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The Aichi biodiversity targets were established by the UN convention of biological diversity and consist of 20 specific targets to address and mitigate biodiversity loss across the globe. We consider countries in East and South Asia. Countries in East and South Asia are very different in size and level of economic development. As such Sustainable Development Goal challenges vary greatly across countries. The 2022 Environmental Performance Index (EPI) provides a quantitative basis for comparing, analyzing, and understanding environmental performance for 180 countries. The EPI score and rank these countries on their environmental performance using the most recent year of data available and calculate how these scores have changed over the previous decade. We determine the similarity between the country achievement rankings of the Aichi Targets and the EPI rankings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the last few years, discussions and debates around environmental sustainability have become a key goal of the global agenda. This is because the latest studies and our direct experiences of the consequences of environmental degradation and climate change are showing that economic models need some urgent changes. The goal of this paper was to investigate the effects of foreign direct investment (FDI) flow on environmental sustainability globally. The balanced panel data of 100 countries from 2000 to 2020 were used for empirical analysis to understand the relationship between FDI inflow and environmental performance index (EPI) for countries with different income levels. The estimation is made using the two-step system GMM model as it gives more robust and efficient results in this study. The results of the dynamic panel model do not support the pollution haven hypothesis, i.e., FDI inflow was not found to have any statistically significant effect on EPI. The findings of the paper suggest that to improve environmental quality globally, it is important for governments to invest more in renewable energy projects as clean energy consumption can be one of the most efficient solutions for reducing the impact of climate change. Moreover, countries need to reduce the unemployment rate as it significantly improves the environmental quality according to our estimation results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to effectively address environmental issues, it is important for governments to identify the problems causing environmental pollution within their scope and to develop appropriate solution policies. In order to identify environmental problems and develop necessary policies, it is necessary to consider the environmental performance of countries. Therefore, measuring the environmental performance of countries is of great importance. One of the prominent indices in measuring environmental performance today is the Environmental Performance Index (EPI) developed by Yale University. The main purpose of EPI is to quantitatively measure and compare the environmental performances of countries in order to monitor their progress in environmental sustainability. As of 2022, EPI consists of three main criteria: climate change, environmental health, and ecosystem vitality. In this study, Turkey’s environmental performance was evaluated using the Entropy-based PROMETHEE method with international EPI 2022 data. Subsequently, the environmental performances of Turkey and other Eastern European countries were compared in terms of criterion superiority to determine their strengths and weaknesses. In this context, various sub-criteria were analyzed under main criteria such as climate change mitigation, air quality, sanitation and drinking water, heavy metals, waste management, biodiversity and habitat, ecosystem services, fisheries, acid rain, agriculture, and water resources. As a result of the analysis conducted as of 2022, it emerged that Turkey generally exhibited weak environmental performance among Eastern European countries and there is a need for improvement in each criterion. Giving priority to criteria such as Climate Change Mitigation, Sanitation and Drinking Water, Biodiversity and Habitat, Fisheries, and Acid Rain, in which Turkey obtained the lowest scores in the ranking, would be a more strategic approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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. Key policy highlights: The rule of law is fundamental in promoting and ensuring environmental sustainability. We examine the relationship between indicators of the rule of law and environmental sustainability. We use data from the Rule of Law Index (ROLI) and Environmental Performance Index (EPI). We provide a global analysis and elaborate on regional variations. We discuss mediating factors that may influence the nexus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aimed to present an index (IEP) to evaluate the environmental performance of the sugar-energy industrial process based on the waste generated in manufacturing operations. The residues considered in this study were: vinasse, filter cake, ash and soot, residual waters, and sewage sludge. Methods: The index created was developed to take into account, and to be directly proportional to the environmental impact of each residue generated by the sugar-energy production, to the relative spatial dispersion that each waste can reach, and to the environmental fragility of the hydrographic basin where the plant under evaluation is inserted and works. The lower IEP, the better the company valuation. Results: The index was tested in a real company and exhibited an IEP Total = 1,4.1013 km2.p/yr, which shows weak waste management by the enterprise. Vinasse was responsible for 50% of the IEP Total, while filter cake contributed 45% to it. Ash and soot, residual waters, and sewage sludge were together responsible for 5% of the IEP Total. Conclusion: The theoretical conception used in this study is inspiring for the development of new studies on environmental assessment measurement. The study showed that vinasse is the most problematic waste in environmental terms, a conclusion that is in line with academic studies. Nevertheless, the waste with the greatest potential impact on the environment is filter cake. Despite this, filter cake presented a lower IEP(i) than vinasse, given that its negative impact on the basin is smaller. Both wastes contributed 95% of the IEP Total, which places them among the residues to be managed with greater attention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the formation of composite index constructs, some constraints are encountered with respect to considerations such as the availability or accessibility of indicators, weights of such indicators, sub-indicators or variables to be used for reaching the indicators, data pertaining to such variables, and the determination of the most convenient method to be used for arranging the data set. In addition, it is required for the methods to be used to comply with the aim of the index to be formed. Researchers who want to develop a composite environmental index are required to consider all these considerations. This study aims to indicate and discuss the composite environmental index formation process through the examination of the EPI, which is a global composite index. One might argue that it contributes to the explanation of the composite index construction process, which has been examined, albeit limitedly, in the literature. Eventually, the methods that may be used in the index formation process by the researchers who want to form a composite index were discussed, and suggestions that may improve the methodological strength of the indices to be developed by them were presented. Our findings indicate the absence of an established theoretical methodology for composite sustainability indices. The creation of these indices has depended entirely on the expertise of the involved researchers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to effectively address environmental issues, it is important for governments to identify the problems causing environmental pollution within their scope and to develop appropriate solution policies. In order to identify environmental problems and develop necessary policies, it is necessary to consider the environmental performance of countries. Therefore, measuring the environmental performance of countries is of great importance. One of the prominent indices in measuring environmental performance today is the Environmental Performance Index (EPI) developed by Yale University. The main purpose of EPI is to quantitatively measure and compare the environmental performances of countries in order to monitor their progress in environmental sustainability. As of 2022, EPI consists of three main criteria: climate change, environmental health, and ecosystem vitality. In this study, Turkey’s environmental performance was evaluated using the Entropy-based PROMETHEE method with international EPI 2022 data. Subsequently, the environmental performances of Turkey and other Eastern European countries were compared in terms of criterion superiority to determine their strengths and weaknesses. In this context, various sub-criteria were analyzed under main criteria such as climate change mitigation, air quality, sanitation and drinking water, heavy metals, waste management, biodiversity and habitat, ecosystem services, fisheries, acid rain, agriculture, and water resources. As a result of the analysis conducted as of 2022, it emerged that Turkey generally exhibited weak environmental performance among Eastern European countries and there is a need for improvement in each criterion. Giving priority to criteria such as Climate Change Mitigation, Sanitation and Drinking Water, Biodiversity and Habitat, Fisheries, and Acid Rain, in which Turkey obtained the lowest scores in the ranking, would be a more strategic approach.

