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Plastic pollution is currently one of the environmental pollution issues of global concern, and microplastics (plastics with a size ≤ 5 mm) have also attracted much attention due to their large specific area, higher pollutant adsorption capacity, and higher migration performance. As the population increases and more chemical products are manufactured, the level of microplastic pollution continues to increase. Microplastics discharged from sewage treatment systems will enter the ocean and rivers, so estuary ecosystems are vital to controlling marine microplastics. As the estuary of China's most significant river entering the East China Sea, the Changjiang River Estuary has become one of the typical areas for microplastic research in estuaries. This paper systematically reviews the sources, hazards, and impacts of microplastics in the Changjiang Estuary. Firstly, the research on microplastics in the Changjiang Estuary was analyzed, and we found that the bioaccumulation, removal, and interaction with microorganisms of microplastics have become a new research hotspot. At the same time, the current abundance of microplastics in the surface water of the Changjiang River Estuary is 1.71 ± 3.12 MP/L, which is lower than that of the Changjiang River area and the river farmland in Shanghai, but still higher than the 0.22 ± 0.27 MP/L in the area adjacent to the East China Sea. Microplastics smaller than 1000 μm accounted for 68% of the total, while transparent, white, blue, and black were the primary colors of microplastics in the Changjiang Estuary. In addition, polyethylene and polypropylene are the primary materials of microplastics in the central Changjiang River Estuary and related water bodies, and fibers are the main shape of microplastics. Industry, agriculture, domestic sewage, and air deposition may be the primary sources of microplastics in the Changjiang Estuary. The numerous lakes and water conservancy facilities in the Changjiang River Basin can reduce the number of microplastics reaching the Changjiang Estuary to a certain extent. At the same time, seasonal rainfall and ocean currents will affect the abundance of microplastics in the surface waters of the Changjiang River Estuary. Finally, this paper puts forward relevant suggestions based on the actual situation of the Changjiang River Estuary and the developed microplastic treatment technologies. This article will provide a structured reference for future research on microplastics in the Changjiang Estuary and assist in assessing microplastics' impact on the ecological environment. The Fate of Microplastic Pollution in the Changjiang River Estuary. [Display omitted] • Microplastics' sources, hazards, and impacts in the Yangtze Estuary were reviewed. • Bioaccumulation, removal, and interaction with microorganisms are the hotspots. • The microplastics in the water of the Changjiang mainly exists in the form of fibers. • Source control and establishment of MPs barriers will help to solve MPs pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Corporate innovation legitimacy is the key guarantee for listed companies to obtain returns from innovation activities. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of analyst coverage on corporate innovation legitimacy based on effective supervision hypothesis and market pressure hypothesis. Moreover, it examines the moderating effect of analyst coverage characteristics, individual corporate behavior, external governance mechanism on the relationship between analyst coverage and corporate innovation legitimacy. The hypotheses are tested using a data set of Shanghai and Shenzhen A-share listed companies from China Research Data Service Platform (CNRDS) database, Hexun.com and CSMAR database. To overcome sample selection bias and reverse causality, this paper conduct robustness test using propensity score matching, lag variable, substitution variable and sample reduction to ensure the reliability of the research conclusions. Findings show that analyst coverage can effectively improve the innovation legitimacy of listed companies. In addition, based on the heterogeneity of the above relationship in different contexts, further research finds that the depth of analyst tracking, and the assessment of analyst optimism strengthen the positive impact of analyst coverage on innovation legitimacy. The implementation of green social responsibility brings a good reputation for the company, thereby helping analysts to focus on improving the legitimacy of innovation; In the market environment with relatively perfect external governance mechanism, the stronger the effect of analyst coverage on corporate innovation legitimacy. Prior studies mostly considered the R&D investment and other factors to overlook how other dimensions influence companies from the perspective of quantity. The research conclusion confirms the significance of analyst coverage as an external corporate governance mechanism, further enriches the theoretical research framework of innovation legitimacy, and has certain reference value for the improvement of innovation quality of listed companies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate assessment of the sustainable development level is crucial to providing reasonable and effective management recommendations. However, analysis with a single scale can only reflect the sustainable status at a specific level. In this study, a multi-scale analysis of sustainability was conducted via the three-dimensional Ecological Footprint (EF) model in the Yangtze River Delta (YRD). Moreover, driving