The Conditioning Role of Institutions in Environment-Health Outcomes Nexus in Africa

Abstract

This paper examines the conditioning role of institutions in environment-health outcomes nexus in African for a period spanning from 1996 to 2016. The following findings are established using a panel system GMM estimator. First, the unqualified influence of carbon emission on health outcomes is found to be positive and significant statistically. Specifically, it affects human life longevity negatively but positively increases infant deaths and healthcare spending. Second, institutional dysfunctions have an unconditional negative and significant effect on health outcomes. Unambiguously, low regulatory quality and government ineffectiveness weaken life expectancy and amplify the number of infant deaths, while poor corruption control unrestrictedly affects healthcare expenses. Third, the marginal impact of interactions between carbon emission and institutions on life longevity is negative but positive for infant mortality and health expenditure. Lastly, the corresponding net effects of the interaction between environmental pollutants and institutions are equally negative on life expectancy while positive on infant mortality and health expenditure. It means that institutions do not play a supportive role in ameliorating the negative effect of environmental degradation on health outcomes. Thus, strengthening regulatory control, government effectiveness and control of corruption hold the impetus to ensuring environmental balance and improving healthy living and other health-related outcomes.