IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/endesu/v26y2024i2d10.1007_s10668-023-02909-7.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Business climate and environmental degradation: evidence from Africa

Author

Listed:
  • Folorunsho M. Ajide

    (University of Ilorin)

  • Kenny Adedapo Soyemi

    (Olabisi Onabanjo University)

  • Sodiq Abiodun Oladipupo

    (Western Michigan University)

Abstract

The association between economic growth and environmental degradation is well documented. However, the link between business climate and ecological footprint remains an open question. This paper therefore explores the extent of the influence of business climate on environmental degradation in Africa. The impacts of business climate are estimated in a panel of 35 African countries observed over the period 2006–2018, using ecological footprint to account for environmental degradation. Panel spatial consistent correlation estimation technique, system generalized method of moments and method of moment panel quantile regression are used to estimate the model. The results show that business climate contributes to environmental degradation in developing economies. A 1% increase in business climate distorts environmental quality by 17.8%. The study reveals that although many development experts often encourage the ease of doing business policy, it does not come without its own potential damaging repercussion for the ecological environment. The paper contributes to the empirics by suggesting a new model that integrates the quantitative impacts of business climate on ecological footprint. Policymakers need to understudy how business firms can incorporate a better responsiveness toward the ecosystem. An improvement in business activities monitoring can help to mitigate the ecological footprint issues in developing countries.

