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Despite China's stringent environmental regulations, there has been a persistent policy implementation gap at local level, specifically due to local protectionism and inadequate enforcement measures. To address this issue, the Central Environmental Protection Inspection (CEPI) initiative was launched in 2016, replacing the Regional Environmental Protection Inspection (REPI) system. This study examines why the REPI failed to tackle the implementation gap and how the CEPI works. This is achieved by constructing a tripartite evolutionary game (EG) model consisting of the central government, local governments, and polluting enterprises. Using system dynamics (SD), the study simulates and analyzes the behavior and strategies of the three game players in two scenarios, namely weak and strong negative incentives. Then, this study analyzes the evolutionary process of environmental protection inspection (EPI) by means of a case study. The results show that: (1) the strategy adopted by polluting enterprises depends on the actual signal conveyed by the local governments. In addition, whether the strong regulatory signal of the central government can be effectively transmitted to polluting enterprises mainly depends on the attitude of the local governments. (2) The CEPI conveys a reliable commitment and provides effective external stimuli that adjust the incentive structure of local governments. Meanwhile, the REPI lacked significant punishment measures, which made it difficult for the central government's environmental regulatory signals to reach polluting enterprises in an effective manner. This study contributes to a better understanding of the evolutionary process and causes of the EPI system, as well as how the Chinese government tackles the local environmental policy implementation gap. • The strategy adopted by polluting enterprises depends on the actual signal conveyed by the local governments. • The CEPI conveys a reliable commitment and provides effective external stimuli for local governments. • The key to effective environmental regulation is to break through the obstacle of local protectionism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environment-related innovations are widely appreciated as a vital factor in achieving sustainable development goals, and stability in the financial sector can help boost the output of environmental innovations by removing financial constraints. Hence, the primary aim of the analysis is to investigate the impact of financial stability on environmental innovation in China by using the QARDL model over the period 1995Q1-2020Q4. The study's main findings confirm the positive role of financial stability on environmental innovation in both the short and long run. Wald test also confirms the asymmetric impact of financial stability on environmental innovation in the short and long run. Moreover, the long-run impacts of GDP, R&D activities, and environmental policy stringency on environmental innovation are positive. In the short run, the estimates of research and development and environmental policy stringency are positively significant at higher quantiles only. Based on the findings, our research will help policymakers to develop valuable policies for financial stability to enhance environmental innovation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Subordinate governments act as both agents of superior environmental policies and economic development leaders of the areas under their jurisdiction. The effectiveness of superior–level environmental policy is determined by the degree the subordinate governments are motivated to strengthen environmental regulation. Bottom–up punishment is introduced in the traditional top–down financial rewards to form a two–way atmospheric quality punishment incentive mechanism for the subordinate governments to improve environmental regulation. We take the atmospheric quality punishment incentive implemented in Shandong Province as a case, and the results show that the prefectural governments were encouraged to improve environmental regulation. However, the emission reductions were observed along with the decreased economic output in pollution intensive firms, not based on decreased intensity of key atmospheric pollutant emissions. In this case, the weighting and penalty price established for key pollutants should be increased, so that the subordinate governments can better assume the role of superior environmental policy agent. • The AQPI provides a two–way incentive to subordinate governments. • There is tradeoff between environmental policy agent and economic leader under AQPI. • Firms' environmental performance is promoted by reinforced environmental regulation. • Decreased economic output, not emission intensity, leads to emission reductions. • Weighting and penalty price set on key pollutants should be enhanced for the AQPI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Balancing economic growth and a sustainable environment has been a concern for governments. However, it has been observed that sustainable development is related to economic factors, the institutional environment, and the effectiveness of environmental regulatory policies. This study empirically investigates the relationship between financial development, strict environmental regulations, corruption, foreign direct investment, trade openness, renewable energy consumption, and ecological footprint. We used annual panel data of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation countries from 1994 to 2018 to fill the research gap. The present study follows a perspective that produces reliable and robust results using Fully Modified Ordinary Least Squares and panel fisher causality analysis. The long-run flexibility estimates calculated with the Fully Modified Ordinary Least Squares approach explain the inverted U relationship between financial development and ecological footprint. Long-run elasticity estimates suggest that strict environmental policies, renewable energy consumption, financial development and corruption, and the interaction of financial development and strict environmental policies reduce the ecological footprint. In addition, foreign direct investment and trade openness are found to increase the ecological footprint. This confirms the pollution haven hypothesis in Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation countries. According to the causality test results, bidirectional causality relationships were discovered between ecological footprint and financial development, strict environmental policies, corruption, renewable energy sources, foreign direct investment and trade openness. We suggest that institutional financial framework and financial development for APEC countries will reduce environmental degradation in the long run, and sustainable development can be achieved through the institutional environment and the effectiveness of environmental regulatory policies. [Display omitted] • Empirical evidence of a U-inverted behaviour between financial development and the ecological footprint in APEC countries. • On panel data sets of the APEC countries from 1994 to 2018. • Strict environmental policies and renewable energy consumption reduce the ecological footprint. • The damper effect between corruption and strict environmental policies on financial development reduces ecological footprint. • Used second-generation panel estimation methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental policy research has increased due to stricter policies aligned with climate goals. However, to achieve the goal of net-zero emissions, the adoption of even stronger policies and increased carbon taxes is necessary, with transition risk becoming a major concern for companies. Even though governments worldwide have been employing a range of methods such as carbon tax, cap-and-trade, and intensity targets to mitigate the impact of climate change, a pivotal debate around determining the optimal policy that reduces emissions without harming the economy continues. Our paper delves into the environmental policy assessment emphasizing the role of endogenous capital utilization rates, which have hitherto been largely disregarded in literature. We study how endogenous capital utilization rate affects the transmission mechanism of economic shocks and the optimal environmental policy choice. To evaluate the quantitative impact of the transmission mechanism, we introduce distinct features to the environmental-dynamic stochastic general equilibrium (E-DSGE) model, including endogenous capital utilization, time-varying depreciation of capital, and environment quality shocks. We find that the complementarity between energy and capital leads to an amplification effect of the conventional transmission mechanism. Our model with these ingredients ranks any carbon tax below 25% as the best policy in terms of welfare improvement. • Role of variable capital utilization in the presence of environmental regulations. • Tightening environmental policies contribute to fluctuations of energy prices. • Complementarity between energy and capital leads to an amplification effect. • Any carbon tax below 25% improves welfare. • Numerical methods calculate an approximation solution of compensating variations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As urbanization has developed, a variety of urban clusters have gradually emerged with important effects on regional economic growth and carbon emissions. This paper constructs a multi-period difference-in-difference (DID) model for testing how urban cluster synergistic development policy (UCSDP) affects urban carbon productivity in 148 cities of China with 13 urban clusters as the experimental group from 2003 to 2019. According to the results, the UCSDP improves carbon productivity, mainly via reducing energy intensity. In addition, UCSDP improves carbon productivity by adjusting energy structure, increasing green innovation, altering city greening levels, and accelerating the process of urbanization. Moreover, it can produce synergistic effects in terms of energy structure, green innovation, greening level, and urbanization level. Furthermore, the UCSDP has heterogeneous effects on the carbon productivity in various cities. Specifically, the carbon productivity of high-status, high-rank, and resource-based cities responds more significantly to UCSDP. Therefore, policymakers should strengthen the integration of urban clusters, offer targeted development suggestions for different cities, modify the energy and greening structure, accelerate the process of urbanization, and focus on the formulation of reasonable environmental regulation policies. • Exploring the impact of UCSDP on carbon productivity with multi-period DID model. • The improvement of carbon productivity by UCSDP mainly comes from the decrease of energy intensity. • UCSDP increases carbon productivity by affecting energy structure, green innovation, greening level and urbanization level. • UCSDP produces synergistic effects in terms of energy structure, green innovation, greening level and urbanization level. • The impact of UCSDP on carbon productivity varies by city status, city rank and city type. