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Abstract: Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and related chemicals (collectively “PFOS equivalents”) have been released to the environment through widespread consumer use and disposal of PFOS-containing products like carpet, leather, textiles, paper, food containers, household cleansers, etc. Accordingly, in addition to PFOS-related industries, domestic activities may also considerably contribute to the PFOS emissions in the eastern coastal region of China, which has been characterized by high industrial input. In the present study, domestic emissions of PFOS equivalents derived from municipal wastewater treatment plants were estimated at the county level, using a regression model of domestic emission density with population density and per capita disposable income as independent variables. The total emission load of PFOS equivalents from domestic sources in the eastern coastal region of China was 381kg in 2010, and large cities were prominent as the emission centers. The domestic emission density averaged 0.37g/km2·a for the entire study area. Generally, the Beijing–Tianjin area, Pearl River Delta and Yangtze River Delta, as the most populous and economically developed areas in China, showed significantly higher emission density. Geographical variations within individual provinces were noteworthy. The average per capita discharge load of PFOS equivalents arising from domestic activities was 1.91μg/day per capita in the eastern coastal region of China, which is consistent with previous estimates in Korea, but lower than those calculated for developed countries. In comparison, the spatial distributions of provincial PFOS emissions from domestic and industrial sources were similar to each other; however, the latter was much larger for all the provinces. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper investigates ecological threshold and ecological economic threshold by developing an ecological economic model—an extension of a population–resource dynamics model developed by Brander and Taylor (1998). The model reflects three critical issues regarding an ecological economic system: system boundary, non-convexity, and adaptation. The paper elucidates six main findings: ecological economic threshold may come before ecological threshold; the ecological economic threshold may exhibit a highly context-dependent and dynamic nature, which suggests the precautionary principle; markets do not respond sufficiently to maintain resiliency under an external shock as prices do not reflect thresholds; the system can be restored by intervention, even after crossing the ecological economic threshold; various transitional paths are possible in restoring the system; and adaptation affects resilience to a somewhat significant effect which suggests the importance of better information and education. Because of the complexity of the model, I adopt a system dynamics approach for the development and analysis of the model. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Two important, increasing trends for those concerned about climate change to consider are urbanization/the importance of cities and energy used in transport—particularly energy used to achieve personal mobility. While national urbanization levels are not a good indicator of urban transport demand, there is an established negative relationship between urban density and such demand. This paper uses a consistent, well-known population-based framework (the STIRPAT model) and three separate, but highly related, datasets of cities from developed and developing countries (with observations from 1990, 1995, and 2001) to examine the relationship among private transport energy consumption, population, income, urban density, and several variables (e.g., network size and prices) that describe the nature of the public and private transport systems of those cities. The paper confirms the now well-established result that urban density is negatively correlated with urban private transport energy consumption. In terms of policies, improving private vehicle fuel efficiency, in particular, and increasing fuel price as well as other ownership/operating costs for private transport could have a substantial impact on lowering transport energy consumption. On the other hand, there is no evidence that further lowering the cost to riders of public transport would lower private transport energy consumption. For cities in developing countries, demographic variables (population size and urban density) are particularly important in determining private transport energy consumption. Also, private transport energy consumption is considerably less price sensitive in those developing country cities compared to cities in the most developed countries. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The dictator game is a tool for analyzing generosity in a simple experimental environment. The susceptibility of the results to relatively small changes in the experimental design has cast doubt on the interpretation of the game within the framework of the traditional economic theory of preferences. Another concern attached to the game is that patterns similar to those found in experiments are difficult to find outside experiments. Consequently, the recent discussion has ranged over using the dictator game as a tool for investigating social norms rather than as a setting to test the theory of preferences. Any progress in this discussion presupposes more empirical work using various data and taking various theoretical perspectives. This paper contributes to such research by comparing giving in the dictator game with supporting income redistribution in the field. In particular, the paper provides a simple data-analysis of three developed countries (Spain, Sweden and the USA) to find a data pattern similar to data patterns in dictator game experiments. A symmetrical resemblance is found in the case of Sweden, an asymmetrical one in the case of the USA, and a non-resemblance in the case of Spain. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Innovation and entrepreneurship provide essential value to the advancement and quality of the international tourism industry. For Less Economically Developed Countries (LEDCs) tourism innovation is an opportunity to differentiate the tourism product making it more competitive and increasing socio-economic gains at grassroots level counteracting foreign currency leakages from the destination. The paper argues that for small indigenous businesses in LEDC destinations to flourish a supportive environment promoting innovation and entrepreneurship is required. The paper emphasises the importance of multi-stakeholder collaboration by drawing on two distinct African case studies: a trade association in The Gambia and a training programme building entrepreneurial capacity in a university in Tanzania both of which have helped provide supportive environments for indigenous entrepreneurship and innovation. The Gambian case study is based on a collaborative marketing approach, the Tanzanian case study on the Triple Helix model. Both demonstrate the importance of institutional support in stimulating networking, transfer of knowledge and best practice in LEDC destinations. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The deregulation of the British bus sector (outside London) in 1986 was the start of a debate on the merits of ‘deregulation’ and ‘competitive tendering’. The period that followed was rich in lessons. New Zealand was at the time the only other country engaging in a reform based upon market initiative (implemented in 1991). Other countries chose for a less extreme and more consensual way to introduce competitive incentives, choosing the fundamentally different competitive tendering (CT) path. As a result, the so-called ‘Scandinavian model’ developed, based upon the London example of route tendering. Later the Netherlands adopted a network tendering approach, resembling the French practice of network tendering though with more operator freedom. This paper focuses on recent experiences (outside developing countries) with market-initiated competition, as opposed to authority-initiated competition through competitive tendering. The paper covers the experiences of Great Britain and New Zealand, and the opposite example of Sweden were a partial deregulation will soon be implemented as a result of disappointment with earlier results of CT. It describes the expectations that came with their introduction, and some of their perceived shortcomings, and analyses the legal changes enacted to cope with revealed shortcomings. By doing so, the paper describes, compares and draws a few conclusions on the institutional evolutions that can be observed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Building sustainability assessments