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Property rights granted by land and water policies are not always identical with the claims – meaning perceived rights - people base their actions on. A high discrepancy between both resembles an ineffective policy implementation and bears the risk of unsustainable decision-making. Furthermore, perceived rights to land and its corresponding resource water can vary significantly. In this paper, we operationalize the property rights concepts and empirically assess, by specifying and quantifying, the difference between property rights and farmers’ customary claims to both, land and water resources. With regard to land, actors tend to base their decisions on customary claims, and override property rights. In contrast, regarding water, we find that the full benefits of property rights granted by a policy reform are often not recognized. Whereas in the first case political control and monitoring mechanisms seems to fail, in the latter a lack of information sharing let the farmers not exploit their full investment potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paper industry is one of major material and energy users in Finland, material costs being far bigger than energy costs. Energy saving is promoted in Finland by an energy service centre, subsidies and energy service companies (ESCOs). Material savings in production processes are typically used to reduce costs while life cycle material efficiency rather would require focusing, e.g. on product design. This could be promoted by total producer responsibility, economic instruments and environmental permits. For industrial sites with limited resources, MASCOs’ (Material Saving Companies) services could manage material savings, e.g. by funding the investments, planning and running the project. Authorities should put more emphasis on material auditing and information on material saving technologies and logistics. Material savings should also be included into the environmental permitting procedures. Materials saving services are developing and the projected Finnish material efficiency service centre could support new businesses. This article is based on a literature review and interviews of persons in paper producing companies and environmental authorities. We also analyse experiences of the first MASCO project in Finland. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper discusses and analyses the evolution of the Finnish pulp and paper industries and their water pollution control strategies. The Finnish pulp and paper mills are mainly located along water courses in inland areas. The earliest documents on water pollution date back to the early 1900s. in spite of the remarkably good record during recent decades in water pollution control, it can be found among significant strategic decisions in only very few cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Natural Environment White Paper represents the most important conservation policy shift in the United Kingdom (UK) in twenty years. It formalises the ecosystem approach within national policy objectives and emphasises the economic value of ecosystem services. By analysing the use of various evidence sources, the involvement of science entrepreneurs, and the development of policy narratives, our goal was to understand factors that influenced adoption of an ecosystem service framework in the UK. We interviewed 48 policy actors and found that centrally-sponsored synthesis reports with entrepreneurial authors provided the most influential expert-based knowledge in the development of the White Paper . More recently published reports had greater influence, yet the window of opportunity for scientific evidence having policy impact was greater in the problem-setting stages of policy development. The interaction between teams preparing syntheses and expert entrepreneurs helped influence the construction of strategic policy narratives. Those narratives increased the impact of scientific evidence by communicating and framing key policy-salient messages, and brokering between broad ecosystem-based and environmental economics narratives. The combination of ecological and economics evidence was particularly salient in the UK case due to the context of continued biodiversity loss and the acceptability of valuation narratives within central government. Our findings suggest that evidence impact varies at different stages of the policy process, and that this is driven by the interplay of contextual factors like policy timing, personal influence, and the competition between different sets of actors and narratives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Maintaining biodiversity is a key goal of global forest policy which promotes ecosystem health and resilience in the face of changing land use and climate. Sustainable management of forest ecosystems is essential to the social and economic services that forests provide, is an important component of the environmental policies of national governments, and is a specific focus of the Conventional on Biological Diversity. Sustainable forest management supports the maintenance and enhancement of biodiversity, and relies on evidence based research to underpin associated policies and practices. Studies that take a focussed approach are particularly helpful in this regard where they identify mechanisms of ecological change in forest habitats, and predictors appropriate to determining the impact of management practices. Observational research can suggest likely mechanisms for ecological change, which can be tested and confirmed through experimental research. Predictors based on long-term research, on the mechanisms underlying ecological relationships, or on modelling approaches can be used to infer information about existing forests and to forecast future trends. This special issue presents a selection of papers which were first presented at the second international IUFRO conference on biodiversity in forest ecosystems and landscapes at University College Cork, Ireland in August 2012. The aim of this conference series is to ‘share knowledge, discuss new trends, reflect on future directions in biodiversity management for sustainable forestry, and provide a stronger scientific basis for biodiversity management in forest landscapes in the light of climate change’. The selected papers exemplify the use of observational and experimental approaches to identify mechanisms of ecological change in forests, and the use of indicators to predict current and future patterns of biodiversity. Trends in forest biodiversity were examined and discussed, drawing on what we know about forests to reconstruct ancient forested landscapes and to identify strategies for the management of forests into the future. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Highlights: [•] Offsetting development impacts could help achieve no net loss of biodiversity. [•] France recently geared its legislation on offsetting towards no net loss. [•] New guidance promises improved offset design and implementation. [•] Institutional arrangements for delivering offsets are either poor or lacking. [•] Appropriate institutional arrangements are necessary to avoid paper offsets. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Information about the two conferences on economic policy in Estonia in 2009-2010 is presented. The 25th anniversary of the organization of the first scientific conference held in Tartu discussed topics about environmental and social policies, corporate strategies and sectoral economic policy. Moreover, the 15th anniversary of the first international scientific conference organized by German research publishers would discuss business administration, corporate finance and accounting management.

