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There remains considerable doubt, debate, and confusion regarding how biodiversity responds to gradients of important environmental drivers, such as habitat size, resource productivity, and disturbance. Here we develop a simple but comprehensive theoretical framework based on competition–colonization multispecies communities to examine the separate and interactive effects of these drivers. Using both numerical simulations and analytical arguments, we demonstrate that the critical trade‐off between competitive and colonization ability can lead to complex nonlinear, zig‐zag responses in both species richness and the inverse Simpson index along gradients of these drivers. Furthermore, we find strong interactions between these drivers that can dramatically shift the response of biodiversity to these gradients. The zig‐zag patterns in biodiversity along ecological gradients, together with the strong interactions between the drivers, can explain the mixed findings of empirical studies and syntheses, thereby providing a new paradigm that can reconcile debates on the relationships between biodiversity and multiple drivers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate assessments of global primary material extraction, trade of primary materials and products, material use, waste, and emissions support the development of policies that facilitate the decoupling of economic activity, natural resource use, and related environmental impacts. Here, we quantify all crucial aspects of global and country‐by‐country material requirements needed to fuel economic activities, covering both territorial‐ and demand‐based indicators. These data have been assembled by a consortium of research partners that compile the global material flow and resource productivity online database for the International Resource Panel, which contributes to the global dataset for the System of Environmental–Economic Accounting (SEEA) framework and is employed to monitor progress for the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) indicators 8.4 and 12.2. We present the main findings of the 2024 update, including methodological improvements and result differences, and discuss the main findings and limitations. Since the last update, we have identified a slowing of global materials extraction since about 2014, a continuation of solid growth in direct trade of materials and products, persistent inequality in resource use between high‐ and low‐income countries, and a prolonged improvement in global material productivity. The full dataset used herein can be downloaded from the Global Material Flow Database hosted by the United Nations Environment Program International Resource Panel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the dynamic effect of resource productivity and green technologies on renewable energy (RE) use in 28 middle‐income countries from 2006 to 2022 using MMQR, QR and causality techniques. Results suggested that green technology innovation substantially influences RE use. Second, the significant positive coefficients show that resource productivity leads to higher RE consumption at the upper quantile due to decoupling Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth from extracting natural resources, indicating a transition towards more sustainable and efficient practices. Based on the empirical findings, several policy implications are suggested for middle‐income economies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Environmental & Social Management Journal / Revista de Gestão Social e Ambiental is the property of Environmental & Social Management Journal and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Environmental & Social Management Journal / Revista de Gestão Social e Ambiental is the property of Environmental & Social Management Journal 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 lack of effective evaluation methods and implementation guidelines has led to frequent obstacles in the process of circular economy in enterprises. The efficiency equation for resource circulation can effectively evaluate the efficiency of an enterprise's circular economy resource circulation from three perspectives: input, circulation, and output. Additionally, it delves into each link to identify weak points, offering guidance for optimising the enterprise's circular economy. Utilising a value flow analysis within the context of a circular economy, this paper evaluates circular economy efficiency using a resource circulation efficiency equation. It conducts factor analysis across three dimensions: resource input, resource circulation, and waste output. This analysis aims to evaluate the corresponding resource productivity, added value output rate, and environmental efficiency. Factor decomposition techniques were then employed to identify the underlying factors contributing to poor circular economy outcomes. Furthermore, based on the relationships among three resource circulation indicators, this paper forecasts the potential advantages of integrating circular economy improvement measures and proposes practical optimisation approaches. The enhanced resource circulation efficiency resulting from the proposed optimisation approaches was validated through a case study with an aluminium company. