Journal of Economic Perspectives
ISSN 0895-3309 (Print) | ISSN 1944-7965 (Online)
Natural Disasters, Economic Development, and Humanitarian Aid
Journal of Economic Perspectives
vol. 21,
no. 3, Summer 2007
(pp. 199–222)
(Complimentary)
Abstract
Natural disasters are one of the major problems facing humankind. Between 1980 and 2004, two million people were reported killed and five billion people cumulatively affected by around 7,000 natural disasters, according to the dataset maintained by the Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters (CRED) at University of Louvain (Belgium). The economic costs are considerable and rising. The direct economic damage from natural disasters between 1980-2004 is estimated at around $1 trillion. This paper starts by describing the incidence of natural disasters, where they strike, and their development over time. It then discusses how societal factors act to protect people from or expose them to natural hazards. The final section discusses the determinants and targets of international aid to disaster victims.Citation
Strömberg, David. 2007. "Natural Disasters, Economic Development, and Humanitarian Aid." Journal of Economic Perspectives, 21 (3): 199–222. DOI: 10.1257/jep.21.3.199JEL Classification
- F35 Foreign Aid
- O13 Economic Development: Agriculture; Natural Resources; Energy; Environment; Other Primary Products
- O19 International Linkages to Development; Role of International Organizations
- Q54 Climate; Natural Disasters; Global Warming
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