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We examine the role institutional pressures, at the subnational level, play in the generation of eco-innovations and explicitly consider how they interact with firms' heterogeneous capabilities and ownership characteristics. Theoretically, we combine elements from institutional theory with the resource-based view of the firm to develop our hypotheses. Empirically, we use a novel dataset over the period 2003–2013 compiled from several sources: (I) environmental regulations (city-level) from the China Environmental Statistical Yearbooks and City Statistical Yearbooks; (II) green patents (firm-level) from the China National Intellectual Property Administration; and (III) ownership (firm-level) from the National Bureau of Statistics. Our econometric analysis employs an instrumental variable (IV) approach that controls for endogeneity and a negative binomial multilevel methodology for robustness. The results show that institutional pressures associated with environmental regulations, implemented at city level, lead to more green patents produced by firms in these jurisdictions. Crucially, the effectiveness of environmental regulation is enhanced when firms invest more in their internal technological capabilities. Finally, we find that a firm's affiliation with a business group enhances the positive effects of regulations in terms of the production of eco-innovations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global knowledge flows are not only important in promoting economic activities but also in addressing global environmental issues. In order to examine the mechanisms of how firms in emerging economies can learn from global partners in finding solutions to environmental challenges, we explore a rich data set covering nearly 190,595 Chinese firms and analyze the knowledge flows that local firms received from foreign firms in developing eco-innovations. We examine both knowledge flows in the same industry and those in the up- and down-stream industries, and, in particular, provide a nuanced consideration around the under-explored industrial conditions and regional institutions of technology spillovers and domestic eco-innovation. We find clear evidence that foreign green technology spillovers have a positive impact on the eco-innovation of domestic firms in China. This superior performance is particularly pronounced in certain industries (e.g., technology-intensive, pollution-intensive, and highly competitive) and cities with higher levels of environmental regulation stringency. Our results show that domestic firms differ significantly in the extent to which they benefit from global knowledge flows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The environmental vertical management reform (EVMR) below the provincial level in China is an important driving force for enterprise green innovation. This article employs a progressive double-difference method to test the green innovation performance of enterprises in pilot areas relative to non-pilot areas before and after the implementation of the reform, to analyse its impact on green innovation. The findings of the article indicate that: (1) EVMR can significantly promote enterprise green innovation. This conclusion still holds after controlling for endogeneity and conducting other robustness tests. (2) In terms of the mechanism, EVMR primarily promotes green innovation by improving the supervisory capacity of provincial-level environmental protection departments, the enforcement capacity of grassroots environmental protection departments, and the incentives and supervision for managers from shareholders in enterprises. (3) Heterogeneity results show that the EVMR has a more significant promoting effect on enterprise green innovation in regions with lower degree of marketization and less emphasis on the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to explore the impact of brain gain in terms of foreign directors on environmental protection spending. Using a sample of heavy-polluting A-share firms listed on the Shanghai and Shenzhen stock exchanges from 2016 to 2019, we find robust evidence that board with more foreign directors spend more on environmental protection and this relationship is more pronounced in stated-owned enterprises. This paper provides important implications for the policy makers to enhance the environmental rules and regulations through better corporate governance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In light of the quest to achieve economic development without compromising environmental quality, we empirically examine whether institutional quality (INSQY) can help moderate the possible harmful effects of foreign direct investments (FDI) and industrialisation on environmental quality in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). We utilise the Driscoll and Kraay standard error estimation technique on a panel of 45 SSA countries from 2000 to 2019. The results indicate that FDI and industrialisation generally have a significant harmful effect on the environment. Our findings reveal that INSQY directly promotes environmental quality. Notably, the results confirm that INSQY plays a stimulating role in mitigating the adverse effects of FDI and industrialisation on environmental quality. The results further validate the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) hypothesis in SSA. These findings contribute to environmental sustainability literature and offer policymakers insights on how INSQY can enhance environmental quality. Our empirical results are also robust to different estimation techniques, such as the two-stage least squares. We recommend SSA leaders strengthen institutional capacities, enforce environmental regulations, and implement strict policies to ensure environmental quality while promoting industrialisation and FDI inflows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The abundance of natural resources (NRR) is often regarded as a double‐edged sword, with the potential to promote or hinder sustainable development. Nevertheless, it is imperative to effectively manage the resources to ensure their sustainability and minimize their detrimental economic and environmental effects. Environmental regulations of nations and a structural shift towards more advanced and knowledge‐intensive modes of production can substantially contribute to this objective. Using a holistic index of sustainable development, this study aims to explore the interplay between NRR, economic complexity (ECI), environmental regulations, economic globalization, and sustainable development in 25 European Union (EU) countries from 1995 to 2019. The empirical results from the Method of Moments Quantile Regression (MM‐QR) reveal a negative relationship between NRR and sustainable development, supporting the hypothesis of the resource curse. Conversely, the study demonstrates that ECI and environmental regulations drive sustainable development. Furthermore, economic globalization is found to have a detrimental effect on sustainable development. Finally, panel causality results revealed causal links from NRR, ECI, and environmental regulations to sustainable development. Meanwhile, ECI and environmental regulations have a causal impact on NRR. Our key findings lead towards the manifestation and emphasis of the importance of appropriate policies for the sustainable utilization of NRR and, concurrently, underscore the significance of environmental regulations and ECI in the pursuit of sustainable development in EU countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Corporate social responsibility(CSR) is becoming increasingly important in the field of corporate sustainability. However, despite the growing literature on CSR, there is a paucity of empirical evidence examining external environmental pressures. This paper aims to fill this gap by