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Violation of environmental regulations in Sweden: Economic motives, environmental attitudes, and social capital

Author

Listed:
  • Holstein, Fredrik

    (Department of Economics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences)

  • Gren, Ing-Marie

    (Department of Economics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences)

Abstract

This paper tests the explanatory power of traditional enforcement instruments, environmental attitudes and abundance of social capital for violation of environmental regulations in Sweden. A count data model is used on a panel data set obtained from a survey to inspectors at the local and regional jurisdictions in Sweden. Regressions analyses are carried out for all firms but also for different firm categories depending on environmental impacts. The results indicate that traditional enforcement weapons, measured as number of inspection and a formal inspection style, curb violation by all types of firm categories. On the other hand, significant results are that environmental attitudes and abundance of social capital deter violation by large firms, but have no impact on violation by firms with minor environmental impacts.

Suggested Citation

  • Holstein, Fredrik & Gren, Ing-Marie, 2013. "Violation of environmental regulations in Sweden: Economic motives, environmental attitudes, and social capital," Working Paper Series 2013:3, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Department Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:hhs:slueko:2013_003
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    File URL: http://pub.epsilon.slu.se/9473/
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Marbuah, George & Gren, Ing-Marie, 2015. "Carbon emission and social capital in Sweden," Working Paper Series 2015:5, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Department Economics.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    environmental regulations; violation; economic motives; environmental attitudes; social capital; heterogeneous firms; count data model; Sweden;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • K33 - Law and Economics - - Other Substantive Areas of Law - - - International Law
    • K42 - Law and Economics - - Legal Procedure, the Legal System, and Illegal Behavior - - - Illegal Behavior and the Enforcement of Law
    • Q58 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Environmental Economics: Government Policy

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