Copyright of Tecnología y Ciencias del Agua is the property of Instituto Mexicano de Tecnologia del Agua (IMTA) 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 place-based policy is crucial for balancing economic competitiveness and environmental protection. However, there is scarce literature examining its impact on environmental pollution and the underlying mechanisms at the micro level. This paper treats China's National Demonstration Eco-Industrial Parks (EIP) as a quasi-natural experiment and systematically evaluates its effect on pollution using a difference-in-differences (DID) approach. With data from Chinese industrial firms and counties, this research reveals that the EIP leads to a significant reduction of 54.36% in firms' sulfur dioxide (SO 2) emissions. Moreover, increasing R&D investment, reducing SO 2 emission intensity, implementing production process pollution control, and dynamic adjustments of firm entry and exit are significant influencing mechanisms. Heterogeneity tests indicate a stronger SO 2 reduction effect of the EIP program on firms in eastern regions, capital-intensive industries, and non-state-owned enterprises. This study suggests that the Chinese government should support the establishment of EIP, conduct a coordinate system, strategically plan the industrial chain, establish a pollution monitoring and early warning system, enhance information disclosure, and give greater emphasis to the construction of EIPs in central and western China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Policy synergy is a unique way for the government to establish a policy network and a crucial way for cities to expand their carbon reduction channels. Using urban data from China, this paper empirically investigates how environmental governance policy synergy (EGPS) affects carbon emissions. In comparison to non-pilot cities, the environmental information disclosure (EID) policy and low-carbon city (LC) policy play an inhibitory role in carbon emissions. Furthermore, EGPS has a stronger effect and is heterogeneous by region. Through the use of technical advancement and industrial structure optimisation, EGPS lowers carbon emissions, and this effect of EGPS grows over time in tandem with the level of environmental pollution in the cities. Our paper proposes policy implications in order to improve the overall effect of environmental governance policy and help achieve the dual carbon targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Zeitschrift für Politikwissenschaft is the property of Springer Nature 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 Zeitschrift für Politikwissenschaft is the property of Springer Nature 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.)

In the context of significant environmental changes, the urgency of adopting green innovation has become increasingly apparent as a central mechanism for adjusting industrial structures in China. This transition serves not only as a crucial way to address pressing environmental challenges, but also as a fundamental strategy to improve the ecological efficiency of urban areas. Existing research mainly keeps a close eye on the unidirectional relationship between variables such as technological innovation and environmental protection. There is less relevant literature that has researched the cointegration relationship among green innovation, industrial structure, and eco-efficiency of cities. The essential role of green innovation and industrial structure in reaching a higher eco-efficiency of city are discussed in this research and the relationship among these three variables are analyzed by the evidence from cities in China from 2011 to 2019. The fact that the variables are cointegrated in the long run is evidenced by the results for the full sample. The sub-sample results report that in the eastern region, green innovation, industrial structure upgrading, and industrial structure rationalization could improve urban eco-efficiency. However, in Midwest regions where economic development is relatively backward, green innovation's effect on urban eco-efficiency is not in a significant positive way. The results obtained in this paper have implications for different cities in China to formulate corresponding policies on green innovation, industrial structure, and urban eco-efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses time-varying causalities between climate policy uncertainty (CPU) and green finance market, and filling the research gap in revealing their internal dynamic connections. Using rolling-window technique, the empirical findings demonstrate that CPU exert positive and negative impact on green finance market, represented by the green bond index (GBI) during certain time intervals, which do not entirely support theoretical basis. Similarly, the study also uncovers inconsistent conclusions regarding the influence from GBI to CPU among different causal periods, indicating the function of green finance in alleviating climate change is complex. These deviations between variables can be attributed to factors, such as early-stage green bond market, shifts in climate policies, the impact of COVID-19, and underlying macroeconomic fundamentals. The study identifies heterogeneities of the causal relationships in different time intervals, and the bidirectional influence under specific circumstances, offering fresh insights for existing theoretical framework. Several policy implications are thus provided from multiple aspects, such as standardization of green bonds, innovation of green financial instruments, and development of long-term climate governance strategies. These measures can facilitate a positive role for climate policy and green finance in pursuing harmonious development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy security is affected by extreme natural, human, domestic political, geopolitical, and fossil energy price shocks/events and green energy policies. The degree of persistence in energy security determines the magnitudes of social, economic, and environmental outcomes of the shocks/policies. In this paper, we examined the degree of persistence in energy security of G7 countries using a new proxy namely the energy security risk index, and a novel second-generation panel quantile unit root test over the period 1980–2018. In addition, we applied the sequential panel selection method (SPSM), to identify the stationary members within each quantile. Our results indicated the stochastic properties of the energy security risk indexes vary across the quantile and the countries. Among the G7 countries, the energy security risk index of the US displays unit root process within all quantiles. While the energy security risk indexes of other countries display stationary processes, especially within high quantiles. Our results have important policy implications regarding the effectiveness of green policies in improving the energy security of the G7 countries and the disturbance effects of anti-energy security shocks. According to our findings, the US has to constantly pursue the risks that threaten the country's energy system while other G7 countries likely do not have such severe concerns about shocks affecting energy security, and these shocks have a short-term effect on their energy security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A comprehensive case study of Mumbai (Bombay), India was undertaken to investigate the economic, social and environmental impact of international trade of waste paper for recycling purposes between industrialized and developing countries. Analysis of a Western approach vis-a-vis informal policy for waste paper recovery concludes that employment is maximum under informal policy measure and public response playsan important role in maintaining environmental quality. The study further shows that income inequality is more under informal policy, andwithout policy public cost will increase continuously in the future.The net present value of the informal policy is found to be higher than that for the formal policy. Econometric study on input substitution in the Indian paper industry suggests limited substitution possibilities between domestic and imported waste paper. Results from a static material balance flow model indicate that environmental impacts are less with increased trade and economically the paper sector in India benefits from free trade. Based upon the results of the study, somepolicy recommendations have been made that may enhance the efficiency of waste paper recycling in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Letras Verdes is the property of FLACSO - Ecuador (Facultad Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales) 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.)