exploring the relationship between CSR and green exploratory innovation from the perspective of three types of environmental regulations: mandatory, market-driven, and voluntary regulations. Using Chinese-listed companies from 2010 to 2019 as original data, we examined the impacts of CSR on green exploratory innovation of firms and the moderating effects of the three regulations using a moderating effect model. The results concluded that CSR could significantly stimulate firms to engage in green exploratory innovation. Mandatory and market-driven regulations exhibited positive moderating effects, and market-driven regulations have a greater impact on CSR strategies. In contrast, voluntary regulations showed a negative moderating effect. Our study will be of great value to companies under external environmental pressure and will provide a new path to achieve sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to explore whether the over-reliance on political resources hampers corporate technological innovation and the role of environmental regulation in mitigating the adverse effect. A simplified theoretical framework is proposed to combine political ties, environmental regulations, and corporate innovation. Then, based on the data for listed private companies in China's heavy pollution industry, our empirical results show that political relations have negative impacts on both patent licensing and R&D investment, indicating the existence of a political resource curse in listed private companies in China's heavy pollution industry. The transmission mechanisms include mitigating market competition and inducing overinvestment, but increasing the rent-seeking motivation is not a channel through which political connections negatively affect corporate innovation. Further empirical analysis demonstrates that environmental regulations help eliminate the curse effect of political ties on technological innovation at the firm level in China, through increasing market competition and reducing overinvestment. The findings of this paper provide insights for optimizing environmental regulation policies, which are conducive to inducing technical innovation in politically connected enterprises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The project was conducted in the Ashigua páramo, Mulaló, Latacunga, Cotopaxi province. Its objective was to develop a composite environmental sustainability indicator for the conservation of the páramo. Neutrosophic logic and the PROMETHEE TODIM method were used to select and evaluate sub-indicators in a context of uncertain and complex environmental data. Neutrosophic logic facilitated the management of ambiguities and contradictions in the data. The findings highlighted the relevance of sub-indicators linked to carbon storage and ecological productivity. Indicators of regulatory compliance and sustainable management were evaluated, emphasizing the importance of adjusting environmental policies to regulations and social expectations. This study introduced a novel methodological approach to environmental assessment, providing valuable insights for policy development and effective management of natural resources and ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article identifies an emerging form of sanction for addressing environmental harm: the environmental enforceable undertaking (EEU). Currently used for environmental protection in Australia and the UK, the EEU is a cooperative, timely, and accountable regulatory instrument targeted at encouraging offenders to voluntarily invest in repairing and preventing harm, frequently going beyond basic regulatory compliance. We identify four regulatory objectives met by EEUs (strategic; responsive; deterrent; and preventative) before discussing how EEUs might contribute to the environmental regulation landscape, exploring examples primarily from Australia, but also the UK. Finally, we discuss how EEUs can benefit not only the regulator and regulated but can also involve the community in environmental regulation. We then assert a fifth regulatory objective: they can serve as a restorative form of regulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental policies ought to be integrated into economic sectors for successful outcomes. We assess to what extent Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation (REDD +) is integrated into land-use sectors driving deforestation in Cameroon. REDD + governance has been extensively examined, including the challenges of a multisectoral approach to tackle the drivers of deforestation, especially those lying outside the forestry sector. Yet, these studies have focussed on cross-sectoral coordination, giving little attention to factors such as political will and the adequacy of policy instruments for integration. We amend and apply an innovative framework for environmental policy integration to conduct a comprehensive assessment of REDD + policy integration in Cameroon, a Congo Basin country experiencing increasing deforestation rates due to agriculture, husbandry, infrastructure development and mining. Drawing from policy documents and in-depth interviews with key informants, we found out that territorial battles between ministries, insecurity about their understanding of forest matters in different land-use sectors, and dysfunctional policy instruments have undermined REDD + policy integration. Our study suggests that REDD + integration into land-use sectors would be enhanced by informing stakeholders about their roles in the REDD + process, completing and legitimising the forest zoning plan, addressing loopholes in environmental assessment regulations, and alleviating inconsistencies in land-use rules. These instruments would be reinforced with an economic tool internalising carbon costs in projects generating forest emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental regulation is the principal policy for the deterioration of the ecological environment, but it can also interfere with the green development efficiency of resource-based cities. However, the relationship between regulation and development is still unclear and how to realize the sustainable development of resource-based cities under environmental regulation becomes an important topic. This paper investigates the green economy efficiency of resource-based cities using the super-SBM model based on the panel data of 98 resource-based cities in China from 2006 to 2016. Then, we empirically test the effect of environmental regulation using the SYS-GMM estimation method and threshold model. This study finds that the green economy efficiency in different categories of resource-based cities is significantly different. Environmental regulation has a significant positive effect on the green economy efficiency in resource-based cities and significantly promotes the green economy efficiency in growing cities. The policy also plays a certain role in improving the green economy efficiency in grow-up cities, but the effect is not significant. In addition, environmental regulation has a negative impact on the green economy efficiency of recessionary cities and regenerative cities. Finally, some policy suggestions are put forward to realize the sustainable development of resource-based cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates how environmental, social, and governance (ESG) efficiency impacts corporate innovation, highlighting its role as a crucial indicator of resource utilization within firms. Analyzing data from A‐share listed companies in China between 2009 and 2021, we find that ESG efficiency levels are positively correlated with corporate innovation outputs. This indicates that higher ESG efficiency contributes to greater innovation. Our result also reveals that the relationship between ESG efficiency and corporate innovation is moderated by the firm's ownership structure. Specifically, the negative