Suggested Citation

  • Folorunsho M. Ajide & Kenny Adedapo Soyemi & Sodiq Abiodun Oladipupo, 2024. "Business climate and environmental degradation: evidence from Africa," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 26(2), pages 4753-4779, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:endesu:v:26:y:2024:i:2:d:10.1007_s10668-023-02909-7
    DOI: 10.1007/s10668-023-02909-7
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10668-023-02909-7
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10668-023-02909-7?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Costantini, Valeria & Monni, Salvatore, 2008. "Environment, human development and economic growth," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 64(4), pages 867-880, February.
    2. Lamla, Michael J., 2009. "Long-run determinants of pollution: A robustness analysis," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 69(1), pages 135-144, November.
    3. Mathis Wackernagel & David Lin & Mikel Evans & Laurel Hanscom & Peter Raven, 2019. "Defying the Footprint Oracle: Implications of Country Resource Trends," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(7), pages 1-21, April.
    4. Arellano, Manuel & Bover, Olympia, 1995. "Another look at the instrumental variable estimation of error-components models," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 68(1), pages 29-51, July.
    5. Omri, Anis, 2018. "Entrepreneurship, sectoral outputs and environmental improvement: International evidence," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 128(C), pages 46-55.
    6. Ajide, Folorunsho M. & Osinubi, Tolulope T. & Dada, James T., 2021. "Economic Globalization, Entrepreneurship, and Inclusive Growth in Africa," Journal of Economic Integration, Center for Economic Integration, Sejong University, vol. 36(4), pages 689-717.
    7. James Temitope Dada & Adams Adeiza & Noor Azizi Ismail & Arnaut Marina, 2022. "Investigating the link between economic growth, financial development, urbanization, natural resources, human capital, trade openness and ecological footprint: evidence from Nigeria," Journal of Bioeconomics, Springer, vol. 24(2), pages 153-179, July.
    8. Ling, Chong Hui & Ahmed, Khalid & Muhamad, Rusnah binti & Shahbaz, Muhammad, 2015. "Decomposing the trade-environment nexus for Malaysia: What do the technique, scale, composition and comparative advantage effect indicate?," MPRA Paper 67165, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 09 Oct 2015.
    9. Machado, José A.F. & Santos Silva, J.M.C., 2019. "Quantiles via moments," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 213(1), pages 145-173.
    10. Simplice Asongu & Rexon Nting, 2021. "The mobile phone in governance for environmental sustainability in Sub-Saharan Africa," Journal of Economic and Administrative Sciences, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 39(1), pages 225-243, June.
    11. Blundell, Richard & Bond, Stephen, 1998. "Initial conditions and moment restrictions in dynamic panel data models," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 87(1), pages 115-143, August.
    12. Muhammad Shahbaz & Mantu Kumar Mahalik & Syed Jawad Hussain Shahzad & Shawkat Hammoudeh, 2019. "Testing the globalization-driven carbon emissions hypothesis: International evidence," International Economics, CEPII research center, issue 158, pages 25-38.
    13. John C. Driscoll & Aart C. Kraay, 1998. "Consistent Covariance Matrix Estimation With Spatially Dependent Panel Data," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 80(4), pages 549-560, November.
    14. Tang, Chang & Irfan, Muhammad & Razzaq, Asif & Dagar, Vishal, 2022. "Natural resources and financial development: Role of business regulations in testing the resource-curse hypothesis in ASEAN countries," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).
    15. Leigh Holland, 2003. "Can the principle of the ecological footprint be applied to measure the environmental sustainability of business?," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 10(4), pages 224-232, December.
    16. Dhahri, Sabrine & Omri, Anis, 2018. "Entrepreneurship contribution to the three pillars of sustainable development: What does the evidence really say?," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 106(C), pages 64-77.
    17. Nickell, Stephen J, 1981. "Biases in Dynamic Models with Fixed Effects," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 49(6), pages 1417-1426, November.
    18. Nakamura, Hiroki & Managi, Shunsuke, 2020. "Entrepreneurship and marginal cost of CO2 emissions in economic development," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 67(C), pages 1-14.
    19. Ahmad, Mahmood & Jiang, Ping & Majeed, Abdul & Umar, Muhammad & Khan, Zeeshan & Muhammad, Sulaman, 2020. "The dynamic impact of natural resources, technological innovations and economic growth on ecological footprint: An advanced panel data estimation," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 69(C).
    20. Moran, Daniel D. & Lenzen, Manfred & Kanemoto, Keiichiro & Geschke, Arne, 2013. "Does ecologically unequal exchange occur?," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 89(C), pages 177-186.
    21. Ulucak, Zübeyde Şentürk & İlkay, Salih Çağrı & Özcan, Burcu & Gedikli, Ayfer, 2020. "Financial globalization and environmental degradation nexus: Evidence from emerging economies," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 67(C).
    22. Le Hoang Phong, 2019. "Globalization, Financial Development, and Environmental Degradation in the Presence of Environmental Kuznets Curve: Evidence from ASEAN-5 Countries," International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, Econjournals, vol. 9(2), pages 40-50.
