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Revisiting the environmental rewards of economic freedom

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  • Christopher Andrew Hartwell
  • Don L. Coursey

Abstract

Previous research has detailed the positive link between economic freedom and environmental and public health outcomes. However, advances in the interim in our knowledge of how economic freedom affects various economic outcomes, as well as in the quantification of various economic institutions, calls for a re-examination of the results. Compiling a new panel data set that picks up where the prior analysis left off, we utilize FE-GLS methods to find that economic freedom writ large lead to a cleaner and healthier environment. Additionally, economic freedom as manifested in contracting institutions also correlates with positive health and environmental outcomes, even in the presence of differing control sets.Â

Suggested Citation

  • Christopher Andrew Hartwell & Don L. Coursey, 2015. "Revisiting the environmental rewards of economic freedom," Economics and Business Letters, Oviedo University Press, vol. 4(1), pages 36-50.
    • Handle: RePEc:ove:journl:aid:10563
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    File URL: https://reunido.uniovi.es/index.php/EBL/article/view/10563
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    Cited by:

    1. Hartwell, Christopher A., 2016. "The institutional basis of efficiency in resource-rich countries," Economic Systems, Elsevier, vol. 40(4), pages 519-538.
    2. Chinazaekpere Nwani & Festus Victor Bekun & Phillips O. Agboola & Philip C. Omoke & Ekpeno L. Effiong, 2023. "Industrial output, services and carbon emissions: the role of information and communication technologies and economic freedom in Africa," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 25(4), pages 3299-3322, April.
    3. Christopher A. Hartwell, 2023. "In our (frozen) backyard: the Eurasian Union and regional environmental governance in the Arctic," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 176(4), pages 1-22, April.
    4. Aurolipsa Das & Narayan Sethi, 2023. "Modelling the environmental pollution-institutional quality nexus in low- and middle-income countries: exploring the role of financial development and educational level," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 25(2), pages 1492-1518, February.
    5. Nadezhda Filimonova & Anastassia Obydenkova & Vinicius G. Rodrigues Vieira, 2023. "Geopolitical and economic interests in environmental governance: explaining observer state status in the Arctic Council," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 176(5), pages 1-25, May.
    6. Bodganand, Dima & Canepa, Alessandra, 2024. "Environmental Performance and Institutions Quality in Europe: A Bayesian Model Averaging Approach," Department of Economics and Statistics Cognetti de Martiis. Working Papers 202421, University of Turin.

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