Leaders background, environmental policy and quality of environment: evidence from some developing countries

This study employs a quasi-experimental methodology, utilizing two-stage residuals regression, propensity score matching (PSM), and difference-in-differences (DiD) techniques to examine the relationship between the leader’s background, environmental policy, and environmental performance in some 55 developing countries. The analysis is based on a sample of 189 presidents from 1995 to 2018. The findings of this study demonstrate that the leader’s educational and professional background exhibits global variations in estimation techniques, yet the results from environmental policies remain consistent. The results indicate that a leader’s background is not a significant factor in environmental performance; rather, environmental response is positively influenced by their actions.