The rule of law has been found central in promoting environmental sustainability. While existing literature has examined certain aspects of the rule of law and environmental sustainability in analyzing their association, there remains a gap in our understanding of the intricate linkages between these two concepts. Specifically, there is a lack of a holistic approach to exploring the relationship between the rule of law and environmental sustainability. To address this gap, this study aims to conduct a thorough examination of the relationship between the rule of law and environmental sustainability. Our study, based on the rule of law index (ROLI) and the environmental performance index (EPI), reveals that environmental performance is closely associated with the rule of law. Environmental performance is particularly related to certain dimensions of the rule of law, such as ‘constraints on government powers’, ‘open government’, ‘fundamental rights’, and ‘criminal justice’. However, it should be noted that regional variations exist. For instance, the ROLI and the EPI are not clearly associated in the least-developed countries. Overall, results show that the rule of law plays an important role in enhancing environmental performance across developing and developed countries. Our study suggests considering the importance of community engagement and an effective, impartial, and independent justice system to improve environmental performance.
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