ABSTRACT

This study examines the impact of trade facilitation and institutions on sustainable environment on a panel of 41 Sub-Saharan African countries over the period 2005–2014. Six composite indicators of trade facilitation (namely: export costs, import costs, export documents, import documents, export time, and import time) with a composite index (TFindex) are employed on four indicators of environmental sustainability (viz; natural resource depletion, net forest depletion, biocapacity, and ecological footprint of consumption) together with their combined index (Envindex) using the System Generalized Method of Moments. The following findings are established: first, the indicators of TF are significant and positively correlated with environmental sustainability (ES). Second, institutional quality dampens ES for the most part of the models. Third, the adverse effects of TF measures, institutional quality, and their interactive terms seem more severe from consumption angle than production, thus suggesting that the sources of environmental pollutants are more consumption oriented than production. What is more, Environmental Kuznets Curve Thesis finds a further empirical support. Going forward, the need for a well-harmonized trade facilitation procedure within a sound institutional environment, supported by a well-implemented national environmental protection law hold the promising key to addressing the prevailing environmental issues in the continent.

摘要

本研究考察了 2005-2014 年期间贸易便利化和制度对 41 个撒哈拉以南非洲国家组成的小组对可持续环境的影响。贸易便利化的六项综合指标（即：出口成本、进口成本、出口单证、进口单证、出口时间和进口时间）和综合指数（TFindex）用于环境可持续性的四项指标（即自然资源枯竭、净森林消耗、生物承载力和消费的生态足迹）及其组合指数（Envindex），使用系统广义矩量法。建立了以下发现：首先，TF的指标显着且与环境可持续性（ES）呈正相关。其次，制度质量抑制了大部分模型的 ES。第三，TF措施、制度质量及其交互项的不利影响从消费角度看比生产更严重，这表明环境污染物的来源更倾向于消费而不是生产。更重要的是，环境库兹涅茨曲线论文找到了进一步的经验支持。展望未来，需要在健全的制度环境下建立协调一致的贸易便利化程序，并辅以实施良好的国家环境保护法，这是解决非洲大陆普遍存在的环境问题的关键。更重要的是，环境库兹涅茨曲线论文找到了进一步的经验支持。展望未来，需要在健全的制度环境下建立协调一致的贸易便利化程序，并辅以执行良好的国家环境保护法，这是解决非洲大陆普遍存在的环境问题的关键。更重要的是，环境库兹涅茨曲线论文找到了进一步的经验支持。展望未来，需要在健全的制度环境下建立协调一致的贸易便利化程序，并辅以实施良好的国家环境保护法，这是解决非洲大陆普遍存在的环境问题的关键。