Abstract
In this article, we examine the effect of civil society capacity on environmental compliance. We argue that civil society development positively impacts compliance with environmental regulations. Our empirical findings suggest that a well-developed civil society contributes to better environmental performance of enterprises. This is robust to controlling for the levels of income and environmental awareness across countries as well as their regional characteristics. Thus, the study provides evidence for the important role of enhancing civil society participation in achieving greater environmental protection and has significant policy implications.