are driving greater market demand for sustainable buildings in the developed world. However, do such assessments actually demonstrate building sustainability? Some critics of building sustainability assessment argue that the methods should evolve toward an “absolute” assessment of building sustainability. That is, rather than assessing a building relative to a average like-type building as is typically done, the assessment should be made to whatever is deemed sustainable using a credible science. One possible form of absolute assessment is using the indicator of sustainability known as carrying capacity. After discussing the opportunities with a carrying-capacity-based assessment of buildings, this paper proposes a computational model that provides such an assessment. There are four main components to the presented computational model. The first is the amount of carbon (C) stored on the building site in its native state. This native-site carbon storage is defined as the baseline carbon storage and represents the carrying capacity of the building project. The second is land use change, which accounts for the removal or addition of vegetation and other carbon storing elements to the project site. The third and fourth carbon emissions sources in the model are building construction and operation. A building is considered sustainable in the model if by the end of its expected lifetime the total amount of carbon emissions are completely offset. Building designers and their clients can use this model to more comprehensively account for carbon emissions and identify options for reducing and offsetting them. To drive greater adoption, the model has been developed into an online resource, Green Footstep (www.greenfootstep.org). To demonstrate the usefulness of the model, this paper presents a case study of an institutional building in Lake Placid, Florida, USA. The case study shows that the design team used the model to better understand what it means to have a “low-carbon” goal. The model showed them that over one hundred years, the building project must reduce and offset carbon emissions at a rate of 16 tonnes C per year. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper analyses the international grain trade flow by using the gravity equation of trade. On the basis of microeconomic theory and the new trade theory, the gravity equation of trade is used to examine grain exports and imports between pairs of countries. One of the main purposes of this paper is to examine how the grain trade is affected by economic factors, population, and country development. By using data of 41 major trading countries over 14 years (1996-2009), the gravity equation of two different specifications are deployed for the investigation. The analysis differentiates between developed and developing countries and identifies the differences between different pairing. Importer''s GDP lead to grain trade growing much faster than exporter''s GDP. Developing countries tend to import less grain but developed countries import more, if the population is higher. The paper provides a new insight about the grain trade flow between developed and developing countries. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Stock prices are more and more driven by the investors’ sentiment which, in turn, is sensitive to various non-financial events like macro-economic releases and social or environmental changes all over the world. In a globalized world, even the emerging and frontier economies such as Romania are following the main trend of the developed markets. The main concern of the last few years in the capital markets across the globe was the European Debt Crisis and for the purpose of this paper, we considered the most important news related to this subject as non-financial reporting. Therefore, major news and reports regarding this issue are seen by investors as the most important factors that are moving the markets. This paper analyses the impact of the relevant EU Debt Crisis news on the main European stock indexes using the price volatility. The results of the study showed, among others, that most of the stock markets reacted to news before it was actually released and from this point of view, the markets are tending towards the semi-strong form of efficiency that Eugene Fama was proposing in the efficient market hypothesis. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In Romania 70% of the national production is generated by the economy private sector, which is still relatively at a low value compared to the share registered in the developed countries. The economic crisis has affected the entrepreneurship sector quite to a large extent. The main consequences of that circumstance are: the ratio of new businesses founding decrease, the ratio of business liquidation growth. This process was relatively asynchronous with that of the developed European Union countries, but common in the former planned economy countries and the dominance of state property. Based on some comparable data sets, this paper includes an econometric modeling for the new enterprises founding impact on the dynamic of national production, as measured by GDP. The paper''s findings may provide a ground for governmental strategies regarding the private sector development and the private economic initiative. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Land affected by contamination from human activities has been identified as a major environmental problem in developed countries and there are established mechanisms for identifying, prioritising, characterising, assessing and remediating the land so that risks to human health and environmental receptors are minimised. However, comparative mechanisms and approaches for sustainable land management are often lacking in developing countries such as Cameroon. This paper presents a critical review of the existing policy framework in Cameroon in relation to environmental management, particularly land contamination. It is established that in Cameroon, there is an acute lack of comprehensive information on land contamination from economic development and industrialisation, inadequate legal and institutional framework, weak enforcement capacity and unsatisfactory coordination between various stakeholders towards sustainable land management practices. The coastal town of Douala, which has the highest level of industrial activity in the sub region is used to demonstrate how dealing with land contamination is a public health priority and requires attention in the context of sustainable development. The United Kingdom (UK) regulatory policy framework on land contamination risk management is used to show how land contamination issues and risk management approaches, including conceptual site models, could be introduced into the sustainability discourse in Cameroon. A number of recommendations including proposals for a radical overhaul of the current regulatory policy framework are formulated and presented. Specifically, the creation of an independent Cameroon Environment Protection Agency (CEPA) that will be the main regulatory body responsible for developing and implementing the policy proposals in this paper is advocated. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The environmental, cultural and economic consequences of land use change, including abandonment of agricultural use, have been recognized for a long time. It has often been assumed that the transformations of the agricultural systems in developed countries (and particularly in Europe) took place, for the main part, in the immediate years after the Second World War. In this paper we present a review of different statistical and cartographic sources available for a peripheral region in Europe (Galicia, Spain) characterized by small-scale farming and a very fragmented property system, that suggests otherwise: modernization of agriculture apparently took place without major changes in agricultural area until the country gained access to the European Economic Community, and the effect of Common Agricultural Policy reforms during the decade of 1990 is suggested as a major driver for the net decrease of agricultural area in the region between 1956 and 2004. On the other hand, this paper emphasizes the spatial complexity of agricultural abandonment with a case study, showing a large degree of variability at municipal scale and thus the need of future EU-level projects to work at least at municipal (Local Administrative Units 2, LAU 2) level. Finally, a multinomial logistic model for observed changes is included that shows how biophysical limitations were the main drivers behind abandonment of agriculture at parcel scale, while structural qualities related to property structure were strongly associated to the incorporation of former shrublands to agricultural use. Besides, Farm Structure Surveys were revealed as an unreliable source for the assessment of changes in total agricultural area in the studied region. