Abstract
This paper explores how early-life exposure to natural disasters, specifically earthquakes, induces environmental-friendly actions in China's manufacturing sector. We establish that early-life earthquake experiences lead to a reduction in enterprises' pollutant emissions, an effect that persists for up to a decade and gradually diminishing over time. Delving into the experimental economics and psychology literature, we identify key drivers of environmentally responsible behavior in firms, including long-term time preferences, prosocial behaviors, and risk-taking attitudes. The pollutant reduction effect is more prevalent in firms with stronger performance, those that are nonstate-owned, operate in heavy-polluting industries, and have endured severe earthquakes. Our research expands the understanding of climate risk, post-traumatic growth, and factors influencing corporate pollutant emissions, offering valuable insights into how individuals' preferences can be nurtured to support environmental protection efforts.
Published Version
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