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Green Mining Construction (GMC) is the Chinese national strategy of the environmental regulation of the mining industry to motivate mining enterprises to improve their resource utilization efficiency, protect the environment and harmonize the relationship between enterprises and communities. This paper uses system dynamics (SD) and the Malmquist-Luenberger (ML) Index to model the sustainable effect of the policy instruments of Green Mining Construction, namely, environmental taxes and subsidies. A case study of typical coal mining enterprises in Anhui, China, is provided to demonstrate the application of the proposed model in which the corporate performances of three optional strategies in response to the Green Mining Construction policies are examined. The responsive strategies are categorized as scale expansion, technical innovation and environmental protection. The simulation results show the following: (i) The environmental taxes and subsidies with disparate rates can help enterprises that focus on technical innovation and environmental protection perform better, albeit with a certain degree of lag. (ii) The synergy impact of subsidies and taxes is not significantly more than the separate ones. (iii) Environmental regulations reduce the productivity of mining enterprises, but to varying extents. This negative effect of environmental regulation should be compensated by other measures. This study offers insights to help enterprises select optimal strategies in response to the Green Mining Construction policies and to inform the government of possible sustainable policy designs to promote the Green Mining Construction. The limitations of the model are discussed for further improvements in simulating the effect of environmental regulation. • The hybrid model is used to test the effect of mining environmental policy in China. • Environmental taxes and subsidies are effective, but there are delays. • The effect of policy combination is not better than that of the single policy. • The model negates the Porter hypothesis, but there are differences among enterprises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mitigating and adapting to the effects of climate change is an ongoing concern for developing countries like Vietnam. Hence, Vietnam ratified the Paris agreement without delay in October 2016. As a part of its climate policy strategy, the government is proposing to increase the taxes either on coal by 50% or petroleum products by 33.33%. This study employs the GTAP-E-Power model with additional improvements to include non-CO 2 emissions to examine the impacts of such a policy on the Vietnamese economy. Results show that the trade-offs of the increased tax on petroleum products (Scenario 1) are much higher than the increased tax on coal (Scenario 2). For example, real GDP in Vietnam declines by 2.23% and 1.05% in Scenario 1 and Scenario 2, respectively. In addition, the country's emissions level reduces by 10.23% in Scenario 2 compared to a reduction of 7.62% in Scenario 1. A higher tax on coal would foster the extension of renewable energy sectors faster than the impacts resulted from increasing tax on petroleum products. The increased demands by the private sector for electricity generated from renewable sources signals a potential for a sustainable development of the renewable electricity generation sectors in Vietnam. • An electricity-detailed economy-wide model is employed for energy policy assessment. • The new tax on petroleum products considerably affects Vietnam. • Vietnam can reduce substantial emission levels by introducing the new energy taxes. • A higher tax on coal would considerably foster the extension of renewable energy. • There is a potential for a sustainable development of renewable energy in Vietnam. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In scholarly and political debates on transformation towards sustainability or along social-ecological lines, employees and trade unions are hardly ever mentioned. The latter still largely represent a perspective that could be summarized as "jobs versus environment" and formulate their environmental strategies within the confines of ecological modernization, if indeed at all -- i.e. they do not question the orientation towards growth, capitalist power and production relations or a destructive societal nature relations. It was strong trade unions who won historical achievements for large parts of the population, but these achievements simultaneously deepened the problematic aspects of a mode of production and living which we call the "imperial mode of living". This antinomy needs to be considered and dealt with politically. This paper examines the results of a multi-year empirical project on the views of Austrian trade unions on social-ecological transformation. It shows that, while there are already some important initiatives, these do not address the main challenge, i.e. the imperial mode of living. However, some entry points for a possible politicization of unsustainable production and consumption emerge from our research, along with a view of the role of trade unions in this politicization. One approach is to overcome the narrow equation of well-being with capitalist economic growth and to replace it with a more comprehensive understanding of well-being and quality of life. • The literature on social-ecological transformation insufficiently explores the role of employees and trade unions. • Research results on "social-ecological entry points" for trade unions are presented. • Trade unions formulate environmental policies in the confines of ecological modernization. • The imperial mode of living is based on unsustainable consumption and production patterns. • This mode of (production and) living needs to be addressed by trade unions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, it is found that environmental regulation is an important mechanism that trade openness affects the level of human capital. The author established a theoretical framework to analyze the influence of trade openness on the level of human capital and adopted the system GMM to test it, using Chinese provincial data over the period 1995–2015. The empirical results show that environmental regulation has a long-term U-shaped effect on the level of human capital, while the current environmental regulation in China is conducive to improving the level of human capital. Furthermore, the promotion of human capital level can also increase the possibility of improving environmental regulation, which is conducive to the internal formation and positive interaction between human capital and environmental regulation. The research further enriches the theory of sustainable development of environment and economy. It provides theoretical support for China and developing countries with similar economic and technological levels to actively implement more stringent environmental policies in the context of trade openness. Image 108550 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emission charge policy has recently switched from pollutant discharge fees to environmental taxes in China. Considering spatial heterogeneity, the effects of changes in emission charge policy may subject to different Chinese regions. In this study, environmental efficiencies of Chinese regions are evaluated through provincial environmentally extended input-output tables and a frontier-based optimization model. Driving factors of environmental productivity growth are identified through global Luenberger productivity decomposition approach. Moreover, spatial heterogeneity on the effects of change in emission charge policy on environment and economy are assessed. Results show that all regions experienced environmental productivity growth. Technology progress is the major driving factor in most regions with an average contribution of 90%, while technical efficiency regress slows environmental productivity growth in Southwest region. Switching from pollutant discharge fees to environmental taxes would decreases emission intensities by 1.42% on average, but it would have different negative impact on economic growth (−1.13%∼-4.90% of regional GDP) due to spatially heterogeneous trade-offs between environmental protection and economic development. Addressing such spatial heterogeneity provide not only a basis for diversified tax rate determination but also a framework for other environmental policy assessment. Note: The percentage changes of (a) environmental inefficiency score, (b) GDP, and (c) emission intensity of seven Chinese regions when changing emission charge policy from pollutant discharge fees to environmental taxes. Image 1 • Environmentally extended input-output tables for Chinese provinces are proposed. • Input-output analysis is combined with frontier-based optimization model. • Environmental productivity growth and its driving factors are identified. • Effects of replacing pollutant discharge fees with environmental taxes are assessed. • Spatial heterogeneity on effects of emission charge policy change is considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Gold mining has for several decades contributed to the socio-economic development of many countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, but it has also caused considerable environmental damage and human health concerns in mining communities. However, despite the extensive proliferation of policies and programs aimed at addressing the adverse environmental impact of mining, limited attention has so far been paid to identifying what might constitute environmental policy best practices across Sub-Saharan Africa's gold mining sector. To address this gap, this paper undertakes a systematic literature review of environmental policy measures and considers its broader implications for sustainable development in the context of gold mining in Sub-Saharan Africa. Of the 1,217 papers retrieved from the databases, 22 met the inclusion criteria and are included in evidence synthesis. Based on an in-depth analysis, we find that there are tensions and consensus in the environmental policy literature. However, extant works remain fragmented, uneven, and not systematically integrated. This perhaps might explain the difficulty in trying to develop and institutionalize best practices within the gold mining industry in Sub-Saharan Africa. As a result, we propose an integrated conceptual model that lays a foundation for possible environmental policy best practices within the mining industry in developing countries. The paper