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Perceived environmental quality and subjective well-being: are African countries different from developed countries?

Author

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  • Iddisah Sulemana
  • Laura McCann
  • Harvey S. James Jr.

Abstract

An important literature examines the effect of environmental quality on self-reported measures of well-being. Some studies have focused on objective indicators of environmental quality, while other studies have explored how perceptions about environmental quality are correlated with happiness. However, there is little research examining the relationship between perceptions of environmental quality and subjective well-being in African countries. In this paper, we examine how people's perceptions about local environmental quality (poor water, poor air, and poor sanitation/sewer) and global environmental quality (global warming, loss of animal and plant species, and pollution of water bodies) are correlated with their well-being in a cross-country sample using data from the World Values Survey. We find a negative correlation between perceptions about the poorness of local environmental quality and subjective well-being for both developed and African countries. However, only in developed countries is there a negative correlation between perceptions about the poorness of global environmental quality and subjective well-being.

Suggested Citation

  • Iddisah Sulemana & Laura McCann & Harvey S. James Jr., 2016. "Perceived environmental quality and subjective well-being: are African countries different from developed countries?," International Journal of Happiness and Development, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 3(1), pages 64-87.
  • Handle: RePEc:ids:ijhdev:v:3:y:2016:i:1:p:64-87
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Jiaping Zhang & Xiaomei Gong, 2023. "How does environmental quality perception influence people's fertility intention? Evidence from China," Australian Economic Papers, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 62(2), pages 272-296, June.
    2. Li, Fan & Zhou, Tao, 2020. "Effects of objective and subjective environmental pollution on well-being in urban China: A structural equation model approach," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 249(C).
    3. Sibylle Puntscher & Janette Walde & Gottfried Tappeiner, 2016. "Do methodical traps lead to wrong development strategies for welfare? A multilevel approach considering heterogeneity across industrialized and developing countries," Working Papers 2016-01, Faculty of Economics and Statistics, Universität Innsbruck.
    4. Junpeng Li & Puneet Vatsa & Wanglin Ma, 2023. "Small Acts With Big Impacts: Does Garbage Classification Improve Subjective Well-Being in Rural China?," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 18(3), pages 1337-1363, June.
    5. Oyelade, Aduralere Opeyemi & Maku, Olukayode Emmanuel & Oladimeji, Oluwafemi, 2021. "The Effect of CO2 Emissions on Quality of Life in Anglophone Countries in West Africa," African Journal of Economic Review, African Journal of Economic Review, vol. 10(1), December.

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