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: During the entire period of the 2007-2009 global financial crisis, different types of countries showed different characteristics on their economic development process. Comparing the economic development process between different types of countries contributes a lot to get an in-depth understanding of the different impacts of the crisis on national economy. In this paper, the method of Functional Analysis of Variance (FANOVA) is applied to make a comparative study on the economic development process of different types of countries, including the differences on the economic growth rate, the time of the economy recession, the extent of the recession and the recovery situation of the economy. Moreover, the paper performs a dynamic test on the significance of the difference on the economic growth rate during the whole stage. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper will summarise the European Strategy for Energy and Climate Change. In current international negotiations Europe has proposed a 20% reduction in GHG (greenhouse gases) in the developed countries by 2020 or 30% should there be an international agreement in the domain. However it is important to define measures to achieve the targets. One of the principal tools is to improve energy efficiency under the energy efficiency action plan, which will help to achieve a 20% energy saving by 2020. On the other hand, the amount of energy from renewable sources consumed in Europe will have to rise from its current level of 8.5%–20% by 2020. These are ambitious but achievable targets. Nonetheless, these can only be achieved through strong investment in areas of the knowledge triangle which strengthens research and innovation in the energy sector in Europe. The paper covers European Energy and Climate Change Policy, the European Strategic Energy Technology plan, the consequences of the Lisbon Treaty, European and national Road maps to a low carbon economy, the Energy Efficiency Plan for 2011 and finishes with a brief consideration of the EU’s energy infrastructure priorities. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Despite possessing a very large potential of renewable energy sources, Australia has lagged behind other developed countries in embracing renewable energy. Various programs and policies have been devised and implemented by Australian governments. Nevertheless, the proportion of renewable energy in electricity generation in Australia has not increased significantly. This paper seeks to explain why Australia has difficulties in adopting renewable energy by using the Political Aspect of Innovation (PAI) framework to examine the causes and barriers that have blocked the taking up of renewable energy. The PAI framework is concerned specifically with public innovation policy in Australia and the way it aims to encourage and support investment in new technology development. The paper finally outlines some future suggestions for charting the progression of the Australian energy system toward a transformative sustainable future. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The values, concepts and approaches of health impact assessment (HIA) were outlined in the Gothenburg consensus paper and some industrialized countries have implemented HIA for many years. HIA has played an important role in environmental protection in China, however, the emergence, progress and challenges of HIA in China have not been well described. In this paper, the evolution of HIA in China was analyzed and the challenges of HIA were presented based on the author''s experiences. HIA contributed to decision-making for large capital construction projects, such as the Three Gorges Dam project, in its emergence stage. Increasing attention has been given to HIA in recent years due to supportive policies underpinning development of the draft HIA guidelines in 2008. However enormous challenges lie ahead in ensuring the institutionalization of HIA into project, program and policy decision-making process due to limited scope, immature tools and insufficient professionals in HIA practice. HIA should broaden its horizons by encompassing physical, chemical, biological and socio-economic aspects and constant attempts should be made to integrate HIA into the decision-making process, not only for projects and programs but also for policies as well. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper analyses the beach enclave resort of Senegambia in The Gambia as a landscape of power through the physical structure and the power relationships between different stakeholders reinforced by strict legislative and security measures. Beach enclaves are manifested as landscapes which protect tourists rather than national landscapes with leisure access and business opportunities for all. Building on a socio-spatial analysis of power and landscape, power relations in beach enclaves are discussed. Cultural and economic representations of the enclave product in a Less Economically Developed Country context are imbued with positive and negative socio-economic and cultural impacts. Post-structuralism and Structure and Agency are applied to further understand where marginality results from enclave tourism. The paper demonstrates a gap in the tourism literature and the need for further research on how places of marginality in tourist destinations are socially constructed by the power of individuals and organisations. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Access to modern energy services in households is central to achieving decent living standards and well-being. Almost 3 billion people in Sub-Saharan Africa and developing Asia still lack access to modern energy services and endure energy consumption rates equivalent to a fraction of that in developed countries. While critical for the successful achievement of several internationally agreed Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), closing this energy divide may pose an additional pressure on the already daunting challenge of securing climate stabilization. The ways in which this divide is closed will significantly affect the development of buildings-related emissions. This paper revisits previous work on the potential conflict between efforts towards closing the energy divide and enabling the achievement of higher levels of human well-being, and those associated with climate stabilization. It estimates the additional energy needed to achieve the former in terms of final energy consumption levels in key regions, and the associated emission pathways under different climate action scenarios. It then analyses the impact that such pathways could have on estimated carbon budgets associated with fulfilling the Paris Agreement, and provides some suggestions on how this impact could be minimized in the buildings sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Historical correlation between US and the remaining G6 stock market returns analysed. • Correlations are explained with global crises measures. • Mixed frequency approach is used based on functional data analysis. • Some diversification benefits are observed during the early 20th century. • In the wake of crises, evidence of diversification benefits is non-existent post 1950. This paper presents a novel, mixed-frequency based regression approach, derived from functional data analysis (FDA), to analyze the effect of global crises on stock market correlations, using a long span of data, dating as far back as early 1800s, thus covering a wide range of global crises that have not yet been examined in the literature in this context. Focusing on the advanced nations in the G7 group, we observe heterogeneous effects of global crises on the convergence patterns across developed stock markets. While the post World War II period experienced a general rise in the level of correlations among developed stock market returns, we find that global crises in general have led to a stronger association of stock market returns in the US, UK and Canada, whereas the opposite holds when it comes to how European and Japanese stock markets co-move with the US. Overall, our results suggest that crises that are global in nature generally contribute to the convergence of global stock markets, while the effect largely depends on the context and nature of the crises that possibly drive the perception of risk and/or contagion in financial markets. From an investment perspective, our findings suggest that, in the wake of global crises, diversification benefits will be limited by moving funds across the US and UK stock markets whereas possible diversification benefits would have been possible during the crises-ridden period of the early twentieth century by holding positions in equities in the remaining G7 nations to supplement positions in the US. However, these diversification benefits seem to have frittered away in the post World War II period, highlighting the role of emerging markets and alternative assets to improve diversification benefits in the modern era. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between dense urban development, often represented by high-rise buildings, and its location vis-à-vis metro stations reflects the connection between transportation infrastructure and land use intensity. Existing literature on high-rise buildings has focused either on developed countries or on cities where urban and public transit developments have occurred in an uncoordinated manner. This paper examines the following questions: What is the spatial proximity and spatial correlation between high-rise buildings and metro stations in different stages of development in various parts of the city? What were some of the factors that resulted in the observed patterns? The results suggest that buildings constructed after 2000 and buildings within the urban core/Shanghai Proper districts had a greater spatial proximity to the metro stations. However, the spatial correlation, measured by the number of high-rise buildings within a 500-m buffer from the nearest metro stations and the time-distance to these stations, is stronger in the outer districts than in the urban core. These differences can be accounted for by Shanghai's stages of urban development, the existence of metro infrastructure when high-rise development was undertaken, and the city's land use policies. This case study sheds light on the relationship between high-density developments and metro systems in other large cities in China and other developing countries where rapid urban development coincides with the establishment of a comprehensive public transit system. • Investigate the relationship between high-density development and its location vis-à-vis metro stations. • Understand the different spatial distribution patterns of high-rise buildings between suburban districts and urban core. • Application of the spatial proximity and spatial correlation measures between high-rise buildings and metro transit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cancer is now the second leading cause of death in the Caribbean. Despite this growing burden, many Caribbean small island nations have health systems that struggle to provide optimal cancer care for their populations. In this Series paper, we identify several promising strategies to improve cancer prevention and treatment that have emerged across small island nations that are part of the Caribbean Community. These strategies include the establishment of a Caribbean cancer registry hub, the development of resource-appropriate clinical guidelines, innovations in delivering specialty oncology services (eg, paediatric oncology and palliative care), improving access to opioids, and developing regional training capacity in palliative medicine. These developments emphasise the crucial role of public-private partnerships in improving health care for the region and show how fostering strategic collaborations with colleagues and centres in more developed countries, who can contribute specialised expertise and improve regional collaboration, can improve care across the cancer control continuum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biodiversity is suffering dramatic declines across the globe, threatening the ability of ecosystems to provide the services on which humanity depends. Mainstreaming biodiversity into the plans, strategies and policies of different economic sectors is key to reversing these declines. The importance of this mainstreaming is recognized by the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and its Aichi targets. Individual countries can implement the goals of the CBD through their National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs), which aim to, inter alia, support the mainstreaming of biodiversity into the policies of key economic sectors, such as agriculture, forestry and fisheries. This paper investigates the performance of countries at incorporating biodiversity mainstreaming into their post-2010 NBSAPs. We conduct a large-scale review of 144 NBSAPs against five criteria and calculate a national-level indicator for comparing levels of mainstreaming among countries. Our results show that developing countries, particularly those in Africa, have higher scores, indicating that they have a higher awareness of the importance of biodiversity mainstreaming. Developing nations were also more likely to involve a greater range of stakeholders in the NBSAP development process, whilst developed nations were less likely to give specific details about the monetary contributions of biodiversity to their economies. Overall, our findings suggest that biodiversity mainstreaming remains a challenge across much of the world, but that progress in some areas can provide direction and momentum in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent analyses maintain that recycling in developed countries, being mostly the result of costly policies, may be already above its socially optimal level. These analyses in fact underestimate such level if increasing recycling not only reduces residual waste, but also total waste. We find that this is the case: a 10% increase in recycling rate is associated with a 1.5–2% decrease of total urban waste. This effect is largely attributable to curbside collection programs, whose adoption increases recycling rates by 8–14% and reduces waste generation by about 4%. This paper contributes to the literature on the relations between waste and recycling by providing estimates of the source reduction effect of recycling policies and pointing out the important role played in it by curbside collection programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An increasing number of studies have suggested that global phosphate rock (PR) extraction will reach a peak in the coming decades, with subsequent implications for food security. This paper focuses on peak phosphorus in China, which serves as an "early warning indicator" for phosphorus security. The results indicate that China's production of PR is likely to peak sometime between 2035 and 2045. This result was derived using Chinese data, which differs from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) data, upon which estimates are more commonly based. Drivers of Chinese phosphorus consumption were also identified, and trends in phosphate use from six developed countries were analysed to form an overall assessment of the current demand for phosphorus in China. This analysis indicates that the demand for Chinese PR has reached a plateau. Combining the forecasts of both extraction and demand, the study explores potential challenges for sustainable phosphorus management. The study concludes with a range of policies that may help ensure a sustainable supply of Chinese PR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapid urban expansion and economic development has led to severe demands of energy and water resources, which poses serious challenges to sustainability and environment. Previous studies have taken more consideration of one resource flow ignoring the interconnectedness between energy and water. In this paper, an urban energy-water nexus framework is constructed considering both domestic and international trade, based on the environmentally extended multi-scale input-output (EE-MSIO) model. This method allows us to trace energy and water flows in a multi-scale economic system from production and consumption perspectives. In basis of that, the nexus strengthen indicator is constructed to evaluate the energy-water nexus of the trading regions with Shanghai city in the domestic and international trade to present the integrated environmental pressure externalized in Shanghai's rapid economic development. Findings indicate that Shanghai is a net importer of energy and water flow. This result is compatible with the fact that Shanghai is a consumer city. Additionally, the seven domestic regions in China are net exporters toward Shanghai, supporting around 55.10% of energy and 70.56% of water import flows driven by city's final demand. Shanghai largely imports flows of energy and water from Mainland China and developing regions across the globe, whereas export little to developed nations. Nexus results indicate that from consumption perspective, Hebei and Shandong are of the highest nexus strength embodied in domestic trade with Shanghai, with nearly equal contribution for both energy and water. While USA is the largest energy-water nexus node embodied in international trade with Shanghai, around 60% energy and 40% water contributed to the nexus. During