concludes by identifying specific theoretical and practical implications of the study and suggests possible avenues for future research. Highlights • Gold mining has contributed to the socio-economic development of many countries. • However, it has also caused considerable environmental damage. • This study explored evidence of environmental policy best practices. • We found that there are tensions and contradictions in the literature. • We propose an integrated conceptual model of environmental policy best practices. • We conclude by considering the theoretical and practical implications of the study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Maximising opportunities to unlock the potential of national pollution datasets may provide the catalyst to increase transparency of pollution data, foster better communication between government agencies and industry pollutant emitters, and ultimately result in a more effective cleaner production program. In many countries, pollution data is required to be collected and reported under national Pollutant and Transfer Registers (PRTRs), which are becoming established environmental policy tools across the world. This study considers the Australian PRTR experience, by examining data use of its National Pollutant Inventory (NPI). Australian government and industry stakeholders were surveyed (n = 132) about their application of national pollution data, and their views towards potential improvements. The results indicated that government employees and researchers primarily used the inventory to obtain information about pollution, conduct research or to develop and review environmental policies and programs. However it was clear that, due to current limitations with the inventory, its use has not been fully maximised to inform environmental management or for research purposes. Stakeholders called for changes to more robust and nationally consistent emission estimation methods, and increased comprehensiveness, along with a requirement to incorporate international best practice with regards to emission inventories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Weighting is an important step that supports comparison and decision-making in the LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) of buildings. However, temporal variations of weighting systems have not been adequately studied. Given the increasing demand of addressing time issues in LCA, this study attempts to develop a dynamic weighting system. Three common weighting approaches—expert panel, monetization, and DTT (distance-to-target)—are compared, and the DTT approach is selected for utilization. Temporal variations of emission targets and resource characteristics are considered in the new weighting system, which includes short-term, medium-term, and long-term weighting factors. The dynamic weighting system makes it possible to quantify environmental impacts with temporal-varying environmental policies and planning, and the assessment results could better guide design improvements with various environmental priorities in different periods considered. A residential building is taken as case to test the operability of the new weighting system. The significant difference between the assessment results weighted by the traditional versus the dynamic weighting systems indicates the necessity of considering temporal variations. Highlights • 3 weighting approaches are compared to determine which is most feasible for the development of a dynamic weighting system. • A dynamic weighting system is developed with calculation formulas and data sources. • Emission indicators from a set of typical years are employed as target levels. • The temporal variances of resource characteristics are considered. • Case study indicates the necessity of considering time variances in weighting system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Sweet sorghum is one of the best renewable non-grain energy crops for ethanol production due to its high sugar content, short growing period and good tolerance to natural conditions. However, insufficient studies have been conducted on the spatial distribution of sweet sorghum-based bioethanol production potential. This study presents a method, i.e., a land surface process model (Environmental Policy Integrated Climate GIS-based (GEPIC) model) coupled with a life cycle analysis (LCA), to simulate the spatial distribution of potential bioethanol production, energy efficiency and environmental impacts throughout the whole life cycle of sweet sorghum-based ethanol. The results showed that approximately 49.65 million ha of marginal land in China were suitable for sweet sorghum planting, and more than 13.57 million tons of sweet sorghum could be yielded. Based on sweet sorghum, 847.81 thousand tons of ethanol could be produced. A potential net energy gain of 115 billion MJ which is equivalent to 2.38 million tons of 90-octane gasoline would be achieved if all marginal lands could be used. The results of the environmental impact assessment showed that the total environmental effect index was 0.25 million (population equivalents). The global warming potential was the most significant environmental impact category. Guizhou Province can be given priority for sweet sorghum-based bioethanol development in China. Highlights • A method, GEPIC model coupled with a life cycle analysis (LCA), was applied. • The marginal land suitable for sweet sorghum cultivation in China was calculated. • Spatial distribution of bioethanol production, life cycle energy efficiency and environmental impacts were analyzed. • Global warming potential was the most significant environmental impact. • Priorities could be given to Guizhou Province for sweet sorghum-based bioethanol development in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Willingness to pay (WTP) for clean air is one of the most important indicators of the public's acceptance of air pollution mitigation policies. However, few studies have characterized the spatial distribution of WTP, explored its "hypothetical bias", or analyzed its relationship with air pollutant concentrations. To address this gap in knowledge, a nationwide empirical study (N = 9744) was conducted from December 2016 to February 2017 in China. The contingent valuation method (CVM) was adopted to assess WTP based on a scenario, and air purifier costs (APCs) incurred by the public were used as an indicator of WTP in the real-life scenario. The results show that the mean value of APCs (243.81 CNY (year ⋅ person) − 1 ) is lower than WTP (275.39 CNY (year ⋅ person) − 1 ), which means that the Chinese public may not pay as much money for clean air in the actual scenario as in the WTP scenario. This result is important for predicting and evaluating the feasibility and effectiveness of air pollution economic policies. We also observed significant spatial differences in APCs: the public in more heavily polluted areas such as the eastern coastal region, northern coastal region, Middle Yellow River region and northeast region have higher APCs than the public in other regions, the proportion of people who purchased air purifiers and the distribution of APCs positively correlated with concentrations of particulate matter with aerodynamic diameters less than 2.5 (PM 2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO 2), carbon monoxide (CO), and ozone (O 3), while no significant spatial difference or correlation relationship was observed for WTP. This result indicates that pollutant concentration is not the main driving factor of WTP but they are driving factors for APCs, which may provide new evidence for the driving factors of WTP and APCs. Finally, the policy implications behind these results are discussed, providing references and scientific support for policy makers and subsequent research. Graphical abstract Image 1 Highlights • The spatial distribution of WTP and APCs for clean air are demonstrated. • APCs has significant spatial differences, while WTP does not. • WTP is higher than APCs, indicating the existence of "hypothesis bias". • APCs is correlated with air pollutant concentrations, while WTP is not. • Potential environmental policy implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Pollution Haven hypothesis and Porter hypothesis provide two different behavioral strategies for pollution industries under stringent environmental regulations, which make a clear line between the two hypotheses in the previous literature. This paper studies the pollution industry transfer in China from the perspective of industry mobility, and proves that the transfer of pollution industries under environmental regulations is the comprehensive effect of "Pollution Haven" and "Innovation Compensation" by using Chinese provincial-level data from 2000 to 2015. The empirical results find that strongly mobile pollution industries have tended to transfer directly to the areas with loose regulations, but "Innovation Compensation" effect is not significant, leading to the pollution industries transferring out; the weakly mobile pollution industries have not shown the "Pollution Heaven" effect, environmental regulations will stimulate innovation and increase industry output through the mechanism of "Innovation Compensation", which increases the regional proportion of pollution industries output. In short, we believe this study can provide a new perspective for explaining the current pollution industry transfer in China and help for more precise and reasonable environmental policies. Graphical abstract Image 1 Highlights • Based on the industry mobility, this paper studies the pollution industry transfer in China. • We break the line between PHH and PH by providing an analytical framework and an empirical test. • Pollution industries with different mobility have different strategies respond to regulations. • Pollution industry transfer is a result of the comprehensive effect of PHH and PH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Carbon emission reduction policy is the main method to curb carbon emissions and tackle climate change. However, few studies have investigated the effectiveness of carbon emission reduction polices from the welfare and economic perspectives. This study establishes a dynamic general equilibrium model with input-output structure, and compares the effects of emission reduction in all industries and in high energy-consuming industries. The main conclusions are that carbon emission reduction constraints for all industries have more significant negative impacts on consumption and social welfare compared to emission reduction constraints for high energy-consuming industries. To be more precisely, carbon emission reduction in high energy-consuming industries has comparative advantages in maintaining social welfare stability. Regarding economic effects, compared with the carbon emission reduction in high energy-consuming industries, carbon