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The aim of this article is to analyze China's environmental policy in the Arctic region. The interests of the PRC are studied, they are divided into three groups: economic, geopolitical, and environmental. It is emphasized that economic interests disguised as environmental ones prevail among them. The primary source is the White Paper "China's Arctic Policy" - the first Chinese document on Arctic policy issued by the State Council Information Office in January 2018. The document provides a brief description of the region, establishes the goals and principles of China's Arctic policy, and lists the main areas of activity. The article pays special attention to the provisions of the White Paper which are devoted to environmental policy and environmental protection. In addition, the activity of the authorities empowered to conduct environmental policy in the Arctic is characterized. The environmental activities in the Arctic territories are analyzed. It is noted that they mainly include expeditions to study changing climatic conditions and environmental monitoring, as well as the establishment of scientific centers specializing in Arctic research. The author comes to the conclusion that China's environmental policy in theArctic is currently reduced to a research component. The White Paper, which defines the goals, objectives, principles and directions of the PRC's activities, is mainly declarative, but its adoption indicates activation of the Arctic vector in Chinese foreign policy and long-term plans for this region.

Global climate change due to increasing CO2 emissions threatens the development and survival of many countries, especially those on the coast. Intentional government spending by sectors can lower CO2 emissions to help these countries in sustainable development. Meanwhile, governance has some importance in enabling governments to achieve their economic development goals. Does governance affect the public spending - CO2 emissions nexus in developing economies? The paper seeks answers by employing the system GMM Arellano-Bond estimators to assess the impact of public spending, governance/institutional quality, and their interaction on CO2 emissions for a sample of 109 developing economies between 2002 and 2021. The results seem counter-intuitive that public spending reduces and governance increases CO2 emissions, while their interaction lowers them. Furthermore, private investment and economic growth promote CO2 emissions, while trade openness decreases them. The findings in this paper provide some policy lessons for governments of developing economies to protect environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Northern Pole's polar ice is melting at an alarming rate due to climate change, significantly impacting the region's strategic landscape. The potential for economic growth and increasing security competition has led Russia, China and the US to ramp up their politico-military activities in the region. This research paper uses a qualitative method that explores the changing geopolitics of the region through a structural realist approach to examine the strategic interests and opportunities of these three countries in the Arctic. The study sheds light on how climate change has affected the region's geopolitical and geostrategic effects and how these countries compete for influence in the area, leading to mounting concerns and policy shifts. The paper shows how Russia takes a realist approach; China enhances its influence through a developmental approach, while the US tries to increase its power to counter the influence of Russia and China in the region. Additionally, the paper explains how the interplay of interests in the region is associated with the offence-defence balance and security dilemmas resulting from the neorealist behaviour of these states. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Encuentros is the property of Universidad Autonoma del Caribe 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.)

Goal #7 of Agenda 2063 envisions an Africa with "environmentally sustainable and climate resilient economies" and renewable energy is considered an important priority area for achieving this goal. While strides have been taken at varying levels and paces across the continent in the uptake of off-grid renewable solutions to the energy crisis in the region, there remain gaps in the energy system and industry. This paper examines the challenges to and opportunities for attaining a continent-wide energy transition in Africa. Drawing on a descriptive research design using mixed methods, the paper argues that coordination both within and between states is imperative for a successful energy transition in Africa. Within the state, the paper argues that active energy citizenship and participation reflects the level of coordination between the government and the citizens in the design and implementation of an energy transition. Between states, the paper argues that coordination in energy policies at a regional level is attainable if construed through the lens of developmental regionalism (Qobo, 2007). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The bioeconomy model provides an alternative view of global economic systems by putting sustainable practices combined with digital approaches at the forefront to tackle issues such as climate change. To address this new business trends, financial institutions began to set up the environmental, social, and governance (ESG) business units to evaluate their business strategies. This paper is aimed at examining the nonfinancial effect created by the digital transformation (DT) activities, highlighting the role of enterprise heterogeneity after the implementation of Environmental Protection Law (EPL) in China. We employ the panel data of A-share listed companies from 2010 to 2020, selecting DT and ESG indicators as the important representations of "Industry 5.0." Our empirical results demonstrate a positive impact of EPL on the ESG performance in sight of resource enterprises (REs), environmental enterprises (EEs), and polluting enterprises (PEs), but a negative impact of EPL on the DT indicators among those environmental related industries. Additional causal relationship regression reveals that enterprise DT has an intrinsic promoting effect on the ESG performance, emphasizing on the high risk of digitization process being the shock transmitters to enterprise nonfinancial indices. Notably, the connectedness of environmental policy illustrates dynamic patterns by parallel trend test and propensity score matching (PSM) DID regression. This paper is prone to benefit lawmakers, regulators, and firm executives responsible for analyzing and assessing enterprise digitization behavior by exploring the influence of macrolevel environmental policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article focuses on the role emotions play as a heuristic tool in determining the hierarchy of norms in EU's Arctic policy. In the Arctic, appropriate behaviour prescribed by the norms regarding climate change mitigation (the European Green Deal and the Paris Agreement), environmental protection according to EU environmental