Decentralization and Environmental Quality: An International Analysis of Water Pollution Levels and Variation
研究了分权对全球河流水污染水平及国内地区间污染差异的影响，发现联邦制国家污染差异更大，但未出现“逐底竞争”现象。
This paper explores the empirical effects of decentralization on environmental quality by studying water pollution in rivers around the world. It examines the level of pollution and variation in pollution across jurisdictions within a country, for both a local and a regional pollutant. Federal countries exhibit greater interjurisdictional variation in pollution, supporting the traditional view that decentralization allows policies more tailored to local conditions. The analysis does not point to a “race to the bottom” in pollution levels. <i></i>