moderating effects of ownership are more pronounced in regions with lower economic development or stringent environmental regulations. Technology‐based firms are particularly affected, exhibiting greater vulnerability to these negative effects. These findings confirm that ESG efficiency is a significant mechanism linking ESG practices to enhanced innovation capabilities. By exploring both the efficiency aspects of ESG performance and the institutional factors influencing ESG‐innovation dynamics, our study makes a notable contribution to the literature, offering new insights into how effective ESG practices can strategically drive innovation within firms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investigating the relationship between green finance (GF), government environmental governance (GEG), and green economic efficiency (GEE) is essential for developing sustainable development policies. This study uses panel data from 30 provincial administrative regions in China, covering the period from 2011 to 2021, to assess the effects of GF and GEG on GEE through the Spatial Durbin Model. The findings reveal several key points. First, most provinces are in low-low spatial clusters in terms of GEE, though there is a gradual improvement over time. Second, GF significantly enhances GEE, while GEG has a notable inhibitory effect. Third, GF exhibits a positive spatial spillover effect on the GEE of neighboring regions, whereas GEG shows a negative spatial spillover effect. Fourth, these spillover effects are mainly observed in the eastern regions, with little significance in the central and western areas. Moreover, one of the GEG indicators, environmental regulation, demonstrates a positive spatial spillover effect in the eastern region, contrary to the overall negative national trend. In general, this paper examines the interplay among the three variables within a unified analytical framework, filling the gaps in existing research. Furthermore, the paper delineates GEG into environmental regulation and environmental investment, which is a dimension frequently neglected in current research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Foreign direct investment (FDI) plays an important role in promoting industrial structure and curbing carbon emission. The study is based on panel data from 30 provinces in China from 2011 to 2021 and verifies the impact of FDI under environmental regulation on industrial structure upgrading and carbon emission. The empirical results show that FDI under environmental regulation can inhibit carbon emission and promote industrial structure upgrading. The carbon emission reduction effect and industrial structure upgrading effect of FDI show regional heterogeneity, with the strongest effect in the eastern region, followed by the central region, and no significant effect in the western region. The moderating effect examination of environmental regulation illustrates that formal and informal environmental regulation can effectively regulate the relationship between FDI and carbon emission, but due to differences in various factors such as economic development level and population quality, the moderating effect also exhibits regional heterogeneity. In the mechanism test, industrial structure upgrading plays a perfect mediating role in the path of FDI inhibiting carbon emission, and environmental regulation can further enhance the mediating effect of industrial structure upgrading. There is a threshold of industrial structure upgrading between FDI and carbon emission, and FDI can only suppress carbon emission after crossing the threshold of industrial structure upgrading. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the impact of informal economy and ecological footprint on environmental regulation for a sample of 25 Sub-Saharan Africa economies (SSA) countries from 1991 to 2017. The results obtained from the techniques of static panel (Pooled ordinary least squares (POLS), random effects (RE), fixed effects (FE), and panel corrected standard error (PCSE)) as well as from dynamic panel (generalized method of moments in differences (D-GMM), and generalized method of moments in system (S-GMM)) were all consistent. They showed that the environmental regulation has a significant positive impact for both informal economy and ecological footprint in the selected economies. Regarding the relation between ecological footprint and per capita gross domestic product (GDP), an inverted U-shaped environmental Kuznets curve is verified. The study concludes that weak environmental regulation in the region reinforces informal economy and environmental pollution. Hence, findings from this study can help policymakers in the region to have a better understanding of the role of environmental regulation in reducing informal economy and environmental degradation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of New Architecture is the property of New Architecture Editorial Office 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.)

The green transformation of heavy-polluting enterprises under the carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals needs the escort of command environmental regulation. This paper takes the first round of Central Environmental Protection Inspection as a natural experiment, reflecting the degree of green transformation through the environmental, social, and governance (ESG) level of enterprises. Taking Chinese A-share listed companies in Shanghai and Shenzhen from 2010 to 2022 as the research object, a dual machine learning model is used to determine whether this system can improve the ESG level of enterprises and promote their green transformation. Using a dual machine learning model, it is found that the system can enhance the ESG level of enterprises and promote their green transformation. Mechanism analyses show that the system promotes green transformation by enhancing green innovation capability, safeguarding the rights and interests of upstream and downstream supply chain actors, and enhancing governance diligence, thus encouraging enterprises to assume environmental, social, and governance responsibilities. It is also found that at the macro-policy level, with the migration of the inspection area to the west and the strengthening of local environmental governance, and at the micro-firm level, the higher the degree of digitization and the larger the size of assets, the deeper the system effect on the green transformation of heavy-polluting enterprises. It is further found that the spillover effect of green transformation within industries strengthens the positive effect of the Central Environmental Protection Inspection on the green transformation of enterprises compared to the interindustry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Explore the interaction and spatial spillover effects between industrial agglomeration, environmental regulation, and high‐quality development of agriculture and rural areas, formulate appropriate industrial and environmental policies for different regions, guide the orderly agglomeration of agricultural sectors, and adjust the intensity of environmental regulation, which will help achieve high‐quality development. This manuscript firstly deconstructs the internal logic among industrial agglomeration, environmental regulation, and high‐quality development. Secondly, the Super‐SBM model is used to calculate the high‐quality development efficiency in rural China from 2000 to 2020. Finally, the Spatial Dubin Model (SDM) is used to analyze the spatial spillover effects and regional differences of industrial agglomeration, environmental regulation, and their integration impact on high‐quality development in rural China. The results show that: ① From 2000 to 2020, the high‐quality development efficiency shows a downward trend in fluctuation, and high‐quality development needs to be improved. ② There