factors of sustainability were analyzed using the Multi-scale Geographically Weighted Regression model (MGWR). The conclusions include: (1) the development of YRD showed an unsustainable trend from 2014 to 2021, with per capita EF decreasing from 5.769 ha/cap to 5.283 ha/cap. The provincial sustainability is ranked as follows, from being the most sustainable to the least: Anhui Province > Jiangsu Province > Zhejiang Province > Shanghai City. (2) Based on dual indicators of EF depth and size, 41 cities were categorized into nine groups. The dominant type is always Medium size-Low depth (ML) and High size-Low depth (HL) type cities from 2014 to 2021. From the perspective of city scale, the sustainability of five cities weakened, while seven cities showed improvements. (3) Output value of primary industry (OVPI) and population (POP) were always the dominant factors affecting EF, but showed positive and negative correlations respectively. OVPI changes from north-south symmetric type to central symmetric type, while POP changes from central symmetric type to north-south symmetric type. This paper aims to comprehensively assess the sustainable development status from agglomeration-province-city perspectives, and its findings can provide a reference for similar regions with unbalanced development status between ecology and production. • The sustainability of the world-class urban agglomeration was assessed via the three-dimensional ecological footprint model. • More comprehensive and accurate analysis results based on multi-scale analysis. • The four patterns of influencing mechanism are revealed based on the MGWR model. • The combination analysis of dual indicators was adopted to classify the sustainability of 41 cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban lakes are often disconnected to the surrounding rivers, and they are affected by rainfall runoff pollution. This study focused on an artificial lake-river system in Shanghai featuring a spiderweb-structure, it is expected to detect whether the tributaries in such a system made a protective and buffering effect on the lake under the impact of rainfall runoff. A hydrodynamic model was established using MIKE 21, one of the most widely used software which can conduct two-dimensional modeling of water quality changes in surface water, to simulate the changes of total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP), the key indicators causing lake eutrophication, under different rainfall events. The results showed that, under various conditions, storm events almost have no first or final effect on the central lake, TN and TP in the lake were improved by 5%–18% and 1%–12% among monitoring stations. However, Obvious negative effects were displayed in the water quality of radial – circular tributaries, and the first effects in circular tributaries were more serious than those on the radial because their difference in hydrological condition. With the increase of rainfall intensity, the peak value of the pollutant concentration in circular rivers increased 63%–185% as compared with the initial. As to final effects, some circular rivers were significantly impacted, and the pollutant concentration increased by approximately 40% in the seventh day as rainfall started. It was deduced that tributaries played as protective buffer against pollutants in this spiderweb water system, in that pollutants would be degraded in such dense spiderweb-structured river systems before entering the central lake, and rainfall runoff would also accelerate the flow in rivers and lakes. Therefore, the paper hold that, the central lake could not be separated from the radial – circular tributaries, and the officially planned pumps and sluices in the river estuaries would not be recommended. This study would provide technical support for the planning, construction and ecological protection of artificial urban lake-river system in similar areas. [Display omitted] • Effect of rainfall runoff on a spiderweb-structured water system was assessed. • The circular tributaries were more impacted than the radial ones. • The tributaries play a protective role by buffering pollutants from the lake. • Sluices were not suggested to be constructed at the estuaries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To achieve its carbon peak and neutrality targets, China is in need of balancing environmental and economic sustainability; In addition, whether environmental regulations can gain economic dividends while protecting the environment is particularly important. Based on the data of A-share listed companies in Shanghai and Shenzhen from 2012 to 2021, this study takes China's environmental fee-to-tax as a quasi-natural experiment, and adopts the difference-in-difference-in-differences model to evaluate the impact of environmental tax on enterprises' total factor productivity (ETFP). The results show that the environmental fee-to-tax significantly hinders the growth of ETFP. Further, this negative impact mainly stems from the fact that the reform prompts enterprises to choose strategic innovation and conduct greenwashing behavior. Furthermore, when considering enterprises' heterogeneity, we find that enterprises with large scale, high investment efficiency, state ownership, high market competitiveness and located in western regions are more resistant to policy shocks. This paper provides reliable empirical evidence and useful policy implications for further formulating environmental tax policies to accomplish the "win-win" goal for both the environment and the economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stimulating