The impact of climatic variations on British economic growth, 1856–1913

The impact of climatic change on the output and productivity long swings of the agricultural sector and the aggregate economy is considered for the period 1850–1913. Various economic explanations for the observed swings are examined and are found to be inadequate. The agro-climatic relationship is found to be of critical importance in accounting for the swings of the agricultural sector and some of the aggregate variations. This relationship is not found to remain constant over time. There is evidence of reduced climatic impact and the non-weather sensitive sectors filtered out much of the impact of climatic change on the aggregate economy during 1890–1913.The author is Fellow of Peterhouse, Cambridge and Assistant Lecturer in Economic History, University of Cambridge, England.