Asymmetric impact of temperature on subjective well-being in selected African countries

Abstract

The aim of this study is to investigate whether or not the relationship between temperature and subjective well-being (SWB) is non-linear for sub-Saharan African countries. Fixed effects estimation based on data from 1981 to 2017 from the World Value Survey, World Development Indicators, and the World Bank's Climate Change Knowledge Portal is employed. Various control variables are added to control for socioeconomic and country-specific factors. The results indicate a non-linear relationship between average temperature and SWB. Initially, SWB increases with rising average temperature but begins to decline beyond a certain threshold. Both the average temperature and its squared term are statistically significant. The findings remain robust when alternative SWB measures are applied and the sample is split by warmest years. Temperature influences SWB in a non-linear fashion, highlighting the importance of considering climatic conditions in well-being studies. The results suggest that climate change, particularly rising temperatures could have significant implications for well-being in sub-Saharan Africa. Policymakers should consider the direct and indirect effects of climate on quality of life and prioritize strategies that mitigate adverse impacts, especially in increasingly warmer climates.