emission reduction in all industries leads to a larger decline in total output and outputs of most industries. However, the role of carbon emission reduction in all industries is more significant in promoting employment. The carbon emission reduction policies of all industries and high energy-consuming industries have strengths in economic effects respectively. The findings could provide references for the government to take appropriate measures to promote carbon emission reduction and economic growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Most existing studies on environmental regulations and the location dynamics of pollution-intensive industries regard new environmental procedures as an incremental development process, and neglect the influence of sudden changes in environmental regulations triggered by a pollution crisis. Using the drinking water crisis in the Taihu Lake Watershed (TLW) in 2007 as an example, this paper examines the spatial behavior of pollution-intensive firms across the TLW, and pays special attention to the regional differences in the effectiveness of enforcing environmental regulations. We find that the pollution haven hypothesis works efficiently in the short term after an unexpected pollution crisis because of the immediate strengthening of environmental regulations by local governments under pressure from the central government and the public. However, the effect of strict environmental policies was compromised by differences in the effectiveness of policy enforcement across the watershed. Specifically, when other regions (for example, Huzhou) were compared with Wuxi (the site of the crisis in the present study), these regions were found to be relatively insensitive to the effects of the pollution incidents and the environmental regulations that were triggered. Highlights • This paper examines spatial behaviors of pollution-intensive firms across the Taihu Lake watershed in response to the water crisis. • The paper pays special attention to the regional difference in enforcement effectiveness of environmental regulations. • Pollution haven hypothesis works efficiently in the short run. • The effect of stringent environmental policies was compromised by differences in policy enforcement effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract As pressure on resources and the environment continues to intensify, the development of the automobile industry must maintain its momentum. At the same time, the demand for the transition of the national economy to a more sustainable style is increasing. Under such circumstances, the new energy vehicle industry has drawn increasing attention in China and abroad. This nascent industry requires supportive policies from the government for its success. The purpose of this study is to compare the similarities and differences of new energy vehicle-related policies for developing new energy vehicles in China, Japan, Germany, and the United States (U.S.). Based on the analytic hierarchy process-entropy weight method (i.e., AHP-EW model), a combination of subjectivity and objectivity, we adopt a quantitative method to appraise the new energy vehicle development situation in these four countries with a series of indexes, such as technological innovation, market development status, and infrastructure construction level. The results show that Germany is the strongest in terms of comprehensive measurements, followed by China, the U.S., and Japan. In this ranking, the U.S. shows the strongest technological innovation abilities; China is number one in marketing; and Japan is first in infrastructure construction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Environmental problems are escalating with rapid economic development; the Chinese government actively follows a low-carbon development pattern and has made CO 2 emissions reduction commitments for 2030. In the future, how to realize the 2030 CO 2 emissions peak target and intensity reduction target has become an urgent problem for China to solve. This study aims to predict China's CO 2 emissions trends by 2030 under different scenarios and to calculate the reduction potential of each sector and the impact factors separately. A comprehensive forecasting model was developed in this study based on the Kaya identity, Log-Mean Decomposition Index (LMDI) model and Scenario Analysis methods. According to this model, China's CO 2 emissions will grow to 112.89 million tons in 2030 but not reach its peak under the target scenario (TS), while the CO 2 emissions intensity will be 0.40 ton per 10,000 RMB, achieving the "Paris Commitment" for CO 2 intensity reduction targets. In terms of emissions reduction factors, such as economic growth, energy technology progress and energy structure optimization are the main factors to achieve CO 2 reduction targets, with the annual average mitigation potential of 8.83 million tons, 9.41 million tons and 5.80 million tons, respectively. In terms of China's six economic sectors, the 2nd sector(industrial sector) will have the largest reduction potential during 2016–2030, with an average annual reduction of 23.24 million tons, while the reduction from energy technology advancements contributes the most, followed by economic growth and energy structure optimization, with the annual average reduction rate of 44.35%, 30.92% and 19.64%, respectively. The key pathways for reducing China's CO 2 emissions in the future are to adjust the economic development model in the 2nd, 4th, and 6th sectors, to improve the energy efficiency of the 2nd sector, and to optimize the energy consumption structure of the 1st, 2nd, and 6th sectors. Finally, we suggest that China should construct mutually compatible mitigation policies networks and focus on the superposition effect of various subsystem policy objectives to realize the "Paris commitment" for China's 2030 CO 2 mitigation targets. Highlights • An integrated approach was proposed and applied to predict China's CO 2 emissions in 2030. • China's CO 2 emissions will be 112.89 million tons in 2030 and not reach its peak under the target scenario. • China's CO 2 mitigation potential of various sectors were measured, and their corresponding reduction pathways were proposed. • China should construct mutually compatible mitigation policies networks and focus on their superposition effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Environment protection is important for the survival of residents, and the government must improve its governance model on environmental cost prediction methods to address the increasing level of environmental pollution. Therefore, a science-based investment scheme is of great significance. To improve the accuracy and effectiveness of environmental governance cost prediction method, it is important to consider the completeness of the indicators and their degree of contributions-both of which need to be studied further. Considering the influence of a decision-maker's subjectivity on an investment scheme, this paper proposes a prediction method accommodating the risk preferences of different decision-makers. The proposed method is based on the synthesis of evidential reasoning approach. An objective empowerment is carried out according to the standard deviation method of correlation coefficient to highlight the importance degree of different indicators. At the same time, to improve the practical usage of the synthetic cost prediction method, the future cost is predicted by combining the genetic programming models under different risk coefficients, namely, the risk preference, the risk neutrality, and the risk aversion. Finally, a case study involving environmental governance cost prediction of 29 provinces of China is presented. A comparison of the cost predictions and the actual value of different risk coefficients for the different methods are given to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed method. Highlights • Considering different importance and complete information of indicators. • Considering the influence of decision-maker's subjectivity on cost prediction. • Combining the genetic programming models with different risk coefficients. • Providing a case study of environmental governance cost prediction of China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The use of environmental policies to facilitate research and development (R&D) collaborations that generate environmental innovations (EIs) is increasingly important for sustainable development. However, few studies have examined how the collaborative dynamics between R&D partners influence how they respond to environmental objectives. We address this gap by studying two Norwegian environmental R&D alliances and the development of their collaborative relationships in terms of the relative absorptive capacity, meaning their relative similarity with respect to organizational structures, knowledge bases and dominant logics. We find that R&D partners with higher relative absorptive capacity are more likely to respond coherently to policy objectives, whereas this is more challenging between partners with lower relative absorptive capacity. Further, our research shows that partners' use of power may change how an alliance responds to policy objectives. The implications of these findings are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The Swedish generational goal is a unique initiative governing all Swedish environmental policy, aiming at solving all major domestic environmental problems for the next generation without increasing environmental damage abroad. Without a good understanding of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from Swedish consumption, the formulation of efficient and well targeted policy initiatives to reach the generational goal is difficult. We have analysed the impacts of Swedish consumption in detail, investigating the impacts of different final consumers and different consumption clusters as well as the geographical location of where GHGs are emitted to satisfy Swedish demand. We use environmentally extended multi-regional input-output (EEMRIO) analysis and the database EXIOBASE3 to compute Swedish consumption-based (CB) GHG emissions over a time period of 20 years. Our study shows that total CB GHG emissions fluctuated but remained rather stable over the years. However, the origin of the emissions changed from within Sweden to outside Sweden's borders. CB emissions within Sweden have decreased substantially through a reduction of direct emissions associated with domestic heating and mobility, whereas GHG emissions outside Sweden have increased, especially in China and in the rest of Asia. We show that manufactured products are responsible for a large share of this development, displaying a strong trend toward future increases. This calls for policy measures targeting consumption, especially of manufactured products such as textiles, clothing and furniture