enterprises to implement environmental management system certification (EMSC, that is to say ISO14001 certification) to the greatest extent and resolving their obstacles in time are the basis for promoting green development of enterprises. Using the full samples of Shanghai and Shenzhen A-share listed industrial enterprises from 2010 to 2019, and employing the Logit model and Propensity Score Matching method (PSM), this paper empirically analyzes the motivations and obstacles for Chinese enterprises to implement EMSC certification, further explores the transformation between advantages and disadvantages under certain conditions, and the differentiation characteristics among enterprises under different social responsibility, property rights and enterprise size. The results show that: ① There is a "U"-shaped relationship between corporate social responsibility and EMSC, and the social responsibility of non-state-owned enterprises could realize the transformation from obstacle to motivation earlier than that of state-owned enterprises. ② There is an inverted "U"-shaped relationship between environmental regulation and EMSC, precisely speaking, this inverted "U"-shaped relationship only exists in non-state-owned enterprises, large-scale enterprises and enterprises with high social responsibility. ③ The public environmental awareness could promote enterprises to implement EMSC, and would strengthen the impact of environmental regulations on enterprises' implementation of EMSC. ④ Based on Propensity Score Matching method, it is concluded that Chinese enterprises indeed improve their environmental performance rather than their financial performance by EMSC. The conclusions provide helpful practical guidance for comprehensively revealing the motivations and obstacles for China's enterprises to implement EMSC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nationwide unification of carbon emission right market in China has long been proposed yet not achieved. Launching of the nationwide trading center at Shanghai was a recent great step towards this target but the regional pilots covering respective zones are still in operation. With all trading data in those markets from their inceptions, this paper investigates the development status and trend of each submarket, based on which, it is revealed that sudden replacement of regional markets by the unified nationwide trading center is infeasible at the present stage, furthermore, feasibility of market merging is analyzed and optimized route for essential unification is designed. This paper contributes to deconstruct the value of carbon emission right and interprets its properties of option value, the equivalence of which value from the perspective of financial investment and enterprise operations is explored and formally established. Applying the geometric Brownian motion and optimal stopping time to model the carbon asset operation, option value of carbon emission right is estimated and marginal return-ability of its consumption is calculated for each region. Based on the analysis regionally, market merging is simulated and optimized route for nationwide market unification is proposed with policy suggestions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dockless bicycle sharing (DBS) has become a popular form of public transport worldwide over recent years, which contributes mightily to solving the increasingly frequent traffic congestion and parking issues in urban areas. However, its spatiotemporal usage patterns and determinants have not been fully investigated. In particular, the existing studies have not provided clear insight into the effect of traffic status on DBS trips. To address this shortcoming, this study proposes a model framework to understand DBS from multiple aspects. Within this framework, descriptive statistics and visualisation methods are employed to explore the spatiotemporal travel patterns of DBS in the downtown area of Shanghai. By adopting spatial panel models, the impacts of the built environment, weather, and traffic status on DBS in different regions are examined, and the heterogeneity analysis of traffic status factors is further conducted. The results have shown that DBS in Shanghai has obvious tidal distribution characteristics. The supply of DBS exceeds the demand in the peripheral areas of the city, while the opposite is true in the city centre. In addition, the traffic state index, bus stop density, residential and commercial land area have a positive contribution to DBS usage and have obvious positive spatial spillover effects. The results from the heterogeneity analysis have revealed that the influencing mechanism of DBS usage varies by location and riding duration. These findings of the present paper can provide an effective basis for DBS demand distribution forecasting, regional rebalancing, and connecting traffic planning, thereby facilitating the usage of DBS, promoting intermodal transport, and reducing carbon emissions. • Analysed the spatiotemporal characteristics of dockless bicycle-sharing (DBS) usage. • Explored the impact of traffic status on DBS trips. • The spatial distribution of DBS has a strong tidal distribution phenomenon. • Traffic state index, bus stop density, residential and commercial land area were discovered to promote DBS usage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to deal with the increasing environmental challenges, the high carbon-emitting transport system keeps transitioning to achieve carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals. This paper addresses the calculation of carbon emission