Democracy and climate change policies: is history important?

Fredriksson, Per G. and Neumayer, Eric (2013) Democracy and climate change policies: is history important? Ecological Economics, 95 . pp. 11-19. ISSN 0921-8009

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Abstract

This paper argues that it is countries' historical experience with democracy, the democratic capital stock, rather than current levels of democracy that determines current climate change policies. Empirical evidence using data starting as far back as year 1800 for 87 countries, which together are responsible for 93.7% of global carbon emissions, suggests that the democratic capital stock has an important and robust effect on climate change policies. A history of executive constraints is particularly important. The current level of democracy does not play a role once democratic capital has been accounted for.

Item Type:	Article
Official URL:	http://www.elsevier.com/locate/ecolecon
Additional Information:	© 2013 Elsevier B.V.
Library of Congress subject classification:	G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GE Environmental Sciences H Social Sciences > HC Economic History and Conditions
Journal of Economic Literature Classification System:	H - Public Economics > H2 - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue > H23 - Externalities; Redistributive Effects; Environmental Taxes and Subsidies H - Public Economics > H8 - Miscellaneous Issues > H87 - International Fiscal Issues; International Public Goods Q - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics > Q5 - Environmental Economics > Q54 - Climate; Natural Disasters Q - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics > Q5 - Environmental Economics > Q58 - Government Policy
Sets:	Departments > Geography and Environment
Date Deposited:	16 Sep 2013 08:08
URL:	http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/52594/

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