IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/wly/sustdv/v33y2025i6p9245-9259.html

Corruption's Shadow on Sustainability: Unveiling the Ecological Toll in Asia‐Pacific Countries

Author

Listed:
  • Rasidah Mohd‐Rashid
  • Waqas Mehmood
  • Chai‐Aun Ooi
  • Ahmad Hakimi Tajuddin
  • Bee‐Wah Tan

Abstract

This study investigates the relationship between the Corruption Perceptions Index and the ecological footprint across 41 countries in the Asia‐Pacific region. Additionally, income status, information technologies and digitalisation are included as moderators in the relationship between the corruption perception index and ecological footprint. Pooled OLS regression and robustness testing using 2SLS are applied to data from 41 Asia‐Pacific countries during the 2013–2021 period. The empirical findings show that corruption has a significant negative impact on the ecological footprint of Asia‐Pacific nations. Factors such as high Internet usage, a large number of Internet subscribers, digital competitiveness and digital skills negatively moderate the relationship between corruption and the ecological footprint. To the authors' knowledge, this study is the first to investigate how the Corruption Perceptions Index affects the reduction of ecological footprints and the enhancement of environmental quality in Asia‐Pacific countries. The study incorporates information technologies, digitalisation and income levels as moderating variables that influence the relationship between corruption and ecological footprints, with the aim of improving environmental outcomes in the region.

