Public governance and national environmental performance nexus: Evidence from cross-country studies

This study examines how public governance, including voice and accountability, political stability, government effectiveness, regulatory quality, rule of law, and control of corruption, affects national environmental performance in various countries. It also looks at how gross national income moderates the relationship between public governance and environmental performance. The findings show that political stability and regulatory quality positively influence environmental performance at the national level. In contrast, voice and accountability, government effectiveness, and the rule of law negatively correlate. Furthermore, in wealthier countries, voice and accountability, government effectiveness, and the rule of law enhance national environmental performance, while political stability and regulatory quality benefits diminish as income increases. These results emphasize the importance of the economic context in the interaction between public governance and environmental performance, indicating that wealthier nations are more capable of leveraging public governance for environmental improvements. The study offers crucial insights for policymakers aiming to align public governance reforms with environmental objectives, particularly in countries at varying economic development stages.