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Density and disasters: economics of urban hazard risk

Author

Listed:
  • Lall, Somik V.
  • Deichmann, Uwe

Abstract

Today, 370 million people live in cities in earthquake prone areas and 310 million in cities with high probability of tropical cyclones. By 2050, these numbers are likely to more than double. Mortality risk therefore is highly concentrated in many of the world’s cities and economic risk even more so. This paper discusses what sets hazard risk in urban areas apart, provides estimates of valuation of hazard risk, and discusses implications for individual mitigation and public policy. The main conclusions are that urban agglomeration economies change the cost-benefit calculation of hazard mitigation, that good hazard management is first and foremost good general urban management, and that the public sector must perform better in generating and disseminating credible information on hazard risk in cities.

Suggested Citation

  • Lall, Somik V. & Deichmann, Uwe, 2009. "Density and disasters: economics of urban hazard risk," Policy Research Working Paper Series 5161, The World Bank.
    • Handle: RePEc:wbk:wbrwps:5161
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    Cited by:

    1. Heidi Tuhkanen & Michael Boyland & Guoyi Han & Anjalee Patel & Karlee Johnson & Arno Rosemarin & Ladylyn Lim Mangada, 2018. "A Typology Framework for Trade-Offs in Development and Disaster Risk Reduction: A Case Study of Typhoon Haiyan Recovery in Tacloban, Philippines," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(6), pages 1-19, June.
    2. Mook Bangalore & Andrew Smith & Ted Veldkamp, 2019. "Exposure to Floods, Climate Change, and Poverty in Vietnam," Economics of Disasters and Climate Change, Springer, vol. 3(1), pages 79-99, April.
    3. Stéphane Hallegatte, 2012. "An exploration of the link between development, economic growth, and natural risk," Post-Print hal-00802047, HAL.
    4. Kousky, Carolyn, 2012. "Informing Climate Adaptation: A Review of the Economic Costs of Natural Disasters, Their Determinants, and Risk Reduction Options," RFF Working Paper Series dp-12-28, Resources for the Future.
    5. Fatima Shah & Federica Ranghieri, . "A Workbook on Planning for Urban Resilience in the Face of Disasters : Adapting Experiences from Vietnam’s Cities to Other Cities," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 2235, October.
    6. Daniel Felsenstein & Michal Lichter, 2014. "Social and economic vulnerability of coastal communities to sea-level rise and extreme flooding," 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. 71(1), pages 463-491, March.
    7. Hallegatte,Stephane & Bangalore,Mook & Jouanjean,Marie Agnes, 2016. "Higher losses and slower development in the absence of disaster risk management investments," Policy Research Working Paper Series 7632, The World Bank.
    8. Elias Garcia-Urquia, 2016. "Establishing rainfall frequency contour lines as thresholds for rainfall-induced landslides in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, 1980–2005," 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. 82(3), pages 2107-2132, July.
    9. Aloysius Gunadi Brata & Yenny Patnasari, 2024. "Earthquakes and Housing Rental Prices in Urban Indonesia: A Hedonic Price Analysis," Bulletin of Monetary Economics and Banking, Bank Indonesia, vol. 27(2), pages 229-240, May.
    10. Marcos Vinício Wink Junior & Lucas G. Santos & Felipe Garcia Ribeiro & Carolina S. Trindade, 2024. "Natural disasters and poverty: evidence from a flash flood in Brazil," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 26(9), pages 23795-23816, September.
    11. Bangalore, Mook & Smith, Andrew & Veldkamp, Ted, 2018. "Exposure to floods, climate change, and poverty in Vietnam," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 100215, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    12. Guerrero Compeán, Roberto & Zegarra Méndez, Eduardo & Lacambra Ayuso, Sergio, 2024. "Estimating the Economic Impact of Governance in Disaster Risk Management: Theory and Evidence from Latin America and the Caribbean," IDB Publications (Working Papers) 13659, Inter-American Development Bank.
    13. repec:wbk:wbpubs:15790 is not listed on IDEAS
    14. Fatima Shah & Federica Ranghieri, 2012. "A Workbook on Planning for Urban Resilience in the Face of Disasters : Adapting Experiences from Vietnam’s Cities to Other Cities," World Bank Publications - Reports 2235, The World Bank Group.
    15. Yaella Depietri & Lorenzo Guadagno & Margaretha Breil, 2013. "Urban Watershed Services For Improved Ecosystem Management and Risk Reduction, Assessment Methods and Policy Instruments: State of the Art," Working Papers 2013.101, Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Banks&Banking Reform; Environmental Economics&Policies; Hazard Risk Management; Urban Housing; Labor Policies;
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