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research analyzed resource productivity and determinants of technical efficiency among cassava farmers in North Central, Nigeria. This research employed a multi-stage sampling technique. Primary data were used based on a well-designed questionnaire. Inferential and descriptive statistics were employed for data analysis. The results of resource productivity of inputs show that cassava cuttings and fertilizer have the highest and lowest elasticities, respectively. The mean-TE (Technical Efficiency) score of 74% (0.74) indicates that an average smallholder cassava producer in the sample needs about 26% (0.26) additional inputs to get to the frontier. In the TE components, the coefficients of labour, and fertilizers are significant different from zero at 1% probability level. The coefficients of agrochemicals, land inputs are significantly different from zero at 5% probability level, while the coefficient of cassava cuttings are significant different from zero at 10% probability level. In the TIE (technical inefficiency), component the coefficients of age, credit received, members of cooperatives are significant different from zero at 1% probability level. The policy formulations should be directed towards considering technological substitutions and mechanized agriculture. Excessive labour supply, characteristics of the developing agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa, could be pushed into the secondary sector of the Nigerian economy such as the cassava processing industry, therefore generating income, employment and maintaining Nigeria in the first (1st) position in the world ranking in term of cassava output. Also, it is recommended that improved cuttings, agrochemicals, and fertilizers should be made available to cassava farmers at appropriate time to increase productivity. Furthermore, credit should be made available to cassava farmers at a single digit interest rate, devoid of cumbersome administrative procedures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ecological footprint was employed as a quantitative indicator of resource inputs, enabling a detailed account of the structure of biological resources and energy occupancy, as well as the variation of resource productivity in the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) Region. From 2004 to 2018, there were notable variations in the ecological productivity of different types of land on basis of China's equilibrium factor across the three provinces and one city in the YRD region. Jiangsu Province exhibited the highest ecological productivity of arable land, while Anhui Province exhibited the highest ecological productivity of forest land. Shanghai City exhibited the highest ecological productivity of pasture land, while Zhejiang Province exhibited the highest ecological productivity of water area. In 2018, the proportion of arable land within the total ecological carrying capacity of the YRD region reached 74.35%. Furthermore, the contribution of Jiangsu and Anhui provinces to the YRD's total ecological carrying capacity was 41.36% and 41.26%, respectively. In the construction of a new development pattern in the YRD region, which is dominated by the domestic cycle as the main body and mutually reinforced by domestic and international double-cycle, the YRD region should combine the utilization of natural forces with innovation in science, technology and cooperation mechanisms. Furthermore, the government should guide the concentration of social capital towards green industries. It is also recommended that the moderate reduction of ecological footprints should be encouraged, and that the security of biological resources and energy, the leadership in the field of cutting-edge science and technology should be ensured in YRD region. This will facilitate the formation of a new development pattern of higher-quality integration at the national level firstly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Innovation has been a historical driver for progress. The need for more effective resource utilization has ignited the presence of many innovations in the economic environment. Among others, digitalization and internet connectivity are important pillars of development. Our paper aims to provide a few insights related to the question "How can we increase the efficiency of resource utilization in EU-28 countries through Eco-Innovation and Digital Inclusion?" This paper examines the issue of innovation related to the use of natural resources (Eco-innovation) as a determining factor in resource consumption in societies with different levels of digital inclusion. Our analysis is based on clustering of EU-28 Member States using three variables: the degree of digital inclusion, the Eco-Innovation Index, and the degree of resource use. We expect digital inclusion to mediate the relationship between eco-innovation and resource utilization. Clustering might reveal how the Eco-Innovation Index, Digital Inclusion Level, and Resource Productivity Index differ among EU-28 Member States and provide relevant information for prioritization of resource allocation at the EU level. Our approach of clustering based on the three variables considered reveals that countries with a better economy present better performance from the point of view of Digital Inclusion in the context of Eco-Innovation and the use of resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecologists have long sought to understand variation in food chain length (FCL) among natural ecosystems. Various drivers of FCL, including ecosystem size, resource productivity and disturbance, have been hypothesised. However, when results are aggregated across existing empirical studies from aquatic ecosystems, we observe mixed FCL responses to these drivers. To understand this variability, we develop a unified competition‐colonisation framework for complex food webs incorporating all of these drivers. With competition‐colonisation tradeoffs among basal species, our model predicts that increasing ecosystem size generally results in a monotonic increase in FCL, while FCL displays non‐linear, oscillatory responses to resource productivity or disturbance in large ecosystems featuring little disturbance or high productivity. Interestingly, such complex responses mirror patterns in empirical data. Therefore, this study offers a novel mechanistic explanation for observed variations in aquatic FCL driven by multiple environmental factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines whether the raw material productivity, export intensification, and environmental‐related technologies in the Nordic region (i.e., Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden) drives the region's carbon neutrality target. By adopting both symmetric and asymmetric empirical approaches over the period 1990–2019, the study found that positive and negative shifts in environmental‐related technologies mitigates greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the region with the former causing a larger impact. Furthermore, the findings reveal that a positive shift in raw material