The Enduring Impacts of Early Life Exposure to Heatwaves on Climate Governance

This paper examines the enduring effects of early-life exposure to heatwaves on the climate governance of local political leaders. We compile detailed biographical information on city mayors and party secretaries in China and combine it with comprehensive data on carbon emissions, economic outcomes, and policies for over 2,800 counties from 2000 to 2017. We find that counties governed by officials who experienced heatwaves in their early life exhibit about a 1% reduction in carbon emissions relative to those governed by officials without such exposure. The effect is driven primarily by mayors, officials with more intense or repeated heatwave exposure, and cities with less industrialized economic structures. Further analysis shows that these officials are more likely to implement carbon pricing and emission abatement policies, as well as policies with clear targets, enforcement, and mandatory language. Their governance reshapes local economic structures by constraining the activity and entry of emission-intensive manufacturing firms, a pattern further supported by firm-level evidence of lower carbon emissions.