law and UN-recognised Indigenous Peoples' rights contradict each other. When multiple norms are to be applied in a situation and they conflict with each other, a prioritisation needs to be made among these norms. This paper investigates how emotions contribute in a heuristic way to determining this priority. It finds out that fear of climate change enables climate change mitigation and regulations of the European Green Deal to gain primacy over environmental protection norms and Indigenous Peoples' rights. Self-confidence of the EU and its trust in Nordic member states in these two areas constrain the EU from taking further protective measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the significance of ecosystem functions in maintaining the health and balance of ecological systems, particularly in the context of planning, managing, and maintaining trees in landscape settings. It emphasises the multifaceted relationship between humans and trees, encompassing cultural, ecological, economic, and emotional connections, and underscores the value of traditional ecological knowledge alongside empirical science. By combining these two ways of knowing, along with social science insights into human health and well-being, future landscapes can be crafted to be sustainable, diverse, and functional. As urbanisation continues to shape landscapes globally, urban planners face the challenge of managing rapidly changing environments. Urban forestry and arboriculture have emerged to address these challenges, aiming to enhance environmental quality and human well-being. The concept of Nature-based Solutions (NbS) has gained traction, recognising the importance of integrating natural systems into urban planning to address environmental challenges while preserving functional ecosystems. This paper advocates for an enhanced understanding of tree and human ecology to navigate the complex relations between trees, people, and their environments. It calls for interdisciplinary collaboration, research, and education to inform policy, assess environmental impacts, and widen approaches to ecosystem management. By monitoring ecosystem health and collaborating across disciplines, arboriculturists and urban foresters can shape resilient practices for tree conservation and sustainable urban development. In conclusion, integrating tree ecology into urban planning and management practices is essential for ensuring the health, resilience, and sustainability of tree populations and the ecosystems they inhabit. By embracing a holistic understanding of trees and their environments, professionals can contribute to shaping future landscapes that support both human well-being and biodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces an index to assess the adaptive capacity of Indigenous Lands in the context of climate change vulnerability. The index was developed considering two sub-indices, one to evaluate the indigenous autonomy and ability to self-organise and establish relationships with other groups and the surrounding society, and the other to assess the level of protection of the Indigenous Land surroundings. The aim is to guide integrated climate adaptation strategies for electricity companies operating near Indigenous Land. The paper also presents an application of the proposed index in the Belo Monte hydropower plant in the Amazon region, with a strong presence of Indigenous Lands and one of Brazil's most important hydropower plants. The results made it possible to compare the adaptive capacity of the Indigenous Lands and evaluate their different degrees of engagement and environmental protection, which can help in the proposition of adaptation actions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural production systems currently face multiple challenges: Climate change, natural resource depletion, and supply chain disruption, together with global population growth. As sustainable agriculture must simultaneously deliver myriad services (e.g. provide food security, maintain natural resources, retain and improve framers' profitability, and sustain biodiversity), a systemic and multidisciplinary approach is thus needed. In this context, new technologies based on sensors, automatic machines, robots, and digital applications show much potential. The special section of the Agronomy Journal, entitled, "Agricultural and Biological Sciences: Plant, Soil, Animal and Environment Nutrient Management," brings together a coherent set of research studies. All papers published in this special section address current, relevant topics for agriculture, biology and environmental sciences with a multidisciplinary approach aimed at generating new scientific information on digital technologies, bioinformatics, plant science, soil resources, agricultural waste, and environmentally conscious approaches. A total of 58 papers were submitted, each of which was evaluated by expert reviewers using a double‐blind reviewing process and 25 full text papers were accepted for publication in the special section. The present paper highlights the findings of the published papers, with the aim of bringing cutting‐edge innovation to applied research in agriculture and biology. The published papers here provide new knowledge and viable solutions for better performance in agricultural and biological sciences. New technologies will change the concept of farming and agribusiness making it more profitable, efficient, safer, attractive, simple, smart, and finally sustainable. Rural development and food security policies must support and finance the easiest possible access to new technologies for agricultural producers. Core Ideas: New technologies in agriculture are pivotal for innovative cropping systems that improve climate resilience.Modern farms get significant benefits from new technologies.The special section, "Agricultural and Biological Sciences: Plant, Soil, Animal and Environment nutrient Management," provides both new knowledge from the cutting‐edge research and practical solutions to serious problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growing awareness and significance of the “environment protection” concept— which imposes a responsibility on businesses, policymakers, governments, and regulatory agencies for tackling climate change and global warming—has created an urgent need for carefully examining current green and sustainable banking practices. This study aims to provide an overview of the present situation and future trends in green and sustainable banking through bibliometric research. For a comprehensive bibliometric analysis, the study includes 272 published research studies from the Scopus database for the period 1989 to 2023. Bibliometrics with MS-Excel, Biblioshiny R Studio, and VOSviewer were used to recognize and assess the trend of the related studies, research areas, authors, nations, institutions, and keywords. The research findings reveal the emerging trend and thematic evolution with regard to green and sustainable banking has increased recently. The findings will be helpful for academics and reviewers in selecting future green banking research topics and for decision makers in defining the standards for green banking