Background: Environmental performance indexes are numerical values that provide insights into the condition of the environment and human health. This study focuses on the use of the Sustainability Balanced Scorecard (SBSC) as a multidimensional tool for measuring environmental performance and health in mining companies. The application of SBSC is crucial in guiding mining companies towards sustainable development and human health objectives. Methods: Based on the literature and research background, 75 initial indicators were examined. Subsequently, 28 indicators were selected as final indicators. The Fuzzy Analytical Network Process (FANP) method was used for weighting and ranking the perspectives of the SBSC. Additionally, a pairwise comparison questionnaire was designed and distributed among the experts. Results: The research findings demonstrated that among various perspectives of the SBSC, the "growth and learning" perspective had the highest average weight of 0.48, indicating its superiority over other perspectives. The "society" perspective ranked second, with an average weight of 0.24, while the "environment and health" perspective ranked third, with an average weight of 0.22. Finally, the "economy" perspective ranked fourth with an average weight of 0.16 compared with the other perspectives. Conclusion: The primary objective of the present study was to identify, prioritise, and assess the aspects that influence sustainability, and after that provide a complete framework for evaluating sustainability performance in the mining industry. To achieve this, a sophisticated theoretical framework called SBSC was introduced. This framework provides a strong means of measuring and evaluating sustainable performance in mining and related sectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a vast body of literature dedicated to identifying the major drivers that explain human impacts on the environment. In this study, we utilize the STIRPAT framework to assess whether two controversial factors should be considered when examining how humans affect the environment. Specifically, we investigate whether the quality of the democratic regime and the size of the informal economy play significant roles in determining human impacts on the environment. To address this question, we employ the extreme bounds analysis (EBA) to characterize these drivers as either robust or fragile. Based on the findings of this paper, both variables are classified as fragile, suggesting that they may not fully explain human impacts on the environment. We have taken great care in interpreting the results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A hospital is a health care organization that provides services to treat the patient with specialized medical personnel, nursing staff with medicine, equipment and offers lifestyles-saving services to human beings. The hospital waste generated during the epidemic diseases like novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has led to an extra burden on the hospitals to control illness and significantly accelerated the biomedical waste generation rate. The abrupt spread of the COVID-19 virus has resulted in a significant increase in bio-medical waste, which has worsened the problem of medical waste management in India. In this study, the RIAM technique and sustainability model analysis the severity of COVID-19 on hospitals and compares the waste management practices of various hospitals before and during COVID-19. In addition, for comparing purposes, the environmental performance index is used in conjunction with RIAM scores. The Hospital "G" chosen as the most viable sustainability option during COVID-19, while Hospital "E" chosen as the most sustainable hospital in times prior to the COVID-19. The K Hospital is ranked worst of the hospitals surveyed in both before and during COVID-19. Only a few hospitals follow the biomedical waste management rules and COVID-19 guidelines for safe BMW management and the hospitals exert an extra load of waste due to epidemic conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Kibira National Park, Burundi, socioeconomic and demographic factors lead to environmental performance challenges that impede biodiversity; thus, understanding the impact of these determinants on land use and land cover change is important to address these challenges. In this study, a multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) model was used to quantify the impact of socioeconomic and demographic factors on land cover/land use (LCLU) changes using Landsat images captured between 1990 and 2021. In addition, the impact of the environmental performance index (EPI), particularly ecosystem vitality (ECO), on landscape fragmentation was examined using a Spearman correlation analysis. A Pearson correlation analysis and a principal component analysis (PCA) were used to investigate the connections between the indicators of relevance in this study. The results reveal a decrease in forestland from 86.1% to 81.32%, a decrease in water bodies from 0.352% to 0.178%, and a decrease in open land from 2.124% to 1.134%, whereas grassland increased from 11.43% to 17.37% between 1990 and 2021. The landscape fragmentation in the edge density, contagion (CONTAG), largest patch index (LPI), number of patches (NP), and patch density (PD) was reduced in 2011 but increased again from 2016 to 2021, when only the ED fragmentation continued to decrease. The MANOVA results show that the rural population had a significant impact on LCLU changes at the 5% level of significance. Demographic factors significantly contributed to changes in grassland and forestland at a probability of 5%. In addition, moderately significant connections were observed between population growth per year and water and between gross domestic product (GDP) and grassland at the 10% level. ECO issues in ecosystem services (ECSs) were statistically significant for the increased fragmentation metrics, while biodiversity and habitat (BDH) were important for reducing the edge density (ED) at a 5% level of significance. The Pearson correlations showed a substantial positive relationship between the socioeconomic and demographic components, whereas a negative connection was found between the forestland and BDH indicators. These findings are essential for understanding the significant drivers of LCLU changes and the influence of environmental performance on the landscape pattern. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainability is considered to be one of the biggest issues in the current time. This study aims to understand the role of sustainability further by revisiting the much-debated and intricate relationship between economic growth and environmental performance and to provide guidance to policymakers. Using a large sample of data from 180 countries over the period from 2002 to 2017 a measure that captures the various aspects of environmental performance, the study performs a test of the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) hypothesis, which defines the relationship between economic growth and environmental deterioration. Controlling for several associated macroeconomic and governance variables, the results suggest that for certain regions, viz. Asia, Eastern Europe, and North America, higher economic growth, as proxied by per capita GDP, has a negative association with environmental performance (measured by Environmental Performance Indices, EPI), indicating that the former may prove detrimental to the later. The results suggest a unidirectional relationship between the two variables and are also robust to endogeneity concerns that are often emphasized in the EKC literature. The study documents similar results for lower-income and lower-middle-income countries. Interestingly, the authors also find that small-sized governments in developing nations have a positive association with environmental performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Itobiad: Journal of the Human & Social Science Researches / İnsan ve Toplum Bilimleri Araştırmaları Dergisi is the property of Itobiad: Journal of the Human & Social Science Researches and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Environmental protection issues faced by companies constitute a challenging research topic. The main objective of the study was to research if companies’ environmental performance relates to the quality of information contained in the environmental reports.