estimation and identifying carbon reduction driving factors for the hinterland-based container intermodal network. Firstly, an analysis of the carbon emissions composition of the hinterland-based container intermodal networks is conducted. Furthermore, a carbon emission estimation model for the hinterland-based container intermodal network is developed. Subsequently, taking the Shanghai port and the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) hinterland as a case, we estimate the carbon emission of the hinterland-based container intermodal network under the Well-to-Wheel (WTW) and the Tank-to-Wheel (TTW) modes in the past ten years. Finally, the critical driving factors are identified by sensitivity analysis, and the variation of carbon emissions under different scenarios with carbon reduction policies are analyzed. The results indicate that the transportation structure and the fuel choices affect network emissions reductions significantly. In the current policy-based scenario, the WTW mode achieves the carbon peaking between 2030 and 2035, while the TTW mode peaks earlier. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electric vehicles (EV) are expected to see a rapid growth in next decades as a substantial measure to achieve global climate goal. This course will be an unprecedented event in the industry history, and it will inevitably influence and change the power grid and the transportation network. The projection of EV population is the basis to coordinate the development of EV and urban systems. This paper proposes a modified Bass diffusion model to fulfill this task. Firstly, advantages of Bass diffusion model are analyzed, while car scrappage and technology competition with internal combust engine vehicle (ICEV) are involved to improve the model. Secondly, performance of the proposed model is evaluated with actual data during 2006–2020, and the EV stock up to 2050 is projected with the assessment of uncertainties. Thirdly, the policy on license plate quota and the ban on ICEV sales are discussed through experiment simulation. In a standard growing mode, EV is expected to dominant the new sales market by 2030 in Shanghai, and to completely replace ICEV before 2050. This research can provide a reference for urban power-transportation integrated system planning, renewable energy consumption, and carbon reduction path design. • The Bass diffusion model is modified with car scrappage and technology competition. • Effects of the license plate quota and the fuel vehicle sales ban are discussed. • Data of a pilot city for electric vehicle applications are collected for modeling. • The EV population growth up to 2050 is described with discussion of uncertainties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a shopping mall, it's a common phenomenon that brands enter and exit. Studying the brand's entry and connection in the mall's ecological chain is an important factor in judging whether the brand can develop sustainably in the mall. Based on the analysis of 724,685 consumers' consumption data from one International Shopping Center in Shanghai, China, this paper conducts the social network analysis, builds a brand network map, and examines brand connection through visual analysis and cohesion subgroup analysis. Empirical results indicate that brand awareness, product category, brand positioning, and consumer characteristics are the major factors that influence brand connection. The sensitivity analysis is further conducted based on the singular value decomposition (SVD). Furthermore, these four factors have a positive impact on the sustainable development of the brand after entering and a mathematical model is established to determine whether a brand should be settled in a certain shopping mall. This research is the first to study the factors affecting the sustainable development of brands in the shopping mall ecological chain. Using big data technology to provide brand selection guidance for shopping malls from a micro perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pavement integrated photovoltaic thermal (PIPVT) technology can utilize vast roads and pavements for electrical and thermal energy generation simultaneously. In this paper, a two-dimensional transient numerical model is developed for demonstrating the performance of a PIPVT system with two PIPVT modules and a 50 L water tank. With the mathematical model, the system performance is examined using simulations under three typical weather conditions, namely sunny, semi-cloudy, and cloudy. Besides, a long-term simulation is conducted in five climatic regions represented by five cities in China, including Lhasa, Harbin, Haikou, Shanghai, and Yinchuan, to study the seasonal and annual performance of PIPVT systems in different areas. From the viewpoint of both the first and second laws of thermodynamics, both energy and exergy analyses are performed for all the cases in different weathers and climatic regions. The overall energy efficiencies of sunny, semi-cloudy, and cloudy days are 33.10%, 34.74%, and 18.60%, respectively, revealing that the PIPVT system performs well on sunny days and semi-cloudy days, while the overall performance is unsatisfactory on cloudy days with extremely low solar radiation that rarely appears. Particularly, among the five climatic regions, the highland climatic region is ideal for PIPVT application with both the highest annual overall energy and exergy efficiencies of 37.89% and 14.17%, respectively. The icing phenomenon of the water in tubes arises in winter and late autumn in both the temperate monsoon climatic region and the