The Role of Corruption in Shaping Environmental Quality in India: A Quantile Regression Approach

This study investigates the impact of corruption on CO2 emissions in India by utilising panel data from 19 Indian states spanning the period 1993 to 2020. The analysis reveals a positive and significant relationship between corruption and CO2 emissions, with the adverse impact of corruption becoming more pronounced at higher emission quantiles. These findings support the institutional quality hypothesis, which posits that weak governance and high levels of corruption undermine the effectiveness of environmental regulations. Consequently, this leads to increased illegal industrial activities and the overexploitation of resources, further intensifying environmental degradation.