Greenhouse gas emissions, regulatory quality, and health outcomes in West Africa

West African countries face growing health risks from rising greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, yet the role of regulatory quality in shaping these outcomes remains underexplored. This study examines the moderating effect of regulatory quality on the relationship between GHG emissions and health outcomes, measured by life expectancy at birth and infant mortality, in fifteen West African countries from 1996 to 2023. Using panel data from the World Development Indicators and Worldwide Governance Indicators, the analysis applies Feasible Generalised Least Squares (FGLS) to address heteroscedasticity and autocorrelation. The findings show that higher GHG emissions reduce life expectancy and increase infant mortality. Disaggregated results indicate that CO₂ emissions from the transport sector have stronger adverse health effects than total CO₂ emissions. Stronger regulatory quality significantly mitigates these negative impacts, underscoring the importance of effective environmental governance. In addition, higher GDP per capita and improved access to safe drinking water and sanitation are associated with better health outcomes. The study emphasises the need for stronger, sector-specific environmental regulations, particularly in transport and energy, alongside investments in basic services to improve population health and promote sustainable development in West Africa.