Analysis of the relationship between inequality and environmental pollution

Abstract

The regions of the Russian Federation are characterized by a strong differentiation of both the level of income and the level of emissions of pollutants into the atmosphere. Meanwhile, income inequality can both contribute to an increase in pollution levels and hinder its growth. In this regard, there are risks of increasing the amount of emissions into the environment when conducting inconsistent tax or social policies. The paper presents an overview of modern research devoted to the study of the impact of inequality on environmental pollution. It turns out that high levels of income inequality can have a positive impact on environmental pollution in developed countries and rich regions and a negative impact in developing countries and poor regions.

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