Mosaic governance is a concept used in environmental policy, where the basis is the initiation of topics by the civil sector. Active citizens should contribute to creating environmental policies (specifically green infrastructure and waste management in the presented research). The article aims to analyze active citizenship in local environmental policy initiatives using the concept of mosaic governance. Mosaic governance focuses on exchanging resources, discourses, game plans, and experiences between governments and active citizens. Mosaic governance is mainly applied in Western European cities, where the concept originated. In the Central European area, the investigation of mosaic governance is not so strongly widespread. That is why the article's authors investigated the model mentioned in Slovakia. The paper's primary goal is to show the different forms of civic activism involved in environmental policies in selected cities. Since the Slovak Republic has eight self-governing regions, one city was selected from each. The criteria for selecting cities were realized projects in green infrastructure and waste management, a higher rate of the city's transparency index (according to statistical data), the willingness of local government actors to conduct interviews, and financial subsidies used in environmental projects. Each city uses citizen activism differently when creating environmental policies. The authors conclude that several modified versions of mosaic governance and representation of civic activism exist. The basic model, where citizens are involved based on the initiative of self-governing bodies; the optimal model, where citizen activists directly initiate topics; and the adaptive model, where citizen activists are direct decision-makers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of China Textile Leader is the property of China Textile Information Center 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.)

We combined life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) with economic analysis of social life cycle costs (SLCC) to investigate five alternatives for newspaper waste management. The alternatives consisted of various recovery and treatment methods applicable to newspaper in a separately collected paper fraction and to newspaper in mixed waste. We linked LCIA and SLCC to each other at three different stages. First, we used LCIA to rank our alternatives and asked how this ranking relates to the SLCC associated with each alternative. Second, we solved the cost minimizing problem and asked how this purely economic ranking relates to our LCIA ranking. Third, we solved the cost minimizing problem when external costs from the use of fossil fuels were included and then compared the solution to the LCIA results. Many useful features emerged. Tying economic analysis firmly to the steps of LCA helps to produce consistent SLCCs. Economic analysis can also be helpful in defining the boundaries of the product system and to facilitate decisions on avoided impacts. Finally, given that environmental policies usually involve trade-offs between environmental and economic factors, economic analysis conducted consistently with LCA complements LCA in a way that can be expected to make the results of the analysis more useful for policy making. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article reports that the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) released a series of white papers on water distribution system issues that experts have ranked as potentially significant public health concerns relevant to the Total Coliform Rule. The white papers complement an earlier set of 10 papers on operational issues and were developed in cooperation with the American Water Works Association (AWWA). Topics addressed include intrusion, cross-connection control, aging infrastructure and corrosion, permeation and leaching, nitrification, biofilms and growth, covered storage, decay in water quality over time, and new and repaired water mains.

This paper contributes to debates on positive tipping points in climate mitigation, which are relevant for accelerating low-carbon transitions. The first contribution is to draw attention to dynamics after the tipping point and criticise the determinism of existing approaches, which excessively focus on irreversible self-reinforcing processes. We conceptually extend Geels and Ayoub's socio-technical perspective on tipping points by adding potential negative feedback processes on political and socio-cultural dimensions that can decelerate further diffusion after the tipping point. The second contribution is to replicate Geels and Ayoub's framework with two new case studies and thus enhance its empirical validity. The case studies are solar-PV diffusion in Germany and the UK, which both first accelerated because of positive feedbacks and then slowed down because of negative feedbacks. We explain why solar-PV diffusion almost entirely halted in the UK but regained momentum in Germany after 2016. Our findings demonstrate the importance of analysing both positive and negative feedbacks in low-carbon transitions. Our findings also show that the strength of various feedback processes is shaped by broader economic and political contexts. • Paper extends socio-technical transition perspective on positive tipping points • It shows that post-tipping negative feedbacks may decelerate change • Extensions are validated with comparative case study of solar-PV in Germany and UK • Balance of positive and negative feedbacks explains varying post-tipping patterns [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper evaluates the potential of a Green Infrastructure Policy Assessment Tool (GIPAT) by assessing national planning guidance across all four devolved UK nations. National planning guidance is a key material consideration to the formulation and implementation of green infrastructure (GI) policies in statutory development plans and decision-making. Hitherto, there has been a lack of holistic assessments of GI policy in spatial planning with most attention on specific developments. GIPAT was informed by three GI initiatives; - Building with Nature, Central Scotland Green Network and Mainstreaming GI, supported by a global academic literature to address key multifunctional and mainstreaming components within 26 assessment criteria. The tool assessed, with justification, how well national guidance met the assessment criteria, together with the strength of policy wording. The results reveal a significant weakness in policy wording across all countries highlighting GI vulnerability. In terms of coverage, biodiversity and ecological networks generally score well but there are deficiencies in stewardship, blue infrastructure and mainstreaming demanding greater policy attention. There are important implications for development plan policy(ies) highlighting the need for greater integration of grey, blue and GI and improved mainstreaming as illuminated through exemplar policies. We recommend the use of Green Blue Infrastructure (GBI) to address the blue deficiency. The paper concludes with a discussion about GIPAT's wider transferability and the need for greater research into how policies are translated into development plans and decision-making. • A policy analysis tool has been co designed to assess UK national policy for green infrastructure. • National Planning Policy across the UK devolved nations endorses green and blue infrastructure as a multifunctional asset. • Policy wording for green infrastructure highlights significant vulnerability when compared with