Why Resilience Matters : The Poverty Impacts of Disasters

Rentschler, Jun E.

World Bank, Washington, DC

关键词: poverty;    disasters;    resilience;    human capital;   

DOI  :  10.1596/1813-9450-6699
RP-ID  :  WPS6699

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: World Bank Open Knowledge Repository

【 摘 要 】

This paper presents empirical evidenceof the profound and long-term damages from adverse naturalevents on poverty. It analyzes 30 years of macro-leveldamage data from disasters (including earthquakes, floods,and storms), according to income groups, and shows thatlow-income countries incur disproportionately large damagesrelative to their assets. Furthermore, the paper reviews themicro-level evidence of disaster impacts on the livelihoodsof the poorest households. The evidence suggests that thepoor are significantly more vulnerable and exposed to theeconomic and human capital losses caused by disasters. Itdiscusses detrimental long-term consequences for the incomeand welfare of the poor and the presence of poverty trapsthat result from damages to productive assets, health, andeducation. The roles of migration and ex-ante behavior arealso discussed. In the context of climate change, the paperunderscores the importance of considering the detrimentalimpacts of smaller but repeated crises, for instance causedby changes in local precipitation patterns. Lastly, thepaper offers a brief discussion of policy options forstrengthening resilience and highlights the need for furtherresearch for understanding the complex direct and indirecteffects of disasters on the poor.