are significant regional differences in the effects of industrial agglomeration and environmental regulation on the high‐quality development efficiency. Industrial specialization agglomeration can effectively improve the high‐quality development efficiency, while industrial diversification agglomeration has uncertain effects. ③ The integration of environmental regulation and diversification agglomeration inhibits the high‐quality development efficiency, while the integration with specialization agglomeration has a stronger effect on improving high‐quality development efficiency. It is necessary to further enhance the effect of diversification agglomeration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presently, the driving factors for environmental regulatory intensity, especially environmental information disclosure, remain unclear. Exploring the causal relationship between the two has an important guiding value for governments to achieve sustainable development. This research empirically examines the impact of environmental information disclosure on environmental regulatory intensity, and the possible action mechanisms and boundary conditions based on panel data of 113 Chinese cities from 2010 to 2020 using fixed-effects model, quantile regression model, moderating effect model, and spatial econometric models. The conclusions suggest that, first, a 1% increase in environmental information disclosure promotes a positive increase in environmental regulatory intensity of about 0.171%. Second, The regression coefficients of environmental information disclosure in the 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th and 90th quartiles are 0.489, 0.401, 0.443, 0.365 and 0.281 respectively, showing a decreasing trend. Third, transportation infrastructure and the resident's education level exhibit positive interactions, with interaction term regression coefficients of 0.006 and 0.070, respectively; foreign direct investment exhibits a negative interaction, with coefficient of -0.029. Fourth, both environmental regulation intensity and environmental information disclosure show positive spatial correlations, with a 1% increase in environmental regulation intensity and environmental information disclosure in neighboring cities causing an increase in environmental regulation intensity of about 0.734% and 0.026% in this city. This research demonstrates the positive effects of adopting environmental information disclosure on the realization of sustainable development and provides empirical evidence for government policy formulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy inequality has been a hot topic in academia. This study first measures energy inequality in 25 Chinese provinces, and then investigates the interaction between financial inclusion and energy inequality. We also explore the potential impact mechanism behind the relationship. The primary findings reveal that: (i) Financial inclusion can help reduce energy inequality in China; moreover, the impact of financial inclusion varies according to regional consumption levels and environmental regulation. (ii) Technological innovation plays an important role in enhancing the ability of financial inclusion to reduce energy inequality. (iii) Fiscal revenue and energy consumption structure are two significant mediating factors through which energy inclusion affects energy inequality. (iv) Digital financial inclusion (DFI) has an inverted U-shaped impact on energy inequality. Overall, this research provides important insights into the impact of financial inclusion and offers several practical implications for reducing energy inequality in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the relationship between CEO compensation schemes and ESG greenwashing behavior in Chinese listed firms during the period 2013–2022. We find that a CEO's cash (equity) compensation has a significantly positive (negative) correlation with corporate ESG greenwashing behavior. From mechanism analysis, consistent with the agency problem view, firms engage in more severe ESG greenwashing behavior under a higher proportion of cash in the CEO compensation structure. Such distortion behavior is mitigated by higher internal control quality in firms having an equity incentive for their CEO under the convergence of interest viewpoint. Additional analysis reveals that corporates audited by large accounting firms and those with more media coverage exacerbate the positive correlation between CEO cash compensation and ESG greenwashing behavior, while government environmental regulations reinforce the inhibitory effect of CEO equity compensation on ESG greenwashing. Our results imply that different CEO compensation schemes can have opposite effects on limiting firms' ESG greenwashing behavior in the Chinese context. Furthermore, we highlight that the question of form over substance principle to certain external governance mechanisms, leading CEO to exacerbate impression management of ESG disclosure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on institutional theory, environmental regulation (ER) is considered the primary factor in stimulating green innovation (GI) in enterprises. The existing literature has extensively explored the ER-GI relationship, but conclusions are still inconsistent, which is related to neglecting the dual heterogeneity in this relationship. Hence, we divide ER into command ER (CER) and incentive ER (MER), and GI into compliant GI (CGI) and strategic GI (SGI) to address this research gap. Employing a questionnaire survey of Chinese manufacturing enterprises, we re-examined the ER-GI relationship and tried to identify the moderating effect of environmental ethics (EE). The results show that CER and MER positively affect CGI and SGI. Furthermore, under the CER, there is increased accessibility to adopting CGI. Under the MER, the likelihood of choosing SGI is higher. Moreover, we find that heterogeneous ERs are more conducive to SGI under the moderating effect of EE. This study has significantly contributed to the literature on the ER-GI relationship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the effects of stringent environmental regulations on the greenness of social responsibility reports. Based on China's thirteenth Five-Year Plan, we find that firms are inclined to use more green keywords in their CSR reports when being subject to more stringent emission reduction policies. This effect is more pronounced among state-owned and strictly monitored companies. Nevertheless, firms are less engaged in taking substantive environmental actions, highlighting the inconsistency between words and actions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the strengthening of social environmental regulations, consumers' green products purchasing intention is also increasing significantly. Simultaneously, green marketing activities have developed into a vital factor affecting consumers' green products purchasing intention. The first research aim of this paper is to reveal the important relationship between environmental regulation and consumers' green products purchasing intention. Furthermore, another research aim is to reveal the role of green marketing in environmental regulation and consumers' green products purchasing intention. To achieve the above purpose, we primarily employ regression analysis, threshold effect analysis, spatial spillover effect analysis, and heterogeneity tests. We come up with some conclusions. First of all, environmental regulations could enhance consumers' green product purchasing intention. With the reinforcement of environmental regulations, consumers' green product purchasing intention could be effectively elevated. Secondly, green marketing is a positive mediator of the environmental regulations that affect the consumers' green product purchasing intention. By enhancing their green marketing capabilities, businesses