Suggested Citation

  • Rasidah Mohd‐Rashid & Waqas Mehmood & Chai‐Aun Ooi & Ahmad Hakimi Tajuddin & Bee‐Wah Tan, 2025. "Corruption's Shadow on Sustainability: Unveiling the Ecological Toll in Asia‐Pacific Countries," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 33(6), pages 9245-9259, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:sustdv:v:33:y:2025:i:6:p:9245-9259
    DOI: 10.1002/sd.70158
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1002/sd.70158
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1002/sd.70158?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
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Huang, Chiung-Ju, 2016. "Is corruption bad for economic growth? Evidence from Asia-Pacific countries," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 35(C), pages 247-256.
    2. Detollenaere, Jens & Desmarest, Ann-Sophie & Boeckxstaens, Pauline & Willems, Sara, 2018. "The link between income inequality and health in Europe, adding strength dimensions of primary care to the equation," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 201(C), pages 103-110.
    3. Cole, Matthew A., 2007. "Corruption, income and the environment: An empirical analysis," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 62(3-4), pages 637-647, May.
    4. Azmat Gani, 2012. "The Relationship Between Good Governance And Carbon Dioxide Emissions: Evidence From Developing Economies," Journal of Economic Development, Chung-Ang Unviersity, Department of Economics, vol. 37(1), pages 77-93, March.
    5. Danish & Jianwu Zhang & Bo Wang & Zahid Latif, 2019. "Towards cross‐regional sustainable development: The nexus between information and communication technology, energy consumption, and CO2 emissions," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 27(5), pages 990-1000, September.
    6. Sekrafi Habib & Snoussi Abdelmonen & Mili Khaled, 2020. "The Effect of Corruption on the Environmental Quality in African Countries: a Panel Quantile Regression Analysis," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 11(2), pages 788-804, June.
    7. Wang, Zhaohua & Danish, & Zhang, Bin & Wang, Bo, 2018. "The moderating role of corruption between economic growth and CO2 emissions: Evidence from BRICS economies," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 148(C), pages 506-513.
    8. Sulemana, Iddisah & Kpienbaareh, Daniel, 2018. "An empirical examination of the relationship between income inequality and corruption in Africa," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 60(C), pages 27-42.
    9. Chun-Ping Chang & Yu Hao, 2017. "Environmental performance, corruption and economic growth: global evidence using a new data set," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 49(5), pages 498-514, January.
    10. Leitão, Alexandra, 2010. "Corruption and the environmental Kuznets Curve: Empirical evidence for sulfur," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 69(11), pages 2191-2201, September.
    11. Sassi, Seifallah & Ben Ali, Mohamed Sami, 2017. "Corruption in Africa: What role does ICT diffusion play," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 41(7), pages 662-669.
    12. Faiz Rehman & Muhammad Nasir & Faiza Kanwal, 2012. "Nexus between corruption and regional Environmental Kuznets Curve: the case of South Asian countries," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 14(5), pages 827-841, October.
    13. Luo, Yadong & Bu, Juan, 2016. "How valuable is information and communication technology? A study of emerging economy enterprises," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 51(2), pages 200-211.
    14. Maurizio Lisciandra & Carlo Migliardo, 2017. "An Empirical Study of the Impact of Corruption on Environmental Performance: Evidence from Panel Data," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 68(2), pages 297-318, October.
    15. Zhang, Xin & Zhang, Xiaobo & Chen, Xi, 2017. "Happiness in the air: How does a dirty sky affect mental health and subjective well-being?," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 85(C), pages 81-94.
    16. Hbib Sekrafi & Asma Sghaier, 2018. "Examining the Relationship Between Corruption, Economic Growth, Environmental Degradation, and Energy Consumption: a Panel Analysis in MENA Region," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 9(3), pages 963-979, September.
    17. Budsaratragoon, Pornanong & Jitmaneeroj, Boonlert, 2020. "A critique on the Corruption Perceptions Index: An interdisciplinary approach," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 70(C).
    18. Zafar, Muhammad Wasif & Zaidi, Syed Anees Haider & Khan, Naveed R. & Mirza, Faisal Mehmood & Hou, Fujun & Kirmani, Syed Ali Ashiq, 2019. "The impact of natural resources, human capital, and foreign direct investment on the ecological footprint: The case of the United States," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 1-1.
    19. Fredriksson, Per G. & Vollebergh, Herman R. J. & Dijkgraaf, Elbert, 2004. "Corruption and energy efficiency in OECD countries: theory and evidence," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 47(2), pages 207-231, March.
    20. Chandan Sharma & Arup Mitra, 2019. "Corruption and Economic Growth: Some New Empirical Evidence from a Global Sample," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 31(8), pages 691-719, November.
    21. Ophias Kurauone & Yusheng Kong & Huaping Sun & Takuriramunashe Famba & Simbarashe Muzamhindo, 2021. "Tax evasion; public and political corruption and international trade: a global perspective," Journal of Financial Economic Policy, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 13(6), pages 698-729, May.
    22. Muhammad Haseeb & Muhammad Azam, 2021. "Dynamic nexus among tourism, corruption, democracy and environmental degradation: a panel data investigation," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 23(4), pages 5557-5575, April.