productivity mitigates GHG emissions while a negative shift in raw material productivity causes a surge in GHG emissions especially in the long‐run. Moreover, a positive (negative) shift in export intensity yields a decline (upsurge) in GHG emissions in the long‐run. In the symmetric framework, in both long‐ and short‐run, the result reveals that economic growth upsurges GHG emissions while raw material productivity for green growth and environmental‐related technologies mitigates GHG emissions. This demonstrates the efficient raw material productivity profile of the Nordic countries. Alongside the Granger causality inference, the result further informs that energy intensity is crucial to curbing GHG emissions in the region. Thus, the result from the study offers relevant policy instructions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cities are complex systems with a key role in economic development and in improving the environmental sustainability of nations. Therefore, a comprehensive understanding of urban systems is fundamental to designing relevant policies and initiatives. Urban metabolism characterization may provide a holistic framework for analyzing urban systems in the context of the broader national metabolism. This paper provides a methodology to characterize the metabolism of an urban area, such as the Lisbon metropolitan area, taking as a source of data the socioeconomic metabolism of the country. The national metabolism is established by computing physical input-output tables. The downscaling to the urban level is accomplished with a variety of sector-specific parameters, from which an urban mass balance is established for a set of economic activities. The results obtained for the case study of Portugal and the city of Lisbon suggest that the share of services and the type of manufacturing industries in the economic structure of Lisbon, together with the higher resource productivity in the most representative economic sectors, are key aspects of the metabolism that contribute to Lisbon having higher overall resource productivity. The representation of the metabolism flows revealed key differences between the supply chains of Lisbon and the national flows, as well as a strong dependence of the Lisbon economy on material flows from other regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

People have always been interested in improving their quality of life. But how is this possible when the population is constantly growing, and the planet’s resources are dwindling? The efficient use of resources is not only believed to increase the general quality of life but also to contribute to the creation of a cleaner environment. But what is the relation between resource efficiency and a cleaner environment? The European Commission and the United Nations have been dealing with this key issue for many years now and the EU has forced member countries to meet certain targets. This paper presents some of the UN and EU’s policies with regard to climate change and resource efficiency and offers an independent evaluation of the achievements of Member States. We assumed that the implementation of the objectives of the EU climate and energy package improves the resource productivity and reduces its negative impact on the environment, relation analysed with the help of a linear regression model. Further, we have performed a critical study on the performance of EU-member states in meeting their GHG-emission targets correlated with the resource intensity of their economies, modelled using Microsoft Excel. Resource efficiency and the low-carbon economy have emerged as central themes in global discussions on the transition to a sustainable economy, and this paper sheds new light onto the connection between the two subjects.

Currently, one of the world's concerns, including Brazil, is to obtain answers to reduce energy dependence on fossil fuels. Environmental damage and possible scarcity of fossil fuels highlight the generation of clean energy to reduce environmental degradation. In the present article, it is proposed a model to analyze the economic and environmental feasibility of implementing solar photovoltaic systems in an industry. A case study in Brazil was used to test the model. The selected industrial sector chosen for the installation of the photovoltaic system was the parking lot with an estimated area of 187,653 m2. Regarding economic viability, the calculated net present value was $44,730,630.26, the internal rate of return was 14.52% per year, and the payback time was 132 months. The environmental impacts avoided in the use of the photovoltaic solar energy system were analyzed and the amount of carbon dioxide avoided in the atmosphere per kWh generated with the use of this clean energy showed that 25,381 trees would be needed to fix the CO2 that would be emitted into the atmosphere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to successfully meet the EU's resource efficiency targets by 2030, the transition to a circular economy model should become a state priority. This implies that the concept should be expanded not only to waste reduction and recycling, but also to the disruption of the dependence between economic growth and waste production. The purpose of this paper is to analyse how far in Bulgaria is done the transition to a circular model, while making a comparison with the EU and to prove the need for an accelerated implementation of adequate measures on the part of public authorities to promote such a change. Work is based on a descriptive analysis of secondary data on the performance of the selected indicators of circular economy and comparative analysis within the EU. The analysis shows the presence of a certain delay compared to the EU average indicators as well as unused opportunities not only related to more efficient use of resources, but also to a radical change in the business model. The conclusions reached indicate the existence of a number of obstacles that delay the transition. This calls for accelerating the reform of eco-fiscal and innovative government policies. The added value of the article is not only the analytical consideration of the problems, but mostly in drawing up recommendations for future measures.