    23. Letchumanan, Raman & Kodama, Fumio, 2000. "Reconciling the conflict between the 'pollution-haven' hypothesis and an emerging trajectory of international technology transfer," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 29(1), pages 59-79, January.
    24. Apergis, Nicholas & Payne, James E. & Menyah, Kojo & Wolde-Rufael, Yemane, 2010. "On the causal dynamics between emissions, nuclear energy, renewable energy, and economic growth," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 69(11), pages 2255-2260, September.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Xia, Wanjun & Apergis, Nicholas & Bashir, Muhammad Farhan & Ghosh, Sudeshna & Doğan, Buhari & Shahzad, Umer, 2022. "Investigating the role of globalization, and energy consumption for environmental externalities: Empirical evidence from developed and developing economies," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 183(C), pages 219-228.
    2. Sèna Kimm Gnangnon, 2023. "Trade costs and tax transition reform in developing countries," Economics of Transition and Institutional Change, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 31(4), pages 941-977, October.
    3. Ridwan Lanre Ibrahim & Usama Al-Mulali & Kazeem Bello Ajide & Abubakar Mohammed & Fatimah Ololade Bolarinwa, 2022. "Investigating the Mediating Roles of Income Level and Technological Innovation in Africa’s Sustainability Pathways Amidst Energy Transition, Resource Abundance, and Financial Inclusion," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-27, September.
    4. Gupta, Sanjeev & Liu, Estelle X. & Mulas-Granados, Carlos, 2016. "Now or later? The political economy of public investment in democracies," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 45(C), pages 101-114.
    5. Gnangnon, Sèna Kimm, 2023. "Duration of membership in the world trade organization and investment-oriented remittances inflows," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 88(C), pages 258-277.
    6. Shreya Pal, 2024. "The International Capital Flows and Domestic Savings–domestic Investment Nexus: A Comparative Evidence Between Heterogeneous Developing Regions," South Asian Journal of Macroeconomics and Public Finance, , vol. 13(2), pages 169-212, December.
    7. Gnangnon, Sèna Kimm, 2022. "Duration of WTO Membership and Investment-Oriented Remittances Flows," EconStor Preprints 251274, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics.
    8. Afonso, António & Jalles, João Tovar, 2019. "The Fiscal consequences of deflation: Evidence from the Golden Age of Globalization," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 129-147.
    9. Sèna Kimm Gnangnon, 2020. "Comparative Advantage Following (CAF) development strategy, Aid for Trade flows and structural change in production," Journal of Economic Structures, Springer;Pan-Pacific Association of Input-Output Studies (PAPAIOS), vol. 9(1), pages 1-29, December.
    10. Vasilis Sarafidis & Tom Wansbeek, 2012. "Cross-Sectional Dependence in Panel Data Analysis," Econometric Reviews, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 31(5), pages 483-531, September.
    11. Michel Dumont, 2015. "Working Paper 05-15 - Evaluation of federal tax incentives for private R&D in Belgium: An update," Working Papers 1505, Federal Planning Bureau, Belgium.
    12. Mehdi Abid & Habib Sekrafi & Zouheyr Gheraia & Hanane Abdelli, 2024. "Regulating the unobservable: The impact of the environmental regulation on informal economy and pollution," Energy & Environment, , vol. 35(7), pages 3463-3482, November.
    13. Sena Kimm Gnangnon, 2019. "Remittances Inflows and Trade Policy," Remittances Review, Remittances Review, vol. 4(2), pages 117-142, October.
    14. Gnangnon, Sèna Kimm & Iyer, Harish, 2021. "Effect of Aid for Trade and Foreign Direct Investment Inflows on the Utilization of Unilateral Trade Preferences offered by the QUAD countries," EconStor Preprints 238211, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics.
    15. Shobande, Olatunji A. & Ogbeifun, Lawrence & Apergis, Nicholas, 2024. "Crafting monetary policy beyond low carbon legacy," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 91(C), pages 764-781.
    16. Lu, Zhou & Gozgor, Giray & Mahalik, Mantu Kumar & Padhan, Hemachandra & Yan, Cheng, 2022. "Welfare gains from international trade and renewable energy demand: Evidence from the OECD countries," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 112(C).
    17. Jules-Eric Tchapchet Tchouto & Loudi Njoya & Tii Nchofoung & Isaac Ketu, 2024. "Investigating the effects of environmental tax regulations on industrialization in African countries," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 26(1), pages 2153-2182, January.
    18. Mr. Sanjeev Gupta & Miss Estelle X Liu & Mr. Carlos Mulas-Granados, 2015. "Now or Later? The Political Economy of Public Investment in Democracies," IMF Working Papers 2015/175, International Monetary Fund.
    19. Henda Omri & Anis Omri & Abdessalem Abbassi, 2025. "Entrepreneurship and Human Well-Being: A Study of Standard of Living and Quality of Life in Developing Countries," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 177(1), pages 313-344, March.
    20. Olaoye, Olumide O. & Eluwole, Oluwatosin O. & Ayesha, Aziz & Afolabi, Olugbenga O., 2020. "Government spending and economic growth in ECOWAS: An asymmetric analysis," The Journal of Economic Asymmetries, Elsevier, vol. 22(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:endesu:v:26:y:2024:i:2:d:10.1007_s10668-023-02909-7. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.