that cause large impacts in other countries. Highlights • Only 35% of Sweden's CB GHG emissions occur in Sweden. • Large emission reductions from domestic heating and road transport. • From 1995 to 2014 GHG emissions from Swedish consumption increased by 18Mt abroad. • Large GHG emission increase in China due to Swedish consumption of clothing. • Non-compliance with the generational goal, due to increasing foreign emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The National Automotive Policy was introduced in Malaysia in 2006, which includes end-of-life vehicle (ELV) recovery policies. However, there is limited information on the current state of ELV recovery in Malaysia, which hinders the fulfillment of these new requirements. For manufacturers, the lack of information will lead to difficulties in making strategic decisions in order to fulfill the ELV policies. In order to support design strategies for ELV recovery, it is crucial to identify the issues and factors of ELV recovery, which forms the objective of this study. A survey was carried out among the key stakeholders in the aftermarket chain and the results revealed that special tooling is needed to handle ELV components as well as design that will facilitate the separation of parts according to materials. These are among the main factors that contribute toward the effectiveness of ELV recovery. The following 5 factors (pre-production, health and environment, policy and worker, manufacturing process, and end-of-life value) are the factors that will enhance ELV recovery in Malaysia and it is believed that these factors are subject to dynamic changes in the aftermarket chain. It is believed that the results presented in this paper will be useful to academics and researchers in order to establish design strategies for ELV recovery in Malaysia. Moreover, stochastic techniques are required to cater the dynamic and complex behavior of the actual ELV recovery system in Malaysia. Highlights • ELV recovery issues and factors in the automotive industry are investigated. • Special tooling is a critical issues faced by aftermarket stakeholders. • Pre-production, manufacturing process, and EOL value are among the important factors. • Fragility of components is the most important sub-factor. • The proposed factors serve as a guideline to create a dynamic ELV recovery model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract There is a great deal of evidence that climate change affects socioeconomic systems. The social cost of carbon (SCC) is calculated by scientists to monetarize the incremental unit of carbon emission and is used to assess climate policies. This study begins with a review of current research on the SCC, followed by a discussion of the choice of models for the SCC. We give a list of advantages of disadvantages of each model and finally use a meta-analysis to evaluate the SCC from published research. The main findings were as follows. (i) Integrated assessment models (IAMs) are often employed to assess the SCC, research on IAMs was started booming in the 1990s and slightly decreased after 2012. (ii) The estimated SCC ranges from −50 to 8752$/tC (−13.36–2386.91$/tCO 2), with a mean value of 200.57$/tC (54.70$/tCO 2) and it equals to 112.86$/tC (30.78$/tCO 2) with a PRTP at 3% in peer-reviewed studies. (iii) The estimated SCC is higher in newer publication year and in peer-reviewed studies, the same trend happens with a higher climatic sensitivity and employing DICE/RICE and PAGE. (iv) The pure rate of time preference (PRTP) is tightly associated with the estimated SCC, and a higher PRTP has a lower estimated SCC. (v) The outliers often appear without realistic scenario setting and in studies have not peer-reviewed. Highlights • A higher PRTP has a lower estimated SCC. • Estimates of the social cost of carbon equals to 112.86$/tC with a PRTP at 3% in peer-reviewed studies. • The outliers often appear without realistic scenario setting and in studies have not peer-reviewed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Environmental concerns regarding the toxicity of trace elements (TEs) and the harmful effects of these elements on humans have attracted worldwide attention. To meet stricter environmental policies, some coal-fired power plants have installed ultra-low emission equipment. In this paper, the behavior and fate of the trace elements As, Se, and Cd originating in an ultra-low emission coal-fired power plant equipped with air pollution control devices (APCDs), including selective catalytic reduction (SCR) equipment, a low-temperature economizer (LTE), an electrostatic precipitator (ESP), a wet flue gas desulfurization (WFGD) system, and a wet electrostatic precipitator (WESP), were investigated. Onsite samples of the feed coal, bottom ash, fly ash, gypsum, desulfurization slurry, WFGD effluent, WFGD-treated water, and WESP effluent were systematically collected and analyzed. The SCR and LTE configurations achieved a partial removal of As, Se, and Cd. The ESP trapped virtually all the particles and had a synergistic effect on the removal of the TEs. A systematic study of the recycling of the desulfurization slurry revealed TE enrichment in the WFGD system; because it concentrated in the liquid fraction of the gypsum slurry, Se was particularly susceptible to this enrichment. The effluent water treatment system achieved TE removal with efficiencies exceeding 94%. WESP operation achieved extensive removal of TE-enriched particles with percentages greater than 90%. The overall efficiencies of As, Se, and Cd removal obtained by the APCD system as a whole were 95.94%, 98.22%, and 92.70%, respectively. Graphical abstract Image 1 Highlights • Trace elements partitioning between fly ash and bottom ash were investigated. • The control of air pollution control devices on trace elements were exhibited. • Trace elements behaviours in wet flue gas desulfurization were studied. • The application of wet electrostatic precipitator enhanced trace elements removal. • Emission factor was calculated to evaluate trace elements atmospheric emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This paper deals with the efficiency of the 28 European Union (EU) Member States for the years 2008, 2010, 2012 and 2014 by employing Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) and directional distance function to tackle undesirable outputs. Eight parameters are used, namely municipal solid waste (MSW) generation, employment rate, capital formation, gross domestic product (GDP), population density and for the first time sulphur oxide (SOx), nitrogen oxide (NOx) and greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions from the waste sector for the relevant countries. The innovation of this paper lies in the fact that both new parameters are taken into account and that diverse modelling techniques have been employed in terms of the outputs and inputs used. The empirical results obtained were bias corrected in order to get the correct efficiency scores for each country studied. Overall the most efficient countries were shown to be Germany, Ireland and the UK. These results were then reviewed against the recycling rate of each country for the examined time periods. The recycling rate actually depicts the DEA results, namely more efficient countries seem to have a higher recycling rate too. Moreover the DEA efficiency results were contrasted to the overall treatment options used in the countries under consideration. Overall it is noticed that countries employing all four treatment options with high use of more sustainable ones and decrease in the use of landfill are the ones that also proved to be efficient according to DEA. These results resemble the image of a financial crisis hit Europe which tried to take advantage of the more sustainable treatment options in order to achieve a transition to a circular economy, whereas the value of products, materials and resources needs to be maintained in the economy for as long as possible and the generation of waste minimised. This can be a valuable lesson for policy makers in the design and application of national and EU legislations and directives in order to achieve also the targets towards a circular economy driven Europe. Highlights • Employing DEA to assess national waste generation. • Three novel environmental production frameworks designed. • Directional distance function to tackle undesirable outputs. • Comparison of results with treatment options and recycling rates. • Policy implications under a circular economy approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Promoting firms' eco-innovation through environmental regulation is of great significance to the sustainable development of China's economy. Based on the Porter Hypothesis, this paper used the panel data of 1962 listed Chinese industrial companies from 2004 to 2015 to empirically test the impact of environmental regulation on firm eco-innovation and the moderating effects of fiscal decentralization and political competition. The results showed that (1) without the influences of China's fiscal system and political promotion system, environmental regulation would likely significantly promote firms' eco-innovation as well as firms' eco-investment and eco-planning innovation. (2) Under the influence of China's fiscal decentralization system, environmental regulation has exerted a significant inhibitory impact on firms' eco-innovation as well as on firms' eco-investment and eco-planning innovation. (3) Under the influence of China's 'championship' system of political promotion, environmental regulation has exerted a significant inhibitory effect on firms' eco-innovation and on firms' eco-investment and eco-planning innovation. Finally, this paper provided detailed policy recommendations on how to optimize China's environmental regulatory policy system and how to promote firm eco-innovation. Highlights • This paper designed a web crawler in a Java programming language to collect data on firm eco-innovation. • Eco-innovation was divided into eco-investment and eco-planning innovation. • Fiscal decentralization negatively moderates the effect of environmental regulation on firm eco-innovation. • Political competition negatively moderates the positive effect of environmental regulation on firm eco-innovation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The critical role of everyday practices in climate change mitigation has placed experimental approaches at the top of the environmental policy agenda. In this paper we discuss the value of behavioural approaches, practice theories, pragmatic tinkering and speculative thinking with respect to experimentation. Whereas the first two have been much discussed within sustainability science and transition research, the notions of pragmatic tinkering and speculative thinking radically broaden the scope of experimental research and its contribution to sustainable