Bakaki, Zorzeta and Bohmelt, Tobias and Ward, Hugh (2022) 'Carbon Emission Performance and Regime Type – The Role of Inequality.' Global Environmental Politics, 22 (2). pp. 156-179. ISSN 1526-3800 (In Press)

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Abstract

Existing results about the impact of regime type on states’ environmental performance are inconclusive. We argue that this can stem from failure to allow for a factor that, thus far, has been largely overlooked – economic inequality. More equal democratic societies, we contend, are likely to make greater progress in dealing with environmental problems. However, inequality undermines those processes and characteristics of democratic polities that are supposed to further environmental protection. In contrast, inequality is unlikely to be of much importance in authoritarian states. We examine this argument using data on carbon emission performance for the post-1970 period. Our results provide strong and robust evidence that inequality moderates the influence of democracy on this aspect of environmental outcomes. Our research adds to the debate about regime type and environmental politics, addressing a major gap in the literature.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Democracy; Inequality; Environmental Performance; Quantitative Analysis
Divisions:	Faculty of Social Sciences Faculty of Social Sciences > Government, Department of
SWORD Depositor:	Elements
Depositing User:	Elements
Date Deposited:	01 Dec 2021 17:19
Last Modified:	12 May 2022 12:40
URI:	http://repository.essex.ac.uk/id/eprint/31769

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