research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports on a collaboration between advocacy organisation, Sweltering Cities, artists and researchers who developed a multi-site research project that provided South West Sydney residents an opportunity to engage in drama and poetry workshops that gave voice to their lived experience of rising surface temperatures, as well as their desire for environmental protection and climate action. The research featured in this paper contributes to previous research that finds aesthetic modes of engagement to be powerful with regard to ecological awareness, capable of being a positive motivator of small shifts in thinking which are a precursor to climate action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Appropriately designed and implemented climate mitigation actions have multiple co-benefits (yet some trade-offs cannot be excluded) that result in substantial social and economic value beyond their direct impact on reducing energy consumption and GHG emissions. Despite their wider acknowledgement by the research community, decision makers and the public have incomplete information on these multiple effects. This paper has a twofold objective: First, through analytical bottom-up approaches, it assesses, in quantitative terms, the macroeconomic effects and the public health benefits attributed to a variety of mitigation actions under consideration in the context of the Greek Energy and Climate Plan. Second, it investigates, through a social survey, how citizens perceive climate change and value these multiple impacts of mitigation actions, and to what extent they are willing to pay for them and support the adoption of policy measures aiming at the green transition of the Greek economy. We show that mitigation actions bring about significant health benefits, particularly in cities, and generate significant positive macroeconomic effects, particularly if mitigation actions focus on the decarbonization of the building sector and on the exploitation of local renewable sources. We also argue that most people do not realize that climate mitigation actions can have wider benefits for society, such as tackling energy poverty, improving public health, and creating new jobs. Unwillingness to pay tends to be the prominent attitude. People who are more reluctant to cover a part of the cost of environmental protection are less likely to perceive that climate change is one of the main challenges at global and national level and support the adoption of climate mitigation policies. In this context, the national strategy for climate change should focus on effectively informing and engaging the public in climate mitigation strategies, strengthening the public trust in government institutions, promoting mutually acceptable solutions with the local communities, and providing incentives for changing citizens' behavior towards climate-related actions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The quantity of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere rises yearly because human activities emit more of it than the earth's natural processes can absorb. The overall carbon dioxide emissions continue to rise due to development demands. In a panel setting, this paper investigates the link dynamics between gross national spending, energy consumption, information and communications technology, and CO2 emissions in advanced nations from 2000 to 2020. We employ quantitative sequential approaches, such as DOLS, unit root test, and cointegration techniques, to ensure the coherence and feasibility of the study. Both versions of the estimators show statistically significant effects of gross national expenditure, energy consumption, and Information & Communications Technology on CO2 emissions. The findings of this paper show that there is a long‐run relationship between independent and dependent variables. The study also shows that rising exports of ICT services, energy consumption, and population need environmental protection and highlight the necessity for environmental regulations that can minimize emissions throughout the country's expansion. Even in advanced nations, climate vulnerability is not automatically reduced by development status but is instead reduced by the right sort of growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globally, scholars and practitioners are becoming increasingly interested in determining the interaction between finance and environmental sustainability. However, a few studies have investigated and organized existing information in the context of the green finance of banks in developing countries. The purpose of our study is to find major dimensions of green finance and research gaps from a thorough evaluation of the literature. As a result, existing research on green finance in the banking industry has been evaluated in this paper with a focus on green finance and sustainable development. This study employs the content analysis method and it analyzes and summarizes a total of 53 relevant previous studies in the field of green finance. The findings of this research reveal 21 crucial dimensions of green finance in Bangladesh. The primary green finance products of Bangladeshi banks include green securities, green investments, climate finance, green insurance, green credit, green bonds and green infrastructure. The other factors include environmental performance and green economic growth, energy efficiency, green finance policy and environmental protection and the risk impact of bank policy formulation. The findings of this study will help policymakers to understand the green finance concept and its associated variables, which need to be considered when adopting and implementing green finance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the concept of green nationalism in the authoritarian context of China, where the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has adopted the rhetoric of ecological civilization as a means of promoting environmental protection and securing global legitimacy. The authors argue that the CCP's performance legitimacy is closely linked to its ability to address environmental concerns in the context of climate change, and that the development of green nationalism is a rational choice for leaders seeking to maintain this legitimacy. However, the authors also highlight the role of actors such as social entrepreneurs, academics, and environmental NGOs in promoting green nationalism from the bottom-up. Using constructivist political theory, the paper explores how the intersection of different green narratives at various levels can be used to rethink the nation and make claims to legitimacy. Overall, the paper contributes to theory-building by providing a framework for understanding the complex relationship between environmental protection, nationalism, and authoritarian politics in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Controversia (01204165) is the property of Centro de Investigacion y Educacion Popular 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.)

Copyright of Rozwój Regionalny & Polityka Regionalna is the property of Uniwersytetu im. Adama Mickiewicza (IH UAM) 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.)

