Climate attribution of interpersonal violence: International evidence

Jun Li; Chao Feng; Jun Yang

doi:10.1016/j.envres.2023.116836

Climate attribution of interpersonal violence: International evidence

Environ Res. 2023 Nov 1;236(Pt 2):116836. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.116836. Epub 2023 Aug 4.

Authors

Jun Li¹, Chao Feng², Jun Yang³

Affiliations

¹ School of Economics and Business Administration, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400030, China.
² School of Economics and Business Administration, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400030, China. Electronic address: littlefc@126.com.
³ School of Economics and Business Administration, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400030, China. Electronic address: yangjun@cqu.edu.cn.

PMID: 37543128
DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.116836

Abstract

Anthropogenic climate change is increasingly threatening interpersonal violence, yet global evidence for related impacts and potential transmission mechanisms remains limited. We examine whether and how climate change, particularly climate extremes, affects interpersonal violence. Using the panel data of 140 countries and regions from 2000 to 2019, we find that hot and wet extremes precipitated increase in homicide rates globally. Economic level, inequality, and resources scarcity were important intermediaries through which climate extremes affected homicide, while the direct effects still dominated the total effects. We then reveal the heterogeneous effects of climate extremes, further suggesting that poor countries and regions with relatively small contributions to climate change were particularly sensitive to climate extremes. These findings elucidate a strong climate-violence link, helping explain implications of facilitating violence prevention and mitigating climate change.

Keywords: Climate change; Climate extreme indices; Global; Interpersonal violence; Mediation effect.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Climate Change
Homicide*
Violence*