Bureaucratic Professionalism and its effects on C02 Mitigation: A Global Analysis

Reducing CO₂ emissions requires not only strong policies but also effective public institutions capable of implementing them. This study investigates the role of bureaucratic professionalism—defined as the existence of meritocratic recruitment, career stability, and insulation from political interference in a bureaucracy—in shaping CO₂ emissions. Drawing on data covering 125 countries and three years spanning the 2012-2020 period, we find that higher levels of bureaucratic professionalism are associated with lower CO₂ emissions, even after accounting for economic, political, and territorial factors. Contrary to expectations, we find little role that levels of state territorial authority and civil society density moderate this effect. Our findings highlight the importance of institutional quality in climate policy success. They call for renewed focus on strengthening bureaucratic capacity as part of global climate governance strategies and additional research aimed at uncovering the nuances of this relationship.