IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/jenvss/v9y2019i4d10.1007_s13412-019-00563-y.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Are liberal states greener? Political ideology and CO2 emissions in American states, 1980–2012

Author

Listed:
  • Betul Gokkir
  • J. Samuel Barkin

    (University of Massachusetts Boston)

Abstract

Are liberal states in the USA greener? Based on an analysis of panel data from American states from 1980 to 2012, this paper investigates the particular impact of citizen ideology on per-capita carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. This study contributes to the existing literature through a focus on the role of citizen ideology as a frame shaping pro-environmental behavior at the individual level when the effect of structural factors, like per-capita economic output, fossil-fuel production, and population density, are controlled for. The findings suggest not only that states with more liberal citizen ideology emit less CO2, but also that this effect both precedes and exceeds the influence of policies directly targeting climate change. Finally, this paper suggests that a change in popular perception of the environment and climate change as an American matter, as opposed to an ideological alignment issue, can lead to further decreases in CO2 emissions due to changes in citizens’ preferences and behaviors.

Suggested Citation

  • Betul Gokkir & J. Samuel Barkin, 2019. "Are liberal states greener? Political ideology and CO2 emissions in American states, 1980–2012," Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences, Springer;Association of Environmental Studies and Sciences, vol. 9(4), pages 386-396, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:jenvss:v:9:y:2019:i:4:d:10.1007_s13412-019-00563-y
    DOI: 10.1007/s13412-019-00563-y
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s13412-019-00563-y
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s13412-019-00563-y?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Eric Neumayer, 2002. "Do Democracies Exhibit Stronger International Environmental Commitment? A Cross-country Analysis," Journal of Peace Research, Peace Research Institute Oslo, vol. 39(2), pages 139-164, March.
    2. Glaeser, Edward L. & Kahn, Matthew E., 2010. "The greenness of cities: Carbon dioxide emissions and urban development," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 67(3), pages 404-418, May.
    3. York, Richard & Rosa, Eugene A. & Dietz, Thomas, 2003. "STIRPAT, IPAT and ImPACT: analytic tools for unpacking the driving forces of environmental impacts," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 46(3), pages 351-365, October.
    4. Joseph E. Aldy, 2007. "Divergence in State-Level Per Capita Carbon Dioxide Emissions," Land Economics, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 83(3), pages 353-369.
    5. Kahn, Matthew E., 2007. "Do greens drive Hummers or hybrids? Environmental ideology as a determinant of consumer choice," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 54(2), pages 129-145, September.
    6. John C. Driscoll & Aart C. Kraay, 1998. "Consistent Covariance Matrix Estimation With Spatially Dependent Panel Data," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 80(4), pages 549-560, November.
    7. Dora L. Costa & Matthew E. Kahn, 2013. "Energy Conservation “Nudges” And Environmentalist Ideology: Evidence From A Randomized Residential Electricity Field Experiment," Journal of the European Economic Association, European Economic Association, vol. 11(3), pages 680-702, June.
    8. Liddle, Brantley, 2015. "What Are the Carbon Emissions Elasticities for Income and Population? Bridging STIRPAT and EKC via robust heterogeneous panel estimates," MPRA Paper 61304, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    9. Andrew Gelman & Lane Kenworthy & Yu‐Sung Su, 2010. "Income Inequality and Partisan Voting in the United States," Social Science Quarterly, Southwestern Social Science Association, vol. 91(5), pages 1203-1219, December.
    10. Andrew Gelman & Lane Kenworthy & Yu-Sung Su, 2010. "Income Inequality and Partisan Voting in the United States," Social Science Quarterly, Southwestern Social Science Association, vol. 91(s1), pages 1203-1219.
    11. Daniel Hoechle, 2007. "Robust standard errors for panel regressions with cross-sectional dependence," Stata Journal, StataCorp LP, vol. 7(3), pages 281-312, September.
    12. Martin Johnson & Paul Brace & Kevin Arceneaux, 2005. "Public Opinion and Dynamic Representation in the American States: The Case of Environmental Attitudes," Social Science Quarterly, Southwestern Social Science Association, vol. 86(1), pages 87-108, March.
    13. Eugene A. Rosa & Thomas Dietz, 2012. "Human drivers of national greenhouse-gas emissions," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 2(8), pages 581-586, August.
    14. Byrne, John & Hughes, Kristen & Rickerson, Wilson & Kurdgelashvili, Lado, 2007. "American policy conflict in the greenhouse: Divergent trends in federal, regional, state, and local green energy and climate change policy," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(9), pages 4555-4573, September.
    15. Dinda, Soumyananda, 2004. "Environmental Kuznets Curve Hypothesis: A Survey," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 49(4), pages 431-455, August.