these tradeoffs, Shanghai is the major beneficiary, being able to externalize environmental pressures by consumption of domestic and international exported goods and services. The study outcomes suggest that a higher coordination, together with a rearrangement of the regional trade structure, should be the key leverages for an effective management of resources and environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Impervious surfaces are the most significant feature of human settlements. Timely, accurate, and frequent information on impervious surfaces is critical in both social-economic and natural environment applications. Over the past 40 years, impervious surface areas in China have grown rapidly. However, annual maps of impervious areas in China with high spatial details do not exist during this period. In this paper, we made use of reliable impervious surface mapping algorithms that we published before and the Google Earth Engine (GEE) platform to address this data gap. With available data in GEE, we were able to map impervious surfaces over the entire country circa 1978, and during 1985–2017 at an annual frequency. The 1978 data were at 60-m resolution, while the 1985–2017 data were in 30-m resolution. For the 30-m resolution data, we evaluated the accuracies for 1985, 1990, 1995, 2000, 2005, 2010, and 2015. Overall accuracies reached more than 90%. Our results indicate that the growth of impervious surface in China was not only fast but also considerably exceeding the per capita impervious surface area in developed countries like Japan. The 40-year continuous and consistent impervious surface distribution data in China would generate widespread interests in the research and policy-making community. The impervious surface data can be freely downloaded from http://data.ess.tsinghua.edu.cn. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• China's changing role in the global innovation network. • R&D embodied in international trade flow is also considered. • Industrial sectors have exhibited different characteristics during this transformation. • Innovation diffusion networks become more evenly distributed in terms of inward linkages while. • The networks become more hierarchic in terms of outward linkages. This paper aims to explore the changing role of China in the global innovation network and the evolution of product-embodied research and development (R&D) in this country. R&D embodied in international trade flow is also considered to ensure the comparability with studies of developed countries. The results show that China is transforming from a technology absorber to a neutral player who is also a major technology producer. Further analysis demonstrates that industrial sectors have exhibited different characteristics during this transformation. China's innovation diffusion networks become more evenly distributed in terms of inward linkages, while the networks become more hierarchic in terms of outward linkages. The latter trend is beneficial to technology diffusion. Particularly, three industries (I-13, I-12, and I-7) possessed the central position as the most important R&D sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Labor productivity growth in major advanced countries has been experiencing a slowdown in recent years. This paper examines the background of recent low labor productivity growth in Japan. There are two reasons behind the productivity slowdown in Japan. First, technology and ideas accumulated by research and development (R&D) as well as management resources such as capital and labor are not utilized efficiently. Second, these resources are not efficiently reallocated across corporations. In order to improve Japan's productivity in the medium to long-term, it is desirable to encourage the flexible reallocation of management resources such as capital and labor by changing working process at the corporate level in accordance with changes in the socio-economic environment and the advent of new technologies, as well as by improving efficiency in the labor and capital markets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The literature investigating the relationship between natural hazards and individuals' subjective well-being has so far focused on industrialized countries. Using the life-satisfaction approach, this paper is the first to study the link between natural hazards, in particular heavy storms and droughts, and subjective well-being for a small-scale island society in the Pacific Ocean. Results indicate that the experience of drought markedly diminished life satisfaction, whereas the experience of storms had only somewhat negative impact. The primary driver of the negative well-being impact appeared to be damage experience for both storms and droughts. Since regular cash-income did not exist for the majority of the population, the marginal effect could not be calculated in monetary terms. To account for differences in wealth across respondents, we developed a wealth index in the form of a simple 'asset score'. Comparing the marginal effect of the hazard variables with our measure of wealth, the positive marginal effect of doubling the number of household assets was significantly smaller than the negative impact of drought experience on subjective well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The current study discusses the linear and non-linear relationship between trade, and non-renewable and renewable energy consumption using data of 72 countries extending from 1990 to 2012. Our empirical models integrate some additional variables which affect the above-mentioned relationship such as GDP, CO 2 emissions, domestic resources abundance, and some interaction terms. The innovation of the paper is not only to compare between developed and developing countries but also between industrialized countries and non-industrialized ones by integrating some dummy variables into the models. The empirical results demonstrate that trade and energy consumption (renewable or non-renewable) have a mutually reinforcing linear relationship. Moreover, the validity of non-linear relationships is accepted only in the case of the impact of non-renewable on trade. This latter follows an inverted U-shape form in the case of developed and industrialized countries while a U-Shape one in the case of developing and non-industrialized countries. In addition, the findings indicate a positive contribution of GDP, capital, and labor on trade and energy consumption. However, CO 2 emissions and natural resource have positive impacts on trade and non-renewable energy while negative effect on renewable energy. It implies that policy makers should develop appropriate policies to profit from trade and energy consumption. Highlights • We investigate the linear and non-linear relationship between energy consumption (renewable or non-renewable), and trade. • We focus in developed versus developing countries and industrialized versus non-industrialized ones from 1990 to 2012. • We use GMM dynamic panel data models. • We state bidirectional linear links between trade and renewable energy consumption. • We obtain a non-linear impact of trade on non-renewable energy consumption against a linear effect in the opposite sense. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The economic viability of new energy technologies is held as a central tenet to their future deployment; conventional wisdom posits economically rational decision-makers will readily invest in proven low-risk and affordable technologies. But what happens when this is not true. This paper examines the non-financial barriers facing economically viable Combined Heat and Power (CHP) projects. CHP is a mature and lower carbon technology that efficiently uses waste heat from thermal electricity generation; CHP can also provide flexibility services to help integrate variable renewable resources. CHP is low risk and many industrialized countries, particularly those in colder climates in Northern Europe and Russia, generate as much as 50% of their electricity and heat needs from CHP, but United States deployment remains low and investment hurdle rates high. While lower U.S. energy costs make some projects un-economic, many economically-viable CHP projects are stalled or killed by non-financial barriers. To better understand why financially viable CHP projects are not getting built, developers, owners and operators, regulators, and other stakeholders of this technology were interviewed and three major barriers emerged a) the business model of the electrical utility b) negative subjective impressions and c) challenges in allocating the risks and benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a study to reveal hidden knowledge in the online patient medication reviews for phentermine HCL is presented. Phentermine HCL is used most frequently in the