IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/tpr/adbadr/v35y2018i1p81-107.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Does Environmental Governance Matter for Foreign Direct Investment? Testing the Pollution Haven Hypothesis for Indian States

Author

Listed:
  • Vinish Kathuria

    (Shailesh J. Mehta School of Management, Indian Institute of Technology, Mumbai, India. Author email: vinish.kathuria@gmail.com)

Abstract

This paper attempts to examine the role of environmental governance on foreign direct investment by testing the pollution haven hypothesis for 21 Indian states for the period 2002–2010. To test for the hypothesis, this study computes an abatement expenditure index adjusted for industrial composition at the state level using Annual Survey of Industries plant-level data. The methodology used is based on that proposed by Levinson (2001). The index compares actual pollution abatement expenditures in a particular state, unadjusted for industrial composition, to predicted abatement expenditures in the same state. (The predictions are based on nationwide abatement expenditures by industry and each state's industrial composition.) If the adjusted index is low for a state, it implies that the state has poor environmental governance, which would be expected to induce foreign firms to invest. However, the results do not find any evidence of the pollution haven hypothesis in the Indian context. Other infrastructure and market-access-related variables are more important in influencing a foreign firm's investment decisions than environmental stringency.

Suggested Citation

  • Vinish Kathuria, 2018. "Does Environmental Governance Matter for Foreign Direct Investment? Testing the Pollution Haven Hypothesis for Indian States," Asian Development Review, MIT Press, vol. 35(1), pages 81-107, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:tpr:adbadr:v:35:y:2018:i:1:p:81-107
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/adev_a_00106
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. David Drukker & Daniel Millimet, 2007. "Assessing the Pollution Haven Hypothesis in an Interdependent World," Departmental Working Papers 0703, Southern Methodist University, Department of Economics.
    2. Grossman, G.M & Krueger, A.B., 1991. "Environmental Impacts of a North American Free Trade Agreement," Papers 158, Princeton, Woodrow Wilson School - Public and International Affairs.
    3. Erik Dietzenbacher & Kakali Mukhopadhyay, 2007. "An Empirical Examination of the Pollution Haven Hypothesis for India: Towards a Green Leontief Paradox?," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 36(4), pages 427-449, April.
    4. Ayse M. Erdogan, 2014. "Foreign Direct Investment And Environmental Regulations: A Survey," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(5), pages 943-955, December.
    5. John H Dunning, 1998. "Location and the Multinational Enterprise: A Neglected Factor?," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 29(1), pages 45-66, March.
    6. Wolfgang Keller & Arik Levinson, 2002. "Pollution Abatement Costs and Foreign Direct Investment Inflows to U.S. States," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 84(4), pages 691-703, November.
    7. repec:cdl:ucsbec:28-98 is not listed on IDEAS
    8. Fredriksson, Per G. & List, John A. & Millimet, Daniel L., 2003. "Bureaucratic corruption, environmental policy and inbound US FDI: theory and evidence," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 87(7-8), pages 1407-1430, August.
    9. repec:fth:calaec:28-98 is not listed on IDEAS
    10. repec:cdl:ucsbec:qt3268z4rx is not listed on IDEAS
    11. Jiangyan Yu & Mr. James P Walsh, 2010. "Determinants of Foreign Direct Investment: A Sectoral and Institutional Approach," IMF Working Papers 2010/187, International Monetary Fund.
    12. Mani, Muthukumara & Pargal, Sheoli & Huq, Mainul, 1997. "Does environmental regulation matter? Determinants of the location of new manufacturing plants in India in 1994," Policy Research Working Paper Series 1718, The World Bank.
    13. Neelakanta N.T. & Haripriya Gundimeda & Vinish Kathuria, 2013. "Does Environmental Quality Influence FDI Inflows? A Panel Data Analysis for Indian States," Review of Market Integration, India Development Foundation, vol. 5(3), pages 303-328, December.
    14. Kathuria, Vinish & Ray, Pradeep & Bhangaonkar, Rekha, 2015. "FDI (foreign direct investment) in wind energy sector in India: Testing the effectiveness of state policies using panel data," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 190-202.
    15. Srivastava, Govind & Kathuria, Vinish, 2014. "Utility reforms in developing countries: Learning from the experiences of Delhi," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 29(C), pages 1-16.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Bihong Huang & Eden S. H. Yu (ed.), 2020. "Ways to Achieve Green Asia," ADBI Books, Asian Development Bank Institute, number 11.
    2. Liu, Wei & Zhao, Zhihui & Wen, Zhao & Cheng, Shixiong, 2022. "Environmental regulation and OFDI: Evidence from Chinese listed firms," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 191-208.
    3. Chen, Hong & Gangopadhyay, Partha & Singh, Baljeet & Chen, Kairan, 2023. "What motivates Chinese multinational firms to invest in Asia? Poor institutions versus rich infrastructures of a host country," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 189(C).
    4. Singhania, Monica & Saini, Neha, 2021. "Demystifying pollution haven hypothesis: Role of FDI," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 123(C), pages 516-528.
    5. Yang Chen & Chien-Chiang Lee & Ming Chen, 2022. "Ecological footprint, human capital, and urbanization," Energy & Environment, , vol. 33(3), pages 487-510, May.
    6. Wen-jun Wang & Yan-ni Liu & Xin-ru Ying, 2022. "Does Technological Innovation Curb O 3 Pollution? Evidence from Three Major Regions in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(13), pages 1-19, June.
    7. Valentina Boamah & Decai Tang & Qian Zhang & Jianqun Zhang, 2023. "Do FDI Inflows into African Countries Impact Their CO 2 Emission Levels?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-18, February.
    8. Xinhao Liu & Guangjie Ning, 2025. "Technological Progress and Chinese Residents’ Willingness to Pay for Cleaner Air," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(13), pages 1-21, July.
    9. Efrén Gómez‐Bolaños & Nuria Esther Hurtado‐Torres & Blanca Luisa Delgado‐Márquez, 2020. "Disentangling the influence of internationalization on sustainability development: Evidence from the energy sector," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(1), pages 229-239, January.
    10. Masayoshi Ike & Jerome Denis Donovan & Cheree Topple & Eryadi Kordi Masli, 2024. "Pollution Havens in South-East Asia: Examining Japanese Multinational Enterprises in the Philippines," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(10), pages 1-14, May.

