Citation

Tselios V. Appl. Geogr. 2021; 134: e102520.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2021, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.apgeog.2021.102520

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Using an econometric analysis, this paper examines whether natural hazard-associated disasters within a country affect the decision of the country to transfer authority to regional tiers of government. It finds that the occurrence of disasters is a signal for higher powers for regional governments, which is likely to denote that decentralisation and local Disaster Risk Management (DRM) are portrayed as a means of bringing government closer to 'at-risk' areas and citizens. An increase in the number of deaths drives higher decentralisation, while an increase in the number of total people affected leads to higher centralisation. It is suggested that regional governments could assert command over centralised government agencies for an efficient DRM, and vice versa.

Language: en

Keywords

Decentralisation; Disaster risk management; Natural hazard-associated disasters; Regional government