Economics of the Environment and Infant Mortality in Sub-Saharan Africa

Onanuga, Olaronke and Onanuga, Abayomi (2014): Economics of the Environment and Infant Mortality in Sub-Saharan Africa. Published in: African Journal of Scientific Research , Vol. 12, No. 1 (31 June 2014): pp. 689-703.

Abstract

Studies have used ambient air pollutant concentrations to explain infant mortality. Thus, this study investigates the impact of carbon dioxide emission on infant mortality, while controlling for other covariates of human well-being in sub-Sahara Africa using a panel FGLS and GMM for the period 1990-2012. Our findings reveal that: there is a positive relationship between carbon dioxide emission and infant mortality; access to water has a significant negative impact on infant mortality rate; there is a significant positive relationship between access to sanitation and infant mortality rate; food production index has a significant negative impact on infant mortality rate; GDP per capita has a significant negative relationship with infant mortality rate; urban population as a percentage of total population is significantly positively related with infant mortality rate; and fertility rate has a significantly positive relationship with infant mortality rate while relative change in fertility rate has a significant inverse relationship with relative change in infant mortality rate.

• Item Type: MPRA Paper
• Language: English
• Keywords: carbon dioxide, infant mortality, FGLS, GMM
• Subjects: C - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods > C3 - Multiple or Simultaneous Equation Models ; Multiple Variables > C33 - Panel Data Models ; Spatio-temporal Models; I - Health, Education, and Welfare > I1 - Health > I12 - Health Behavior; Q - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics ; Environmental and Ecological Economics > Q5 - Environmental Economics > Q53 - Air Pollution ; Water Pollution ; Noise ; Hazardous Waste ; Solid Waste ; Recycling

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