    23. Sapkota, Pratikshya & Bastola, Umesh, 2017. "Foreign direct investment, income, and environmental pollution in developing countries: Panel data analysis of Latin America," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 64(C), pages 206-212.
    24. Paolo Mauro, 1995. "Corruption and Growth," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 110(3), pages 681-712.
    25. Biswas, Amit K. & Farzanegan, Mohammad Reza & Thum, Marcel, 2012. "Pollution, shadow economy and corruption: Theory and evidence," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 114-125.
    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. Ren, Yi-Shuai & Ma, Chao-Qun & Apergis, Nicholas & Sharp, Basil, 2021. "Responses of carbon emissions to corruption across Chinese provinces," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 98(C).
    2. Arminen, Heli & Menegaki, Angeliki N., 2019. "Corruption, climate and the energy-environment-growth nexus," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 621-634.
    3. Salvatore Bimonte & Arsenio Stabile, 2019. "The Effect of Growth and Corruption on Soil Sealing in Italy: A Regional Environmental Kuznets Curve Analysis," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 74(4), pages 1497-1518, December.
    4. Haiqing Hu & Di Chen & Chun‐Ping Chang & Yin Chu, 2021. "The Political Economy Of Environmental Consequences: A Review Of The Empirical Literature," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 35(1), pages 250-306, February.
    5. Madhu Sehrawat & Sanjay Kumar Singh, 2021. "Do Corruption and Income Inequality Play Spoilsport in The Energy Efficiency-Growth Relationship in BRICS Countries?," Journal of Quantitative Economics, Springer;The Indian Econometric Society (TIES), vol. 19(4), pages 727-746, December.
    6. Jeong Hwan Bae & Dmitriy D. Li & Meenakshi Rishi, 2017. "Determinants of CO emission for post-Soviet Union independent countries," Climate Policy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 17(5), pages 591-615, July.
    7. GOMADO, Kwamivi Mawuli, 2018. "Diversité ethnique et déforestation dans les pays en développement: identification des principaux canaux [Ethnic diversity and deforestation in developing countries: identifying the transmission channels]," MPRA Paper 89380, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    8. Shi Wang & Yizhou Yuan & Hua Wang, 2019. "Corruption, Hidden Economy and Environmental Pollution: A Spatial Econometric Analysis Based on China’s Provincial Panel Data," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(16), pages 1-23, August.
    9. Amoah, Anthony & Asiama, Rexford Kweku & Korle, Kofi & Kwablah, Edmund, 2022. "Corruption: Is it a bane to renewable energy consumption in Africa?," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 163(C).
    10. Bushra Yasmin & Rabbia Bibi, 2025. "Measuring the asymmetric effect of corruption on environmental degradation in Pakistan: role of human capital," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 27(8), pages 19467-19490, August.
    11. Zhou, Mengling & Wang, Bing & Chen, Zhongfei, 2020. "Has the anti-corruption campaign decreased air pollution in China?," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 91(C).
    12. Liu, Ximei & Latif, Zahid & Danish, & Latif, Shahid & Mahmood, Nasir, 2021. "The corruption-emissions nexus: Do information and communication technologies make a difference?," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).
    13. YunSeop Hwang & Chang-Bong Kim & Cheon Yu, 2024. "The Effect of Corruption on Environmental Quality: Evidence from a Panel of CIS Countries," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 15(1), pages 2836-2855, March.
    14. Hbib Sekrafi & Asma Sghaier, 2018. "Examining the Relationship Between Corruption, Economic Growth, Environmental Degradation, and Energy Consumption: a Panel Analysis in MENA Region," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 9(3), pages 963-979, September.
    15. Alexandra-Anca Purcel, 2019. "Does Political Stability Hinder Pollution? Evidence From Developing States," Economic Research Guardian, Mutascu Publishing, vol. 9(2), pages 75-98, December.
    16. Sekrafi Habib & Snoussi Abdelmonen & Mili Khaled, 2020. "The Effect of Corruption on the Environmental Quality in African Countries: a Panel Quantile Regression Analysis," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 11(2), pages 788-804, June.
    17. Abdul Rahim Ridzuan & Noraina Mazuin Sapuan & Nur Hayati Abd Rahman & Halimahton Borhan & Azhana Othman, 2019. "The Impact of Corruption on Environmental Quality in the Developing Countries of ASEAN 3: The Application of the Bound Test," International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, Econjournals, vol. 9(6), pages 469-478.
    18. Vincent Tawiah & Abdulrasheed Zakari & Rafael Alvarado, 2024. "Effect of corruption on green growth," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 26(4), pages 10429-10459, April.
    19. Maurizio Lisciandra & Carlo Migliardo, 2017. "An Empirical Study of the Impact of Corruption on Environmental Performance: Evidence from Panel Data," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 68(2), pages 297-318, October.
    20. Per G. Fredriksson & Eric Neumayer, 2016. "Corruption and Climate Change Policies: Do the Bad Old Days Matter?," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 63(2), pages 451-469, February.

    More about this item

    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:wly:sustdv:v:33:y:2025:i:6:p:9245-9259. 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: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1002/(ISSN)1099-1719 .

    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.