Although life cycle thinking offers a well-founded set of concepts, methods, and tools for organizational contexts, only little is known about its relevance in the construction sector. In this sector, construction corporations are key players. In this work, a novel impact-driven method to assess the adoption of life cycle thinking by construction corporations is introduced. Japan, as a high-income country with a relatively long history of environmental policies informed by material flow analysis, is chosen as the context. Five Japanese construction corporations and respective reporting are used as case studies. Trends in environmental impacts over time of the case study corporations are assessed using two indicators: resource and carbon productivity. In comparison, an automated text corpus analysis workflow is presented to explore the corporate report's life cycle thinking-related content in a meaningful way. Comparing the period of 2014–2018 and 2019–2023, an overall relative increase in framework adoptions (77%) and their integration in corporate categories (85%) in corporate reports indicates its increased procedural relevance among Japanese construction contractors. Findings show how the carbon indicator is embedded in various frameworks and, for instance, reveal an increased relevance of Scope 3 emissions as a framework on a low level. However, Scope 3 is also utilized as a performance indicator. To this end, considerable temporal differences in adoption practices are observed. Finally, a potentially effective corporate adoption model is identified through the comparative research design. The proposed method can be applied to other construction corporations and regional contexts. • Material inputs & carbon outputs of five construction corporations are analyzed. • A new impact-driven method is introduced to assess LCT adoptions in corporate reports. • LCT-related frameworks are found to gain relevance among construction corporations. • Corporate environmental impacts are compared to indicator & framework adoptions. • Features of a potentially effective corporate LCT adoption model are identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant factories with artificial lighting (PFALs) are hailed as a hope for a sustainable urban food supply system. However, this emerging industry is facing a challenge: What crops other than leafy vegetables can PFALs produce commercially? A promising candidate is small-sized tomatoes (ss-tomatoes), which some high-tech greenhouses (HTGHs) are producing. To examine the crop performance and economic viability of ss-tomato production in PFALs, we attempted a comparative analysis based on experiments conducted in a PFAL and an HTGH, along with a Dutch Report on HTGHs. The results show that ss-tomato production in HTGHs is economically viable in the Netherlands but not yet in our HTGH in Japan. The factor that explains the difference is the yield per plantable area. For our HTGH to be economically viable, the present yield of 30 kg/m2/year must be increased to 50 kg/m2/year. The economic performance of ss-tomato production in our PFAL is lower than that of our HTGH, despite its higher yield of 56 kg/m2/year. To attain the same economic performance, our PFAL must achieve a yield as high as 150 kg/m2/year. If PFALs were to provide a stable supply of safe foods to the growing urban population, they should attain higher yields, no matter how challenging it may be. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Countries with the same GDP/cap presented different levels of resource use. • The domestic extraction of natural resources impacted the socioeconomic metabolism. • Low population density was linked to higher levels of resource use per capita. • Economic crisis was particularly impactful in the use of non-metallic minerals. • Services were associated with higher resource productivity. The use of natural resources drives socioeconomic metabolism (SEM) and has been rising as economies develop, but not all countries present the same trends. Understanding how key aspects of the SEM relate to resource use and productivity is critical for promoting sustainable development. This paper analyses 15 years of the SEM dynamics in four European countries by quantifying gross domestic product (GDP) and resource use per capita. The monetary and material flows of Estonia, Croatia, Finland, and the United Kingdom were quantified in monetary and physical input-output tables, enabling the characterization of the flows between the economic sectors and of their cross-correlation indicators, namely through resource productivity. Key findings included the observation of a correlation between high productivity and more developed economies, where infrastructure has been developed for high-productivity services, the effects of economic structure on resource productivity, and on how the SEM developed after an economic recession. