When the Temperature Drops, Perceptions Worsen: Effects of Extreme Cold on Perceptions of Government and Civic Participation in Peruvian Highlands

Leah Lakdawala, Judhajit Chakraborty and Eduardo Nakasone ()

No 118, Working Papers from Wake Forest University, Economics Department

Abstract: We examine how extreme weather affects individuals’ perceptions of government and political institutions in Peru. We match granular data on cold weather shocks to individuals using variation in interview date and location and find that extreme cold worsens perceptions of democracy. Further, extreme cold reduces civic engagement in formal democratic institutions (participation in national elections) but increases participation in local neighborhood associations. We provide evidence that these effects work through several mechanisms: economic losses, increased incidence of illness, and higher crimes. Finally, we find that higher coverage of government-provided goods and services can attenuate the adverse effects of extreme cold.

Keywords: extreme temperature; climate change; democracy; political trust; voting (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 P16 Q54 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 53 pages
Date: 2024-10-21
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-env, nep-pol and nep-soc
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ris:wfuewp:0118

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