Based on the annual mean PM2.5 concentration data of 30 provinces and cities in China from 2006 to 2020, this paper constructs a structural model of manufacturing haze pollution, expounds the main mechanisms affecting haze pollution, then statistically decomposes the main factors affecting the change of pollution emissions, and examines the direct and indirect impact paths of the change of haze pollution emissions in China. The study found that (1) the inhibitory effects of latent variables on manufacturing haze pollution is from strong to weak in order: industrial structure upgrading, environmental regulation, trade opening, productivity improvement, and economic scale expansion, while the optimal path for the indirect effect of exogenous latent variables on haze pollution is to rely on environmental regulation and opening up to achieve the improvement of productivity, so as to achieve the purpose of reducing haze pollution. (2) The analysis based on the PVAR model found that industrial structure adjustment is the key factor of haze decline in both the short and long term. Environmental regulation has an obvious effect on haze control in the short term, but in the long run, it still needs to rely on industrial structure adjustment, production efficiency improvement, and trade opening to achieve the goal of reducing haze. (3) There is an inverted U-shaped nonlinear relationship between output scale and environmental regulation. In addition, trade openness has a long-term effect on productivity. Technology spillovers from opening up can reduce haze pollution in the long run by improving productivity. (4) The environmental regulation policy in the central region is characterized by "race to the bottom," while the eastern region shows the characteristic of "race to the top" in the policy game of improving productivity and optimizing the industrial structure. Therefore, haze control requires an appropriate intensity of environmental regulation to reduce the proportion of high pollution and high energy consumption industries. Make full use of the international cooperation platform of the "the Belt and Road Initiative" and the pilot free trade zone to promote substantive cooperation between Chinese enterprises and developed countries in the field of environmental protection technology, increase investment in research and development of clean equipment and cleaner production technology, improve productivity, help China's green manufacturing, and contribute Chinese wisdom and Chinese solutions to global environmental governance and climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of pesticides is a growing problem for the environment given the negative impact it has on the quality of soil, groundwater and surface water, biodiversity and ecosystems, but also on human health. To these are added the emergence of new diseases and pests that must be combated, precisely as a result of changes in the environment and climate change. However, their use is necessary, given the growing need for food, as a result of the exponential growth of the world's population and the reduction of areas for agriculture. The use of the latest generation pesticides, their correct application leads not only to the increase of their productions and to their profitability, but also to the protection of the environment and the preservation of biodiversity. In this paper, we aim to analyze the evolution of pesticide consumption in the E.U. and at the level of Romania in the period 2011-2019. The research methodology involved the bibliographic study, the consultation of domestic and international databases, the analysis of statistical data, their interpretation and the formulation of conclusions on the current situation compared to the base year, so that we can estimate what future developments will be. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role of faith-based organizations, as well as secular organizations engaging with faith actors, has gained significant momentum. Faith actors have been not only internalizing the spiritual connections to the environment, but also contributing to policy discussions at international conventions through the United Nations (UN) and other multilateral organizations. Climate change is one of the most pressing issues facing the world today, and it is an issue that requires a global response. While governments and policymakers have a crucial role to play, the issue of climate change is also the one that touches on the values and beliefs of individuals, communities, and faith groups. In this paper, we will explore the role that faith and religion can play in addressing climate change at the grassroots level and within the UN, using the Faith for Earth Initiative as a global example and the Green Anglicans movement in Southern Africa at the local level. Both local and global actions are necessary to achieve the aspirations of the people in fighting climate change, adapting to its impact, and bringing the voices of ethics and values to environmental policymaking as these actions are inseparable. At the local level, impacts of global decisions are felt but also implemented and in turn such practices can inform global decision-making. This paper demonstrates the lessons learnt, challenges, and opportunities for such local and global engagements. Plain Language Summary Faced with the enormous challenges of climate change, do faith communities have a role to play? Faith actors are already taking action in local communities and also contributing at the national and global forums. This study looks at two examples: the Green Anglicans in Africa and the Faith for Earth Initiative of UNEP. Faith communities have enormous potential to be a key role player in climate action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper is aimed at studying the methodological aspects of assessing the features and advantages of implementing climate-neutral investment projects in the context of environmental protection and energy security. For this purpose, investigation is focused on the performance of investment projects in nature resource sectors (agriculture, forestry, etc.) that provide renewable resources (biomass) for the generation of green energy. The paper identifies the peculiarities of the transition to low-carbon economy and creation of carbon markets as platforms for the development of a system for managing climate-neutral investment projects. The scientific novelty of this research lies in the improvement of approaches to substantiating the economic feasibility of investments in nature resource sectors in view of the climate change. Namely, a comprehensive approach to comparing alternative variants of investment project solutions in climate- neutral projects is suggested. Moreover, the developed methodological recommendations account for the variable meteorological factors in calculating economic indicators. The paper's practical value can be seen in the determination of the benefits from the implementation of climate-neutral projects using the example of production and processing of the agro-biomass for the development of renewable energy based on the circular use of resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A long history of theory exists to underpin our understanding of how to engage individuals and communities in more effective environmental conservation and sustainability practices. Yet rarely do we delve deeply into sociocultural theories of learning, which help demonstrate how learning and action are fundamentally intertwined in our interactions, our societies, and the world around us. To our detriment we ignore this compelling, well-grounded, and robust body of empirical and theoretical evidence. As climate change, biodiversity loss, and other pressing social-ecological issues intensify, the key to stemming and solving the greatest challenges of our time requires engaging individuals and