Introduction: Investment decisions by many private and institutional investors are made taking into account the information (current estimates, forecasts, trends) contained in various country ratings regularly published by leading international financial and regulatory organizations (IMF, IBRD, UN), which allows investors to assess the level of risk and return on investment in various projects in these countries. The article evaluates the Environmental Performance Index (EPI), the most common in international studies, from the point of view of its use as a comprehensive tool for comparative analysis and an indicator for assessing the success of achieving the goals of sustainable social and environmental development of Russian regions. Purpose: Analysis of the feasibility of using EPI and its individual elements as part of an integrated approach to assessing the effectiveness of social and environmental development of Russia and its regions. Results: The authors reviewed the transformation of the methodology for calculating EPI over the entire period of its compilation; analyzed the dynamics of indicators, directions and blocks that make up the Index; assessed their adequacy to the geographical and sectoral features of social and environmental development. Conclusions: An extremely high level of politicization of the Index and inconsistency of its calculation methodology with the real conditions of Russia’s economic development were revealed. The inexpediency of its use in the present conditions to assess the social and environmental development of Russian regions, to build a rating of their sustainable development, to develop criteria for evaluating the effectiveness of environmental programs and projects, including in the field of green and environmental investments, was proved.

This article provides a critical review of the relationship between the Environmental Performance Index (EPI), financial development, and economic growth. The study finds that environmental performance and sustainability are important for economic growth in industrialized countries, while sustainable financial systems and renewable energy can promote economic growth in developing nations. Government policies such as carbon costs and taxes, technology transfer programs, and green trade policies are crucial for sustainable economic growth. Trade globalization contributes to global economic growth and reduces poverty levels, but policymakers should prioritize environmental performance and sustainability in their economic policies. It is important to consider CO2 emissions and energy consumption when addressing climate change. Developing countries may face technological limitations when transitioning to renewable energy sources. The relationship between environmental performance, financial development, and economic growth in developing countries is complex and varies depending on the specific country and time frame. Policymakers should prioritize settling carbon costs and taxes, commercializing low-CO2 emissions technologies, reducing subsidies for nonrenewable energy, providing technology transfer programs, and creating a green trade policy to achieve sustainable development. Renewable energy and energy efficiency can support sustainable economic development and reduce CO2 emissions in developing countries, but effective policies and investments in green technology are needed to balance economic and environmental sustainability goals. [Extracted from the article]

Since the launch of the "Belt and Road Initiative" (BRI) in 2013, China's outward foreign direct investment (OFDI) has grown rapidly. Moreover, the environmental protection issues introduced by these investment behaviors to BRI countries have attracted widespread attention from the international community. With the unbalanced panel data of 66 BRI countries from 2006 to 2020, this paper studied the impacts of China's OFDI on the environmental performance of BRI countries from a systemic and partial perspective. We found that from a systemic perspective, China's OFDI is conducive to the improvement of the comprehensive environmental performance of countries along the "Belt and Road". From a partial perspective, the environmental performance influences of China's OFDI in countries along the "Belt and Road" are threefold: (1) China's OFDI can help mitigate climate change; (2) China's OFDI improves wastewater treatment capacity; and (3) China's OFDI has no significant impact on air quality. Therefore, China's OFDI needs to continue its efforts to promote and improve the environmental performance of BRI countries to achieve their sustainable development goals. Some BRI developing countries should gradually change their extensive economic growth models; reduce their share of high energy-consuming, high-pollution, and inefficient industries in the national economy; and expand the proportion of their environmentally friendly industries while refraining from improving environmental performance by imposing high environmental pollution taxes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study aimed to evaluate the Environmental Performance Index (EPI) in the field of climate changes in Iran in 2020, to compare these indexes in the Middle East countries and developed countries, and to evaluate the relationship between these indexes and gross domestic product (GDP) in Iran and some of the Middle East countries, as well as 10 developed countries in the world. Methods: Data related to the EPI in the field of climate changes and GDP were extracted from the database of the Yale University (https://epi.yale.edu) and the World Bank. The relationship between them was investigated using linear regression analysis. Results: The results showed that in 2020, Iran was ranked fourteenth and sixth among the studied countries, in terms of carbon dioxide growth rate and black carbon growth rate, respectively. It has also been ranked first in terms of carbon dioxide from land cover. Also, Iran was ranked eleventh among the Middle East countries and developed countries in terms of methane (CH4) growth rate and was ranked sixth among the Middle East countries in terms of greenhouse gas (GHG) per capita and 13th among all studied countries. However, a significant relationship was observed between changes in GDP with GHG emissions of EPI (R2 = 0.82). Conclusion: Based on the Iran’s ranking in the field of climate change performance index, planning to reduce CHGs generation is necessary. Also, education of citizens in the field of methods to reduce greenhouse effects should be done by environmental policy makers.

