PhD Candidate: Sedat Ors 

Dissertation Title: “Three Essays on the Economic Impacts of Climate Change: Evidence from Migration, Health, and Agricultural Trade”

Abstract:

This dissertation examines the economic impacts of climate change in Türkiye across three related domains: internal migration, public health, and agricultural trade. Drawing on province-level and bilateral panel data and a range of econometric methods, the study analyzes how variation in temperature and precipitation influences economic behavior and economic outcomes.

The first essay investigates the relationship between climate conditions and internal migration. Applying a structural gravity framework, it finds that higher temperatures increase out-migration, particularly in drought-prone provinces, indicating that climatic stress acts as an important push factor in migration decisions.

The second essay examines the health consequences of climate change using a monthly province-level panel. The analysis identifies a U-shaped relationship between temperature and elderly mortality: both extreme cold and extreme heat increase mortality, while moderate temperatures are associated with lower mortality. The results further suggest that adaptation, proxied by residential electricity consumption, can attenuate vulnerability to temperature extremes.

The third essay analyzes the effects of climate conditions on agricultural exports using both province-level and gravity-model approaches. Higher temperatures reduce export performance across vegetables, fruits, and cereals, with cereals emerging as the most climate-sensitive category, while precipitation generally supports exports. Consistent with gravity theory, an importer's GDP raises exports, and distance reduces them.

Together, these essays show that climate change shapes economic outcomes through multiple, interconnected channels: it increases migration pressures, raises mortality risks, and reduces agricultural export performance. The findings provide evidence relevant to researchers and policymakers seeking to evaluate the broader economic consequences of climate change and to design effective adaptation strategies.

Committee:

Dr. Matthew E. Oliver (Chair), Associate Professor, School of Economics, Georgia Institute of Technology

Dr. Shatakshee Dhongde, Professor, School of Economics, Georgia Institute of Technology

Dr. Tibor Besedes, Professor, School of Economics, Georgia Institute of Technology

Dr. Daniel Dench, Assistant Professor, School of Economics, Georgia Institute of Technology

Dr. Anthony R. Harding, Assistant Professor, School of Public Policy, Georgia Institute of Technology

Date: 06/26/2026

Location: Old Civil Engineering Building, Conference Room 204

Time: 1:00 PM

Online Link: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/291440431554140?p=9CUOxbMg5P9yZHIppW