Investigating the democracy and environmental sustainability nexus in 52 African countries: Evidence from two‐stage least squares and quantile regression

Abstract

Abstract Objectives This study has investigated the impact of democracy on the sustainability of the environment in 52 African countries between 1990 and 2020. Methods The study utilized the ordinary least square as the baseline estimation technique, the two‐stage least square to account for endogeneity, and the quantile regression to account for existing levels of carbon emissions (CO 2 ), which is a proxy for environmental sustainability. Results Our findings show that improving the quality of African democracies will see a significant reduction in the level of CO 2 emissions. Electoral and egalitarian democracy have a greater impact on reducing CO 2 emissions in Africa and thus improving environmental sustainability. Further findings show that improving the quality of Africa's democracy will better dampen the level of CO 2 emissions in African countries where the existing level of CO 2 emissions is at its highest levels. Conclusions The findings highlight the importance of political institutions in improving environmental sustainability in Africa.