Social Impacts of Climate Change in Bolivia : A Municipal Level Analysis of the Effects of Recent Climate Change on Life Expectancy, Consumption, Poverty and Inequality
This paper analyzes the direct evidence of climate change in Bolivia during the past 60 years, and estimates how these changes have affected life expectancy and consumption levels for each of the 311 municipalities in Bolivia. Contrary to the predi...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Policy Research Working Paper |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
2012
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www-wds.worldbank.org/external/default/main?menuPK=64187510&pagePK=64193027&piPK=64187937&theSitePK=523679&menuPK=64187510&searchMenuPK=64187283&siteName=WDS&entityID=000158349_20091026085048 http://hdl.handle.net/10986/4284 |
| Summary: | This paper analyzes the direct evidence
of climate change in Bolivia during the past 60 years, and
estimates how these changes have affected life expectancy
and consumption levels for each of the 311 municipalities in
Bolivia. Contrary to the predictions of most general
circulation models, the evidence shows a consistent cooling
trend of about 0.2°C per decade over all highland areas,
slight and scattered evidence of warming in the lowlands,
and no systematic changes in precipitation. The estimations
indicate that the 1°C cooling experienced in the already
cold highlands over the past five decades likely has reduced
consumption possibilities by about 2-3 percent in these
areas. Since the much richer population in the lowlands have
benefitted slightly from recent climate change, the
simulations suggest that recent climate change has
contributed to an increase in inequality and poverty in
Bolivia. Poor and indigenous peoples in the highlands are
among the most severely affected populations. No
statistically significant effect on life expectancy was found. |
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