communities. In this theoretical paper, we attend to the history and underpinnings of sociocultural theories of learning and their implications for environmental literacy, in particular, collective environmental literacy. We also discuss how such underpinnings are important to understand when pursuing carefully designed, actionable, and effective sustainability solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Qinghai‐Tibet Plateau (QTP) is the largest permafrost region in the world at low and middle latitudes and high elevation. Permafrost is being degraded on the QTP due to global warming, which has a significant effect on regional climate, hydrological, and ecological processes. This paper provides a summary of recent progress in methods used in permafrost research, the permafrost distribution, and basic data relevant to permafrost research on the QTP. The area of permafrost was 1.32 × 106 km2 over the QTP, which accounts for approximately 46% of the QTP. Moreover, simulation studies of the hydrothermal process and permafrost change were reviewed and evaluated the effect of permafrost degradation on hydrological and ecological processes. The results revealed that the effects of permafrost on runoff were closely related to soil temperature, and the effect of permafrost degradation on the carbon cycle requires further study. Finally, current challenges in simulation of permafrost change processes on the QTP were discussed, emphasizing that permafrost degradation under climate change is a slow and non‐linear process. This review will aid future studies examining the mechanism underlying the interaction between permafrost and climate change, and environmental protection in permafrost regions on the QTP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

E, S, and G: Environmental, Social, and Governance is a framework regarding the sustainability of legal entities. The EU through Regulations and Directives by setting a minimum mandatory threshold for environmental protection, climate change, green deal, social responsibility, and corporate governance aims to unify the rules in member states towards a holistic approach relating to economic growth and social fairness. In that regard, Greece and Cyprus hold obligations to adopt the EU legislation and policies. This paper focuses on two objectives, i.e., the analysis of compliance in terms of Greek and Cypriot laws and the broader response of business practices to embrace the EU and national laws and policies for ESG investments, operations, and growth. The paper uses two main methods, i.e., a review the of literature and qualitative methods of legal and comparative analysis under a holistic approach. As a conclusion of the findings of this paper, it is stated that the ESG factors regarding corporate sustainability are now a general framework of guiding principles in the EU and both in Greece and Cyprus both at legislative and practical levels under a broader, holistic approach. This approach further guides the interconnection of environmental protection, climate change issues, social responsibility, and corporate governance as key factors for sustainability, growth, and wealth for the future in the EU, in Greece and Cyprus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gender equality and climate change perspectives are both important aspects of sustainable development, and they are likely to have a significant impact on careers in the maritime transport industry. The study presented in this paper has the objective to understand to what extent contemporary maritime and port jobs evolved in the context of sustainability expectations. A second objective is to discover which are the new sustainable jobs that are expected to appear on the international maritime market. Results show that many of the classic jobs in the sector have integrated sustainability responsibilities to meet the updated legislative requirements. Most of the classic maritime jobs include tasks necessary for the sustainable development of the company, without explicitly mentioning such responsibilities in the title of the job. However, an increasingly number of new jobs in port, maritime and related fields have titles that explicitly includes sustainability - gender related or environmental protection tasks. Based on the advancements in the maritime, new emerged technologies and changes in traditional biased mindsets, is expected an increase in the need for professionals delivering sustainable solutions and hence, the appearance of new sustainable jobs specific for the sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines four conceptions of 'ecocide' that relate to descriptions of environmental harm, criminalisation of these harms and inclusion of ecocentric considerations. It then positions advocacy pertaining to ecocide laws in the context of a political economy that both creates and fails to respond to the problems and consequences of ecocide. As part of this, the paper briefly reviews key challenges to the protection of the environment and human rights, as well as the importance of social transformation in furthering social and ecological justice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our planet is facing increasing challenges: climate change, biodiversity loss, pandemics, poverty, and many other problems closely linked to a deteriorating environment. Meanwhile, one of our most important assets, rangers working in protected and conserved areas responsible for managing large tracts of the planet's lands and waters, are often underutilized, underrecognized and underequipped. They are generally left out of the debate about conservation and sustainable development policy, despite being central to the success of those policies. This paper outlines the need for global leaders across multiple sectors to recognize the profession of rangers as essential planetary health workers and to position rangers more effectively within global conservation and environmental policy mechanisms. It introduces the challenges facing rangers, the emerging diversity of roles within the ranger profession and the important contribution of rangers to conservation and sustainable development. It presents policy and implementation avenues to improve recognition and professionalization of rangers as key executors of conservation and development policy, particularly considering the recent Global Biodiversity Framework ambitions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change and the resulting extreme weather events bring significant economic losses and many unstable factors. It is an important means to actively seek environmental protection and climate governance countermeasures to meet severe challenges. As an environmental protection tool widely used by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), environmental taxes are expected to play an important role in combating climate change and reducing extreme weather events. Based on public goods theory, collective cooperation theory, externality theory and double dividend theory of environmental taxes, this paper takes 36 OECD countries as research samples and empirically tests the role of environmental taxes in mitigating climate change process and reducing extreme weather events through the establishment of panel Auto-Regressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) model. The empirical results show that the environmental taxes on the whole is conducive to reducing the frequency of abnormal temperature weather and plays a positive role in reducing carbon dioxide emissions in OECD countries. Further research shows that environmental budget and environmental technologies play a positive role in the process of environmental taxes to delay climate change and reduce extreme weather events. In other words, we should attach importance to the investment of environmental protection funds and the research and development of environmental