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The constant rise in the consumption of resources puts the environment under pressure. Most resources are non-renewable in nature, which is why they must be utilized with great care. For this reason, the European Union devotes increasingly more attention to their efficient use. It deals with these aspects, making an effort to maintain the long-term competitiveness and to secure sustainable development in line with all of the related environmental impacts. In this context, several goals have been set out, to which the individual EU member states are bound. A method for monitoring resource efficiency was developed, consisting of indicators, the aim of which is to assess the efficiency of the use of soil, water, energy, with the most fundamental one being resource productivity. The results of the efficiency of use of the individual resources in the member states greatly differ, even without further investigating the links and correlations between the indicators. Research on the interrelationships of the individual indicators in terms of mutual influence has not yet been completed. The aim of our study was to define the correlation between the main indicator, resource productivity, and the other indicators at the level of the EU and its member states. For this purpose, we prepared a database with data which, for the sake of uniformity, were obtained from the publicly available Eurostat database. Subsequently, the data were analyzed and evaluated using the statistical software JMP 15 by a regression and correlation analysis. By using the multiple regression analysis, we created a model describing the significance of the impact of the observed variables on the resulting resource productivity of the EU member states. Generally, there is a positive correlation between the resource productivity and the Eco-Innovation index, as well as the utilization rate of recycled materials. For the sake of comparison, we developed a regression model at the level of the V4 countries, with the aim of evaluating the impact of the historical background of the countries on their contemporary ability to reach the goals set out by the environmental policy. The V4 countries are lagging far behind in meeting all of the environmental policy objectives, not only in tracking the main indicator (resource productivity) on which the multiple regression analysis is based. It was interesting to find that the multiple regression model at the V4 level does not include the indicators defined by the EU level model, the key ones, in this case, being water productivity, energy dependence, energy productivity, and environmental tax. This finding may also, after further analyses, be the key for other countries joining the EU in the future, in defining the weaknesses of the newly acceding states in terms of the EU's move towards a circular economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

People have always been interested in improving their quality of life. But how is this possible when the population is constantly growing, and the planet's resources are dwindling? The efficient use of resources is not only believed to increase the general quality of life but also to contribute to the creation of a cleaner environment. But what is the relation between resource efficiency and a cleaner environment? The European Commission and the United Nations have been dealing with this key issue for many years now and the EU has forced member countries to meet certain targets. This paper presents some of the UN and EU's policies with regard to climate change and resource efficiency and offers an independent evaluation of the achievements of Member States. We assumed that the implementation of the objectives of the EU climate and energy package improves the resource productivity and reduces its negative impact on the environment, relation analysed with the help of a linear regression model. Further, we have performed a critical study on the performance of EU-member states in meeting their GHG-emission targets correlated with the resource intensity of their economies, modelled using Microsoft Excel. Resource efficiency and the low-carbon economy have emerged as central themes in global discussions on the transition to a sustainable economy, and this paper sheds new light onto the connection between the two subjects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The economic fallout from COVID-19 resulted in an economic slowdown and a contraction in economic output, changed economic structures, and reduced financial inflows in the five least developed countries (LDCs) of Asia – Bangladesh, Cambodia, Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR), Myanmar, and Nepal. This policy brief discusses these impacts in light of the LDC-graduation procedures of the United Nations together with the challenges that these countries face meeting their nationally determined contributions (NDCs) and the environment-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 7, 12, and 13). The economic slowdown in Bangladesh, Lao PDR, and Myanmar and a contraction in economic output in Cambodia and Nepal has increased poverty in the five LDCs and is putting pressure on biomass resources in the rural areas of these countries. The change in the structures of their economies, which threatens to reverse processes of economic modernization in these LDCs, is undermining two decades of progress regarding the efficient use of natural resources and the associated reduction in greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions per unit of gross domestic product (GDP). A decline in financial inflows such as remittances, foreign direct investment, and official development assistance (ODA) is also a risk to both short- and long-term prospects of further investment in renewable energy generation and low GHG-emissions technologies. This policy brief suggests policies that target technical interventions and incentivize small-scale renewable energy technologies that are less susceptible to microeconomic and macroeconomic impacts from external shocks such as COVID-19.