other policy priorities. • Major differences are shown across devolved nations in green infrastructure performance using the tool. • Green infrastructure needs improved mainstreaming and stewardship components moving away from a single policy focus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In shaping environmental policy, knowledge is power. Yet the opposite is also true. Control over the absence of knowledge facilitates certain policy outcomes being deflected, obscured, or magnified in a way that furthers political, personal, or institutional ends. Applying previous work on ignorance studies and agnotology to the development of Cambodian drought policy, the paper demonstrates how data gaps, restrictions on data sharing, and obstacles to data dissemination serve institutional interests and shape policy development. It proceeds in three parts, each reflecting one aspect of drought sensing in Cambodia and more broadly: hydrological, meteorological, and agricultural. First, how data on the Mekong River is shaped by regional geopolitics. Second, how national rainfall and flood data reflect the political geography of sub-national government administration. Third, how this multi-scalar landscape of political and institutional interests links data generation, data dissemination and adaptation policy, closing certain adaptation pathways, whilst opening others. • This paper examines data gaps, restrictions on data sharing, and restrictions on data dissemination. • This paper presents an agnotological perspective on the politics of data gaps and environmental policy generation. • It shows that drought policy development in Cambodia is influenced by control over environmental generation and circulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Addressing climate change and protecting the environment have become the key global challenges and priorities and requires a whole-of-society approach. Many countries are increasing their commitments to meet the Paris Agreement's goals, introducing green budgeting among them. The goal of the paper is to understand how public participation in public budgeting with green objectives is being effectuated in the Russian Federation, and to look at what governments can do to facilitate it. The author explores the relevance of environmental problems for Russians, and analyses public participation in environmental policy-making with a focus on budgeting in Russia. The paper provides examples of green participatory budgeting practices of global interest, highlights the potential of participatory budgeting encouraging pro-environmental behaviour, potentially enriching the repertoire of climate-friendly actions and fostering the growing interest in green budgeting. The author concludes with recommendations on how to improve public participation in relation to greening the budget process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Letras Verdes is the property of FLACSO - Ecuador (Facultad Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales) 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.)

Drawing from Peck and Tickell's (2002) theory of roll-back and roll-out neoliberalism and Brenner et al.'s (2010) theory of variegated neoliberalism, this paper uses comparative historical analysis to understand how the state of Wisconsin suppressed its legacy of progressive environmentalism and embraced neoliberal policy over time. Specifically, this paper examines the rapid expansion of concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) in Wisconsin's dairy industry since 1995. As these large CAFOs have grown in size, so have the social and environmental problems related to their use, including pollution of drinking water sources for rural communities. Based on analysis of newspaper articles between 1965-2010, I observed that that a turning point towards neoliberalism occurred with the demise of the Office of the Public Intervenor (OPI), a legally designated adversarial force unique to the state that was created in 1967 after a powerful coalition of environmental social movements defeated an attempt to merge the offices of development and environmental protection. Despite the continuous efforts of industry, the effort to weaken environmental regulations and institutions in Wisconsin failed not only in 1967, but in 1984 as well. However, by 1995, immediately after the passage of the North American Free Trade Agreement, the state switched their support from populist environmental social movements to industry. Through deregulation, elimination of the OPI, and the gradual dissolution of environmental social movements, the state of Wisconsin created the conditions that enabled CAFOs to expand without the "burden" of environmental regulation. Subsequently, through re-regulation, Wisconsinites lost access to legal remedies that could curb polluting practices of large CAFOs. This research is part of a larger project to understand the environmental impacts of regulatory failure in the Core as states in the Global North continue to adopt neoliberal environmental policy. • Industry in Wisconsin failed in their attempts to de/reregulate environmental regulationsuntil 1995. • Deregulation included termination of the Public Intervenor (OPI)- an environmental watchdog agency created in 1967. • De/reregulation led by the state encouraged the rapid growth of CAFOs despite the pollution they cause in rural communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Global recycling trade is analyzed by network method and top1 network perspective. • The evolution of global recycling trade networks shows three distinct stages. • The top1 recycling import network obviously differs from export network. • Recycling policy of economies has a serious impact on recycling trade pattern. Recycling trade transfers recyclable resources and relevant environmental pressures on a global scale to solve resources limitation problem for some economies and alleviate urgent environment protection pressure for other countries/regions. Correspondingly, recycling trade relationships among economies are changing profoundly with the constant adjustment of economic and environmental policies. Based on complex network approach and top network analysis, this paper aims to comprehensively explore the structural features and their evolutionary patterns of global recycling trade networks from the macro, medium and micro levels by using global multi-region input-output data. The results are: At the macro level, the depth of global recycling import and export markets has strengthened continuously. The breadth of recycling exports showed a "pre-concentration, post-diversification" trend, and the import market breath demonstrated an opposite trend. At the medium level, the community structure of the global recycling export market increased rapidly in the early stage and became stable in the medium and late stages, while that of import market rapidly declined in the late stage, which means the import market was more sensitive to relevant policies and economic events. At the individual level, developed economics have been trying to transfer recycling products to developing economies, causing the former dominate global recycling export markets and the latter dominate the import markets. Recycling policies of economies, especially the developing economies have a serious impact on the global recycling trade pattern. Therefore, China's new announcement in 2018 for prohibiting import "foreign waste" will inevitably have a huge impact on the global recycling market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the further