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Institutions and the Effectiveness of Environmental Protection

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  • Timothy Neal

    (UNSW School of Economics)

Abstract

This article uses satellite data to estimate the effectiveness of government protection on forested land across the globe over 2000-2018. Since deforestation is a significant contributor to precipitous declines in biodiversity, spillover of zoonotic viruses and climate change, measuring and analysing the effectiveness of protection is important for the future of conservation. It uses a regression discontinuity design at the boundaries of protected forest to overcome the fact that protection is not randomly assigned. It finds that many countries lack effective protection, and that effectiveness is strongly related to the quality of institutions and negatively related to economic development.

Suggested Citation

  • Timothy Neal, 2020. "Institutions and the Effectiveness of Environmental Protection," Discussion Papers 2020-15, School of Economics, The University of New South Wales.
    • Handle: RePEc:swe:wpaper:2020-15
    as

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    File URL: http://research.economics.unsw.edu.au/RePEc/papers/2020-15.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Nathan Nunn & Diego Puga, 2012. "Ruggedness: The Blessing of Bad Geography in Africa," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 94(1), pages 20-36, February.
    2. Matias Heino & Matti Kummu & Marika Makkonen & Mark Mulligan & Peter H Verburg & Mika Jalava & Timo A Räsänen, 2015. "Forest Loss in Protected Areas and Intact Forest Landscapes: A Global Analysis," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(10), pages 1-21, October.
    3. Pfaff, Alexander & Robalino, Juan & Lima, Eirivelthon & Sandoval, Catalina & Herrera, Luis Diego, 2014. "Governance, Location and Avoided Deforestation from Protected Areas: Greater Restrictions Can Have Lower Impact, Due to Differences in Location," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 7-20.
    4. Lee, David S., 2008. "Randomized experiments from non-random selection in U.S. House elections," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 142(2), pages 675-697, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Regression Discontinuity; Climate Change; Biodiversity; Corruption;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C13 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods and Methodology: General - - - Estimation: General
    • C21 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Cross-Sectional Models; Spatial Models; Treatment Effect Models
    • P48 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Other Economic Systems - - - Legal Institutions; Property Rights; Natural Resources; Energy; Environment; Regional Studies
    • Q23 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Renewable Resources and Conservation - - - Forestry
    • Q57 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Ecological Economics

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