protection technology while carrying out environmental taxes. The robustness test shows that the main regression results of this paper have strong robustness. The research in this paper enriches theories and existing literature related to environmental taxes and climate change, and provides new research ideas and policy guidance for delaying the process of climate change and responding to extreme weather events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The existence of the green policy implementation gap in China has aroused widespread concern, and is frequently explained with officials' characteristics, problematic institutions, and citizens' participation. However, few studies have noticed the intermittence of the gap. By coding six media signals and 394 documents issued by the central government (2000–2015) from 27 items in dimensions of credibility/reliability, intensity, and clarity according to the signalling theory, causes of the intermittence were explored. I found that central signals are the driving force. Document signals work better than media signals, particularly in Hu Jintao's era. Documents' credible commitments, threats, legal effects, issuing departments, wording intensity, clear definition of departments and society's responsibilities, and regulation targets can significantly stimulate local governments' environmental regulation behaviours, especially in eastern China. In Xi Jinping's era, credible commitments and environmental campaigns' impacts are higher. The paper demonstrates how, where and when China's model of environmental authoritarianism is effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aspects of regional and local sustainable development are turning into key elements of strategic planning documents in EU countries. The topic of sustainable development includes issues of both urban and peripheral areas. It encompasses the classic fields of environmental protection and green energy, as well as the parameters of social inclusion, creative capital development, community and neighbourhood building, etc. The paper reviews the implementation of sustainable development goals in Slovakia with a focus on the programme promot-ing green infrastructure and the practice of mixed-use urban spaces. The principles of green infrastructure are introduced in Slovakia in line with the concepts of NECONET ecological networks and ÚSES systems of territorial environmental sustainability. The 2030 Environmental Strategy of Slovakia covers three areas, namely water protection and biodiversity, climate change and air protection, and green economy. Prominence is given to the development of renewable energy in the country. The paper determines the main obstacles to the development of Slovakian green infrastructure compared to that of the EU. These include a lack of financing, slow adoption of legislation, and lack of regulation in the land ownership rights. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Latin America is highly vulnerable to climate change. From a justice-centred approach, its communities have been using human and constitutional rights as a strategy to combat environmental degradation and protect ecosystems in climate litigation. Thus, the paper analyses the ecological dimension of human rights arising from the Latin American climate litigation by selecting disputes that link human rights and the protection of a specific ecosystem, which enables catching both the right to a healthy environment and the rights of nature. As for the results, the national courts interpret human rights from the notion of a socio-ecological system, emphasising a rights-duties approach based on social justice. The territory becomes a non-static space, there is a long-term temporal scale of rights, and the lawsuits elaborate on the interests of future generations. The rights of nature acknowledge a more-than-human world and argue that nature's legal titularity complements human rights, and both agendas meet at the intersection with the safe climate system. Although climate change appears as a secondary concern, applicants use the climate crisis as a crosscutting element aimed at ecosystems' protection and its impact on human rights. In conclusion, these disputes are ecological legal experiences that extensively redefine human rights law from the meeting between the system of rights and the cultural context of groups historically excluded from the spaces of power. Human rights receive a new axiological content reoriented from the realities of peripheral territories and previously invisible ecological backgrounds through the dynamic interaction with plural subjects that become drivers of transformations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainability emphasises the importance of increasing the resource efficiency of infrastructure. The usage of geosynthetic materials in civil and environmental engineering can significantly influence sustainability at the planning and design stages of infrastructure construction projects. They are used in many different applications in construction and environmental engineering, as they provide a better and longer performance and less costly solutions than traditional materials (such as sand, gravel, concrete and cement). Additional benefits can be achieved by combining geosynthetics with various recycled materials as substitutes for high-quality natural materials. In this paper, the importance of sustainability in geosynthetics-based solutions is discussed. The possibilities of using geosynthetics in sustainable development have been analysed and the benefits resulting from their application, such as the reduction in carbon footprint and release of greenhouse gases and saving water and other natural resources, have been assessed. Innovative solutions that support mitigation measures, adaptation to climate change and achievement of sustainable development goals have been presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Protection of Antarctica's biodiversity and ecosystem values is enshrined in the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty, which provides for the designation of Antarctic Specially Protected Areas (ASPAs) to areas with outstanding values. Concern has been raised that existing ASPAs fail to prioritize areas to maximize the likelihood of ensuring the long-term conservation of Antarctic ecosystems and biodiversity. The absence of systematic and representative protection is particularly acute for inland aquatic ecosystems, which support a disproportionate amount of inland biodiversity. This paper promotes the case for overt inclusion of inland waters as a critical component of a representative protected area framework for Antarctica, thereby addressing their current underrepresentation. We set out a structured approach to enable the selection of representative freshwater systems for inclusion in the ASPA framework that, with modification, could also be applied across other Antarctic habitats. We acknowledge an overall lack of information on the biogeography of inland aquatic diversity and recommend increased use of remote data collection along with classification tools to mitigate this, as well as the need for the consideration of catchment-scale processes. Changes that accompany contemporary and anticipated climate change make the need for the conservation of representative biodiversity increasingly urgent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines Ethiopia's efforts, strategies, and programs for sustainable development, with an emphasis on the Oromia regional state. The economy of Ethiopia is growing at one of the fastest rates on the continent, and it has made significant progress towards achieving the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals. The country has initiated several policies, agreements, and initiatives to promote sustainable development for the Oromia people. The development of