Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.1080/1331677X.2018.1504689
The impact of human development on natural disaster fatalities and damage: panel data evidence
Jaharudin Padli
; School of Social Development and Economics Studies, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia
Muzafar Shah Habibullah
orcid.org/0000-0002-2853-8019
; Department of Economics, Financial Economics Research Centre, Faculty of Economics and Management, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Seri Kembangan, Malaysia
Abdul H. Baharom
orcid.org/0000-0001-7335-9119
; Research Management Centre, International Centre for Education in Islamic Finance (INCEIF), Kuala
Abstract
Countries with high levels of human development should be able
to reduce the impact of natural disasters in terms of the total
numbers of people killed and affected, and damage. In this study
we investigate the impact of human development indicators such
as income per capita and human capital (education level) on natural
disaster fatalities (total deaths, total affected and total economic
losses) in 79 selected countries. Using dynamic panel data
analysis, we found that the level of economic development plays
an important role in mitigating the impact of natural disasters
such as droughts, earthquakes, extreme temperatures, floods,
storms, volcanoes, landslides and wildfires. Other factors that are
found to determine the number of natural disaster fatalities
include population, population density, unemployment, investment,
government consumption, openness, education and corruption.
Using the dynamic panel data model, we found that
education, investment, government consumption and openness
display an inverse relationship, while population and population
density have a direct positive relationship.
Keywords
Natural disasters; human development; education; dynamic panel analysis
Hrčak ID:
209137
URI
Publication date:
3.12.2018.
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