Do political and social factors affect carbon emissions? Evidence from international data

Abstract

This study extends the literature on the determinants of carbon emissions by exploring the effects of political and social factors on pollutant emissions. We claim that political stability, corruption, and women in politics significantly influence CO2 emissions. Using the autoregressive distributed lag approach and an extensive dataset that represents more than 145 countries worldwide, we provide strong and robust evidence that low corruption practices and women’s representation in politics statistically and economically reduce carbon emissions. We also show that high political stability significantly reduces CO2 emissions in the short run, but not in the long run. Our findings highlight the importance of these factors in reducing pollution worldwide and provide incentives for international regulators and policymakers toward stronger and mandatory decisions that positively evolve less politically stable and corrupt countries.

Keywords: climate change, carbon emissions, political stability, gender diversity, eco-feminist theory