Green Governance

Unveiling Factors Influencing Environmental Policy in Developing Countries

Abstract

What are the factors that contribute to good green governance? While the literature provides answers for developed countries, including a strong institutional capacity or democratic development, these factors have not been thoroughly examined in the context of developing countries. This article aims to test the applicability of these factors to developing countries. The study finds that despite criticisms that Western-style good governance frameworks are not suitable for the developing world, the basic principles of these frameworks, such as the rule of law, civil society, lack of corruption, and a strong bureaucracy, are crucial for developing countries to enhance their institutional capacities and implement effective national environmental policies. The article theorizes that factors such as regime type and corruption significantly contribute to the quality of domestic environmental policies in developing nations. It applies regression analysis to assess the success of national environmental policies in developing countries on a large N and validates the argument by presenting two case studies, namely Chile and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The findings suggest that before implementing large-scale environmental projects, developing countries should prioritize enhancing their democratic institutions in ways both fundamental and suitable to their contexts, especially by reducing corruption, to achieve a positive impact.