temperate continental climatic region. The overall performance of PIPVT systems is best in western and southern China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural sector is the basic industry supporting the construction and development of national economy. With the continuous deterioration of agricultural pollution, measuring and understanding agricultural total factor productivity (AGTFP) is the important premise to achieve agricultural green development and clean production. Regarding carbon emissions and agricultural non-point source pollution (ANSP) as undesired outputs, this paper applies a three-stage Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) method combined with the Slack-Based Measure (SBM) model to eliminate the influences of environmental factors and random errors and explore the real AGTFP of 30 provinces in China from 2000 to 2017.On this basis, the spatial distribution and dynamic changes of AGTFP before and after adjustment are further discussed to seek the underlying reasons. The empirical results demonstrate that AGTFP is lower when carbon emissions and ANSP are both considered, and it decreases from east to west in StageⅠbut the Northeast region surpasses the East to achieve the highest productivity after removing the interferences. Moreover, China's AGTFP has been restricted by the external environment, and superior external environment disguises the poor management efficiency of Beijing and Shanghai. Therefore, some policy implications to balance agricultural environment and economic development are proposed. [Display omitted] • Non-point source pollution and CO 2 are integrated to measure agricultural green efficiency. • A three-stage SBM-DEA approach is employed to calculate the real agricultural green total factor productivity. • Different environmental factors have different effects on the slack of agricultural inputs. • China's agricultural green total factor productivity is restricted by the external environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the sustainable development of cities, green transportation is regarded as a critical approach to mitigate air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. Driven by this, Electric vehicles (EV) have been strongly advocated by the government for their zero-emission merit. However, the promotion of EV is not smoothly caused by inconvenient charging issues. For the high construction cost and land scarcity, current public charging stations could not meet the booming charging demands and worry the potential EV users. To address the problem, this paper proposed a peer-to-peer (P2P) private charging pile sharing system supported by blockchain technology. In this system, the charging records of EV users could be packaged and uploaded into the blockchain, which is immutable and tamper-resistant. The detailed blockchain hierarchy is also designed to make this system more practical. Meanwhile, the Multi-Agent-Based (MAB) model is adopted to evaluate the performance of this sharing system. In this model, different participants' behaviors are fully considered and calculated. Furthermore, several numerical experiments are conducted to unveil the inner business relationships between charing demanders and pile suppliers. Lastly, the proposed private pile sharing system is validated by the realistic data of the Lujiazui business circle in Shanghai, China. [Display omitted] • We proposed a novel P2P EV pile sharing system supported by blockchain. • Multi-agent modeling is adopted to evaluate this decentralized sharing system. • The practical architecture and hierarchy are well designed for this system. • The proposed framework is validated by the real data set of Shanghai, China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a new prediction method incorporating a set of measuring models applicable to the financing efficiency of China's carbon market to quantify such market's maturity, trading risk coefficient, and financing income. Our theoretical analysis indicates that the price of carbon emission quota essentially affects the financing efficiency of carbon market. While a robust safeguard measure to obtain a respectable income from carbon market financing is the long-term average quota price exceeding the initial quota price. Empirical findings derived from China's emissions trading scheme pilots reveal that these pilots can be divided into the growth-oriented market (i.e. Guangdong whose financing capacity is always significant), the balance-oriented market (i.e. Shanghai and Hubei whose quota pricing mechanisms and the financing level of carbon markets both maturely develop), and the risk-oriented market (i.e. Beijing whose quota price runs at a high-level with an intense financing income volatility). It is therefore achieved that carbon market's maturity level and quota price volatility are both robustly explicable for different financing effects among these pilots. Our key findings show that expanding the coverage of quota trading parties, stabilizing carbon price, and promoting carbon asset management help to improve the financing efficiency of carbon market. • The financing mechanism is analyzed with clarifying its main influence factors. • A stochastic process is used to build a price simulation equation that meets the operation law of China's carbon market. • An income model is built and thus evaluate market financing effect based on price expression and financing mechanism. • The financing effect of China's 8 pilot markets is measured, and thus 3 kinds of development modes are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]