Investigating the Effect of Democracy on Environment Quality in Selected Countries: An Application of Panel Data

The main purpose of this study is to examine the impact of democracy on the quality of environment among different countries over the time span of 2002 to 2012. Therefore, the democracy and accumulated democracy indices has been considered as political inequality variables influencing the quality of the environment among different countries in the reduced form of Kuznets’ environmental curve hypotheses model (EKC). Based on the human development index the selected countries have been divided into four groups including countries with very high human development index, countries with high human development index, countries with medium human development index and countries with low human development index. Within this framework, the intended model has been estimated applying the compound index of environmental quality, EPI. The desired model has been estimated by Panel data method. The results of the environmental performance index’ model indicates a significant positive relationship between the level of democracy and capital accumulation of democracy among all country groups. This relationship in group of countries with high human development index acts in form of N reversed which is the environmental Kuznets curve in other words. This relationship in groups of countries with high, medium and low human development indices is in form of N. In accordance with the results, improvement of democracy indices leads to a better environment quality. Therefore, applying the relevant policies with democracy condition improvement in different countries, specifically in countries with low and medium human development indices can make a positive impact on improving the quality of environment in these countries.

کلیدواژه ها:

Environment quality ، Environmental Kuznets curve hypothesis ، Democracy level ، Democracy stock