Voting for the environment: the importance of democracy and education in Latin America

Authors

  • Danny Garcia Callejas Departamento de Economía, Universidad de Antioquia.

Keywords:

Democracy, Environmental Quality, CO2 Emissions per Capita, Latin America, Panel System of Equations

Abstract

This study found that doubling the level of democracy in Latin America reduces CO2 emissions per capita by up to 6%. This relationship is estimated by using a fixed effects panel system of equations for 19 Latin American countries, between 1995 and 2008. Democracy acts as a conduit for increasing demands on environmental quality in Latin America, due to increases in urban population and prosperity. Nevertheless, this study has, at least, two caveats: first it cannot unveil the long run relationship between democracy and environmental quality in Latin America; and, secondly, this study assumes that democracy entails positives outcomes for countries adopting this political system.

Author Biography

Danny Garcia Callejas, Departamento de Economía, Universidad de Antioquia.

Profesor del Departamento de Economía con maestría en Economía de la Universidad de McGill y maestría y doctorado en Políticas Públicas de la Universidad de Massachusetts.

Published

2015-12-11

Issue

Section

Science article