Implications of Climate-Related Factors on Living Standards: Evidence from Sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract

This paper investigates the effects of climate-related factors (rainfall, temperature, floods, and droughts) on living standards through human development and its dimensions (life expectancy at birth, mean and expected years of schooling) in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), a region characterized by lower economic and human development. The data used span from 1996 to 2015. The findings suggest that there is an inverted U-shape relationship between human development and rainfall in non-Sahel countries. Temperature influences positively human development in non-Sahel countries, while a U-shape effect is found for Sahel countries. Droughts affect positively human development in Sahel countries. For the life expectancy at birth, there is an inverted U-shape association with rainfall in SSA countries. Floods influence positively the life expectancy at birth in non-Sahel countries, and droughts affect it positively in Sahel countries. Moreover, the findings indicate that in Sahel countries rainfall and temperature have an inverted U-shape and a U-shape effect on the expected years of schooling, respectively. Furthermore, floods affect positively the expected years of schooling in Sahel countries.