    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. Juan Antonio Duro & Jordi Teixidó-Figueras & Emilio Padilla, 2017. "The Causal Factors of International Inequality in $$\hbox {CO}_{2}$$ CO 2 Emissions Per Capita: A Regression-Based Inequality Decomposition Analysis," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 67(4), pages 683-700, August.
    2. Indra de Soysa, 2022. "Economic freedom vs. egalitarianism: An empirical test of weak & strong sustainability, 1970–2017," Kyklos, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 75(2), pages 236-268, May.
    3. Eduardo Polloni-Silva & Diogo Ferraz & Flávia de Castro Camioto & Daisy Aparecida do Nascimento Rebelatto & Herick Fernando Moralles, 2021. "Environmental Kuznets Curve and the Pollution-Halo/Haven Hypotheses: An Investigation in Brazilian Municipalities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(8), pages 1-19, April.
    4. Lars Sorge & Anne Neumann, 2019. "The Impact of Population, Affluence, Technology, and Urbanization on CO2 Emissions across Income Groups," Discussion Papers of DIW Berlin 1812, DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research.
    5. Asane-Otoo, Emmanuel, 2015. "Carbon footprint and emission determinants in Africa," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 82(C), pages 426-435.
    6. Juan Antonio Duro & Jordi Teixidó-Figueras & Emilio Padilla Rosa, 2014. "The causal factors of international inequality in CO2 emissions per capita: A regression-based inequality decomposition analysis," Working Papers wpdea1402, Department of Applied Economics at Universitat Autonoma of Barcelona.
    7. Teixidó-Figueras, Jordi & Duro, Juan Antonio, 2015. "The building blocks of International Ecological Footprint inequality: A Regression-Based Decomposition," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 118(C), pages 30-39.
    8. Ofori, Pamela E. & Ofori, Isaac K. & Annan, Kenneth, 2024. "The Role of Energy Equity and Income Inequality in Environmental Sustainability," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, issue forthcomi.
    9. Fatemeh Dehdar & Nuno Silva & José Alberto Fuinhas & Matheus Koengkan & Nazia Nazeer, 2022. "The Impact of Technology and Government Policies on OECD Carbon Dioxide Emissions," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(22), pages 1-17, November.
    10. Hongbo Liu & Hanho Kim & Justin Choe, 2019. "Export diversification, CO2 emissions and EKC: panel data analysis of 125 countries," Asia-Pacific Journal of Regional Science, Springer, vol. 3(2), pages 361-393, June.
    11. Phetkeo Poumanyvong & Shinji Kaneko & Shobhakar Dhakal, 2012. "Impacts of urbanization on national residential energy use and CO2 emissions: Evidence from low-, middle- and high-income countries," IDEC DP2 Series 2-5, Hiroshima University, Graduate School for International Development and Cooperation (IDEC).
    12. Axel Franzen & Sebastian Mader, 2016. "Predictors of national CO2 emissions: do international commitments matter?," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 139(3), pages 491-502, December.
    13. Zhang, Chuanguo & Nian, Jiang, 2013. "Panel estimation for transport sector CO2 emissions and its affecting factors: A regional analysis in China," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 918-926.
    14. Mazzanti, Massimiliano & Musolesi, Antonio, 2009. "Carbon Kuznets Curves: Long-run Structural Dynamics and Policy Events," Sustainable Development Papers 55286, Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei (FEEM).
    15. Ofori, Pamela E. & Ofori, Isaac K. & Annan, Kenneth, 2024. "The Role of Energy Equity and Income Inequality in Environmental Sustainability," MPRA Paper 121495, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    16. Ali, Qamar & Yaseen, Muhammad Rizwan & Anwar, Sofia & Makhdum, Muhammad Sohail Amjad & Khan, Muhammad Tariq Iqbal, 2021. "The impact of tourism, renewable energy, and economic growth on ecological footprint and natural resources: A panel data analysis," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).
    17. Sun, Chuanwang & Khan, Anwar & Liu, Yongzhe & Lei, Ni, 2022. "An analysis of the impact of fiscal and monetary policy fluctuations on the disaggregated level renewable energy generation in the G7 countries," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 189(C), pages 1154-1165.
    18. Acheampong, Alex O. & Opoku, Eric Evans Osei & Dzator, Janet, 2022. "Does democracy really improve environmental quality? Empirical contribution to the environmental politics debate," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 109(C).
    19. Ekonomou, George & Halkos, George, 2023. "Is tourism growth a power of environmental‘de -degradation’? An empirical analysis for Eurozone economic space," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 1016-1029.
    20. Zhang, Chuanguo & Zhou, Xiangxue, 2016. "Does foreign direct investment lead to lower CO2 emissions? Evidence from a regional analysis in China," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 943-951.

    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:spr:jenvss:v:9:y:2019:i:4:d:10.1007_s13412-019-00563-y. 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: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.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.