Improving the energy efficiency of fish culture has always been a concern for warm‐water fish farming units. In this respect, the present study explored energy consumption flow and energy indices of warm‐water fish production in Guilan province, northern Iran. The impact of the energy equivalent of the system inputs on the energy equivalent of fish yield was modeled by the Cobb–Douglas function. The results revealed that total energy input, energy ratio, energy productivity, and energy intensity were 3710.4 MJ per 100 m2, 0.042, 0.009 kg MJ−1, and 109.77 MJ kg−1, respectively. Feed, electricity, and fossil fuel were the most energy‐intensive inputs accounting for 70.09%, 11.95%, and 11.70% of total energy use, respectively; representing the dominant role of feed in the energy input of warm‐water fish farming. Renewable and nonrenewable energy resources accounted for 6.97% and 93.03% of the total energy input of warm‐water fish culture system, respectively; requiring more care to cut the share of nonrenewable energy inputs. The Pareto chart determined that fingerling, labor, and electricity had the highest effects on the warm‐water fish yield. Therefore, more attention should be paid to the appropriate use of these inputs in warm‐water fish culture in the study region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of circular economy (CE) has become popular in the last decade: both decision-makers and businesses are looking for alternative solutions replacing the present economic model. Official governmental documents have been selected for introducing Visegrad countries’ (V4) initiatives and monitoring the progress toward a transition to a circular economy. Based on selected material flow and resource productivity (RP) indicators, the study compares the regional differences among Visegrad countries. The current performances of the V4 in the implementation of the circular economic model are below the EU average. Moreover, it is noticeable that the dynamics of the changes of each indicator is more positive than on average in the EU, however, only moderate relative decoupling of domestic material (DMC) from GDP has occurred. When comparing individual countries, the wide range of the policy measures taken by V4 countries to support the transition to a circular economy can be considered promising. Despite the different characteristics of Visegrad countries, they show similar performances that are rather close to each other and incrementally approach to the EU average.

The economic fallout from COVID-19 resulted in an economic slowdown and a contraction in economic output, changed economic structures, and reduced financial inflows in the five least developed countries (LDCs) of Asia – Bangladesh, Cambodia, Lao People's Democratic Republic (PDR), Myanmar, and Nepal. This policy brief discusses these impacts in light of the LDC-graduation procedures of the United Nations together with the challenges that these countries face meeting their nationally determined contributions (NDCs) and the environment-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 7, 12, and 13). The economic slowdown in Bangladesh, Lao PDR, and Myanmar and a contraction in economic output in Cambodia and Nepal has increased poverty in the five LDCs and is putting pressure on biomass resources in the rural areas of these countries. The change in the structures of their economies, which threatens to reverse processes of economic modernization in these LDCs, is undermining two decades of progress regarding the efficient use of natural resources and the associated reduction in greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions per unit of gross domestic product (GDP). A decline in financial inflows such as remittances, foreign direct investment, and official development assistance (ODA) is also a risk to both short- and long-term prospects of further investment in renewable energy generation and low GHG-emissions technologies. This policy brief suggests policies that target technical interventions and incentivize small-scale renewable energy technologies that are less susceptible to microeconomic and macroeconomic impacts from external shocks such as COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to successfully meet the EU's resource efficiency targets by 2030, the transition to a circular economy model should become a state priority. This implies that the concept should be expanded not only to waste reduction and recycling, but also to the disruption of the dependence between economic growth and waste production. The purpose of this paper is to analyse how far in Bulgaria is done the transition to a circular model, while making a comparison with the EU and to prove the need for an accelerated implementation of adequate measures on the part of public authorities to promote such a change. Work is based on a descriptive analysis of secondary data on the performance of the selected indicators of circular economy and comparative analysis within the EU. The analysis shows the presence of a certain delay compared to the EU average indicators as well as unused opportunities not only related to more efficient use of resources, but also to a radical change in the business model. The conclusions reached indicate the existence of a number of obstacles that delay the transition. This calls for accelerating the reform of eco-fiscal and innovative government policies. The added value of the article is not only the analytical consideration of the problems, but mostly in drawing up recommendations for future measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines productivity, profitability and resource use efficiency of cotton production in Palwal district of Haryana (India). The study is based on primary data collected from a total of 120 farmers selected randomly using two-stage sampling and data related to agricultural year 2017-18. Analytical tools like farm business analysis and production function approach is applied to summarise data. Results have revealed that large farms were more productive and earned higher profit from cotton production than small and medium farms. The regression results have shown that factors like human labour, phosphatic fertilizer, farm machinery and zinc had positive and significant impacts on cotton yield. The MVP of human labour, and phosphatic fertilizer were greater than unity indicating underutilization. However, other resources were applied in excess and suggested to utilize optimally to improve the yield of cotton.