could also strengthen consumers' green product purchasing intention. Lastly, in different regions of China, the impact of environmental regulations and green marketing on consumers' green product purchasing intention varies. In the Eastern region, the influence of environmental regulations on consumers' green product purchasing intention is most prominent. However, green marketing exerts the greatest impact on the consumers' green product purchasing intention in the Western region. In addition, this paper provides significant insights for the managers in making management decisions. This is beneficial for enhancing consumers' green product purchasing intention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an environmental regulatory tool in achieving green development, the low-carbon city pilot policy (LCCP) considerably influence tourism enhancement. Using China's 261 prefecture-level cities, this paper empirically delve the implication of LCCP to tourism from two tourism dimensions of tourism revenue and tourism arrivals employing the time-varying DID methodology. Results empirically reveal that the LCCP contributes to boosting tourism development, and after undergoing numerous robustness tests, this finding stands. The "arrivals growth effect" of LCCP is stronger than the "revenue improvement effect." Moreover, the impact of LCCP on domestic tourism is more profound than on inbound tourism. Heterogeneity analyses show the boosting impact is more pronounced in third-tier and above cities and non-resource-based cities. Upon further testing its transmission mechanism, we discover that the LCCP raises tourism revenues and arrival levels through industrial structural upgrading and innovation capacity improvement. The study clarifies the theoretical mechanisms and policy effects of LCCP on tourism development, which is valuable for assessing the tourism effects of LCCP and other environmental regulations and exploring the expanding path of sustainable tourism development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water-based drilling fluids (WBDF) are often used over oil-based drilling fluids due to economic reasons and environmental regulations. Bentonite-free WBDF is preferred to aid in the reduction of formation damage. In many cases, this WBDF is formulated with xanthan gum. The performance of drilling operations is mainly affected by the drilling fluid formulation. The complex interactions among polymer concentration, thermal, and shear histories influence the rheological behavior of drilling fluids. The present study aims to analyze the effects of xanthan gum concentration on the rheological behavior of water-based drilling fluids. The experimental results performed in rotational rheometers revealed a relationship between concentration, yield stress, and thixotropic phenomena. The increase in xanthan gum concentration not only enhances the stability of the drilling fluid, allowing for more prolonged process interruptions without risking the fluid degradation but also improves the thermal stability of the sample. These findings show that the concentration of xanthan gum improves water-based drilling fluids' rheological and thermal stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent advancements in cryogenic etching, characterized by high aspect ratios and etching rates, address the growing demand for enhanced performance and reduced power consumption in electronics. To precisely maintain the temperature under high loads, the cascade mixed-refrigerant cycle (CMRC) is predominantly used. However, most refrigerants currently used in semiconductor cryogenic etching have high global warming potential (GWP). This study introduces a −100 °C chiller using a mixed refrigerant (MR) with a GWP of 150 or less, aiming to comply with stricter environmental standards and contribute to environmental preservation. The optimal configuration for the CMRC was determined based on a previously established methodology for selecting the best MR configuration. Comprehensive analyses—energy, exergy, environmental, and exergoeconomic—were conducted on the data obtained using Matlab simulations to evaluate the feasibility of replacing conventional refrigerants. The results reveal that using eco-friendly MRs increases the coefficient of performance by 52%, enabling a reduction in compressor size due to significantly decreased discharge volumes. The exergy analysis indicated a 16.41% improvement in efficiency and a substantial decrease in exergy destruction. The environmental analysis demonstrated that eco-friendly MRs could reduce carbon emissions by 60%. Economically, the evaporator and condenser accounted for over 70% of the total exergy costs in all cases, with a 52.44% reduction in exergy costs when using eco-friendly MRs. This study highlights the potential for eco-friendly refrigerants to be integrated into semiconductor cryogenic etching processes, responding effectively to environmental regulations in the cryogenic sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Pilbara bioregion (Western Australia) has become a hotspot for subterranean fauna as a consequence of many surveys conducted to comply with Western Australian environmental regulation requirements. In this bioregion, mining developments can have major implications for subterranean fauna and their conservation. However the diversity and species distributions of most taxa are still poorly known, including the crustacean family Parabathynellidae. Recent studies on a widespread genus of this family (Atopobathynella) from the Pilbara highlighted several undescribed taxa with interesting patterns of distribution. In the Gudai Darri locality, the northern flank of the Hamersley Range occurs as a stepped escarpment intersected by dykes and gullies, with groundwater occurring within fractured rocks abutting the Fortescue River valley, where a separate regional aquifer occurs. This investigation aimed to observe whether stygofauna species distributions (1) reflected the separation between the two major aquifers within the Hamersley Range and the Fortescue Valley; and (2) were influenced by the presence of dykes. We examined the Atopobathynella species occurring in the study area using morphological and molecular data. The results reflected the hydrogeological complexity of the study area with six new lineages of Atopobathynella , recorded mainly in different gullies, that do not share a most recent common ancestor. Two species are described here A. pagetae sp. nov. and A. lythei sp. nov., and four additional species are delineated through preliminary morphological analyses and molecular data. This study will improve future environmental impact assessments and the understanding of Parabathynellidae taxa distribution in hydrogeological complex areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between environmental regulation and labor demand has been mixed. Few research studies have considered the impact of cross-regional environmental regulations on the labor market, even though this is notable. We adopted a geographic regression discontinuity (RD) approach to investigate the labor market impact of the cross-regional environmental regulation "2 + 26" Cities Special Emission Limit Program for Air Pollutants. We found that the policy significantly boosts the labor demand of polluting firms rather than a simple inter-industry transfer, mainly through increasing investment in fixed assets and cost offset mechanisms. Further analysis of the structure of labor demand shows that the increasing workforce is primarily low-quality labor accompanied by wage loss. The government should recognize the risks of welfare loss from low-quality work due to environmental regulation and direct polluting firms to innovate rather than reduce costs by increasing demand for low-quality labor. This facilitates a better understanding of the labor market response to environmental policy from the perspective of cross-regional environmental regulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Technology Economics is the property of Chinese Society of Technology Economics 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.)