The growing environmental concerns require the characterization of decision support methods that can guide analysts towards more sustainable investment choices. Therefore, in the ex-ante economic evaluations of investments with environmental repercussions, it is of rising interest to give the "right" value to the non-monetary effects in the long term. In this regard, conventional discounting procedures—based on constant rates—are inadequate to evaluate intergenerational environmental effects. With this research we propose an innovative model for estimating discount rates to be used in the Cost–Benefit Analysis (CBA) of projects with long-term environmental effects. The model is based on a two-goods extension of the Ramsey formula, according to which the rate at which environmental impacts are discounted is different from the rate at which monetary benefits are discounted. Compared to the Ramsey model, we propose time-declining functions of the two discount rates to assess the long-run effects of investment projects. To characterize the model, we consider the macroeconomic risk, or we assume that the variable "GDP growth rate" is a stochastic variable. Furthermore, since we propose discount rates to evaluate public projects in line with sustainable development goals, we express environmental quality as a function of the Environmental Performance Index (EPI). Based on the proposed model, we estimate for the first time declining consumption discount rates and declining environmental discount rates for Italy based on empirical data. The estimates of the two discount rates for Italy shows that the environmental discount rate is lower than the consumption one: in fact, the first one starts from a value of 3.0% and arrives at 0.4% after 300 years; while the second one starts from 0.7% and reaches 0.3% at the end of the considered time horizon. The result highlights the importance of estimating country-specific dual and declining discount rates. These discount rates allow appropriate weights to be given to all investment impacts, and therefore also to environmental impacts, compared to conventional discounting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many viral diseases exhibit seasonal behavior and can be affected by environmental stressors. Using time-series correlation charts extrapolated from worldwide data, we provide strong support for the seasonal development of COVID-19 regardless of the immunity of the population, behavioral changes, and the periodic appearance of new variants with higher rates of infectivity and transmissibility. Statistically significant latitudinal gradients were also observed with indicators of global change. Using the Environmental Protection Index (EPI) and State of Global Air (SoGA) metrics, a bilateral analysis of environmental health and ecosystem vitality effects showed associations with COVID-19 transmission. Air quality, pollution emissions, and other indicators showed strong correlations with COVID-19 incidence and mortality. Remarkably, EPI category and performance indicators also correlated with latitude, suggesting cultural and psychological diversity in human populations not only impact wealth and happiness but also planetary health at latitudinal level. Looking forward, we conclude there will be a need to disentangle the seasonal and global change effects of COVID-19 noting that countries that go against the health of the planet affect health in general. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural sector has a key role in relation to poverty reduction and improving food security.One of important challenges in the agriculture sector is to feed population that is increasing in the world. Agriculture has significant positive and negative impacts on the environment and earth ecosystem. The agriculture sector is a significant contributor of pollution that restricts forty-nine increasing agriculture production. Climate change has led researchers to pay close attention to environmental performance. Bayesian networks are relatively well recognized to be an advantageous method for different types of environmental model. This study was designed a Bayesian network model to investigate the relation between agri-economic-environmental indicators and Environmental performance Index in the EU countries compared to the Middle East countries, in 2018. the Middle East countries is faced with most challenges for sustainability development. The scarcity of water, population growth and degradation of natural ecosystem are some of these challenges. Our findings showed relations between variables of model based on expert interview and previous researches. The results indicated land productivity is directly affected by node Agriculture area certified organic.We predicted with developing Agriculture area certified organic and conservation agricultural area, and productivity can be increased in EU Countries. Also, our findings showed with decreasing N2O and CH4 emissions indicators, increased Enivironmental performance index in EU countries and decreasesd in Middle East countries.Therefore, EU countries is improved agricultural practices and pesticides and fertilizer, But ME countries have not been successful in improving the environmental performance index and sustainable development objectives.

Do existing public opinion surveys provide valid and reliable measures of attitudes towards environmental sustainability? This question is critical given the importance of public support for achieving sustainability. Starting with 28 survey items about the environment drawn from the World Values Survey Waves 5 and 6 and the 2010 International Social Survey Program, we assessed reliability by checking for significant correlations between similar or identical items on different surveys. Next, to assess validity, we evaluated correlations between survey items and 22 objective environmental indicators drawn from the Environmental Performance Index (EPI). As the level of economic development is a likely confound, we also performed partial correlation analyses controlling for GDP per capita. From the initial 28 items, we identified 23 sufficiently reliable items, but many of these were found to have low predictive power in the validity analysis. Items about air and water pollution were valid predictors of objective environmental conditions in these areas. Items asking about the relative importance of environmental problems compared to other social issues were also good positive predictors of progress on perceptible environmental issues. Items asking about general sentiment with no clear referent performed poorly. When controlling for GDP, country-level attitudes were more aligned with country-specific environmental conditions. Finally, nearly half of all EPI indicators were associated with few or no survey items, indicating the existence of 'blind spots' in public awareness. Our findings should offer guidance to both survey developers and users, as well as to policy makers responsible for conveying information about environmental sustainability to the wider public. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing international division of production and stringent environmental policies coexist, which lets people focus more on the research on the relationship between environmental regulation and the global value chain (GVC). Based on the characteristics of service sectors, this study proposes hypotheses of how environmental regulation affects GVC position in service sectors and empirically investigates it by using panel data of the GVC position index in service sectors and the environmental performance index (EPI) from selected 41 major economies during 2006–2014. Our empirical study found the following: first, environmental regulation has significantly promoted the increase of GVC position in service sectors, which obviously can verify the validity of the Porter hypothesis. Second, environmental health has a greater effect on GVC position in service sectors than on ecosystem vitality. Third, the influence of environmental regulation on GVC position in service sectors is heterogeneous under different quantiles. The higher per capita income, the more stringent their environmental regulation and the stronger their impact on GVC position in service sectors. In general, this study will contribute to a better understanding of the relationship between environmental regulation and GVC.

