Extreme Weather Events, Mortality, and Migration

A-Tier
Journal: Review of Economics and Statistics
Year: 2009
Volume: 91
Issue: 4
Pages: 659-681

Authors (2)

Olivier Deschênes (not in RePEc) Enrico Moretti (University of California-Berke...)

Score contribution per author:

2.011 = (α=2.01 / 2 authors) × 2.0x A-tier

α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count

Abstract

We estimate the effect of extreme weather on life expectancy in the United States. Using high-frequency data, we find that both extreme heat and cold result in immediate increases in mortality. The increase in mortality following extreme heat appears mostly driven by near-term displacement, while the increase in mortality following extreme cold is long lasting. We estimate that the number of annual deaths attributable to cold temperature is 0.8% of average annual deaths in our sample. The longevity gains associated with mobility from the Northeast to the Southwest account for 4% to 7% of the total gains in life expectancy experienced by the U.S. population over the past thirty years. Copyright by the President and Fellows of Harvard College and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:tpr:restat:v:91:y:2009:i:4:p:659-681
Journal Field
General
Author Count
2
Added to Database
2026-01-25