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The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the sustainable efficiency of container terminals (CTs). By the definition of United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), business sustainable development includes three domains: Economics, Environment, and Society. Accordingly, based on the definition and the practical features of CT operations, this paper assesses sustainable efficiency for CTs from three perspectives: container throughput, CO2 emissions, and occupational safety. In this paper, a modality movement and a fuzzy grey relational analysis (GRA) approach are first proposed to estimate CO2 emissions and occupational safety index for CT operators, respectively. A hybrid slacks‐based measure (SBM)‐DEA model is then developed to assess the sustainable efficiency of CT operators. Finally, the CT operators in the Port of Kaohsiung are empirically investigated to validate the research model. Based on the results, theoretical and practical implications for the management of CT operators and port authorities are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role of financial inclusion along with environment related technological innovation has been ignored by previous studies, especially, in terms of tradeadjusted carbon emissions. Unlike previous studies, this study aims to test the role of financial inclusion and eco-innovation on trade-adjusted carbon emissions or consumption-based carbon emissions for a group of seven economies over the period 2004-2019. Further, this study also tests the role of exports, imports and gross domestic product. We develop an index using principal component analysis to measure financial inclusion. The study utilizes the novel method of moment quantile regression to obtain the results. The results indicate that eco-innovation reduces consumption-based carbon emissions at 25th, 50th, 75th, and 90th quantiles, respectively. Moreover, financial inclusion and exports also reduce emissions at 25th, 50th, 75th, and 90th quantiles. In contrast, gross domestic product and imports cause trade-adjusted emissions to increase. Moreover, a bidirectional link is established between all variables except for financial inclusion. Finally, this study provides relevant policy implications for trade, eco-innovation, and financial inclusion in the group of seven economies for sustainable trade development. This paper further provide relevant environmental policy implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On the path to carbon neutrality, the journey to net‐zero emissions in the industry is achievable, and the green development of industrial parks is crucial for a smooth transition. We examined a sample of 171 green industrial parks certified by China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT). Using the Tapio decoupling model, we conducted decoupling analyses at both the national and regional scales of their economic growth and environmental conservation for three consecutive years. Spatial heterogeneity is found in carbon‐economy decoupling states and carbon‐pollutant synergy effects. Industrial parks in the east of China present better carbon‐economy decoupling states and carbon‐pollutant synergy effects than the other regions. The CO2 emissions determinants were explored by using the STIRPAT model. The variable industrial value‐added per capita, which is representative of economic growth, presents a positive and significant effect on emissions; the energy output and the proportion of high‐tech industries present a negative effect. However, after dividing the parks into groups by their leading industries, the influence of the variables started to show a power discrepancy. The heterogeneity analysis of this study can provide a basis for developing diversified strategies for Chinese industrial parks under the net‐zero emission goal. Plain Language Summary: This paper evaluated the economic development and environmental impacts of the 171 green industrial parks certified by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) of China, using data and materials that were inventoried and summarized for the first time. The relationship of economic growth and CO2 emissions and other major pollutants was examined using the Tapio decoupling model, and the results suggest strong decoupling states for most of the cases, and a significant carbon‐pollution synergy effect. Further regression analysis indicated that industrial output and green and high‐tech industries are significant drivers of decoupling. The discoveries will guide future actions and policies toward sustainable development for the industrial parks of China. Key Points: Economic growth and environmental impacts are strongly decoupled for most of the studied green industrial parksA significant carbon‐pollution synergy effect is found in the green industrial parksIndustrial output and green and high‐tech industries are significant drivers of CO2 emissions but show discrepancy in different industries [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, using a novel, annual cross‐country panel dataset that covers 160 economies from 1950 to 2016, we examine the association between the size of the informal sector and various indicators of sustainable development. The range of indicators encompasses health‐related, economic, environmental, education, and social variables. Our results suggest that the size of the informal sector is negatively associated with GDP per capita, carbon dioxide emissions per capita, education, educational attainment, life expectancy, and access to safe drinking water, and positively related to female labor force participation rate, poverty rates, mortality rates, and air pollution. We also find that these empirical associations significantly interact with GDP per capita, indicating that the effect of larger informal sector size is stronger in less developed economies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]