everyday practices. Pragmatism brings to the fore the need to coordinate multiple practices and understandings of good eating, as these may clash in practice. Through this lens, the value of experimental research lies in revealing frictions that need to be resolved, or tinkered, in practice. Speculative experimentation, in turn, refers to the power of experiments to challenge the experimental setting itself and force thinking about new possibilities and avenues. We investigate the value of all four approaches in relation to our experiments with sustainable eating in the Finnish and Nordic context. Our elaboration justifies the need to broaden the conception of experimental research in order to capture the multiplicity of sustainable eating. Hence, we call for attentive, speculative experimental research aimed not only at testing solutions for sustainable everyday practice, but also at reflecting on the practice of experimentation itself. Highlights • Key role of everyday practices in sustainability transition calls for experimentation. • We explore and test four approaches to experimentation in sustainable eating. • Sustainable eating calls for attentive, speculative experimental research. • Attentiveness to tensions raised by experiments force new questions and solutions. • Reflecting on the practice of experimentation is fundamental to ethical transition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Korea has the highest air pollution among the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries. Since the recent environmental analysis (Kim et al., 2017) reported the feasibility of replacing taxis with electric vehicles (EVs) in metropolitan cities from a 'tank-to-wheel' emission perspective, various stakeholders have attempted to reduce air pollution by activating the EV market in Korea in accordance with international trends. Nevertheless, no holistic study has yet been published on the nationwide changes in air quality caused by EV diffusion from the perspective of 'well-to-wheel' emissions. This paper presents the results of estimating the stability of the electric power supply and fine particulate matter emissions in some cases, and the results of examining the structure of public discourse using big social media data. From the findings of our study, we made the following conclusions: (1) If the market share of EVs exceeds 12.5% before 2030 in Korea's domestic market, the supply and demand of stable energy will be threatened. (2) Under traditional energy mix conditions, the popularization of EVs may slightly reduce air pollution over metropolitan roads, but drastically increase air pollution near power plants that utilize fossil fuels. (3) Social media discussions show that the public is neither concerned about EVs being possible sources of pollutants, nor about potential instabilities in the energy market. (4) To obtain a socially acceptable energy mix, energy policy decision makers can select emission-free energy sources, such as nuclear power and renewable energy, depending on their priorities and based on power demand management to suppress excessive electrification. Highlights • The rapid expanding electric car market can threaten the supply and demand of stable enegy. • The effects of improving the air quality by electric cars differ depending on the region. • The public does not concern about electricity supply as well as air pollution by electric cars. • Policy makers can choose either nuclear power or renewable energy depending on their priorities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract In the last decades, the European Union has developed a set of environmental policies whose main objectives have been to protect natural capital and to develop a resource-efficient and green economy. These issues are essential to secure the sustainability in the long-term of the member states. The objective of this paper is to develop the Environmental Performance Assessment Composite Index, in the framework of the 2050 Europe vision, which will be applied to the European Union 28 in the period 2000–2014. It might allow policy makers to obtain information about the strengths and weaknesses of each member state in natural capital, use of sustainable and efficient resources as well as use of more environmentally friendly resources. The results suggest that Sweden, Austria, Denmark, Italy and Germany have the better scores in environmental performance assessment. However, Slovakia, Romania, Czech Republic, Poland and Lithuania have the lowest scores in the composite index. Specific reinforcing actions are proposed for them in order to reduce their environmental impact. Highlights • A composite index of environmental impact assessment is obtained for the EU-28. • It considers the dimension of both sustainable and efficient resources use. • It also aggregates both dimensions of natural resources and resource alternative use. • Sweden, Austria, Denmark, Italy and Germany have the best results. • New policies are required in Slovakia, Romania, Czech Republic, Poland, Lithuania. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The influential Word Resources Institute report The Weight of Nations of 2000 called for additional research effort to understand linkages between primary material inputs and output of waste and emissions in material flow accounts. The report proved highly influential in driving efforts toward methodological harmonization of national material flow accounts but had little impact in triggering additional study into comprehensive material flow accounts and material balances for national economies. In this research we test the feasibility of linking inputs to outputs by establishing material flow balances for five countries including Germany, Japan, the United States, China and Australia using available statistical data and agreed calculation methods. While statistics for emissions to air are well documented, statistics for solid waste are usually incomplete and for many countries are of poor quality. We employ stock and flow modeling to determine the "waste potential" of a national economy, which can be used to validate statistically reported waste flows. We ask whether the accounts could be up-scaled to a global dataset and discuss challenges and limitations of such an approach; we also revisit the findings of the WRI report and find that methodological improvements to material flow accounting yield more reliable results than could be achieved two decades ago. Unifying input and output accounts in one coherent framework, i.e. a material balance, allows alignment of the policy domains of resource efficiency, greenhouse gas and pollution abatement, and waste minimization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The importance firms, public institutions, and, more recently, consumers give to environmental issues has led in recent years to a surge in the development, dissemination, and application of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology. Nevertheless, little is still known about this tool's effective deployment by companies, or about the level of knowledge they have of it in some specific geographical areas, as in the Basque Region in the north of Spain. This paper seeks to provide a starting point for subsequently addressing these unresolved issues. Through the analysis and treatment of the data collected via the questionnaire, this work aims to provide a snapshot of the LCA situation in the Basque Country. In turn, the specific objectives are to discover who is carrying out LCA studies, why and how they are doing it, and to publicize the benefits provided by this type of study. Among other things, the study reveals that the LCA is still a little-known tool used mainly by large companies in specific sectors. The LCA is perceived as a complicated methodology that reports few economic benefits, although its capacity to improve the environmental performance of the products and the image of the company is recognized. The companies also think that their use will be generalized in the future, although they complain about the lack of institutional support that is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This paper examines the how new manufacturing firms choose locations in response to the environmental regulations in Jiangsu, China. In particular, we utilize three representative measures of the environmental regulations to test the consistence of the Pollution Haven Hypothesis (PHH). The dramatic results indicate that different measures of environmental regulation lead to different conclusions of the PHH. However, firms' relocation patterns are common and consistent, i.e., new polluting firms are more likely to be driven by the government environmental mandates to northern Jiangsu, where the pollution abatement cost is high. This pattern is consistent with the industrial planning of the province, suggesting that local government may use environmental regulations to achieve economic objectives. More comprehensive and equitable policy design is thus recommended to address the problems of environmental equity in China. Highlights • We examined firms' location choice in response to the environmental regulations. • We utilized three representative measures of the environmental regulations. • We find different measures of environmental regulation lead to different conclusions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The objective of this paper is to carry out a systematic review of the literature on climate justice from the point of view of the capabilities approach. This review had as object of study 53 papers selected in the Web of Science and Scopus databases, and focused on the following dimensions: starting models for the preparation of action plans (Basic Rights, Polluter Pays, and Fair Division), types of actions adopted (adaptation and mitigation), level of adoption (macro and micro) and individual freedoms affected (economic, political, social, transparency guarantees and protective security). The main results and contributions of the study are: a) the Basic Rights model is more frequently used than the other two; b) there is a prevalence of some freedoms when analysed in the context of adaptation and mitigation actions; c) opportunity to apply quantitative methods and mixed methods on climate justice analysis; d) a theoretical framework organization of the concepts related to the link between climate justice and human development, which can help future research on the subject as well as contribute to the cooperation among academics and policy makers post-Paris Agreement. Highlights • Identification of the developed countries as research centers, and leading researchers on climate justice and human development. • Greater frequency of climate adaptation actions and climate justice. • Capabilities approach as an assessment indicator for adaptation and mitigation actions to climate change. • Identification