    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. Neelakanta N.T. & Haripriya Gundimeda & Vinish Kathuria, 2013. "Does Environmental Quality Influence FDI Inflows? A Panel Data Analysis for Indian States," Review of Market Integration, India Development Foundation, vol. 5(3), pages 303-328, December.
    2. José-Antonio Monteiro & Madina Kukenova, 2008. "Does Lax Environmental Regulation Attract FDI When Accounting For "Third-Country" Effects?," IRENE Working Papers 08-01, IRENE Institute of Economic Research.
    3. Dietzenbacher, Erik & Yan, Bingqian, 2024. "Explaining the direction of emissions embodied in trade from hypotheses based on country rankings11Funding information: Bingqian Yan received financial support from the National Natural Science Founda," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 129(C).
    4. Doytch, Nadia & Elheddad, Mohamed & Perez-Sebastian, Fidel, 2025. "New climate policy, resource abundance, and sectoral FDI," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 145(C).
    5. Kanjilal, Kakali & Ghosh, Sajal, 2013. "Environmental Kuznet’s curve for India: Evidence from tests for cointegration with unknown structuralbreaks," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 509-515.
    6. Imad Moosa, 2019. "The Environmental Effects of FDI: Evidence from MENA Countries," Working Papers 1321, Economic Research Forum, revised 21 Aug 2019.
    7. Jayanthakumaran, Kankesu & Verma, Reetu & Liu, Ying, 2012. "CO2 emissions, energy consumption, trade and income: A comparative analysis of China and India," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 450-460.
    8. Raphael Chiappini & François Viaud, 2021. "Macroeconomic, institutional, and sectoral determinants of outward foreign direct investment: Evidence from Japan," Pacific Economic Review, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 26(3), pages 404-433, August.
    9. Wilson,John S. & Tsunehiro Otsuki & Sewadeh, Mirvat, 2002. "Dirty exports and environmental regulation : do standards matter to trade?," Policy Research Working Paper Series 2806, The World Bank.
    10. Aarón Garavito & Ana Mar�a Iregui & Mar�a Teresa Ram�rez, 2014. "An Empirical Examination of the Determinants of Foreign Direct Investment: A Firm-Level Analysis for the Colombian Economy," Revista de Economía del Rosario, Universidad del Rosario.
    11. Jota Ishikawa & Toshihiro Okubo, 2017. "Greenhouse-Gas Emission Controls and Firm Locations in North–South Trade," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 67(4), pages 637-660, August.
    12. Andreas Waldkirch & Munisamy Gopinath, 2008. "Pollution Control and Foreign Direct Investment in Mexico: An Industry-Level Analysis," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 41(3), pages 289-313, November.
    13. Vinish Kathuria, 2019. "Growth and Investment: Testing for the Relationship for South Asian Countries," Millennial Asia, , vol. 10(3), pages 337-371, December.
    14. Robert Elliott & Ying Zhou, 2013. "Environmental Regulation Induced Foreign Direct Investment," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 55(1), pages 141-158, May.
    15. Candau, Fabien & Dienesch, Elisa, 2017. "Pollution Haven and Corruption Paradise," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 85(C), pages 171-192.
    16. Arto, Iñaki & Roca, Jordi & Serrano, Mònica, 2014. "Measuring emissions avoided by international trade: Accounting for price differences," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 97(C), pages 93-100.
    17. Edward Manderson & Richard Kneller, 2012. "Environmental Regulations, Outward FDI and Heterogeneous Firms: Are Countries Used as Pollution Havens?," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 51(3), pages 317-352, March.
    18. Polk, Andreas & Schmutzler, Armin & Müller, Adrian, 2014. "Lobbying and the power of multinational firms," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 36(C), pages 209-227.
    19. Yu, Xiaolin & Wan, Kai & Du, Qunyang, 2023. "Can carbon market policies achieve a “point-to-surface” effect?—Quasi-experimental evidence from China," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 183(C).
    20. Jaganath BEHERA, 2021. "Environmental Kuznets curve and India: Evidence from autoregressive distributed lag model," Theoretical and Applied Economics, Asociatia Generala a Economistilor din Romania / Editura Economica, vol. 0(3(628), A), pages 129-142, Autumn.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    JEL classification:

    • F18 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Trade and Environment
    • F23 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - Multinational Firms; International Business

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    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:tpr:adbadr:v:35:y:2018:i:1:p:81-107. 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: The MIT Press (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://direct.mit.edu/journals .

    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.