question of whether water-related environmental innovations affect water stress in three main sectors such as agriculture, industry and services. The sample consists of 30 OECD countries for the period 2000–2019. This paper employs the method of moments quantile regression (MMQR) with fixed effects to analyze the effects of water-related innovative activities across different quantiles of water stress for all three sectors separately. The empirical results indicate that water-related innovations positively affect water stress in the agricultural sector in the lower and middle quantiles, while it has a negative effect in the middle and higher quantiles for the services sector and the higher quantiles for the industrial sector. These findings reveal nuanced effects of water-related innovations on water stress across sectors. Furthermore, the study suggests that while innovations in the industrial and services sectors can mitigate water stress beyond a certain threshold level, the agricultural sector appears to benefit comparatively less from such innovations. These findings underscore the importance of complementing water-related innovations with appropriate regulatory measures, to address informal practices such as losses and leakages in agricultural irrigation. Ultimately, this study provides valuable insights for policy makers to formulate targeted environmental policies and strategies, especially in the context of climate change adaptation, thereby enabling a more effective allocation of resources to mitigate water stress within each sector. • The relationship water-related environmental innovations affect water stress in three main sectors. • Water-related environmental innovations are closely related to water stress. • Environmental innovations has an important nonlinear role for water stress. • Environmental innovation has different impacts depending the level of water stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of large and growing urban populations, there is a pressing need to understand how the urban environment can be sustainably planned, developed and maintained for greatest benefit to people and nature. The use of 'green infrastructure', as a framing approach for integrating urban green space into urban decision-making claims significant international impact. This paper describes key urban environmental policy narratives of five different urban areas (Cape Town, Durban (eThekwini) and Johannesburg in South Africa and Birmingham and London in the UK) reflecting on the way that they have brought green infrastructure concepts into their decision-making. This multi-method study includes analysis of academic papers, technical reports and policy documents and semi-structured interviews with academics, practitioners (planners, engineers, environmental consultants), policy-makers and local community actors. This work has highlighted significant differences in the explicit use of urban green infrastructure as a framing within environmental policy, shaped by the mix of biophysical, social and economic factors that dominate the policy priorities of each city. It adds to a growing evidence base from research and practice aimed at supporting effective urban environmental policymaking. • Exploring 'green infrastructure' as a framing in urban environmental policy. • Focussed case studies on Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg, Birmingham and London. • Cities adapt green infrastructure as a term and as an approach to fit their own needs. • Differences in interpretation are shaped by the wider policy priorities of each city. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding how businesses can improve in a sustainable environment has an increasingly significant role in the economic context and its growth. Nowadays, sustainable companies are constantly reducing the pressure of law, diminishing the costs of utilities, and cultivating a culture inside the working context. More than 90% of CEOs of environmental companies acknowledge that sustainability represents essential business market growth. Green businesses prioritize sustainability and social responsibility in their operations and environmental business practices, as they aim to conserve the natural environment and promote green practices while ensuring high levels of profitability and reducing the carbon footprint. Unfortunately, over time companies have faced significant barriers such as affording green investments and the costs implied or analysing the market demand, due to not all the systems and governments aligning with the emergent models of a green economy. The public sector should however play an important role when considering sustainability by promoting green operations and policies, applying regulatory alternatives, and providing more concrete incentives for green businesses. Nowadays, green enterprises have grown in importance in the economic environment cultivating more shared green values. Therefore, promoting green entrepreneurship among all segments of society is a focus both at the policy level and inside the business culture. This paper aims to define concepts of economic growth and sustainable development around the business context and to understand how sustainable companies relate to the 3 E's of the green economy, as these appear to determine business longevity and help maintain a positive business reputation among other businesses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a result of damage since the 2010s, mangrove forests require conservation efforts, such as reforestation, business permits in coastal areas, rearrangement of coastal spatial planning, and law enforcement regulated by the government in environmental policies. This study aims to assess the evolution and identify knowledge related to mangrove conservation policies in Southeast Asian (SEA) countries using in-depth bibliometric and content analysis. This paper describes mangrove restoration and conservation policies in SEA countries. The results of the study show that as many as 220 articles about mangroves in SEA have been published, this shows that there is an increasing interest in disclosing mangrove restoration policies, included in SEA countries. Globally, there are similarities in regulations between countries: the difference lies in the application of the rules. Changes in land use are one of the drivers of mangrove damage in SEA countries. However, only a few researchers have discussed institutional arrangements and coastal development policies. Mangroves in Indonesia are protected by 22 laws and regulated by at least 18 institutions. Their administration in Thailand is governed by at least 20 laws and overseen by 7 ministries and departments. In the Philippines, 28 laws relate to the conservation of mangroves for cultivation. Additionally, we discuss the main findings, deficiencies, and directions for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental policy debates often get polarized along binaries of environment versus economic development or conservation versus rights. Sustainability scientists and practitioners generally suggest finding common grounds as a pathway for building consensus among the diverse perspectives involved in polarized environmental policy discussions. This paper takes a critical stance towards such calls for common grounds by calling attention to the implicit assumptions that underlie these discourses. We study the case of the Forest Rights Act (FRA) in India, which has polarized the forest policy discourse between conservationists and rights activists in India. We examine scientific