Development of innovation is recognised as a most powerful tool for the economic growth of countries. However, their effects on the quality of the environment are still being debated. To achieve sustainable development, eco-innovation becomes significant. EU countries expand eco-innovation activities, but it is not clear whether its development achieves the goal of economic growth and improves the quality of the environment. Purpose – to present how EU Member States perform in economic growth, environment and eco-innovation development and to evaluate eco-innovations impact on economic and environmental performance. Research methodology – the random effect regression was used for investigation relationship between eco-innovation, economic growth and environmental performance. Findings – eco-innovation development influences not only EU MS economic growth but also has a positive effect on environmental performance. Research limitations – eco-innovations development and economic growth can be interdepended, but this research investigates just one-way dependence. Granger causality test can be used for relationship assessment in the future. Practical implications – the research results can be used for both the development of environmental policy and the policy of business support for eco-innovation implementation. Originality/Value – study results confirmed previous assessment results on eco-innovation and economic growth and provided new knowledge of their effect on environmental performance.

Ecological risk management has emerged as a critical research and policy development area in energy and environmental economics. Sustained ecology is crucial for the standard of living and food security. As the adverse impacts of environmental degradation and climate change become increasingly apparent it is imperative to understand ecological risk and its interconnectedness with environmental pressure, clean energy, economic activity, globalization, and green technology. Ecological risk is assessed using the environmental performance index which is a holistic indicator of climate change, environmental pressures and human actions in which most of these indicators have spatial effects. This paper explores the multifaceted relationship between identified anthropogenic critical factors and their role in effectively managing ecological risk globally. This study has developed the second-generation dynamic panel quantile regression considering spatial effects of economic activities on ecology across borders of 55 countries between 1995 and 2022. This innovative hybrid estimation scheme that integrated theoretical and econometric aspects makes the model robust to major regression issues. Several implications ranked in decreasing order of its effectiveness are reducing environmental pressure, expediting energy transition, and embracing economic integration while there is a need to work on rejuvenating green technology and green growth. [Display omitted] • Sustained ecology is crucial for economic growth and food security. • The ecological risk is assessed using the Environmental Performance Index. • Novel 2nd Generation Dynamic Quantile Regression is used for robust analysis. • Multifaceted anthropogenic factors and ecological risk relationship is explored. • Study iterated the need for renewable energy and green technology to reduce risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Protecting the health of citizens is a central aim of sustainable development plans, due to the effect of health on social and economic development. However, studies show that environment-related diseases adversely affect the health status of a people, and this situation is worse for African countries. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) targets have included reducing environment-related deaths since 2015. However, there is a lack of empirical findings focused on the effects of environmental quality on life expectancy in Africa. Objectives. The present study examined the impact of environmental quality on life expectancy in 24 African countries. Methods. Time-series data ranging from 2000 to 2016 was used and the panel autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL)–dynamic fixed effect (DFE) model was employed to analyze the data. Results. The results confirmed that, in the long run, improvements in environmental quality significantly increased life expectancy in the studied African countries during the study period. A unit increment in environmental performance index (EPI) and ecosystem vitality (EV) increased the life expectancy of Africans by 0.137 and 0.1417 years, respectively. Conclusions. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first empirical (econometric) study using a broad measurement (indicator) of environmental quality to investigate its impact on life expectancy in African countries. The study recommends that the introduction of environmentally friendly economies (like renewable energy, land, water, and waste management), legal, socio-economic, demographic, and technological measures are essential to reduce environmental pollution and improve life expectancy in Africa. Competing Interests. The authors declare no competing financial interests.

Introduction: Economic growth has a direct impact on public health expenditures; also, itindirectly affects public health expenditures through the environment’s quality. Therefore,this study aimed to investigate the relationship between environmental performance index,economic growth, and public health expenditures in countries with high and very highhuman development index.Methods: The present descriptive-analytical and applied study was performed on 16 countrieswith high and very high human development index. The time-series data required for theyears 2006-2018 were extracted from the World Bank and United Nations database andenvironmental performance index extracted from the Yale University website. Im, Pesaranand Shin (IPS), Levin, Lin, and Chu (LLC), Augmented Dickey–Fuller (ADF)– Fisher, andPhillips-Perron (PP)–Fisher tests for stationary and Pedroni and Kao tests for cointegrationwere used. The study model was estimated by the DOLS cointegration method in Eviews 10software.Results: The mean environmental performance index for selected countries with very highand high human development index was 79.04 and 64.71, respectively; also, the elasticity ofpublic health expenditures to gross national production, environmental performance index,physician supply, and urbanization ratio were 0.96, -2.41, 0.441 and 0.448, respectively.Conclusion: Increasing economic growth, urbanization ratio, and physician supply hada positive effect, and improving environmental performance index had a negative effecton public health expenditures. Therefore, to reduce public health expenditures, policiesare recommended to maintain environmental sustainability and reduce environmentalpollutants, and to invest in advanced equipment to purify pollutant gases. Maintaining andincreasing economic growth is also essential for adopting policies to increase physicians andinvest in health infrastructure.

