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Heat, Humidity, and Infant Mortality in the Developing World

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  • Geruso, Michael

    (University of Texas at Austin)

  • Spears, Dean

    (University of Texas at Austin)

Abstract

We study how extreme weather exposure impacts infant survival in the developing world. Our analysis overcomes the absence of vital registration systems in many poor countries by extracting birth histories from household surveys. Studying 53 developing countries that span five continents, we find impacts of hot days on infant morality that are an order of magnitude larger than corresponding estimates from rich country studies, with humidity playing an important role. The size and implied geographic distribution of harms documented here have the potential to significantly alter assessments of optimal climate policy.

Suggested Citation

  • Geruso, Michael & Spears, Dean, 2018. "Heat, Humidity, and Infant Mortality in the Developing World," IZA Discussion Papers 11717, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp11717
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    Cited by:

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    3. D. Mark Anderson & Daniel I. Rees & Tianyi Wang, 2019. "The Phenomenon of Summer Diarrhea and its Waning, 1910-1930," NBER Working Papers 25689, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    4. Hanlon, W. Walker & Hansen, Casper Worm & Kantor, Jake, 2021. "Temperature, Disease, and Death in London: Analyzing Weekly Data for the Century from 1866 to 1965," The Journal of Economic History, Cambridge University Press, vol. 81(1), pages 40-80, March.
    5. Olexiy Kyrychenko, 2021. "Environmental Regulations, Air Pollution, and Infant Mortality in India: A Reexamination," CERGE-EI Working Papers wp703, The Center for Economic Research and Graduate Education - Economics Institute, Prague.
    6. Gupta, Aashish, 2020. "Seasonal variation in infant mortality in India," SocArXiv x4rv7, Center for Open Science.
    7. Wu, Wenjie & Zhe, Yang & Kim, Jun Hyung & Yue, Ai, 2023. "Effects of Early Childhood Climate on Cognitive Development and Home Environment," IZA Discussion Papers 16017, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    8. Garg, Teevrat & Gibson, Matthew & Sun, Fanglin, 2020. "Extreme temperatures and time use in China," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 180(C), pages 309-324.
    9. Zapata, Oscar, 2021. "The relationship between climate conditions and consumption of bottled water: A potential link between climate change and plastic pollution," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 187(C).
    10. Lusher, Lester & Ruberg, Tim, 2023. "Killer Alerts? Public Health Warnings and Heat Stroke in Japan," IZA Discussion Papers 16562, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    11. Cuong Viet Nguyen & Manh‐Hung Nguyen & Toan Truong Nguyen, 2023. "The impact of cold waves and heat waves on mortality: Evidence from a lower middle‐income country," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 32(6), pages 1220-1243, June.
    12. Ahmed Hanifi, S.M. Manzoor & Menon, Nidhiya & Quisumbing, Agnes, 2022. "The impact of climate change on children's nutritional status in coastal Bangladesh," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 294(C).
    13. Klein, Jordan D. & Rasoanomenjanahary, Anjarasoa, 2023. "Climate Change and Health Transitions: Evidence From Antananarivo, Madagascar," OSF Preprints hk7fp, Center for Open Science.
    14. Blom, Sylvia & Ortiz-Bobea, Ariel & Hoddinott, John, 2022. "Heat exposure and child nutrition: Evidence from West Africa," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 115(C).
    15. S. Block & B. Haile & L. You & D. Headey, 2022. "Heat shocks, maize yields, and child height in Tanzania," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 14(1), pages 93-109, February.
    16. Anna Custers & Prathap Kasina & Deepak Saraswat & Anjali P. Verma, 2022. "Can Technology Mitigate the Impact of Heat on Labor Productivity? Experimental Evidence from India," Working papers 2022-10, University of Connecticut, Department of Economics.
    17. Ramon Farré & Miguel A. Rodríguez-Lázaro & Anh Tuan Dinh-Xuan & Martí Pons-Odena & Daniel Navajas & David Gozal, 2021. "A Low-Cost, Easy-to-Assemble Device to Prevent Infant Hyperthermia under Conditions of High Thermal Stress," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(24), pages 1-12, December.
    18. Hajdu, Tamás & Hajdu, Gábor, 2023. "Climate change and the mortality of the unborn," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 118(C).
    19. Raimi, Daniel, 2021. "Effects of Climate Change on Heat- and Cold-Related Mortality: A Literature Review to Inform Updated Estimates of the Social Cost of Carbon," RFF Working Paper Series 21-12, Resources for the Future.
    20. Mkaddem, Chamseddine & Mahjoubi, Soufiane, 2022. "Climate change and its impact on water consumption in Tunisia: Evidence from ARDL approach," MPRA Paper 115658, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised Dec 2022.
    21. Brian C. Thiede & Sara Ronnkvist & Anna Armao & Katrina Burka, 2022. "Climate anomalies and birth rates in sub-Saharan Africa," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 171(1), pages 1-20, March.
    22. Sylvia Blom & Ariel Ortiz-Bobea & John Hoddinott, 2019. "Working Paper 315 - Temperature and Children’s Nutrition: Evidence from West Africa," Working Paper Series 2441, African Development Bank.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    heat; humidity; mortality; neonatal mortality; development; climate damages;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J1 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics
    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
    • I15 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health and Economic Development
    • Q54 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Climate; Natural Disasters and their Management; Global Warming
    • Q56 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Environment and Development; Environment and Trade; Sustainability; Environmental Accounts and Accounting; Environmental Equity; Population Growth
    • O15 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration

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