publications on the FRA using discourse and framing analysis and show that scholarly discourses on FRA lie along a spectrum characterized by underlying epistemic and normative practices. We identify five groups of scholars based on the unique positions they have taken on FRA: a) advocacy-centric, b) welfare-centric, c) community-centric, d) dialogue-centric, and e) techno-centric scholars. We find that negative framings of the forest dweller community lead to scientific endorsement of policy prescriptions that empower socio-political institutions that are external to these communities. We argue that scholarly calls for common grounds often assume uniform or neutral framings for the stakeholders involved. We conclude that recognizing the polarization spectrum in environmental policy discourses can help us move towards pluralistic approaches to environmental governance. • Scientific polarization on Indian forest policy discourses lies along a spectrum. • Epistemic and normative practices shape scientific positions on forest policies. • Negative framings of traditional communities tend to empower external institutions. • Calls for dialogue often do not specify framings for the stakeholders involved. • Recognize the polarization spectrum for enabling pluralistic environmental governance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we provide an overview of the UK environmental regulatory framework for subnational policy and planning in devolved English urban areas based on a systematic coding of key legislation and policies against a matrix of sustainability att ributes relevant for human health. Our findings suggest that while elements of sustainability at different scales are addressed to varying degrees, we need to move beyond the 'three-legged stool' of sustainability to assess linked environmental and societal health impacts. Assessing policy using a multi-faceted lens of sustainability such as the one we propose can help to uncover health-development dependencies and the incentives and governance required to enhance these at different scales (planetary, regional, neighbourhood and building). We propose a coordinative role for spatial planning to integrate responses to socio-environmental health priorities for sustainable development and make recommendations for dynamic decisionmaking on environmental and human health impacts in urban development sett ings. Doing so can help promote just (equitable) transitions, decoupled from a pervasive ecological modernization discourse that frames the political economy of planning at both the national and local levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Policy settings are outcomes of ontological work. • The settings become configured in terms of their policy-relevant dimensions. • The outcomes affect how environmental liabilities become defined. • Tools are developed to trace ontological work performed by policy documents. • A study on water management shows how policies became diluted via ontological work. Environmental policies often leave room for case- or region-specific discretion. In this paper, we focus on the transformation of socio-material settings into objects of policy discretion. This move calls for manipulation—ontological work—enabling settings to be connected to policy aspirations. The settings become configured in terms of their professed policy-relevant dimensions. The outcomes affect how environmental liabilities become defined in policy processes. The paper develops a conceptual toolkit to analyse ontological work as it is performed by policy documents. We use the toolkit to analyse three types of policy documents defining how agricultural nutrient loading is to be reduced in the Finnish region of North Savo. The findings show that regulatory decisions and policy recommendations are, to a significant extent, outcomes of ontological work. Environmental liabilities are shaped by the ways 'unstable junctures' are brought into being. By these junctures we refer to the points in the configured policy landscapes where choices influential for water protection are, according to the documents, to be made. The documents also generate exclusions that narrow down what liability implies in the unstable junctures. Without a focus on the ontological work and emerging ordering effects, it would have been difficult to show how environmental liabilities became (un)defined in the policy documents. The approach is needed to understand how power is practiced in policy processes and how policy instruments come to have consequences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The System of Environmental Economic Accounting (SEEA) has the potential to support decision making but there are few cases of their application to public policy or planning. In this paper we review five government policies related to land use planning and environmental management in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), assess the data available to inform these policies and link the polices to the accounts that could assist with their implementation, evaluation and update. We find that a range of SEEA-based accounts are potentially useful for the plans and strategies reviewed. Data available for accounts are of varying quality, scattered and are not integrated nor regularly summarised. The available data were to produce accounts for ecosystem extent and land cover, and these provide a platform for continuing engagement with the ACT government and for developing accounts for ecosystem services, ecosystem condition and environmental protection expenditure that could inform ACT policy for land use planning, management of ecosystems, protected areas, and urban forests. Six steps for developing ecosystem accounts to support policy are recommended to accounts producers and three priority actions for SEEA-based accounting to support environmental management in the ACT are identified. Preparing the accounts and linking them directly to existing plans and strategies is a first step to acceptance and use of SEEA in the ACT and elsewhere. • Ecosystem accounts can be mapped to policy and be useful to decision makers. • Ecosystem accounts can inform the different parts of the policy cycle. • Land and ecosystem extent accounts can be produced and are the starting point for ecosystem condition and service accounts. • Data gaps and deficiencies on the physical environment can be overcome through use of global datasets and methods. • The development of spatially referenced economic data must be encouraged. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates greenhouse gas emissions convergence among nineteen Latin American countries, for the period 1970 to 2018. To that end, we use the Phillips–Sul methodology to examine whether these countries have followed an absolute convergence process, or whether there has been a club convergence process. Our results offer important insights into the greenhouse gas emissions catch-up exhibited by several countries, and do not support the hypothesis that all countries of the Latin American region, taken together, converge to a single equilibrium in greenhouse gas emissions intensity. We find strong evidence of subgroups that converge to different steady states. An iterative testing procedure reveals the existence of different patterns of behavior and shows that such emissions are not uniform across these countries. We also estimate an Ordered Logit Model to identify the forces underlying the creation of clubs and the likelihood that any given country will be a member of any convergence club. Estimates from an Ordered Logit Model reveal that income, population density, openness, natural resources rents, and – particularly – the level of corruption, play a crucial role in explaining the formation of convergence clubs. The existence of clubs means that the climate policies aimed at reducing emissions should consider the specific characteristics of the countries, according to the club convergence results. [Display omitted] • We investigate greenhouse gas emissions convergence among nineteen Latin American countries for the period 1970 to 2018. • Results do not support the hypothesis that all countries convergence to a single equilibrium state. • We find strong evidence of subgroups that converge to different steady states. • Income, population density, openness, natural resources, and the level of corruption, play a crucial role in explaining the formation of convergence clubs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of this paper is to analyze the effectiveness of the environmental taxes and emissions trading in achieving cleaner production, that is, higher production per unit of emissions in the European Union (EU). The hypothesis of the paper is that the combined use of taxes and emission permits yields synergistic benefits in addition to their individual contributions. The paper uses panel analysis on the EU27 data from 2005 to 2012. The analysis does not robustly find positive effects from the interaction of these policy instruments, but it confirms that there are no negative ones. Additional interesting results are that, on average, (i) the effects of both instruments on production cleanliness are more beneficial at the regulated industries than at the national level, (ii) emissions trading is more effective than taxes, (iii) both instruments are more effective in the EU15 than in the EU12, and (iv) crisis did not significantly affect production cleanliness in the EU. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores conceptualisations of households in sustainability transitions. Existing literature in the field has only engaged with households in a limited and fragmented way, despite the role of households in resource use, shaping social innovation and as a target of environmental policies. The paper asks: how are households conceptualised in sustainability transitions and how could this be further developed in future research? The paper uses systematic review to explore how the literature currently engages with households. We find two overarching approaches to households: a closed-box approach and an open-box approach. The closed-box approach engages households as a fixed unit of analysis, without attention to internal dynamics and how these may interact with system-level changes, whereas the open-box approach unpacks the household as a dynamic social unit and material setting in the context of multiple scales and other social units. Both approaches are further discussed in terms of how they engage with households as users, sites and sources. Based on the analysis, the paper proposes a comprehensive definition of households in transition studies, and identifies four areas for future research in sustainability transitions: households' and householders' agency; unpacking household dynamics; household innovation across scales and socio-technical systems; and households in policy and governance. • Role of households in transitions is systematically reviewed • Distinction is made between closed-box and open-box approaches • Open-box approach is less developed in transitions research • More attention is needed for agency, dynamics, innovation, and policy and governance [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Explores Saudi Arabia's National Vision 2030 for a transition to a low-carbon economy. • Discusses the potential of the 2030 vision from an environmental law and policy perspective. • Based on primary data it highlights that more integrated environmental policies are both, taking place and needed. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) has adopted a new law and policy framework, Vision 2030, designed to deliver a transition to a diversified and low-carbon economy. This paper analyses from an environmental law and policy perspective how law is providing opportunities and challenges in achieving the outcomes of this national masterplan. The paper employs traditional legal scholarship to assess the law itself and also explores its impact in practice, via an analysis of findings from expert stakeholder interviews. Key issues around environmental governance are discussed in depth in the light of Vision 2030. One of the key issues of focus is that of integration, in terms of the design and practice of law, institutions and outcomes. To date, it is clear that the further policies needed to ensure that environmental integration and a low-carbon transition take place are currently being created in the effort to deliver the aims of the Vision. This study finds that the transition to a low-carbon economy in the KSA is under-researched and under-explored in practice, from an environmental perspective. The findings attest that although some significant actions have been initiated, further action needs to be taken, given the importance of this transition, in the KSA in the light of the promising nature of Vision 2030 in this regard. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Getting out of the dilemma of incompatibility between efficiency and equity is an important goal of local government to modernize their environmental governance. Based on the theory of public value management, this paper constructs an analytical framework for digital technology enabled government environmental governance under the perspectives of efficiency, equity and coupling of the two, then empirically examines the impact and mechanism. The results show that digital technology can enhance efficiency and equity of local government environmental governance. Meanwhile, digital technology is an effective way to solve conflict between efficiency and equity values, but its green effect may be weakened in the short term due to uncertainty risks of internet. Education can strengthen green effect of digital technology, and digital dividend is especially beneficial when years of education has reached a certain threshold. In addition, there are heterogeneity and spatial correlation in digital technology to improve local government environmental governance. Finally, the results of mechanism test show that digital technology realizes enabling effect through three paths: industrial structure optimization effect, social public participation effect and innovation and entrepreneurship effect. The findings of this paper enrich research literatures on government environmental governance empowered by digital technology, and also provide useful references for formulation and implementation of government environmental policies under the new development pattern. • Explore the contradiction between "efficiency" and "equity" in local governments' environmental governance. • Digital technology is an effective way to overcome the dilemma of "efficiency" and "equity". • Education has a positive moderating effect on digital technology empowering local government environmental governance. • Education has dual threshold effect on digital technology empowering local government environmental governance. • Industrial structural upgrading, public participation, incentives for innovation and entrepreneurship are mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The circular economy (CE) has been one of the key environmental policy concepts of the last