Can economic development alleviate storm surge disaster losses in coastal areas of China

Abstract Storm surge disasters are a major obstacle to the sustainable and healthy development of China's marine economy and society. By constructing a comprehensive index of storm surge disaster losses, this study uses the feasible generalized least squares (FGLS) method and impulse response analysis to evaluate the impact of the economic development level of 11 coastal areas on storm surge disaster losses from 2007 to 2016. The results show that a higher level of economic development in coastal areas increases the magnitude and duration of losses owing to storm surge disasters. With green marine science and technology innovation, the upward pressure that economic development exerts on storm surge disaster losses can be weakened, or even eliminated. Therefore, the economic development in coastal areas should be accompanied by enhanced green marine science and technology innovation. It is also necessary to accelerate the cultivation of sea-related skills, strengthen the environmental regulation, and improve early warning technology to reduce the losses caused by storm surge disasters.