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How much does environment pay for politicians?

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  • Mohamed Boly

    (CERDI - Centre d'Études et de Recherches sur le Développement International - UCA [2017-2020] - Université Clermont Auvergne [2017-2020] - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)

  • Jean-Louis Combes

    (CERDI - Centre d'Études et de Recherches sur le Développement International - UCA [2017-2020] - Université Clermont Auvergne [2017-2020] - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)

  • Pascale Combes Motel

    (CERDI - Centre d'Études et de Recherches sur le Développement International - UCA [2017-2020] - Université Clermont Auvergne [2017-2020] - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)

Abstract

We empirically explore how elections impact climate change policy and environmental degradation, using a sample of 76 democratic countries over the period 1990‐2014. Three key results emerge from our system‐GMM estimations. First, election years are characterized by an increase in C02 emissions, even though the effect weakens over the recent years. Second, this effect is present only in established democracies, where incumbents engage in fiscal manipulation through the composition of public spending rather than its level. Third, higher freedom of the press and high environmental preferences from citizens reduce the size of this trade‐off between pork barrel spending and the public good, namely environment quality.

Suggested Citation

  • Mohamed Boly & Jean-Louis Combes & Pascale Combes Motel, 2020. "How much does environment pay for politicians?," CERDI Working papers halshs-01845067, HAL.
    • Handle: RePEc:hal:cdiwps:halshs-01845067
    Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://shs.hal.science/halshs-01845067v2
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    Keywords

    CO2 emissions; Elections; Environmental policy; Panel data;
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