decade. Despite the growing number of CE policies, applications and research, we still lack a detailed understanding of what kind of policy idea we are referring to with the CE. Our purpose in this perspective is to untangle the ideational features of the CE by separating three dynamic dimensions from the idea: economic model, conceptual innovation and policy objectives. In addition, we propose the research of hybridity as a fitting theoretical discussion to understand the plural societal setup in which the idea of the CE has been implemented. • Paper clarifies the nature of the circular economy (CE) as a policy idea. • Three dynamic ideational dimensions of the CE are discussed. • The research of hybridity is proposed as a resource for CE policy analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors describe district-specific disability-adjusted life-year (DALY) of lung cancer attributable to ambient particulate matter < 2.5 um in diameter (PM2.5) for Guangzhou city in China, so as to help prioritizing environmental health action from geospatial perspective. Comparative risk assessment and satellite-derived PM2.5 concentrations were used to investigate the spatial-temporal distribution of DALY attributable to ambient PM2.5 for lung cancer. Integrated exposure-response model and kriging model were constructed based on estimated relative risk (RR) from risk assessment. Annual mean PM2.5 increased by 25.9% from 2010 (71.1 ug/m3) to 2013 (89.5 ug/m3). Estimated RRs ranged from 1.37 (95% uncertainty interval [UI]: 1.04 ~ 1.86) to 1.99 (95% UI: 1.12 ~ 3.19) among the districts. For lung cancer, DALY attributable to PM2.5 increased by 26.8% from 2010 to 2013, reaching 43352.7 DALYs (95% UI: 8157.9 ~ 62371.7) in 2013. The paper showed that population residing in highly-polluted and aged districts might suffer a higher relative risk for developing lung cancer. Our validated analysis framework also showed that population suffered from a higher loss of lung cancer DALYs, partly due to the higher PM2.5 exposure in some subareas within the city. We reveal that ambient PM2.5 pollution contributed substantially to lung cancer burden, both locally and sub-locally. These results suggest the need for enhanced environmental health policies in the city. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among growing concerns about the environmental impact of human activities, international trade is increasingly in the spotlight. However, the role of Africa has been widely disregarded. In this paper, we assess the trade–environment link in African trade patterns by estimating a gravity model for trade with data from 140 countries for the period 2002–2018. Our findings reveal significant insights: first, that dirty trade appears to be increasingly concentrating in African countries. That is, exports of dirty goods seem to have shifted to countries with less stringent environmental regulations. Second, exports from dirty industries tend to concentrate in those countries with higher levels of capital endowments, although this effect appears to be weaker. Third, the results hold when we consider different exporter and importer country scenarios, such as trade flows with Europe (the main African trading regional partner) and intraregional African trade patterns. In addition, they hold especially for more differentiated products, with some particularities in the case of homogeneous ones. These findings have important implications in terms of both trade and environmental policies as well as for building the basis for sustainable development in Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the beginning of the 21st century, we have been living in the 'urban century', characterised by a rise in the number of cities and mega-cities and a structural population increase in most cities, to the detriment of rural areas. Given the declining interest in rurality, the aims and scope of this paper are to map out the complex force field of rurality versus urbanity, and explore if the COVID pandemic has become a 'game changer' that thus may swift the existing patterns. Relying on multilevel modelling, to also account for between-country differences, and using Eurobarometer data on post-pandemic migration intention in both rural and urban areas, our results do not find support for a major post-covid urban exodus. Younger individuals from large cities are indeed more willing to leave for rural areas when they are convinced that they can play an active role in the local decision-making process. Teleworking, as well as EU concrete actions for addressing environmental issues, may also drive more migration toward rural areas. On the other hand, poor access to health services may push individuals towards urban areas. In policy terms, our findings advocate for improving access to public services in rural areas. In addition, the study reinforces the role of the Cohesion Policy to urge the twin transition, as facilitating teleworking and strengthening the environmental commitment were shown to make rural areas more appealing. • The pandemic did not generate a mass movement between rural and urban areas. • Individuals from large cities were shown to be more willing to leave for rural places. • EU investment alignment with rural needs may spur migration to rural areas. • The role of the Cohesion Policy in supporting green transition is vital as migration to rural areas rises with environmentally focused EU actions. • Rural digitalization may further reduce urban agglomeration in favour of more rural spaces which also advocates for the importance of digital transition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The gradual implementation of environmental protection tax policies has incentivized enterprises to engage in green production, effectively promoting China's accelerated achievement of the "dual‑carbon" goal. Although environmental protection tax has an important impact on the investment and financing decisions of heavily polluting enterprises (HPE), few studies have focused on the relationship between environmental protection tax and mismatch of financing and investment maturities. In this paper, we consider China's environmental protection tax reform as a "quasi-natural experiment", and utilize the data of A-share listed companies from 2013 to 2022, and use a difference-in-differences (DID) model to assess the impact of this policy on the degree of mismatch of financing and investment maturities of HPE. The study shows that the implementation of the environmental protection tax policy (EPTP) significantly reduces the investment and financing maturities mismatch of the HPE, but this effect "fails" in the high tax rate area, and the policy is difficult to reverse the financing difficulties of the enterprises with a large degree of their own investment and financing maturities mismatch. The mediation mechanism test proves the EPTP acts on the mismatch of financing and investment maturities through two paths: alleviating the financing constraints faced by enterprises and increasing external supervision pressure; the impact of the policy has a time-differentiated effect, which is weakened year by year. • The environmental protection tax policy significantly reduces the investment and financing maturity mismatch of the heavy polluting enterprises. • EPTP acts on the mismatch of financing and investment maturities through alleviating the financing constraints and increasing external supervision pressure. • The impact of EPTP has a time-differentiated effect, which is weakened year by year. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]