the special role of women and climate justice guarantees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The maturing literature on innovation has recognized the processes of sectoral and technological systems of innovation as helpful frameworks to analyze environmental innovation – a field whose importance continues to grow amidst contemporary regulatory pressures, for example, on maritime industry and shipping. This paper intertwines these key innovation concepts and applies them to classify and systematize an environmental product innovation: marine scrubber systems. The paper also addresses the linkage between innovation policy and environmental regulation and presents an overall framework to visualize and systematize conceptual connections between sectoral and technological systems of innovation to further develop and manage these complex systems of environmental innovation inducement. The paper applies technological and legal materials depicting the context of maritime scrubber systems as technological responses to more rigid environmental regulation by addressing their implications for market potential and change. The results underline the importance of environmental regulations as the driver of the development of technological innovation systems centered on environmental innovation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: As world's top two carbon emitters, driver analysis of China and the USA helped the governments to develop policies to cut or slow down carbon emission. Many studies identified the factors affecting carbon emission in China and the USA (emitting more than 40% of the global CO 2 emission), however, few studies considered stratified heterogeneity or the interactions of factors. Here, we adopted the modified Geographical Detector tool to investigate the main drivers of carbon emission from the perspective of stratified heterogeneity. The results of this analysis showed that human economic activities in China were the dominant effect of carbon emission changes, while energy intensity contributed toward controlling the carbon emission in China. Furthermore, population growth was the most significant driving force followed by energy intensity toward controlling the carbon emission of the USA. All these factors are mutually enhancing in changing carbon emissions, while oil share with energy intensity and coal share were more significantly enhanced in China's carbon emission than other interactions. The factors of human activities and energy mix posed a more powerful effect when they mutually enhanced each other to change carbon emission compared to other enhancing interactions. This work represents a pilot scheme for a carbon dioxide emission analysis from the categorical stratified heterogeneity based on statistical methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Contaminated sites are receiving increasing policy attention internationally due to the significant threats they pose to eco-environmental and human health. In China, a range of policies for contaminated site management have been developed and implemented with the ambition of reaching "zero contaminated sites" – in particular using a policy-driven approach to remediate or manage site risk while delivering useful synergies between services and opportunities in site reuse. To examine the interaction between policy making, policy implementation, and policy outcome, we designed a three-dimensional conceptual model of policy evaluation, and established an indicator framework of stakeholder perceptions covering policy formulation, policy implementation and policy outcome, which was tested in five cities in China (Chengdu, Beijing, Changsha, Chongqing and Shanghai) through interviews with various stakeholders. A combined method of fuzzy synthetic evaluation and entropy weight was applied for the purpose of quantification and comparability of evaluation results at different levels. The results show that: (1) there is no inevitable causality between policy formulation, policy implementation and policy outcome. Policy formulation, which is the premise of policy implementation and may largely influence policy outcome, does not perform well in all tested cities. Policy implementation is the key step and contributes most to the performance of the whole policy process. (2) In general, Chongqing and Beijing have a less-than-ideal performance compared to the other three study cities in contaminated site management. Due to differences in regional context, the same measure may produce different policy outcomes in different cities, indicating a need to carry out specific, locally contextualized or calibrated policies, based on the local cultural and socioeconomic environment. (3) The fuzzy synthetic evaluation method proved feasible in the quantitative evaluation of environmental policy, and can help to (i) better understand the advantages and challenges of implementing contaminated site management policy in target cities, and (ii) provide evidence for further decision making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sustainable implementation of an urban water supply system (UWSS) should achieve an optimum compromise among water ecosystem protection, climate change mitigation, and economic performance. This paper establishes an UWSS optimization framework by integrating a multi-objective optimization model with life cycle assessment and a water distribution system simulation model. The trade-offs among total cost, greenhouse gas (GHG) emission, and an extended water ecosystem impact (WII) objective are taken into consideration. The central area of Beijing City which is the main water-receiving area of the South-to-North Water Transfer Project (SNWTP), is chosen as a case study. A baseline scenario for 2012 and several future scenarios for 2020 and 2030 are implemented to investigate the influence of alternative climates and future policies on UWSS optimization. The outcome of this study indicates that the UWSS should be shifted towards an unconventional water-based supply system in the future. The share of contribution of the unconventional water supply is increased from 41% in 2012 to more than 70% in 2020 and 2030. This result can be drawn in all of the water-receiving areas of the middle route of the SNWTP. Moreover, alternative climates have influences on unconventional water utilization. Imported water through the middle route of the SNWTP is a preferable choice to augment the water supply in arid climates while reclaimed wastewater is more appropriate in moist climates. A decomposition analysis of the emissions reduction policies shows that the water demand control strategy is efficient in GHG emissions reduction while the water supply management strategy is efficient in WII reduction. Such a systematic analysis of an UWSS could provide sustainable and practical recommendations on water resource management in arid regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information-based policy instruments are some of the most commonly used tools for influencing consumers' water use in the residential sector. However, their ability to change behavior remains an area in need of further research. This study describes the evaluation of an information-based demand management program, rooted in normative comparison, designed to increase the efficiency of households' residential outdoor water use. Results indicate that the program had an impact on water use among households that received persuasive messages regarding their past consumption, compared to estimates of lawn water requirements and the water use of neighbors. Additionally, the results demonstrate that the treatment effect gets stronger over time and varies among message recipients as a function of baseline water use. Unanticipated effects of the administration of the messages show an increase in water use among the lowest consuming households. Top users reduced their water use significantly as a function of the persuasive message. The findings suggest that utilities seeking to augment users' water consumption through persuasion must be cognizant of the way that messages are framed, and who receives them, or potentially face unanticipated side effects, and that message repetition may have some additionality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Circular economy (CE) is gaining popularity at different levels with the promise of creating more sustainable processes. In this context, cities are implementing a number of initiatives that aim to turn them into sustainable circular systems. Whether these initiatives achieve their sustainability goals, however, is largely unknown. Nevertheless, as the application of CE strategies is actively encouraged by many policies across the globe, there is a need to quantify the environmental impacts and to identify the strategies that support urban sustainability. This paper analyses the extent to which research focuses on quantifying the environmental balance of CE initiatives promoted at the municipal level. To this end, the analysis scanned CE initiatives reported in cities around the globe and classified them into urban targets and CE strategies. In parallel, the paper conducted a review of the literature that uses industrial ecology tools to account for the environmental impacts of CE strategies. Results show a diverse geographical representation, as reported cities concentrated in Europe, whereas for environmental research, the main results came from China. In general, cities encourage strategies relating to urban infrastructure (47%), with and additional focus on social consumption aspects, such as repair and reuse actions. In comparison, research mainly addressed industrial and business practices (58%), but the approach to infrastructure was similar to that of cities, both with a special interest in waste management. Research has yet to assess social consumption and urban planning strategies, the latter essential for defining the impacts of other urban elements. Hence, there is a need to define the environmental impacts of the strategies that cities select in their quest for circularity. Research and practice can also benefit from working collaboratively so as to prioritize the CE strategies that best fit into the features of each urban area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to explore the phenomenon of the adoption of sustainability accounting, sustainable financing and relevant regulatory measures for the development of a green financing system in an emerging global financial centre under the influence of sustainable global development. As Hong Kong, the Global Financial Centre of China (GFCC), emerges as a regional green finance hub, a framework of the circumstantial developments that contribute to the development of a green financing system is illustrated. It suggests a top-down approach of institutional legitimacy for sustainability influenced