Impact of Environmental Degradation on Life Expectancy: Evidence from Global and Regional Economies

Authors

  • Samina Ali School of Economics, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan.
  • Ayesha Rehman 5School of Economics, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan.
  • Attiqa Gul 5School of Economics, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan.
  • Monaza Shaheen University of Kotli, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan
  • Muhammad Tariq Majeed 5School of Economics, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.69591/jcihs.3.1.4

Keywords:

Life Expectancy, CO2 emissions, Panel Data, System GMM, Panel Quantile Regression

Abstract

Background: Environmental degradation has significant implications for human health; however the empirical evidence on its global and regional impacts remains limited.

Objective: This study examines the effect of environmental degradation, proxied by CO2 emissions, on health outcomes measured by life expectancy (LE).

Methods: The analysis employs panel data covering the period from 1990 to 2024 and incorporates control variables including GDP, education, access to healthcare, and urbanization. To establish robust causal relationships, the study employs pooled ordinary least squares (OLS), fixed-effects, random-effects, and system method of moments (GMM) estimators. In Addition, panel quantile regression is used to capture heterogeneous effects across different levels of LE.

Results: The findings show that CO2 emissions have a significant negative impact on global health, reducing LE. Regional analysis further reveals substantial variations in the impact of CO2 emissions on

LE across different regions. Among all the regions, notably in Europe, the adverse effect of CO2 emissions on LE is more pronounced at higher quantiles.

Conclusions: The results underscore the need for an equity-focused policy approach that stregnthens resilience among vulnerable populations and mitigates the health impacts of environmental degradation.

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Published

2025-06-30

Issue

Vol. 3 No. 1 (2025)

Section

Articles

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Copyright (c) 2025 Samina Ali, Ayesha Rehman, Attiqa Gul, Munaza Shaheen, Dr. Muhammad Tariq Majeed

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