukushima Accident; Extreme Weather;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • 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
    • O12 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Microeconomic Analyses of Economic Development
    • I1 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health

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