Be Cautious with the Precautionary Principle: Evidence from Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Accident

Matthew Neidell (), Shinsuke Uchida and Marcella Veronesi
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Matthew Neidell: Columbia University

No 12687, IZA Discussion Papers from Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)

Abstract: This paper provides a large scale, empirical evaluation of unintended effects from invoking the precautionary principle after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident. After the accident, all nuclear power stations ceased operation and nuclear power was replaced by fossil fuels, causing an exogenous increase in electricity prices. This increase led to a reduction in energy consumption, which caused an increase in mortality during very cold temperatures. We estimate that the increase in mortality from higher electricity prices outnumbers the mortality from the accident itself, suggesting the decision to cease nuclear production has contributed to more deaths than the accident itself.

Keywords: electricity; nuclear energy; precuationary principle; mortality (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I12 K32 Q41 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 43 pages
Date: 2019-10
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-ene, nep-law and nep-reg
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

Published - published as 'The unintended effects from halting nuclear power production: Evidence from Fukushima Daiichi accident' in: Journal of Health Economics, 2021, 79, 102507

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