This study evaluates the role of information in the environmental performance index (EPI) in different energy-consuming sectors in Pakistan through a novel slack-based data envelopment analysis (DEA). The index combines energy consumption as the primary input and gross domestic product (GDP) as the desirable output and CO2 emissions as the undesirable output. Yale’s EPI measures the efficiency of the sectoral level environmental performance of primary energy consumption in the country. Performance analysis was conducted from 2009 to 2018. The sectors were assigned scores between one and zero, with zero indicating maximum decision-making unit (DMU) inefficiency and one indicating maximum DMU efficiency. Despite being in the top-performing sector, agriculture scored only 0.51 in 2018, and the electricity sector obtained 0.412. Results also show that even the best-performing sector operates below the efficiency level. The mining and quarrying sector ranked second by obtaining 0.623 EPI and 0.035 SBEPI. Results also show that much of the energy supply of Pakistan (60.17%) is focused on fossil fuels, supplemented by hydropower (33%), while nuclear, wind, biogas, and solar power account for 5.15%, 0.47%, 0.32%, and 0.03%, respectively. Nonetheless, the overall results for both measures remained reasonably consistent. According to the literature and the energy crisis and climate instability dilemma, the authors conclude that changes to a diverse green power network are a possibility and an imminent need. Similarly, the government should penalize companies with poor performance. Furthermore, to ensure the capacity development and stability of environmental management and associated actions in the country, providing access to knowledge and training to groom human resources and achieve the highest performance is crucial.

Copyright of Journal of International Relations / Medzinarodne Vztahy is the property of University of Economics in Bratislava, Faculty of International Relations and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Development of innovation is recognised as a most powerful tool for the economic growth of countries. However, their effects on the quality of the environment are still being debated. To achieve sustainable development, eco-innovation becomes significant. EU countries expand eco-innovation activities, but it is not clear whether its development achieves the goal of economic growth and improves the quality of the environment. Purpose - to present how EU Member States perform in economic growth, environment and eco-innovation development and to evaluate eco-innovations impact on economic and environmental performance. Research methodology - the random effect regression was used for investigation relationship between eco-innovation, economic growth and environmental performance. Findings - eco-innovation development influences not only EU MS economic growth but also has a positive effect on environmental performance. Research limitations - eco-innovations development and economic growth can be interdepended, but this research investigates just one-way dependence. Granger causality test can be used for relationship assessment in the future. Practical implications - the research results can be used for both the development of environmental policy and the policy of business support for eco-innovation implementation. Originality/Value - study results confirmed previous assessment results on eco-innovation and economic growth and provided new knowledge of their effect on environmental performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we analyzed economic surroundings as a precondition for the development of the tax environment in the context of alterglobal development. We admitted that economic globalization is harmful to the environment because it depends on its own viability: the constant increase in commodity consumption, the increased use of resources and the growing disposition to pollute waste in the ocean, on the ground, and in the air. So, we proposed considering and analyzing alterglobalization as a process oriented towards self‑determination for peoples, communities and nations. In this context, we developed the idea about Environmental Fiscal Reform, including increasing green taxation and the phase‑out of environmentally harmful subsidies as well as financial incentives, VAT reductions and tax breaks for green initiatives – providing the perfect conditions for the transition to a circular economy. As the new economy is developing at a rapid pace today – 10% per year, more than three times the global economic growth rate – it has a significant impact on competitiveness.

An environmental impact assessment (EIA) tool is used to assess any proposed development activity. It is beneficial for a detailed study of large projects, but less feasible for quick assessments of a smaller project. The rapid impact assessment matrix (RIAM) serves the purpose of quick quantitative assessments of any project. In this study, the RIAM technique used to assess waste management practices of various hospitals in the city of Prayagraj, India. Based on RIAM scores, the level and nature of the sustainability of waste management practices in hospitals are checked by the model of sustainability. In addition, the environmental performance index (EPI) is applied with RIAM scores for comparative study. Hospital "A" was ranked as the most promising sustainability option, with sustainability value (S-value) of 0.2815 and EPI of 211.921, indicating good sustainability. Strict abidance to rules and regulations and regular monitoring is needed to substantially improve waste management in hospitals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this current study is to assess the effect of tourism density on the environmental performance index on 10 ASEAN countries from 2002 to 2017. This study adopted panel data regressions with the Driscoll and Kraay standard. This method accounts for cross-sectional dependence, heteroskedasticity, autocorrelation, and the possible correlation between countries when observing the environmental performance index and tourism density. Empirical results found a statistically significant and negative relationship between the tourism density index and the environmental performance index in 10 ASEAN countries. This result implied that an increase in the tourism density index will deteriorate the environmental performance index. The results of this study underline the need for sustainable tourism policies and practices in tourism destinations to be executed by the local stakeholders and policymaker to accelerating the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in ASEAN countries. In addition, this study offers justification for the policymaker to give careful attention to the carrying capacity of a tourist destination.