Sustainable access to raw materials has been growing concern for the EU policy from 2008. Germany, Finland, United Kingdom, Portugal and Greece were the first European countries to introduce and develop own minerals policy (2010–2012). Each of Member State prioritized own targets, but sustainability, waste management and climate were also underlined. In 2015 the 17 Sustainable Development Goals were established and adopted in the EU policy framework to monitor and measure the social, economic and environmental aspects. Next Paris Agreement targets and climate neutral has been introduced. They have significant impact also on mining industry. Therefore the purpose of this paper is to discuss the relationship between mineral policy in chosen countries and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and EU climate policy target. Due to limited data for mining sector the impact of mineral policy on sustainable mineral supply and CO2 emissions have been analyzed to identify the specific challenges, trends and successful factors of transition. It was shown that well developed mineral policy - in case of Finland - allow increase over 20% of production with over 20% decrease of CO2 emission. Moreover productivity in the sector in almost all analyzed country has been increased, what can show some correlation between mineral policy and SDG 12. However more detailed indicators for monitoring and assess the mineral policy on EU level and in individual country is needed, especially in contest of impact on sustainable development. It can help to provide acceptance of local society for new investment. It is a long term process which required not only significant financial capital, new technological solutions, but also trust and transparency in monitoring in implementing environmental and social aspects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Circular Economy has emerged in need of an alternative economic model to reduce the environmental hazard and improve sustainability. This study analyzed four different indicators of Circular Economy, namely: resource productivity, renewable energy consumption, domestic material consumption and the generation of municipal waste based on secondary data to depict the volume of circular practices in Turkey in a frame of Circular Economy and environmental performance. Main findings of the paper show that Turkey is lagging behind the EU average regarding circular economy practices and environmental performance. On the other hand, increased levels of Renewable Energy Consumption may help to reduce CO2 emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The constant rise in the consumption of resources puts the environment under pressure. Most resources are non-renewable in nature, which is why they must be utilized with great care. For this reason, the European Union devotes increasingly more attention to their efficient use. It deals with these aspects, making an effort to maintain the long-term competitiveness and to secure sustainable development in line with all of the related environmental impacts. In this context, several goals have been set out, to which the individual EU member states are bound. A method for monitoring resource efficiency was developed, consisting of indicators, the aim of which is to assess the efficiency of the use of soil, water, energy, with the most fundamental one being resource productivity. The results of the efficiency of use of the individual resources in the member states greatly differ, even without further investigating the links and correlations between the indicators. Research on the interrelationships of the individual indicators in terms of mutual influence has not yet been completed. The aim of our study was to define the correlation between the main indicator, resource productivity, and the other indicators at the level of the EU and its member states. For this purpose, we prepared a database with data which, for the sake of uniformity, were obtained from the publicly available Eurostat database. Subsequently, the data were analyzed and evaluated using the statistical software JMP 15 by a regression and correlation analysis. By using the multiple regression analysis, we created a model describing the significance of the impact of the observed variables on the resulting resource productivity of the EU member states. Generally, there is a positive correlation between the resource productivity and the Eco-Innovation index, as well as the utilization rate of recycled materials. For the sake of comparison, we developed a regression model at the level of the V4 countries, with the aim of evaluating the impact of the historical background of the countries on their contemporary ability to reach the goals set out by the environmental policy. The V4 countries are lagging far behind in meeting all of the environmental policy objectives, not only in tracking the main indicator (resource productivity) on which the multiple regression analysis is based. It was interesting to find that the multiple regression model at the V4 level does not include the indicators defined by the EU level model, the key ones, in this case, being water productivity, energy dependence, energy productivity, and environmental tax. This finding may also, after further analyses, be the key for other countries joining the EU in the future, in defining the weaknesses of the newly acceding states in terms of the EU’s move towards a circular economy.

