December 20, 2012

Environmental performance affected by ethnic and religious diversity




Ethnically or religiously diverse countries underinvest in measures to improve their environmental performance, according to new research by an academic at the University of East Anglia.

Dr Elissaios Papyrakis also found that religious diversity has a more detrimental impact on environmental performance than ethnic differences. These social differences, if they cannot be overcome, may lower collective action and reduce public spending on environmental protection and performance.

The study, Environmental Performance in Socially Fragmented Countries, is published online in the journal Environmental and Resource Economics.