treatment of obesity. Obesity is a complex health disorder that affects huge amount of people. In recent years, the number of overweight people in industrialized countries has increased significantly and people who are obese are at a much higher risk for serious medical conditions such as high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke and diabetes. Considering the importance of the medication of obesity, knowledge discovery from online patient reviews is performed. Some information technologies and data mining techniques are used to discover some hidden knowledge between patient information and side effects in these reviews. Our results can give new ideas to medical researchers and pharmaceutical industry for drug safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems are the most energy consuming building services representing approximately half of the final energy use in the building sector and between one tenth and one fifth of the energy consumption in developed countries. Despite their significant energy use, there is a lack of a consistent and homogeneous framework to efficiently guide research and energy policies, mainly due to the complexity and variety of HVAC systems but also to insufficient rigour in their energy analysis. This paper reviews energy related aspects of HVAC systems with the aim of establishing a common ground for the analysis of their energy efficiency. The paper focuses on the map of energy flow to deliver thermal comfort: the HVAC energy chain. Our approach deals first with thermal comfort as the final service delivered to building occupants. Secondly, conditioned spaces are examined as the systems where useful heat (or coolth) is degraded to provide comfort. This is followed by the analysis of HVAC systems as complex energy conversion devices where energy carriers are transformed into useful heat and coolth, and finally, the impact of HVAC energy consumption on energy resources is discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: There is a growing scientific consensus that limiting the increase in global average temperature to around 2°C above pre-industrial levels is necessary to avoid unacceptable impact on the climate system. This requires that the developed countries’ emissions are radically reduced during the next 40 years. Energy scenario studies provide insights on the societal transitions that might be implied by such low-carbon futures, and in this paper we discuss how a greater attention to different governance and institutional issues can complement future scenario exercises. The analysis is based on a critical review of 20 quantitative and qualitative scenario studies, all of relevance for meeting long-term climate policy objectives. The paper: (a) analyzes some key differences in energy technology mixes and primary energy use patterns across these studies; (b) briefly explores the extent and the nature of the societal challenges and policy responses implied; and (c) discusses a number of important implications for the design and scope of future scenario studies. Our review shows that in previous scenario studies the main attention is typically paid to analyzing the impact of well-defined and uniform policy instruments, while fewer studies factor in the role of institutional change in achieving different energy futures. We therefore point towards a number of strategies of integrating issues of transition governance into future scenario analyses, and argue for a closer synthesis of qualitative and quantitative scenario building. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Following typical phases of any technology development, initially there have been research works focusing mainly on the solar hot water systems’ (SHWS) technology development then followed by economic aspects. This has resulted in techno-economically feasible standardized solar hot water systems. Owing to these favourable features, SHWS in general and Domestic SHWS (DSHWS) in particular attracted several promotional measures with a view to make them as the alternative for conventional water heating options in India. However, even after the implementation of these measures for more than two decades in India, the potentials-achievements difference remains to be extremely large, the reasons for which are attributed to the so-called “barriers for dissemination”. This paper presents a consolidated review of solar water heating related issues covering these technological developments, techno-economics, promotional measures, present dissemination status and barriers for dissemination, all with a special reference to the Indian context. Also presented in this paper is the identified need for “viability” studies of DSHWS and “essentials for viability evaluations of DSHWS” in multi-dimensional environment that aid in developing decision making tools to improve dissemination of DSHWS. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper provides a game model for examining the host overseas investment policy and MNEs equity strategy in international joint ventures. This paper refines previous Chen and Chung's (2008) results and considers the host policy about MNEs' joint-venture. This paper shows foreign firms increase their technology transfer incentive because less competition from the joint-venture partner when a foreign firm holds lower shares. And the holding shares of foreign firms must be not smaller than 50 percent. The host welfare increases with foreign firms' minority equity. The equity conflict exists in the higher technology spillover and transfer cost cases. Hence, the host governments always impose investment restrictions on MNEs in the Developing countries. Otherwise, it has more loose policy in the Developed countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper presents and critically analyses the current waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) management practices in various countries and regions. Global trends in (i) the quantities and composition of WEEE; and (ii) the various strategies and practices adopted by selected countries to handle, regulate and prevent WEEE are comprehensively examined. The findings indicate that for (i), the quantities of WEEE generated are high and/or on the increase. IT and telecommunications equipment seem to be the dominant WEEE being generated, at least in terms of numbers, in Africa, in the poorer regions of Asia and in Latin/South America. However, the paper contends that the reported figures on quantities of WEEE generated may be grossly underestimated. For (ii), with the notable exception of Europe, many countries seem to be lacking or are slow in initiating, drafting and adopting WEEE regulations. Handling of WEEE in developing countries is typified by high rate of repair and reuse within a largely informal recycling sector. In both developed and developing nations, the landfilling of WEEE is still a concern. It has been established that stockpiling of unwanted electrical and electronic products is common in both the USA and less developed economies. The paper also identifies and discusses four common priority areas for WEEE across the globe, namely: (i) resource depletion; (ii) ethical concerns; (iii) health and environmental issues; and (iv) WEEE takeback strategies. Further, the paper discusses the future perspectives on WEEE generation, treatment, prevention and regulation. Four key conclusions are drawn from this review: global amounts of WEEE will continue unabated for some time due to emergence of new technologies and affordable electronics; informal recycling in developing nations has the potential of making a valuable contribution if their operations can be changed with strict safety standards as a priority; the pace of initiating and enacting WEEE specific legislation is very slow across the globe and in some cases non-existent; and globally, there is need for more accurate and current data on amounts and types of WEEE generated. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Iron deficiency disproportionately affects infants, children, and women of reproductive age. It is more prevalent in developing countries but continues to be a problem in developed countries. Included among the consequences of iron deficiency are changes in cognitive performance, emotions, and behavior. Although the behavioral and developmental sequela of iron deficiency in young children have received much interest, data on the consequences of iron deficiency in women of reproductive age are just beginning to emerge. Interest in this area increased as a result of the findings that brain iron is much more fluid than previously thought and iron-deficient animals experience non-development-dependent brain alterations. These findings, coupled with the symptoms often reported by iron-deficient women lethargy, inability to concentrate, difficulty with memory, etc.), have led researchers to begin to explore the relation between iron and neuropsychological outcomes in this population. This paper reviews findings from studies that have examined the brain functional consequences of iron deficiency in women of reproductive age. Additional consideration is given to the fact that detriments to cognition and behavior in a woman of reproductive age may have negative implications beyond the woman s health; specifically, they may negatively influence her children. Therefore, the roles that cognitive and behavioral changes in these women have, on their children's development is also reviewed. The paper concludes with a discussion on ways to use technological advances especially in neuroimaging techniques) to help us elucidate the role of iron in the brains of women of reproductive age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: According to traditional wisdom, latecomer countries improve their technological capabilities in reverse of the product cycle, that is from mature towards new technologies. However, improvement of standards capabilities in this process has not been revealed clearly. This paper confirms similar patterns for improving formal standards capabilities as for the technological capabilities, but records some possible differences in the rate of catch-up when latecomers approach the technology frontier; a forward moving position where technology leaders (typically advanced countries) develop or conceptualize new technologies before being turned into products or systems. A number of case studies of South Korean ICT systems reveal that transition to the technological frontier is increasingly related to how they target and carry out formal standardization. The common elements driving differences in rates of successful catch-up for ICT systems standards are not only limited to generic standards capabilities, but also rely on characteristics of technology trajectories, national strategic focus, and organizing for standardization. 3 [3] Whereas formal process of standards development is well established at Standard Development Organizations (SDOs) or Standards-Setting Organizations (SSOs) or Standards Forums (SF). The term “organizing the standardization” in this paper is taken as the structure and interactions set up at national level for developing the standards in coordination with SDOs or SSOs or SF. Also see footnotes 4 and 6. This implies that a nation should not be discouraged by slow progress in standards-setting during earlier stages. Once a minimum level of capabilities is achieved, a nation pro-active in standards from the beginning may attain higher rates of catch-up near the technology frontier. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper summarizes research into waste management activities and carbon emissions from territories in sub-Saharan Africa with the main objective of quantifying emission reductions (ERs) that can be gained through viable improvements to waste management in Africa. It demonstrates that data on waste and carbon emissions is poor and generally inadequate for prediction models. The paper shows that the amount of waste produced and its composition are linked to national Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Waste production per person is around half that in developed countries with a mean around 230kg/hd/yr. Sub-Saharan territories produce waste with a biogenic carbon content of around 56% (+/−25%), which is approximately 40% greater than developed countries. This waste is disposed in uncontrolled dumps that produce large amounts of methane gas. Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from waste will rise with increasing urbanization and can only be controlled through funding mechanisms from developed countries. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract In this paper, we use time-varying copula and VAR-DAG models to investigate oil-stock contagion and its propagation among seven countries with different levels of economic development. Our results present evidence of positive lower tail dependence between oil and stock markets of the seven countries, which is indicative of contagion in the sense of Okimoto [ 1 ]. Evolution patterns of contagion are similar in the developed countries but different in the developing ones. Moreover, contagion is significantly affected by the 2008 financial crisis, and the contagious magnitude in China and India is considerably smaller than in the other five countries. The empirical evidence also suggests that oil-stock contagion is propagated from developed countries to developing ones, and Brazil is the most affected by the developed countries' contagion. Highlights • Time-varying copula and VAR-DAG models are developed and estimated. • There exists a contagion between oil and seven stock markets. • The oil-stock contagion is significantly affected by the 2008 financial crisis. • The oil-stock contagion is propagated from developed countries to developing ones. • The contagious magnitude in China and India is smaller than in the other five countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The Internet has dramatically changed the way we conduct business and our daily lives by provided us with unprecedented services and conveniences. However, contrary to such accomplishments, productivity in industrialized countries is now experiences an apparent decline. This has raised the question of a possible productivity paradox in the digital economy. The limitation of GDP statistics in measuring the advancement of the digital economy has thus become an important subject. This paper analyzed the structural sources of this problem. Utilizing the results of empirical analyses of national, industrial, and individual behavior in the digital economy, solutions to these critical issues were investigated. Based on the two-faced nature of information and communication technology (ICT) and the fact that people's preferences extend beyond economic value, the concept of uncaptured GDP was postulated and spinoff dynamism to a new co-evolution among advancement of the Internet, increasing dependence on uncaptured GDP, and a shift in people's preferences was reviewed. This provided new insight and suggested a transformative direction to address the limitation of using GDP statistics in the digital economy. Highlights • A new paradox of the digital economy was discussed. • Structural sources of the productivity decline in the digital economy was identified. • Limitations of GDP in measuring the advancement of the digital economy was identified. • New insights for measuring the digital economy were explored. • Significant role of soft innovation resources was postulated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: There has been a growing interest in transfer of development rights (TDR) in urban planning and economics literatures. Most studies report new practices and evaluate their policy effectiveness in developed countries, such as the United States and Europe. This paper aims to fill in an empirical gap in TDR studies by analyzing a case from a developing country. It studies the evolution of land rights trading in one Chinese province, Zhejiang. Unlike industrialized societies, the initial driving force for this institutional innovation was not local preservation movements; rather it was a strategic response to the central government''s tight farmland regulation. In the late 1990s, to secure food resources, the central leaders introduced the “toughest” land regulatory regime in China and controlled farmland conversion through a number of quotas. To balance development and preservation in a fast growing regional economy, Zhejiang allowed local governments to earn land-use quotas and, more importantly, established a market for trading. More developed areas traded in land-use quotas to growing their businesses and cities, while poor areas traded out development rights for financial compensations. Drawing on extensive interviews and internal publications, this paper supports the claim that land rights trading has achieved both objectives of farmland preservation and development. The study broadens the scope of existing studies on TDRs by highlighting different dynamics in a developing country. TDR should be an attractive option for developing countries that are under high pressure for growth. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: To date, developed countries can only tap mitigation opportunities in developing countries by investing in projects under the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). Yet CDM investments have so far failed to reach all of the high-potential sectors identified in IPCC reports. This raises doubts about whether the CDM will be able to generate an adequate supply of credits from the limited areas where it has proved successful. Our paper examines the current trajectory of potential mitigation entering the CDM pipeline and projects it forward under the assumption that the diffusion of the CDM will follow a path similar to other kinds of innovations. Projections are then compared to pre-CDM predictions of the mechanism''s potential market size used to assess Kyoto''s cost, in order to discern whether limits on the types of project entering the pipeline will also limit the eventual supply of certified emission reductions (CERs). The main finding of the paper is that the mechanism is on track to deliver an average annual flow of roughly 700 million CERs by the close of 2012 and nearly to 1100 million tons by 2020. Parameter tests suggest that currently identified CDM investments will exceed early model predictions of the potential market for CDM projects. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper argues that GDP growth in both developed and developing countries has associated costs that can outweigh the benefits and thus reduce sustainable well-being. This conclusion is based upon the findings of empirical applications of the Genuine Progress Indicator (GPI) to a range of countries in the Asia-Pacific region. The studies conducted on seven Asia-Pacific countries indicate that, in the case of five of the seven nations, more recent GDP growth has reduced the sustainable well-being experienced by the average citizen residing within them. Moreover, the threshold point at which the costs of GDP growth outweigh the benefits appears to be contracting (i.e., occurring at a much lower per capita level of GDP). This paper therefore introduces a new contracting threshold hypothesis: as the economies of the Asia-Pacific region and the world collectively expand in a globalised economic environment, there is a contraction over time in the threshold level of per capita GDP. As a consequence, the threshold point confronting growth late-comers (i.e., developing countries) occurs at a much lower level of sustainable welfare than what wealthy nations currently enjoy. The consequences of this for developing countries are clearly significant and require a new approach to economic development. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Workplace accidents still occur with distressing frequency, particularly in construction. Industrialized countries have become increasingly aware of this situation and have adopted policies to attempt to deal with this issue. Such policies have led to the development of new laws and regulations with a view to improving workplace conditions. This paper first analyzes policies regarding accident prevention in the European Union, as initially stipulated in the European Framework Directive 89/391/EEC, and more specifically in Directive 92/57/EEC, on the implementation of minimum safety and health requirements at temporary or mobile construction sites, concentrating on prevention through design. Whilst designers previously had some responsibilities for reducing risk under common law provisions in many countries, this directive was the first explicit legislation to enforce particular duties upon them. The adaptation of the provisions in this directive to the national legislation of EU member countries is also studied. The second section of the paper analyzes the incidence rate of workplace accidents in the construction sector in each country from the year when these regulations came into force until the present time. Based on the evolution of these accident rates, the paper postulates the extent to which European policies have contributed to accident prevention in construction. It is now more than a decade since this legislation has been in force which provides a suitable period for a reflective analysis on it is impact. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The main purpose of this paper is to identify factors and conditions that are important for successful Implementation of computers in Iranian schools during one decade from 1995 to 2005. The second focus of this paper is to examine how these factors relate to models of implementation in other countries such as developed countries. This paper is written based on the results of three studies which had been done in 1995, 2000 and 2005. Participants were samples of different groups involved in the implementation process during these years. The data collected consisted of questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, policy documents. The results indicate that some factors were reported very important during one decade such as the role of situational factors such as traditional societies in transition. The most important factors of traditional societies in transition were included: socio-economic, socio-cultural factors and political stability. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Summary: This paper explores how the choice of a country’s exchange rate regime may affect exchange rate misalignment for developing and developed countries. A measure of misalignment is obtained by using a panel cointegration vector estimator. This paper finds that for developing countries, an intermediate exchange rate regime (a regime falling somewhere between a pure float and a hard peg) is most effective in preventing exchange rate misalignment. Additionally, the choice of an exchange rate regime as a means to limit misalignment matters for developing countries, but does not seem to matter for developed countries. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Empirical research has given cause to fear that the demographic ageing in industrialized countries is likely to exert a negative impact on educational spending. Although this line of research shows in many cases a negative correlation between the proportions of the elderly and educational expenditures, a causal link is difficult to prove. To further analyse this topic, this paper uses a unique and representative survey of Swiss voters of all age groups. Results show that elderly people have a clear tendency to be less willing to spend money on education. They rather prefer to spend public resources on health and social security than on education. Furthermore the paper shows that although the elderly are more conservative and in general less inclined to pay for expenditures in the public sector as a whole, there is still an age effect on the willingness to pay for education after controlling for these factors. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The management of indoor microclimates is an important function of museum operations, a topic that has recently received growing attention. The way in which museum microclimates are specified is still not well documented universally, particularly in developing countries where a significant part of the global 'movable' heritage is situated. Most of the current contributions come from scholars covering climate control practices in developed nations. The bibliography related to museum environmental and climate management in other regions is comparatively limited. Heritage institutions have varying levels of resources, funding mechanisms, management protocols and expertise. In the absence of shared best practices, great variability in the environmental management practice exists across different institutions and countries. This paper brings together 96 studies that were selected and critically evaluated to review publications in the field over the last two decades and trace the variations in climate control practice across regions. The findings of the review confirmed the gaps in research in the field and identified the relevance to the implementation of regulatory frameworks particularly in regions where little or no research of museums' indoor environments is taking place. The paper also shows that the fragmentation of tools and methods to assess the indoor environment in museums has contributed to variations in practices across the sector. Moreover, the paper provides evidence of the struggle to comply with the strict, and in cases exaggerated requirements, that aim at satisfying a varying range of conflicting criteria to provide indoor comfort to visitors while continuing to protect artefacts. • The paper reviews current research in visitor comfort and preventive conservation requirements in museum environments. • It explores research gaps in the literature relating to the global distribution of case studies and authorship of the work. • The paper examines the call to revise the various current standards that govern the indoor environment of museums. • The authors highlight the importance of localisation of standards to carefully reflect comfort and conservation needs. • It provides an insight into current trends and possible future directions for research on museum environmental management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]