In light of the growing attention to the need for establishing a lifecycle-oriented circular economy and to promote resource circulation to maximize the utilization of limited resources, this paper presents a case study on setting-up new national-level indicators and targets in accordance to the shift in the national waste management paradigm from waste treatment to resource circulation, which is being initiated in multiple countries around the world. Specifically, using the case of Korea, which recently implemented its new Framework Act for Resource Circulation, this study illustrates the process for setting new indicators and projecting Korea's waste management based on the indicators developed in this study. The five main indicators suggested are the final disposal rate, actual recycling rate, waste to energy recovery rate, resource circulation rate, and resource productivity, and their precise definitions and calculation methods and the necessary revision in national statistical data collection for obtaining the required data for the indicators are discussed. For the effective delivery of the policies in the long term, the annual targets for the indicators and overall strategies for promoting resource circulation are proposed based on the predictions for future population growth and waste generation. With continuous effort from 2018 to 2027, it is expected that Korea will be able to reduce its final disposal rate from 8.7% to 3.0% and increase its actual recycling rate from 76.4% to 82.0%, waste to energy recovery rate from 6.95% to 12.66%, resource circulation rate to 14.0% to 16.4%, and resource productivity to 630 USD/ton to 1900 USD/ton. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of circular economy (CE) has become popular in the last decade: both decision- makers and businesses are looking for alternative solutions replacing the present economic model. Official governmental documents have been selected for introducing Visegrad countries' (V4) initiatives and monitoring the progress toward a transition to a circular economy. Based on selected material flow and resource productivity (RP) indicators, the study compares the regional differences among Visegrad countries. The current performances of the V4 in the implementation of the circular economic model are below the EU average. Moreover, it is noticeable that the dynamics of the changes of each indicator is more positive than on average in the EU, however, only moderate relative decoupling of domestic material (DMC) from GDP has occurred. When comparing individual countries, the wide range of the policy measures taken by V4 countries to support the transition to a circular economy can be considered promising. Despite the different characteristics of Visegrad countries, they show similar performances that are rather close to each other and incrementally approach to the EU average. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper resumes research on the current dimensions and implications of a sustainable development. Taking in consideration some of the latest theoretical insights and strategic approaches of the European Union for progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), a few trends and issues are analysed, also in the particular case of Romania. The close inter-correlation between most of the SDGs is highlighted, since they cannot be all reviewed here. For a more practical purpose, there will be analyses on the required and actual evolution in reducing the Romanian gap of some SDG progress indicators. Monitoring SDG 12 in an EU context focuses on progress made in decoupling environmental impacts from economic growth, in decreasing energy consumption and in tackling waste generation and management. The conclusions refer to conceptual or applied sustainable development insights and policy recommendation for promoting a more sustainable production and consumption pattern in a circular economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study investigates a central premise of the resource-based view of the firm—that managers are a potential source of value creation for the firm. Using data from professional sports teams, we test theory regarding the effects of managerial ability, human resource stocks, and managers' actions on resource value creation. While results indicate managerial ability affects resource productivity, this effect is less pronounced with increases in the quality of firm resources. Further, we investigate the extent to which managerial actions that synchronize resource bundles account for the influence of managerial ability and resource context on a firm's performance advantage. These results contribute to our understanding of resource management and provide empirical evidence for the importance of managerial ability in the resource-based view. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. The development of an algorithm for optimising the formation and use of human resources of a construction enterprise.Methods. The research basis consists in a generalised methodology for personnel management, as well as specific methods for logical and statistical analysis of management decision-making in construction activities. The approaches, criteria, indicators and methods for assessing the effectiveness of human resource management are studied alongside factors influencing the efficiency resource potential management in a construction enterprise.Results. A quantitative methodology for the selection of qualified staff for the implementation of construction projects is proposed. The indicators of the effectiveness of the staff potential are determined. Qualitative and quantitative data for the optimal personnel formation for the construction project realisation are systematised. An algorithm for optimising the personnel potential of a construction enterprise is proposed. The use of this algorithm will inform the choice of organisational and economic solutions for the formation and effective use of qualified personnel at the expense of combining professions, thereby reducing the cost and duration of construction work and increasing the resource efficiency and competitiveness of the construction enterprise.Conclusion. The labour potential of a construction enterprise can significantly contribute to increased efficiency if it is used appropriately and in an organised manner, using modern scientific methods of management. Methods for building and organising the activity of the personnel management system are proposed and a mechanism for establishing relationships between the employer and employees that promote the most effective use of all types of resources for the development of the enterprise according to strategic objectives is disclosed. The dominant role of the personnel component of the resource potential of the construction enterprise issubstantiated, having its management provided by organisational and economic decisions on the selection and placement of personnel in order to organise the rhythmic and high-quality work of each site and the entire construction site as a whole.

The transition to a circular economy, applied as a priority to the built environment, is recognized in the most recent EU guidelines as a promising approach to increase resource productivity. In Italy, a powerful lever is represented by the mandatory application of the Minimum Environmental Criteria within Green Public Procurement which, in construction (Ministerial Decree 11/10/2017), concern the totality of the contracts. The paper describes one of the first complete implementations of these Criteria, considering the innovation in the design process from a life cycle perspective, which is reflected in particular in the methods of selection and procurement of natural and eco-friendly materials, with recycled content and certificated products, as well as in the design for disassembly of building components.