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Climate Change and the Spatial Concentration of Population

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The Palgrave Handbook of Global Sustainability

Abstract

This chapter studies the relationship between climate change and the spatial distribution of population and economic activity within countries. First, the chapter reviews the literature on the spatial effects of climate change. Second, the chapter takes a look at global climatic trends and their connection with the spatial distribution of population within countries. To do so, climatic and census data for the period 1950–2015 are used and merged with satellite data on built-up areas and light intensity at night for the 1990–2015 period. The analysis of the data shows a significant role of climate change on the evolution of the spatial distribution of population. In particular, the data reveal that deteriorating climatic conditions are associated with more urbanization and larger and more fragmented cities.

This chapter is based on findings from previous research by the authors, especially in a recent paper published in the Journal of Economic Geography (available here). David Castells-Quintana acknowledges the support of the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (Project ID: PID2019-104723RB-I00) and of the Agency for Management of University and Research Grants (Project ID: 2017SGR1301). Thomas McDermott acknowledges funding from the Irish Research Council (Project ID: GOIPD/2017/1147).

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Applied Economics, Univ Autonoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain

    David Castells-Quintana

  2. Department of Economics, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany

    Melanie Krause

  3. Discipline of Economics, University of Galway, Galway, Ireland

    Thomas K. J. McDermott

Authors
  1. David Castells-Quintana
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  2. Melanie Krause
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  3. Thomas K. J. McDermott
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to David Castells-Quintana .

Appendix

Appendix

Table A.1 Variables and data sources
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Table A.2 Econometric results
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Castells-Quintana, D., Krause, M., McDermott, T.K.J. (2022). Climate Change and the Spatial Concentration of Population. In: The Palgrave Handbook of Global Sustainability. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-38948-2_25-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-38948-2_25-1

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  • Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-38948-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-38948-2

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference Earth and Environm. ScienceReference Module Physical and Materials ScienceReference Module Earth and Environmental Sciences

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