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Pollution, Shadow Economy and Corruption: Theory and Evidence

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  • Amit K. Biswas
  • Mohammad Reza Farzanegan
  • Marcel Thum

Abstract

We study how the shadow economy affects pollution and how this effect depends on corruption levels in public administration. Production in the shadow economy allows firms to avoid environmental regulation policies; a large informal sector may be accompanied by higher pollution levels. Our theoretical model predicts that controlling the levels of corruption can limit the effect of the shadow economy on pollution. We use panel data covering the period from 1999–2005 from more than 100 countries to test this theoretical prediction. Our estimates confirm that the relationship between the shadow economy and the levels of pollution are dependent on the levels of corruption. Our results hold when we control for the effects of other determinants of pollution, time varying common shocks, country-fixed effects and various additional covariates.

Suggested Citation

  • Amit K. Biswas & Mohammad Reza Farzanegan & Marcel Thum, 2011. "Pollution, Shadow Economy and Corruption: Theory and Evidence," CESifo Working Paper Series 3630, CESifo Group Munich.
    • Handle: RePEc:ces:ceswps:_3630
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    Cited by:

    1. Mandal, Biswajit, 2014. "Trade Reform, Environment and Intermediation: Implication for Health Standard," MPRA Paper 56524, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    2. Ummad Mazhar & Ceyhun Elgin, 2013. "Environmental Regulation, Pollution and the Informal Economy," SBP Research Bulletin, State Bank of Pakistan, Research Department, vol. 9, pages 62-81.
    3. Zhang, Yue-Jun & Jin, Yan-Lin & Chevallier, Julien & Shen, Bo, 2016. "The effect of corruption on carbon dioxide emissions in APEC countries: A panel quantile regression analysis," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 112(C), pages 220-227.
    4. Basbay, Mustafa Metin & Elgin, Ceyhun & Torul, Orhan, 2016. "Energy consumption and the size of the informal economy," Economics - The Open-Access, Open-Assessment E-Journal, Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW), vol. 10, pages 1-28.
    5. 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.
    6. repec:ijb:journl:v:16:y:2017:i:1:p:49-74 is not listed on IDEAS
    7. Lyazzat Nugumanova & Miriam Frey, 2017. "Environmental Governance and Policy in Kazakhstan," Working Papers 365, Leibniz Institut für Ost- und Südosteuropaforschung (Institute for East and Southeast European Studies).
    8. Kjetil Bjorvatn & Mohammad Reza Farzanegan, 2014. "Resource Rents, Power, and Political Stability," CESifo Working Paper Series 4727, CESifo Group Munich.
    9. Claudiu Albulescu & Matei Tamasila & Ilie Taucean, 2016. "Shadow Economy, Tax Policies, Institutional Weakness and Financial Stability in Selected Oecd Countries," Managing Innovation and Diversity in Knowledge Society Through Turbulent Time: Proceedings of the MakeLearn and TIIM Joint International Conference 2016, ToKnowPress.
    10. repec:kap:enreec:v:68:y:2017:i:2:d:10.1007_s10640-016-0019-1 is not listed on IDEAS
    11. Farzanegan, Mohammad Reza & Witthuhn, Stefan, 2017. "Corruption and political stability: Does the youth bulge matter?," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 47-70.
    12. Mohammad Reza Farzanegan & Sherif Maher Hassan, 2016. "How does the Flow of Remittances Affect the Trade Balance of the Middle East and North Africa?," CESifo Working Paper Series 6172, CESifo Group Munich.
    13. Goel, Rajeev K. & Herrala, Risto & Mazhar, Ummad, 2013. "Institutional quality and environmental pollution: MENA countries versus the rest of the world," Economic Systems, Elsevier, vol. 37(4), pages 508-521.
    14. Mohammad Javad Razmi & Arash Jamalmanesh, 2014. "How Political Indices Affect The Shadow Economy," Romanian Economic Business Review, Romanian-American University, vol. 9(1), pages 45-55, March.
    15. Eleni Stathopoulou & Dimitrios Varvarigos, 2013. "Corruption, Entry and Pollution," Discussion Papers in Economics 13/21, Department of Economics, University of Leicester.
    16. Baksi, Soham & Bose, Pinaki, 2016. "Informal sector, regulatory compliance, and leakage," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 121(C), pages 166-176.
    17. Mohammad Reza Farzanegan & Stefan Witthuhn, 2014. "Demographic Transition and Political Stability: Does Corruption Matter?," CESifo Working Paper Series 5133, CESifo Group Munich.
    18. Buehn, Andreas & Farzanegan, Mohammad Reza, 2013. "Hold your breath: A new index of air pollution," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 37(C), pages 104-113.
    19. repec:tou:journl:v:46:y:2017:p:21-41 is not listed on IDEAS
    20. Mohammad Reza Farzanegan & Tim Mennel, 2012. "Fiscal decentralization and Pollution: Institutions Matter," MAGKS Papers on Economics 201222, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Faculty of Business Administration and Economics, Department of Economics (Volkswirtschaftliche Abteilung).
    21. Tausch, Arno & Heshmati, Almas, 2014. "Testing an EU-Candidate's Place on the Maps of Global Economic, Political and Social Values: The Case of Turkey," IZA Discussion Papers 8163, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA).
    22. Hassan, Mai, 2017. "The impact of the shadow economy on aid and economic development nexus in Egypt," MPRA Paper 80990, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    23. Andreas Buehn & Mohammad Reza Farzanegan, 2013. "Impact of education on the shadow economy: Institutions matter," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 33(3), pages 2052-2063.
    24. Mohammad Reza Farzanegan & Mai Hassan, 2017. "The Impact of Economic Globalization on the Shadow Economy in Egypt," CESifo Working Paper Series 6424, CESifo Group Munich.
    25. Smit, Suzanne & Musango, Josephine K., 2015. "Towards connecting green economy with informal economy in South Africa: A review and way forward," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 116(C), pages 154-159.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    environmental pollution; shadow economy; corruption; panel data;

    JEL classification:

    • Q53 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Air Pollution; Water Pollution; Noise; Hazardous Waste; Solid Waste; Recycling
    • Q56 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Environment and Development; Environment and Trade; Sustainability; Environmental Accounts and Accounting; Environmental Equity; Population Growth
    • Q58 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Environmental Economics: Government Policy

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