IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eco/journ2/2023-05-44.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Examining the Dynamics of Labour Force Participation, Carbon Dioxide Emission and Population Health in Sub-Saharan Africa

Author

Listed:
  • Ovikuomagbe Oyedele

    (Department of Economics, Babcock University, Ogun State, Nigeria,)

  • Sheriffdeen Adewale Tella

    (Department of Economics, Babcock University, Ogun State, Nigeria; & Department of Economics, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ogun State, Nigeria.)

Abstract

This study examined the dynamic causal relationship between population health, carbon dioxide (CO2) emission and labour force participation. The study employed the block exogeneity wald test after estimating a panel VAR model using data for 24 sub-Saharan African countries from 1990 to 2018. The dynamic interactions among the variables and effect of shocks was also examined using the variance decomposition analysis and impulse response functions. For robustness, the estimation was done using both aggregate labour force participation and disaggregated labour force participation inorder to investigate the differentials by gender. The results showed evidence of a feedback effect between life expectancy and total labour force participation. This also holds for male labour force participation however, a unidirectional causality was found from female labour force participation to life expectancy. A one standard deviation shock in CO2 emission had a negative impact on life expectancy. Life expectancy also had the greatest contribution to variations in CO2 emission. Male labour force participation shocks had a consistently negative impact over the ten-year period, however, shocks from female labour force participation had the least impacts on CO2 emission. Environmental reforms encouraging less polluting energy and technology use is important for CO2 emission reduction, which further increases life expectancy and ultimately labour force participation rates.