Background: Environmental issues lead to serious health problems in young growing children. This study aims to determine the association between a country's level of environmental health, ecosystem vitality, and prevalence of early childhood caries (ECC).Methods: This was an ecological study. The data for the explanatory variables—country-level environmental performance index (EPI), environmental health, and ecosystem vitality—were obtained from the Yale Center for Environmental Law and Policy. The outcome variables were country-level prevalence of ECC in 0- to 2-year-old and 3- to 5-year-old children. The country EPI, environmental health, and ecosystem vitality were matched with country ECC prevalence for 0- to 2-year-olds and 3- to 5-year-olds for the period of 2007 to 2017. Differences in the variables by country income level were determined using ANOVA. Multivariate ANOVA was used to determine the association between ECC prevalence in 0- to 2-year-olds and 3- to 5-year-olds, and EPI, environmental health, and ecosystem vitality, adjusting for each country's per-capita gross national income.Results: Thirty-seven countries had complete data on ECC in 0- to 2-year-old and 3- to 5-year-old children, EPI, environmental health, and ecosystem vitality scores. There were significant differences in ECC prevalence of 0- to 2-year-olds and 3- to 5-year-olds between countries with different income levels. Also, there were significant differences in EPI (P < 0.0001), environmental health score (P < 0.0001), and ecosystem vitality (P = 0.01) score by country income levels. High-income countries had significantly higher EPI scores than did low-income countries (P = 0.001), lower-middle-income countries (P < 0.0001), and upper-middle-income countries (P < 0.0001). There was an inverse non-significant relationship between ECC prevalence and EPI in 0- to 2-year-olds (B = −0.06; P = 0.84) and 3- to 5-year-olds (B = −0.30; P = 0.50), and ecosystem vitality in 0- to 2-year-olds (B = −0.55, P = 0.08) and 3- to 5-year-olds (B = −0.96; P = 0.02). Environmental health was directly and non-significantly associated with ECC in 0- to 2-year-olds (B = 0.20; P = 0.23) and 3- to 5-year-olds (B = 0.22; P = 0.32).Conclusions: There was a complex relationship between various indicators of environmental performance and ECC prevalence. The association with EPI and ecosystem vitality was inverse whereas the association with environmental health was direct. Only the inverse association with ecosystem vitality in 3–5 year old children was significant. There may be higher risk of ECC with greater economic development, industrialization, and urbanization, while better ecosystem vitality may offer protection against ECC through the rational use of resources, healthy life choices, and preventive health practices.

Abstract Locations where populations are most reliant on forests and their ecosystem services for subsistence and development are also areas where modern slavery persists. These issues are noted within the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), both target 15.2 and 8.7 respectively. Often activities using slavery perpetuate deforestation, bolstering a slavery‐environment nexus; which has been examined by comparing modern slavery estimates against environmental protection levels. This study assesses the relationship between tree loss and modern slavery focusing on four countries: Brazil, Ghana, Indonesia, and Mozambique. Previously mapped levels of tree loss and predicted future levels of loss have been compared against modern slavery estimates from the Global Slavery Index 2016 and illegal logging analyses to determine an estimate of the risk for slavery related tree loss. These results provide an insight in to the co‐occurrence between modern slavery and tree loss due to a number of activities that are highlighted, including mining, illegal logging, and agricultural practices. The co‐occurrence is both complex, and yet, beyond coincidental. Implications for both national and global policy are noted assessing the benefits that could be achieved by limiting tree loss and ending modern slavery; of benefit to both the conservation and antislavery communities.

Abstract An environmental performance index (EPI) is introduced to evaluate the activities of a printing house based on three impacts: carbon footprint, volatile organic compound emissions, and waste. As the main causes of environmental degradation are the operation of machinery and usage of materials, we aimed to integrate the three impacts to interpret the EPI or the environmental friendliness of printing houses. Our results demonstrate that environmental awareness increased with improvements to the EPI, following the modification of printing processes and choices of printing materials. Various scenarios, including pre‐press, press, and post‐press, as well as printing materials, are proposed to predict trends and the possibility of increasing the EPI. Press management and materials and equipment changes have the greatest influence on the improvement of the EPI.

