Economic Sustainability of Highly Vulnerable Countries under Climate Change (original) (raw)
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Erothanatos, 2024
Climate change poses significant challenges to global economic development, particularly in vulnerable nations. This research article delves into the intricate relationship between climate change and economic development, focusing on the phenomenon of the "economic development trap" experienced by many of these nations. Through a comprehensive review of existing literature and empirical data, this study examines the multifaceted economic consequences of climate change, including impacts on agriculture, infrastructure, health, and labour productivity. Moreover, it explores the exacerbation of existing inequalities and vulnerabilities, as well as the potential for climate-induced migration and conflict. The article also discusses policy implications and adaptation strategies aimed at mitigating the adverse economic effects of climate change and fostering sustainable development pathways. By shedding light on these critical issues, this research contributes to a better understanding of the complex interplay between climate change and economic development and underscores the urgent need for global cooperation and action to address this pressing challenge.
Climate change and natural disasters: macroeconomic performance and distributional impacts
Environment, Development and Sustainability, 2009
Commonly occurring natural events become natural disasters when they affect the population through death and injury, and/or through the destruction of natural and physical capital on which people rely for their livelihood and quality of life. Climate change plays a role in that it tends to increase the frequency and intensity of weatherrelated natural disasters. Additionally, climate change may put people at risk by influencing access to water, coastal flooding, disease and hunger, and leaving them with a more degraded environment, leading, in turn, to increased vulnerability. The purpose of this paper is to present a review and synthesis of the literature and case studies addressing differential impacts of climate change-related natural disasters on a society and its economy. Developed and developing countries show different vulnerabilities to natural disasters. Even within countries, impacts vary significantly across population and economic sectors. When losses from natural disasters are large, their cumulative effect can have notable macroeconomic impacts, which feed back to further pronounce existing income inequalities and lower income levels. Impacts tend to be most pronounced for women, the young and elderly, and people of ethnic or racial minorities.
Climate change impacts on the fragile economies of Sub-Saharan Africa
This discussion paper aimed at expositioning the impacts of climate change on the fragile economies of Sub-Saharan Africa. This work is a result of a desktop research conducted between March and April 2012. Climate change has been observed as one of the greatest challenge of the 21st century facing SSA. Sub-Saharan Africa is the most vulnerable region in the Africa continent due to her weak adaptive capacity orchestrated by inherent poverty. Climate change is premised to have several debilitating impacts including decreased food production, displacement, increased poverty, conflicts and general reduction in production capacity in the region. Although, some projections indicate that some parts of SSA will experience increased agricultural production as a result of increased rainfall. Generally, climate change promises SSA a grimy future. Given these observations, it is incumbent upon SSA countries to take immediate actions towards tackling prevailing climate change impacts whilst planning on how to mitigate future climatic impacts. Doing this requires joint initiatives as climate change is a transboundary ‘enemy’. Key words: Climate change, economies, impacts, Sub-Saharan Africa
Economic growth, natural disasters and climate change: New empirical estimates
2016
This paper analyzes the association between climate change variables and the incidence of intense hydro meteorological disasters within a framework that include global and local climate variables as well as socio-economic factors that aggravate disasters. We have shown that atmospheric carbon dioxide accumulation significantly increases hydro meteorological disasters and that the losses of human capital caused by such disasters induce significant negative effects on the rate of economic growth. A distinctive feature of this research is that the statistical-econometric analysis used considers all reported significant climate-related disasters during the period 1970-2013 in 184 countries, instead of focusing merely on selected disasters, periods or countries as most previous research has done.
Climate change: comparative impact on developing and developed countries
Engineering Project Organization Journal, 2011
Government organizations are responsible for strategic decisions regarding the economic development of individual countries and regional areas. This decision-making process is influenced by the certainty of the information presented to government officials. One area where this decision-making influence is challenging government officials is in climate-based events. The past decade has witnessed a significant rise in the number of climate events, as well as the number of people affected by climate events. Far from being under control, evidence and long-term projections suggest that these events are climate-based rather than weatherbased. In these projections, climate change is a global issue with potential impacts for every country. However, the relative impact of these events will be far different in the developed and developing worlds. As detailed in this paper, the authors examined this disparity through an analysis of 10 countries with varying income levels to determine the relative impact of climate change in the context of a single infrastructure element, paved and unpaved roads. Using the latest global climate models combined with economic and infrastructure data, the study highlights the disparity of opportunity costs between high-and low-income countries. Roads are a key element in enabling developing economy communities to have access to basic services, generate an income through agriculture and gain productive employment. The potential for road damage and the inability to invest in new road infrastructure could impact the economic stability of communities. The paper provides a quantitative introduction to these issues and the challenges presented to government organizations when considering the long-term effects of climate change.
Sustainability, 2015
Within the last century, the global average temperature increased by about 1 °C and this rate of increase may accelerate over the course of the 21st century [1]. Although estimates of climate change are based on projections and probabilistic assessments, ample evidence exists that climate change impacts are likely to become more profound in this century, particularly if mitigation policies are absent or inadequate [1,2]. It has been argued that, relative to keeping the warming at 2 °C or lower, the global cost of continuing with "business as usual" may be 5 to 20 times higher [3,4]. Changes in temperature and precipitation, and its impact, vary from region to region. Developing countries are likely to suffer relatively more from the impacts of climate change since they already have a disproportionate number of poor and marginalized people whose activities are frequently concentrated in climate sensitive sectors [5]. Also, developing countries have the least adaptive capacity to cope with a changing climate. Significant questions therefore exist with respect to the nature, scale, and timing of appropriate policy responses. Due to wide variations in climatic conditions across regions and countries in the developing world, detailed impact studies require assessments at local levels. The objective of this Special Issue is to assemble studies of climate impacts and adaptations in countries in sub-Sahara Africa (Ghana (four studies); Ethiopia (two studies), Cameroon (one study));
Vulnerability, Income Growth and Climate Change
World Development, 2012
Cross-country data on energy consumption, GDP and vulnerability are used to measure percentage changes in vulnerability associated with percentage changes in per capita GDP and per capita energy consumption. Energy consumption, through its nonlinear effects on per capita income, have the effect of reducing a country's overall vulnerability to climate change by a greater amount at moderate income levels than at low and high incomes. An implication is that country-specific climate change policies which emphasize carbon reductions through percapita reductions in energy use, especially in developing regions of the globe, are unlikely to reduce vulnerability to climate change, especially at very low incomes.
Economic Development under Climate Change
Review of Development Economics, 2012
The papers in this special issue represent some of the most comprehensive analyses of the implications of climate change for developing countries undertaken to date. The papers employ a bottoms-up systems approach whereby the implications of climate change are evaluated using structural models of agriculture and infrastructure systems. The authors of the paper hail from multiple disciplines. This comprehensive, multi-disciplinary, structural approach is designed to allow for more robust insight into the potential implications of climate change. The approach also allows for experimentation with alternative policy options for achieving development objectives in the context of climate change.