New urbanization (NU) construction is the basic direction of urbanization development in contemporary China. This paper selects the panel data of 36 representative cities in the Yangtze River economic belt (YREB) from 2006 to 2020, calculates the comprehensive index of NU and ecological environment (EE) by employing the entropy method, analyzes the spatial agglomeration characteristics of EE through spatial autocorrelation analysis, and tests the spatial effect of NU on EE on the basis of the dynamic spatial Durbin model. Results show that first, "time inertia" and spatial dependence exist in the urban EE of the YREB. Second, the NU has a positive role in promoting the EE. The development of NU in this area not only promotes the EE in this area, but also promotes the improvement of the EE in neighboring areas. Third, the increase in per capita wealth and the adjustment in industrial structure are beneficial to the improvement of EE. This paper discusses the impact of China's NU development on the urban EE. Results reveal the relationship between affluence, technological progress, industrial structure, opening to the outside world, environmental regulation, and EE. This study provides decision-making reference for the government in formulating sustainable strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Resources Development & Market is the property of Sichuan Resource Development & Market Magazine Co., Ltd 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.)

The success of marine environmental regulations in terms of social challenges in Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) countries is the main subject of this study, which compares and contrasts them with an eye toward sustainability, the integration of digital technologies, environmental law, and reducing ecological degradation. Environmental solid governance is essential as BRI countries increase their marine activity, an important part of the world economy by systems thinking; the marine industry includes a broad range of operations about the ocean and its resources through social challenges to promote environmental legislation in terms of emissions in the countries participating in the BRI. This study evaluated the effects of institutional quality and technical advancements in marine policies between 2013 and 2024. This project aims to examine how various policy contexts relate to marine conservation, how well they comply with international environmental regulations, and how digital technology can improve the monitoring and implementation of policies through systems thinking. This study aims to determine common obstacles and best methods for enforcing marine policies by examining research from different BRI countries. The results deepen our understanding of how these policies can be best utilized to meet sustainable development objectives while preventing the degradation of marine ecosystems due to economic growth and business. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecological corridors are essential in facilitating the movement and dispersal of flora and fauna between separate and often isolated habitat patches. In recent years, Israel has confronted significant challenges due to the rapid pace of construction, driven in part by exceptional population growth that sets it apart on the global demographic stage. This accelerated development creates an unprecedented long-term impact on ecosystems. A key obstacle to maintaining ecological corridors is the Israeli government's decision to construct thousands of housing units using expedited plans that circumvent standard planning processes. Such projects significantly impact these corridors, given that approximately 16% of their designated areas overlap with ecological corridors. This raises two pressing questions: Can the existing ecological corridors endure these changes and remain functional, or does the role of ecological corridors need to be redefined due to increasing urban development? What are the necessary institutional frameworks required to effectively manage these corridors in an environment that is becoming progressively denser? The research focuses on two case studies in the densely populated Central District in Israel, encompassing both local and regional ecological corridors. The regulatory assessment will point out key stakeholders, identify potential threats to the corridors, and explore existing regulatory mechanisms for planning and managing these corridors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since 2014, China has implemented a unified environmental regulation policy for the livestock industry. With unified environmental regulations across provinces, does the phenomenon of 'pollution havens' still exist? To address this question, this paper examines spatial variations among provinces and their spillover effects on the pig industry using data on environmental regulations and pig production panels. The results indicate that: (1) Environmental regulation policies are gradually converging across regions. (2) Under unified environmental regulation, the existence of 'pollution havens' in the pig industry is no longer evident. As national regulations become stronger, increasing local regulatory intensity will not affect the number of pig farms in neighboring areas nor lead to significant emigration of such farms. (3) In cases where there are inter-regional variations in environmental regulations, large-scale farmers may relocate to neighboring areas with less stringent regulations; however, under unified environmental regulation, neither small nor large-scale farmers will migrate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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We examine the effects of environmental regulations on the profitability and value of Korean listed firms, exploiting the first phase of the Korean Emissions Trading System (ETS) as an exogenous shock. While previous studies have mainly focused on environmental regulations in developed countries, often yielding inconclusive results, emerging markets like South Korea remain less explored. Using data on Korean listed firms from 2011 to 2017, we explore the effects of the 2015 Korean ETS on environmental and financial performance in treated firms. We find that treated firms did not reduce their carbon emissions, but their environmental ratings improved. Moreover, the ETS slightly increased profitability but significantly decreased firm value. Treated firms also exhibited a higher systematic risk, indicating that investors account for future carbon risks. In summary, the Korean ETS has not effectively incentivized firms to reduce emissions and has diminished their long‐term value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasingly restrictive environmental regulations for the maritime sector have led shipping companies to look for technological alternatives to reduce emissions. This article introduces a methodology to analyse emission reductions of ships in port by incorporating batteries into the ships or using an onshore power supply system. These have not yet been considered together for comparison or with a focus on ship operation. The aim is to avoid the use of auxiliary engines in ports. First, the cost calculation method to be used is specified; then, the engine's behaviour and the established basic navigation criteria are analysed; and finally, different alternatives are considered. A methodology is afterwards defined for selecting alternatives, comparing their costs with those of using auxiliary engines in port. As an example, it is applied to a Ro-Ro route