RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 A Legacy Through Millennia
JF Land Economics
JO Land Econ
FD University of Wisconsin Press
SP 110824-0106R
DO 10.3368/le.102.2.110824-0106R
A1 Wu, Jianxian
YR 2025
UL http://le.uwpress.org/content/early/2025/09/26/le.102.2.110824-0106R.abstract
AB Societal functioning necessitates both formal and informal institutions. However, the existing body of literature predominantly emphasizes the influence of formal institutions on climate change, often neglecting the role of informal mechanisms. This study, drawing on clan networks within China, investigates the influence of informal institutions on county-level carbon emissions. Utilizing the historical number of Confucian temples as an instrument, the findings suggest that informal institutions contribute to an unexpected increase in carbon emissions. This effect is attributed to corruption and deficiencies in environmental enforcement. Gender diversity among local leadership mitigates the adverse effects associated with informal institutions.