by a national policy and enhanced through a market-based finance approach in the GFCC. Adopting a multiple-case study approach, this paper reveals three cases of sizable listed enterprises notable for their heterogeneous approaches to embracing risk governance, sustainable accounting and financing in their issuance of green bonds. A theoretical framework is proposed over the mutually reinforcing effects of legitimate policy and market-based finance that engender the convergence of a green financing system. The implications for the integrity of a green financing system in relation to sustainability controls and cleaner production are articulated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reviews the incentives for pursuing a low-carbon electricity sector that are embedded in China's regulatory and policy framework. To do so, we first describe the industry structure and the regulatory framework. Second, we explicitly review the policies that were developed to promote energy efficiency and renewable energy. These policies range from the introduction of legal requirements to undertake particular actions to pricing mechanism and financial incentives. Based on this, we tease out the challenges faced by a sector governed by a myriad of complex arrangements, different institutions and agents who face different and often conflicting incentives for pursuing environmental and energy efficiency objectives. Finally, we provide suggestions to scientifically set up low-carbon policies and to achieve the expected goals with minimum social cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Economic conditions are typically viewed as having an important influence on environmental policy. In particular, it is widely believed that under adverse economic conditions, electorates and governments prioritize economic growth and jobs over costly ecological restraint. The empirical evidence for this received wisdom, however, remains surprisingly contradictory. We contribute to this debate by studying a case where the odds of the economy-environment trade-off claim holding true should be high: an emerging economy in severe recession, and environmental policy with high short-term costs and long-term benefits. Based on a representative survey (N = 2449) in Brazil, implemented in late 2015/early 2016, we examine how ego- and socio-tropic economic conditions, both perceived and real, affect citizens’ preferences concerning the mitigation of deforestation and climate change. We find no robust evidence for an economy-environment trade-off. The main policy implication is that, from a public opinion perspective, there is considerable room for ambitious environmental policy even under adverse economic conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Individual Low-carbon Behavior Rewarding System (ILBRS) is a new Chinese environmental policy that aims to guide public participation in sustainable development through applying a range of incentive mechanisms. It is regarded as an important and effective way of reducing carbon emissions in response to climate change. However, knowledge of the influencing factors of support for the ILBRS is still scattered and lacks systematic analysis. This study is one of the first literatures to explore public support for ILBRS through a large sample of longitudinal data relying on psychological theory. Based on the Responsible Environmental Behavior model, we established a mechanism that consists of three levels of factors affecting public support for the ILBRS. These factors involve individual characteristics, individual perception, and willingness of performing other low-carbon behaviors. The results of a longitudinal panel survey at one-year interval with 2,324 valid responses indicated that connectedness to nature, perception that climate change is happening, willingness to sort waste and to use green energy could significantly and positively predict public support for the ILBRS. Based on the findings of this study, we provide practical suggestions for policy makers to further improve the implementation of the ILBRS by raising public awareness of climate change and integrating it with other relevant environmental policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly influenced the global economy, international travel, global supply chains, and how people interact, and subsequently affect globalization in coming years. In order to understand the impact of COVID-19 on globalization and provide potential guidance to policymakers, the present study predicted the globalization level of the world average and 14 specific countries in scenarios with and without COVID-19 based on a new Composite Indicator method which contains 15 indicators. Our results revealed that the world average globalization level is expected to decrease from 2017 to 2025 under the scenario without COVID-19 by −5.99%, while the decrease of globalization under the COVID-19 scenario is predicted to reach −4.76% in 2025. This finding implies that the impact of COVID-19 on globalization will not be as severe as expected in 2025. Nevertheless, the downward trend of globalization without COVID-19 is due to the decline of the Environmental indicators, whereas the decline under the COVID-19 scenario is attributed to Economic aspects (almost −50%). The impact of COVID-19 on globalization varies across individual countries. Among the countries investigated, COVID-19 had a positive impact on the globalization of Japan, Australia, the United States, the Russian Federation, Brazil, India and Togo. In contrast, the globalization in the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Qatar, Egypt, China and Gabon are expected to decrease. The variation of impact induced by COVID-19 on those countries is attributed to the weighting of economic, environmental and political aspects of globalization is different across these countries. Our results can help governments take suitable measures to balance economic, environmental and political policies, which may better support their decision-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As China's longest-implemented market-based environmental regulation policy, emission charges have contributed outstandingly to improving the ecological environment and reducing firms' pollution emissions. We assess the impact of emission charges on the innovation quality of Chinese firms based on the perspective of firms' breakthrough technological innovation. By observing Chinese A-share listed firms with heavy pollution from 2011 to 2020, we find that corporate breakthrough technological innovation positively moderates the emission charges to enhance the quality of corporate innovation. Our mechanism tests suggest that emission charges and breakthrough technological innovation positively affect innovation quality by improving the means of green innovation of enterprises. In addition, heterogeneity analysis shows that emission charges and firms' breakthrough technological innovation are only effective in improving the innovation quality of state-owned firms, and the effect on the innovation quality of non-state-owned firms is not significant. Our findings suggest that the imposition of emission charges and incentives for firms to embark on breakthrough technological innovation can effectively improve the quality of innovation. • The article is probably the first literature to explore the effects of breakthrough technological innovation and emission charges on the innovation quality of heavily polluting enterprises in China, enriching the research on the impact of enterprise innovation models on environmental regulation. • Based on the IPC information of enterprise patent applications, the paper distinguishes enterprise innovation patterns and explores the moderating effect of breakthrough technological innovation on emission charges to enhance the quality of enterprise innovation. • This paper provides micro evidence on the impact of environmental regulation on innovation quality based on the perspective of firms' breakthrough technological innovation, which has important implications for adopting environmental regulation to achieve a "win-win" situation between pollution control and improving innovation quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental policy monitoring requires data with suitable spatial and temporal resolutions. We present a new method of spatialising pesticide sales in France to monitor environmental policies on a territorial scale. Data on pesticide sales in France are available yearly at a postal code resolution. Our spatialisation model combines parcel-scale land use data with information on pesticide types and applied doses, based on legal authorisations for pesticide use in France. We compared the performance of our new model with that of a simple surface fraction model in two distinct territories: Bourville (830 ha, Normandy), a small catchment composed of two small postal code fractions with available ground truth data about pesticide application, and Pleine-Fougères (12,007 ha, Britany), a larger area with a single postal code comprising seven municipalities with contrasting inter-municipal land uses and no ground truth information about pesticide application. For the Bourville site, due to homogeneous land use, the new model was no better than the simple model for global pesticide use, but it performed better when the results were analysed by crop type. For the Pleine-Fougères site, the new model was effective in distinguishing the use of pesticides by municipality, whereas the simple model was not. Our results demonstrate that our new model improves pesticide use quantification at a territorial level and can provide valid support for monitoring public policies regarding water quality and pesticide use over time and space. [Display omitted] • We propose a new spatialisation model of pesticide sales for France. • We apply the new model to two study areas and compare it with the model currently in use. • The results from the new model were consistent with the ground truth by land use type. • The new model helps to differentiate contrasting areas of pesticide use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comparing temperature and emissions data does not clearly show a relationship between the two variables. Going further, this study combines Leontief production technology with a computable general equilibrium model of global trade in order to quantitatively test the implications of mitigation policies for welfare and the environment. We compute optimal emissions taxes and show that administering carbon fees reduces environmental damages by nearly 50%. However, there is a tradeoff effect on production which calls for caution when implementing environmental policies. In general, environmental benefits and resources shifting due to carbon taxes lead to welfare gains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]