between the ports of Montoir (France) and Vigo (Spain). The results indicate that incorporating batteries into the ship produces greater savings in annual costs than onshore power supply. The cost savings from onshore power supply depend on the range of prices in each port. However, the greatest emission savings are obtained by using the onshore power supply. This methodology can be extrapolated to other routes and vessels by incorporating real operating data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public demand is an important factor influencing government decisions, and research on theoretical modelling of the impact of public demand for environmental quality on environmental regulation has been limited. In this paper, by constructing a dynamic optimization model, we derive the dynamic change mechanism of the impact of public demand for environmental quality on environmental regulation, and solve the optimal decision of environmental regulation. Further numerical simulation results show that public demand for environmental quality positively influences environmental regulation, and the influence coefficient curve between the two tends to be upwardly convex as the level of economic development increases, i.e. public demand for environmental quality influences environmental regulation to a greater extent. The research results provide theoretical model support for related studies, and the government should smooth the feedback channel of public demand for environmental quality and further optimize environmental regulations with the development of economic development level to achieve sustainable economic and environmental development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Testing the implementation effect of the dual credit policy as a market-incentive environmental regulation promoting high-quality development of China's new energy vehicle industry requires examining its role in helping low-carbon emission reduction. More importantly, such development also requires exploring whether it can effectively improve the performance of new energy vehicle enterprises. This paper takes the dual credit policy in China as a quasi-natural experiment. It applies a difference-in-differences approach to empirically explore the effect and influencing mechanism of the dual credit policy on the performance of Chinese new energy vehicle enterprises using microdata of A-share listed companies from 2010 to 2021. The study found that the dual credit policy significantly affects the business and innovation performance of new energy vehicle enterprises. It further constructed the mediating effect model to test the mechanism of dual credit policy affecting enterprise performance, showing that the policy promotes enterprise performance via R&D input. In addition, the dual credit policy's effect is heterogeneous, contributing more to developed regions and non-state-owned enterprises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental justice is an important safeguard for pollution control, and this paper is interested in its ability to promote carbon emission reduction. One unique facet of reinforcing local environmental justice involves the establishment of environmental courts by Intermediate People's Courts. Taking this as the starting point, this study constructs a quasi-natural experiment to investigate the strengthening of urban environmental justice. Analyzing empirical data from 283 prefecture-level cities in China spanning 2006 to 2019, we employ multi-period and spatial difference-in-differences approaches to probe the impact of environmental justice strengthening on carbon reduction. Our results indicate a substantial contribution of strengthened environmental justice to reducing carbon emissions. Specifically, the establishment of environmental courts can curtail carbon emissions by an estimated range of 11.7 to 12.9%. Also, the mechanism analysis underscores that the carbon reduction effect primarily arises from enhanced efficiency in processing environmental cases. Moreover, this effect is notably pronounced in regions with robust governmental environmental regulations. Notably, in areas with limited public environmental concern, environmental courts effectively complement existing environmental regulations. Furthermore, a significant positive spillover effect of environmental courts on carbon emission reduction is observed in geographically adjacent economic zones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Achieving carbon neutrality has become a global common goal. For China, to reach peak carbon emissions and long-term carbon neutrality, the transformation and development of resource-based cities are essential. This study uses data from 114 prefecture-level resource-based cities from 2008 to 2019 as a sample and empirically tests the impact of industrial land mismatch on carbon emissions using the fixed effects model. In addition, we analyze the heterogeneous influence of environmental regulation as a moderating effect on resource-based cities at different development stages. The study reveals that (1) there is a significant positive correlation between the imbalance in industrial land supply in resource-based cities and carbon emissions. The more severe the imbalance, the higher the carbon emissions. The improper supply mode of industrial land is also positively correlated with carbon emissions, although the impact is not significant. (2) Environmental regulation can significantly curb the carbon emission issues caused by the mismatch and imbalance in the scale of industrial land supply and the improper supply mode of industrial land. (3) Compared to strong resource-based cities, weak resource-security cities have a smaller impact on carbon emissions due to an imbalance in the supply of industrial land. This is mainly because resources in weak resource-security cities are becoming exhausted, making "ecology first, green and low carbon" the main tune for economic and social development. Both types of cities show a positive correlation between the improper supply of industrial land and carbon emissions, although neither is significant. (4) The intensity of the regulatory effect of environmental regulations on resource-based cities is influenced by resource abundance. The suppression of carbon emissions by environmental regulations is more apparent in strong resource-security cities than in weak resource-security cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A strong environmental regulatory framework enhances green technology innovation (GTI), which is crucial for sustainable economic growth. We construct SDM models by using panel data from 108 cities in China's Yangtze River Economic Belt (YREB) from 2011 to 2020 to investigate the effects of heterogeneous environmental regulations (ER) on GTI in local and neighboring cities. The moderating influence of digital financial inclusion (DFI) is also examined within the SDM model. Our findings reveal that: (1) Different types of ER have varying impacts on GTI. (2) Command-and-control environmental regulation (CER) hinders local GTI but promotes GTI in neighboring cities. Both market-based (MER) and public-participation environmental regulations (PER) promote GTI in both local and neighboring cities. (3) DFI positively moderates the impact of ER on GTI by providing flexible finance support to enterprises. The study concludes with policy recommendations to improve environmental regulation systems, enhance regional synergistic governance, and promote digital financial inclusion for green sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Green development, which is crucial because of the escalating ecological and environmental issues, is largely driven by industrial transformation and environmental legislation. Purpose: The paper aims to examine the combined effects of environmental regulations and industrial change on the