Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/282689 
Year of Publication: 
2023
Series/Report no.: 
IZA Discussion Papers No. 16562
Publisher: 
Institute of Labor Economics (IZA), Bonn
Abstract: 
In 2020, Japan introduced a comprehensive heat-health warning system where daily alerts were issued by region when forecasted wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT) exceeded a threshold (33 °C). Utilizing plausibly exogenous region-day variation in the difference between actual and forecasted WBGT (i.e. forecasting errors), we find that the alerts led to a large and precisely estimated increase in heat stroke counts. Paired with data from Google Trends, Google Mobility Reports, and the population of ambulance records, we identify potential mechanisms, including increased reporting of heat stroke cases and "adverse" behavioral responses (e.g. people spending more time outdoors) when alerts were issued, while ruling out potential substitution in health diagnoses away from other sudden illnesses.
Subjects: 
heat stroke
climate change
warning effectiveness
avoidance behavior
JEL: 
D90
I12
I18
Q54
Document Type: 
Working Paper

Files in This Item:
File
Size
2.23 MB





Items in EconStor are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.