The effect of national culture on country environmental performance has received attention during the past few years. However, previous studies considered a subset of cultural dimensions, focused on diverse environmental performance measures, provided contrasting results, and did not adequately investigated the mediating effects of socio‐economic variables. In this study, we investigate the impact of all cultural dimensions (power distance, individualism, masculinity, uncertainty avoidance, long‐term orientation, indulgence) on three environmental performance measures at the country level: the environmental performance index and its two main overarching objectives. Both direct and indirect effects, through three socio‐economic variables (population growth, education, income), are tested using a sample of 62 countries. Results show that the effect of cultural dimensions may vary based on the specific cultural dimension and the type of environmental performance measure considered. Masculinity and indulgence directly impact on environmental performance. Power distance has no influence on environmental performance measures. The other dimensions affect environmental performance through the mediating effect of socio‐economic variables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Airport environmental performance index in Brazil had average annual evolution of 5%. • Large airports presented better environmental performance values. • Performance index considering biomes is a new approach, relevant for decision-making. Most indicators of airport performance found in the literature evaluate the quality of the services and the maintenance of operational safety levels, but only a few studies take into account environmental issues. This study presents the experience of the Brazilian Airport Infrastructure Enterprise (Infraero) in the implementation and assessment of the Infraero Environmental Performance Index (IEPI), formed by 25 indicators distributed into 10 environmental dimensions. The index was applied to 54 Brazilian public airports administrated by Infraero, between 2017 and 2019. The index was also applied to groups of airports according to their category, defined by the Brazilian Civil Aviation Regulation (RBAC) nº 153 (IEPI class), and the biome in which the airport is inserted (IEPI biome). The IEPI presented an average annual evolution of 5.0 % and ended the assessed period at 74.8 %, showing a significant improvement in the environmental quality of the airports in the assessed period. Large airports (Class IV) presented high environmental performance (IEPI class = 94 %), showing the importance of having staff dedicated to address environmental issues in airports. With respect to the biomes, Pantanal presented the best result (IEPI biome = 84 %). The index applied to different biomes presents an innovative approach to relate the environmental performance to the ecosystem where the airport is located, but still need improvement to properly reflect the specific characteristics of each of these ecosystems. There is still a long way to go regarding the implementation and monitoring of environmental performance indicators in airports, but the Infraero experience in the application of the IEPI shows a path that can be followed and improved. We believe that the IEPI is an important tool for airport management and decision making, since it provides a simple and quick portrait of the status of environmental actions and evidences the areas which require more attention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Economic Annals-XXI / Ekonomìčnij Časopis-XXI is the property of Institute of Society Transformation and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This study comprehensively considers any input and output that has a certain physical dimension, utilizes the super slacks-based measure directional distance function data envelopment analysis (DDF-DEA) model to measure global energy performance in the period 2010–2016, and compares regional differences in Americas, Europe and Asia. We employ contained directional, non-directional, and undesirable inputs and outputs, which include population number, fossil fuels energy consumption, gross capital formation, gross domestic product, renewable energy consumption, and carbon dioxide emission. From the full energy efficiency and ranking of the DDF-DEA approach herein, the empirical results show that Trinidad and Tobago exhibits the best efficiency (2.8194) and Uzbekistan has the worst efficiency (0.5734). The best regional energy performance is Americas, and the worst is Asia for 2010–2016, showing that regional energy policies have a significant impact. The Environmental Performance Index is an important sustainable environment index, and most Environmental Performance Index levels are quite consistent with the trend of energy efficiency and ranking with DDF-DEA in this study. The energy efficiencies of the higher Environmental Performance Index group and higher renewable energy consumption group are significantly larger than the lower Environmental Performance Index group and better than the lower renewable energy consumption group, respectively. Therefore, we suggest that all countries should adjust their future energy using a strategy based on annual Environmental Performance Index. Their goals can be to reduce fossil fuels energy consumption, increase renewable energy use, and reduce undesirable output of carbon dioxide. Doing so will help them to develop their economies while taking into account a sustainable environment, thus achieving sustainable economic development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Locations where populations are most reliant on forests and their ecosystem services for subsistence and development are also areas where modern slavery persists. These issues are noted within the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), both target 15.2 and 8.7 respectively. Often activities using slavery perpetuate deforestation, bolstering a slavery‐environment nexus; which has been examined by comparing modern slavery estimates against environmental protection levels. This study assesses the relationship between tree loss and modern slavery focusing on four countries: Brazil, Ghana, Indonesia, and Mozambique. Previously mapped levels of tree loss and predicted future levels of loss have been compared against modern slavery estimates from the Global Slavery Index 2016 and illegal logging analyses to determine an estimate of the risk for slavery related tree loss. These results provide an insight in to the co‐occurrence between modern slavery and tree loss due to a number of activities that are highlighted, including mining, illegal logging, and agricultural practices. The co‐occurrence is both complex, and yet, beyond coincidental. Implications for both national and global policy are noted assessing the benefits that could be achieved by limiting tree loss and ending modern slavery; of benefit to both the conservation and antislavery communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An environmental performance index (EPI) is introduced to evaluate the activities of a printing house based on three impacts: carbon footprint, volatile organic compound emissions, and waste. As the main causes of environmental degradation are the operation of machinery and usage of materials, we aimed to integrate the three impacts to interpret the EPI or the environmental friendliness of printing houses. Our results demonstrate that environmental awareness increased with improvements to the EPI, following the modification of printing processes and choices of printing materials. Various scenarios, including pre‐press, press, and post‐press, as well as printing materials, are proposed to predict trends and the possibility of increasing the EPI. Press management and materials and equipment changes have the greatest influence on the improvement of the EPI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Cumhuriyet Üniversitesi Fen-Edebiyat Fakültesi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi is the property of University of Cumhuriyet, Faculty of Sciences & Arts and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

With China being the world's largest emitter of greenhouse gases and its aviation sector burgeoning, the environmental performance of Chinese airlines has global significance. Amidst rising demands for eco-friendly practices from both customers and regulators, the interplay between airport infrastructure and environmental performance becomes pivotal. This research offers an innovative methodology to gauge the environmental performance of Chinese airlines, emphasizing the distance traveled between airports using weighted additive utility functions. Leveraging neural networks, the study investigates the impact of various airport infrastructural characteristics on environmental performance. Noteworthy findings indicate that ground control measures, automatic information services at origin airports, surface concrete on runways at both ends, and a centerline lighting system in destination airports positively influence environmental performance. In contrast, longer and wider runways at origin airports, increased distances to control towers, and asphalt runways at destination airports adversely affect it. These insights not only underscore the importance of strategic infrastructure enhancements for reducing carbon footprints but also hold profound policy implications. As global climate change remains at the forefront, fostering sustainable airport infrastructure in China can significantly contribute to worldwide mitigation efforts. • We propose a novel approach to estimating an overall environmental performance index for airline pollutant emissions. • It is based on weighted additive utility functions, given the distance traveled between airports. • Neural networks are used to predict the impact of infrastructure characteristics of the origin and destination airports. • Ground control, automatic information service, surface concrete, centerline lighting system have positive impacts. • Runway length and width, longer distances to the control tower in origin airports, and asphalt runway have negative impacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to evaluate the development levels of countries, economic growth along with environmental quality account for important indices nowadays. The impacts of environmental quality (based on environmental performance index), the direct foreign investment, and trade openness on economic growth in selected developing countries have been scrutinized in the present study. In the present study the Auto Regressive Distributed Lag Model and ARDL bounds test methods were adopted in panel data pertaining to the data of 1983 to 2013 time span. According to the results, a co-integration was found among the model-based variables if economic growth was determined as the dependent variable. The trade openness showed a significant long-run relationship based on the estimated coefficients. Results indicate a positive and significant impact of environmental performance index on economic growth. Moreover, the variable foreign direct investment revealed a positive and significant confirmation. Considering the diagnostic tests findings at 5% level, such problems as serial correlation, functional form, model misspecification, and heteroscedasticity are not present in the estimated model.

Sustainable development is considered as a multidimensional concept. Sustainable development affects many spheres of countries life and development. In general, it consists mainly of the economic, social and environmental dimension. The relationships between the dimensions are, towards sustainability, quite complicated. The aim of this paper is to assess the environmental dimension of sustainable development in European Union countries using the selected indicator. Indicator using the we will evaluate the sustainable development is Environmental Performance Index “EPI”, which can be considered as representative indicators of environmental dimension.