green economy, based on their separate effects. Methods: We use a fixed-effects regression on panel data covering 30 provinces in China in 2010-2020. Results: We reach the following conclusions: environmental regulations and rationalization of the industrial structure both support growth in the green economy, but advancement in the industrial structure hinders it. The combined effect of environmental regulations and advancement and rationalization in the industrial structure has a significantly positive impact on growth in the green economy; it is most pronounced in regions with higher resource endowments and economic development. Discussion: By providing specific empirical facts, this study clarifies the effects of industrial transformation and environmental regulations on growth in the green economy, contributing to enriching the literature and helping to pave the way to sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the increasingly prominent environmental issues in China, the government and citizens alike have intensified their focus on corporate investments in green environmental protection. Nevertheless, as government regulations become more stringent, there is substantial debate over whether environmental regulatory policies can consistently encourage listed companies to increase green environmental investments. Simultaneously, independent board supervision plays a crucial role in promoting the compliance and sustainability of listed companies regarding environmental protection. This paper selected a sample of 246 Chinese listed companies from 2010 to 2019, and used a fixed effects model to examine the impact of environmental regulation on the environmental investment of listed companies in China. Moreover, we used a mediation effect model to analyze the role of independent director supervision in influencing the relationship between environmental regulation and companies' green environmental investment. Additionally, we discuss the heterogeneous impact of environmental regulations on corporate environmental investments. Our findings are as follows: first, during the sample period, the tightening of environmental regulations significantly reduces the growth of environmental investment among the studied firms. As government environmental regulatory policies gradually intensify, the negative impact on environmental investments by listed companies becomes increasingly evident. Second, independent directors help alleviate the adverse impacts of environmental regulations on the environmental investment levels of listed companies. This suggests that the inclusion of independent directors in board governance plays a role in assessing government environmental regulatory policies and overseeing corporate decisions related to environmental investment. Lastly, the heterogeneity analysis indicates that environmental regulation significantly negatively impacts the environmental investment of listed companies in pollution-intensive industries and those located in the western regions. Furthermore, environmental regulatory policies impose greater constraints on the environmental investments of smallsized listed companies compared to their large-sized counterparts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on a database of over 650,000 green public procurement (GPP) contracts, we apply machine learning and text analysis methods to identify GPP. Our study examines the impact of GPP on green innovation using Chinese companies listed on the A-share market. The study has the following findings. (1) GPP significantly promotes green innovation by alleviating financing constraints and incentivizing green practices. (2) Enterprises in the maturity or growth stage, non-heavily polluting firms, and companies in regions with stringent environmental regulations are more likely to benefit from GPP. Additionally, GPP initiatives from local governments, centralized procurement, and university-based programs provide stronger incentives for green innovation. (3) Demand-side GPP and supply-side subsidies for green innovation have coordination effects. Corporate green innovation is positively influenced by the “Demand-side procurement First, Supply-side subsidies Later (DFSL)” and the “Demand-side procurement and Supply-side subsidies Simultaneously (DSS)” policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-quality green innovation plays a significant strategic support role in high-quality economic developments. Drawing upon institutional theory and property rights theory, this paper investigates the drivers of green innovation quality (GIQ) from the perspectives of formal and informal institutions. Emissions Trading Schemes (ETS) represent formal institutions designed and implemented by governments, while Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) represents informal institutions. The study finds that ETS significantly enhances GIQ. Moreover, CSR significantly and positively moderated the relationship between ETS and GIQ, indicating that the synergistic interaction between formal and informal institutions stimulates superior innovation quality. This paper contributes to the understanding of the relationship among government regulations, corporate ethics and responsibility, and innovation quality. This paper offers recommendations for environmental policy and management strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines how the protection boundary of intellectual property rights and the implementation boundary of environmental regulation affect technological innovation from the perspective of boundary effects. We find that intellectual property rights, environmental regulation and technological innovation have an inverted U-shaped relationship, and there is a single optimal boundary value for each variable, forming a strong protection boundary and a weak protection boundary. We also find that choosing the appropriate boundary of intellectual property rights and environmental regulation can enhance technological innovation; intellectual property rights within the optimal boundary can extend its positive incentive effect on technological innovation. Environmental regulation uses intellectual property rights as the internal driving force, and with the help of intellectual property rights, continues to promote technological innovation. And the shielding effect of boundaries is greater than the intermediary effect. Our analysis of regional heterogeneity in intellectual property protection reveals that the integration of dual policy types is more effective in the eastern and central regions. Furthermore, the boundary of intellectual property protection in the eastern region surpasses that in the central region. It has important policy implications for promoting innovation system reform and coordinating high-quality economic development and high-level ecological environment protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims at investigating the intensity of environmental regulation on firm's share of domestic value-added in gross exports in China. An unbalanced firm-level panel data from 2000 to 2014 is adopted to estimate 10 two-way fixed effects models suggested by Hausman test for the entire sample of 648,801 and subsamples of three trade patterns, three types of ownership and three regions. The primary finding of this study is that for the entire sample and subsamples of general trade, mixed trade, non-state-owned and foreign-owned enterprises and enterprises in the eastern region, the intensity of environmental regulation has a "U-shaped" influence on firm's share of domestic value-added in gross exports in China, meaning that this influence is negative first and then turns to positive after the intensity of environmental regulation reaches a certain level. This conclusion is reasonable and consistent with our expectation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]