sustainable farming practices, land-use planning, renewable energy sources, and forest preservation are all prioritized in the majority of the government's projects, decreasing greenhouse gas emissions and strengthening resistance to climate change as a result. The initiatives have also been successful in promoting economic growth, improving food security, and reducing poverty. A number of noteworthy projects that have been implemented in the Oromia region. Through the promotion of renewable energy sources like solar and wind power, these projects aim to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and mitigate the consequences of climate change. In order to ensure the population's general development and well-being, efforts have also been undertaken to increase access to healthcare and education. The Oromia region has many obstacles in the way of achieving sustainable development, despite boasting a diverse population and an abundance of natural resources. This paper examines the initiatives undertaken by the federal government, state and local governments, and other stakeholders to address these problems and promote sustainable development. The research findings enhance comprehension of the challenges faced by the Ethiopian government in defending its long-term objectives for both the country's citizens and the global community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work presents the methodological approach followed for the study of the interaction of natural stone monuments with the local microclimate (exposure to RH, temperature alterations, wind, marine aerosol). This was implemented with the documentation of the associated weathering phenomena and the study of historic climate data of the area. The paper is focused on the main weathering mechanisms of the marly limestone at the Hellenistic theater of Zea in Piraeus, Greece. Based on the weathering phenomena identified, the development of the appropriate mitigation strategy was based on the physical, chemical and mechanical characterization of the natural stones, along with the evaluation of different conservation treatments, considering the characteristics of the coastal environment. Considering the mineralogy of marly limestones, silane-based materials were selected for providing both consolidation and water repellency effects. The evaluation of the conservation treatments was based on the modification of microstructural and water-related properties of natural stone samples, along with their consequent effect on their durability against accelerated aging tests. The results indicated that the design of migration actions proved to be multivariable parameter, depending on the intrinsic stone properties, the environmental parameters and the conservation efficacy of the treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alaska Native corporations face a dilemma. They own land of immense and significant cultural and ecological value. Their lands are critical for maintaining the Alaska Natives' subsistence needs. But they are also corporations established under the law to maximize the economic value of their land holdings to provide financial dividends to their Native shareholders. This paper explores the enhanced federal tax incentive for donations of perpetual conservation easements that became available in 2015 to Alaska Native corporations. The tax incentive offers Alaska Native corporations a way to protect the aboriginal lands conveyed to them under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act while reaping the potential economic value of those lands. This paper also summarizes certain legal issues that are likely to occur in donated conservation easement transactions and offers guidance on how to address each issue. These issues include, among others: (1) how to qualify the conservation easement under state and federal law; (2) whether to have a nonprofit land trust, government agency or an Alaska Native tribal entity hold the conservation easement and how to make them eligible to do so; (3) how to handle the fee estates split between the Alaska Native village corporation (typical owner of the surface estate) and the Alaska Native regional corporation (typical owner of the subsurface estate); (4) whether to include subsistence uses as a conservation value to be permanently protected under the conservation easement; (5) how to address certain appraisal rules to properly substantiate the value of the conservation easement for federal charitable deduction purposes; and (6) if some funding is available for the conservation easement, whether and how to structure and substantiate the transaction as a bargain sale under applicable federal tax rules. The authors conclude that under the right circumstances, making use of the enhanced federal tax incentive for conservation easements may be just the tool Alaska Native corporations need to protect the subsistence value of their lands while also boosting their bottom lines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The UNFCC on climate change specifies that all nations must follow the rule of 'common' with differentiation regarding their responsibilities for the protection of the global environmental system. Recently, the formulation and stability of the IEA have been increased in the literature by applying the concept of game theory to make the climate agreements successful at the national and the international level. This study provides a novel evolutionary game theoretic model of self-enforcing IEA to overcome the free rider problem. The fundamental difference between our paper and existing literature is that we examine enforcement within a model as IEA has a governing authority while the typical model of enforcement involves a government enforcing a rule that it has imposed. For this purpose, we assign countries into different grades according to their pollution levels, consider a combination of rewards and penalties, use replicator dynamics to derive the conditions for the population steady state, and examine how the proposed regulatory mechanism fares in this steady state. This framework enables us to avoid the free rider and renegotiation problems as well as the rationality assumption. We establish the condition for evolutionary stability. The global environmental problem is managed effectively as a reward-punishment scheme and the monitoring frequency of IEA fulfills this condition. Our results provide an allocation principal with stable conditions under which countries get more benefits by monitoring the IEA and stability of the grand coalition holds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental problems continue to intensify. Yet, despite scientific consensus on threats such as climate change, broadscale public engagement with the issue is elusive. In this paper, we focus on childhood formative experiences and the extent to which they are correlated with environmental engagement. We consider two forms of environmental engagement: civic engagement, measured in hours per month devoted to an environmental protection cause, and private-sphere green behavior. Past studies about significant life experiences have shown that formative experiences, especially in childhood, correlate with environmentally sensitive attitudes and vocations in later life. However, we know less about the formative life events experienced by contemporary environmentally engaged persons. Looking at a nationally representative sample of American adults (n = 449), we find that childhood trauma predicts both civic engagement and green behavior. We also find that childhood experiences in nature and childhood travel experiences predict green behavior but not civic engagement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study establishes a calibrated SWAT (Soil and Water Assessment Tool) model for the Huntai Basin, driven by SSP126, SSP245, SSP585, and multi-model ensemble (MME) models in