Suggested Citation

  • Ovikuomagbe Oyedele & Sheriffdeen Adewale Tella, 2023. "Examining the Dynamics of Labour Force Participation, Carbon Dioxide Emission and Population Health in Sub-Saharan Africa," International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, Econjournals, vol. 13(5), pages 382-393, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:eco:journ2:2023-05-44
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.econjournals.com/index.php/ijeep/article/download/14582/7499
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.econjournals.com/index.php/ijeep/article/view/14582
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Chijioke O. Nwosu & Ingrid Woolard, 2017. "The Impact of Health on Labour Force Participation in South Africa," South African Journal of Economics, Economic Society of South Africa, vol. 85(4), pages 481-490, December.
    2. Dalton, Michael & O'Neill, Brian & Prskawetz, Alexia & Jiang, Leiwen & Pitkin, John, 2008. "Population aging and future carbon emissions in the United States," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 30(2), pages 642-675, March.
    3. Nerina Vecchio, 2015. "Labour force participation of families coping with a disabling condition æ," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 45(c), pages 1-10.
    4. Cai, Lixin, 2010. "The relationship between health and labour force participation: Evidence from a panel data simultaneous equation model," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 17(1), pages 77-90, January.
    5. Audrey K.L. Siah & Grace H.Y. Lee, 2015. "Female labour force participation, infant mortality and fertility in Malaysia," Journal of the Asia Pacific Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 20(4), pages 613-629, October.
    6. Gangadharan, Lata & Valenzuela, Ma. Rebecca, 2001. "Interrelationships between income, health and the environment: extending the Environmental Kuznets Curve hypothesis," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 36(3), pages 513-531, March.
    7. Narayan, Paresh Kumar & Narayan, Seema, 2008. "Does environmental quality influence health expenditures? Empirical evidence from a panel of selected OECD countries," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 65(2), pages 367-374, April.
    8. Olufunmilayo T. Afolayan & Henry Okodua & Hassan Oaikhenan & Oluwatoyin Matthew, 2020. "Carbon Emissions, Human Capital Investment and Economic Development in Nigeria," International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, Econjournals, vol. 10(2), pages 427-437.
    9. Grossman, Michael, 1972. "On the Concept of Health Capital and the Demand for Health," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 80(2), pages 223-255, March-Apr.
    10. Lixin Cai & Guyonne Kalb, 2006. "Health status and labour force participation: evidence from Australia," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 15(3), pages 241-261, March.
    11. Jacob Novignon & Justice Nonvignon & Eric Arthur, 2015. "Health Status and Labour Force Participation in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Dynamic Panel Data Analysis," African Development Review, African Development Bank, vol. 27(1), pages 14-26, March.
    12. Anson, Ofra & Anson, Jon, 1987. "Women's health and labour force status: An enquiry using a multi-point measure of labour force participation," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 25(1), pages 57-63, January.
    13. Brenda Gannon, 2005. "A dynamic analysis of disability and labour force participation in Ireland 1995–2000," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 14(9), pages 925-938, September.
    14. Lixin Cai & Changxin Cong, 2009. "Effects Of Health And Chronic Diseases On Labour Force Participation Of Older Working‐Age Australians," Australian Economic Papers, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 48(2), pages 166-182, June.
    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. Ebaidalla Mahjoub Ebaidalla & Mohammed Elhaj Mustafa Ali, 2018. "Chronic Illness and Labor Market Participation in Arab Countries: Evidence from Egypt and Tunisia," Working Papers 1229, Economic Research Forum, revised 10 Oct 2018.
    2. Ana María Iregui-Bohórquez & Ligia Alba Melo-Becerra & María Teresa Ramírez-Giraldo, 2016. "Health status and labor force participation: evidence for urban low and middle income individuals in Colombia," Portuguese Economic Journal, Springer;Instituto Superior de Economia e Gestao, vol. 15(1), pages 33-55, April.
    3. Yew Seng Law & Chung-Khain Wye, 2023. "The effects of fertility on female labour force participation in OECD countries: the role of education and health," Studies in Economics and Econometrics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 47(3), pages 280-302, July.
    4. Rolle Remi Ahuru & Efegbere Henry Akpojubar, 2020. "The Effects Of Ill-Health And Disabilities On Labour Force Participation Among Nigerian Households," Oradea Journal of Business and Economics, University of Oradea, Faculty of Economics, vol. 5(2), pages 8-19, September.
    5. Emmanuel Duguet & Christine Le Clainche, 2020. "The Socioeconomic and Gender Impacts of Health Events on Employment Transitions in France: A Panel Data Study," Journal of Human Capital, University of Chicago Press, vol. 14(3), pages 449-483.
    6. Umut Oguzoglu, 2016. "Disability and Multi-State Labour Force Choices with State Dependence," The Economic Record, The Economic Society of Australia, vol. 92(296), pages 28-46, March.
    7. Ana María Iregui-Bohórquez & Ligia Alba Melo-Becerra & María Teresa Ramírez-Giraldo, 2015. "Estado de salud y participación laboral: Evidencia para Colombia," Borradores de Economia 12497, Banco de la Republica.
    8. Eric Delattre & Richard K. Moussa & Mareva Sabatier, 2019. "Health condition and job status interactions: econometric evidence of causality from a French longitudinal survey," Health Economics Review, Springer, vol. 9(1), pages 1-18, December.
    9. Bubonya, Melisa & Cobb-Clark, Deborah A. & Ribar, David C., 2017. "The Bilateral Relationship between Depressive Symptoms and Employment Status," IZA Discussion Papers 10653, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    10. Lixin Cai & Changxin Cong, 2009. "Effects Of Health And Chronic Diseases On Labour Force Participation Of Older Working‐Age Australians," Australian Economic Papers, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 48(2), pages 166-182, June.
    11. Verikios, George & Dixon, Peter B. & Rimmer, Maureen T. & Harris, Anthony H., 2015. "Improving health in an advanced economy: An economywide analysis for Australia," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 46(C), pages 250-261.
    12. Pagán, Ricardo, 2013. "Time allocation of disabled individuals," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 84(C), pages 80-93.
    13. Olaide Sekinat Opeloyeru & Temitope Olanike Faronbi & Isiaka Akande Raifu, 2024. "The Role of Institutional Quality in Health Expenditure-Labor Force Participation Nexus in Africa," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 15(1), pages 2241-2273, March.
    14. Cain Polidano & Ha Vu, 2015. "Differential Labour Market Impacts from Disability Onset," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 24(3), pages 302-317, March.
    15. Richard K. Moussa & Eric Delattre, 2023. "Dynamics of interactions between health and employment statuses: a panel data approach," SN Business & Economics, Springer, vol. 3(8), pages 1-26, August.
    16. Lixin Cai, 2015. "The dynamics of low pay employment in Australia," International Journal of Manpower, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 36(7), pages 1095-1123, October.
    17. Bakhtin, Maxim & Aleksandrova, Ekaterina, 2018. "Health and labor force participation of elderly Russians," Applied Econometrics, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA), vol. 49, pages 5-29.
    18. Sime Smolic & Ivan Cipin & Petra Medimurec, 2020. "How is health associated with employment during later working life in Croatia?," Public Sector Economics, Institute of Public Finance, vol. 44(1), pages 99-116.
    19. Gimenez-Nadal, J. Ignacio & Molina, Jose Alberto, 2015. "Health status and the allocation of time: Cross-country evidence from Europe," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 46(C), pages 188-203.
    20. Sarah Brown & Jennifer Roberts & Karl Taylor, 2010. "Reservation wages, labour market participation and health," Journal of the Royal Statistical Society Series A, Royal Statistical Society, vol. 173(3), pages 501-529, July.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    CO2 Emission; Labour Force Participation; Population Health; Granger Causality; Sub-Saharan Africa;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I18 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health
    • J21 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Labor Force and Employment, Size, and Structure
    • Q53 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Air Pollution; Water Pollution; Noise; Hazardous Waste; Solid Waste; Recycling

    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:eco:journ2:2023-05-44. 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: Ilhan Ozturk (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.econjournals.com .

    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.