The Value of Statistical Life and the Economics of Landmine Clearance in Developing Countries

John Gibson; Sandra Barns; Michael Cameron; Steven Lim; Frank Scrimgeour; John Tressler

doi:10.1016/j.worlddev.2006.05.003

The Value of Statistical Life and the Economics of Landmine Clearance in Developing Countries

World Dev. 2007 Mar;35(3):512-531. doi: 10.1016/j.worlddev.2006.05.003. Epub 2007 Jan 10.

Authors

John Gibson¹, Sandra Barns¹, Michael Cameron¹, Steven Lim¹, Frank Scrimgeour¹, John Tressler¹

Affiliation

¹ University of Waikato, New Zealand.

Abstract

This paper presents estimates of the value of statistical life (VSL) in rural Thailand using the contingent-valuation (CV) method. These estimates are applied to an economic analysis of landmine clearance. The estimated VSL of US$250 000 suggests that the value of lives saved from landmine clearance is at least an order of magnitude greater than the values used in existing studies.

Keywords: Asia; Thailand; benefit–cost analysis; contingent valuation; landmines; value of statistical life.