CMIP6 (Coupled Model Intercomparison Project-6), to investigate the effects of climate change on hydrological processes and pollution load in the Huntai Basin. The results show that the annual mean temperature and the annual precipitation will gradually increase. The nitrogen and phosphorus pollution loads in the basin exhibit a trend of decreasing-increasing-decreasing. The correlation between the nitrogen-phosphorus pollution load and the hydrological process strengthens with increasing radiative forcing. In the four scenarios, CO2 is a primary driving factor that contributes greatly to nitrogen and phosphorus pollution. The main differences are in the total driving factors, and SSP126 and SSP245 are less than those of other models. The total phosphorus and total nitrogen pollution in different climate models were higher than the average level during the benchmark period, except for ammonia nitrogen pollution, which was lower. The nitrogen and phosphorus pollution in SSP126 and SSP245 modes will reach the maximum in 2040s, and the pollution in other periods will be lower than that in SSP585 and MME scenarios. In the long run, the development state between SSP126 and SSP245 may be better appropriate for the Huntai Basin's future sustainable development. This paper analyzes the occurrence and influencing factors of nitrogen and phosphorus pollution under climate change to provide reference to the protection of water environment under changing environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The oceans are home to a rich diversity of plant and animal life and also provide a source of food and marine resources that drive economies. Climate change and pollution are changing ocean dynamics and the ability of the oceans to support life. Seabed mining in areas beyond national jurisdiction will add to the ocean's stressors and could cause severe environmental damage. The International Seabed Authority ('ISA') is mandated to manage access to and benefits from the seabed, its subsoil, and mineral resources in areas beyond national jurisdiction (the 'Area'). Although the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea sets out the legal framework for developing the Area and its resources, it does so in broad terms and leaves substantial gaps. These gaps include the scope of activities in the Area, the interrelationship of international obligations, the division of responsibilities between the ISA and sponsoring states, and the regulation of the mining system in situ. To partially fill these gaps, the ISA has drafted a set of 'Phase 1' Standards and Guidelines under the Draft Regulations on Exploitation of Mineral Resources in the Area. This paper investigates and critiques five environmental Draft Standards from a precautionary and comparative law perspective. Phase 1 standards and guidelines should adopt a more rigorous interpretation of the precautionary principle. Additional recommendations include creating enhanced governance processes and incorporating an ecosystem-based framework for regional environmental assessments and management plans not present in Draft Standards. This research will assist academics, practitioners, governments and the ISA with policies and strategies to enhance environmental and social protections from seabed mining. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon dioxide (CO 2) emissions and climate change risk have become constraints on global economic sustainable development. Environmental regulation (ER) is a key method for achieving synergy in CO 2 and pollution reduction in China. This paper is the first study to explore the effects of ER on CO 2 emissions by exploiting the National Environmental Protection 11th Five-Year Plan (NEP11-FYP). The implementation of the NEP11-FYP significantly decreases CO 2 emissions by 19.73% in key environmental cities relative to other cities. Heterogeneity analyses suggest that this negative impact is larger in western cities and cities with more pressure to reduce CO 2 emissions. Scale effects, structural effects, and technical effects might be three potential influencing channels through which ER contributes to the CO 2 reduction effect. In addition, the results of the spatial externality of the NEP11-FYP demonstrate a positive spillover effect in neighboring cities within a distance of 300 km and a negative spillover effect in cities more than 500 km away. Our empirical findings provide policy implications for implementing low-carbon transition strategies and reducing CO 2 emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this paper is to explore how environmental protection expenditures (EPE) affect innovation and investigate the potential causal relationship between the two variables. The novelty and main contribution of our paper to the literature stems from the fact that we look at total environmental protection expenditures from both the public and private sectors, and distinguishing between corporations and households in the private sectors. We also consider both inputs and outputs of innovation and address potential endogeneity issues in this relationship, which are both lacking in the current literature. Using a panel of EU countries over the period 2006–2020, this study generally finds a positive impact of EPE on innovation after controlling for the effects of trade, credit, education and inflation on innovation, and using the System GMM estimator to treat endogeneity. Moreover, EPE from the government sector drives the bulk of this positive impact. The core results are robust to alternative measures of innovation, alternative estimation techniques that address endogeneity (i.e., the Lewbel 2SLS, Mundlak, and Hausman-Taylor estimators) and the moderation effects of Climate Change Performance (CCPI). This study also provides a useful guide to policy makers engaged in environmental planning. • We evaluate the impact of environmental protection expenditures (EPE) on innovation in mainly EU countries. • We use longitudinal dataset for the group of EU countries over the period 2006–2020. • We find a positive impact of EPE on innovation. • The results are robust for observable heterogeneity, alternative measures of innovation and estimation techniques. • This study provides a useful guide to policy makers engaged in environmental planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As concerns around climate change and global warming intensify, extreme weather events such as heavy rain, blizzards, and smog-induced haze have greatly impacted the commuting travel mode selection of urban residents. Such behavioral shifts have in turn led to changes of the carbon emissions generated from these residents. This paper constructs a "extreme weather (W)–travel behavior (B)–carbon emissions (C)" research framework. Using a multiple logistic regression model, the transportation mode shift model, and the econometric model of urban resident's travel behavior under the influence of extreme weather conditions were constructed. The marginal effects of weather on residents' commuter behavior, through the use of transportation type and distance of travel were also obtained. The study found that the overall carbon dioxide emission levels of daily commuting has gradually decreased due to the influence of extreme weather. However, as some travelers still adopted high-emission commuting modes through the use of taxis or ride-sharing services, there was still a slight increase in CCDE levels in certain extreme weather contexts. In particular, when haze was prevalent, vehicle restriction policies only reduced CCDE by 2.18%, while the remaining 77.83% of total CCDE remaining unchanged. This research provides a key reference point for governmental departments in urban transportation management and environmental protection to formulate policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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