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Several countries have imposed either a ban or a tax on single-use plastic packaging, motivated by their contribution to marine plastic pollution. This may lead consumers to opt for similar unregulated substitutes, potentially undermining or even counteracting the intended effect of the policy instrument. The purpose of this study is to theoretically and empirically compare the environmental and welfare effects of the first-best Pigouvian taxes on both plastic bags and a substitute (paper bags), with two alternative second-best policy instruments: a tax on plastic products alone, and a common uniform tax on all packaging materials. The empirical analysis accounts for two different types of environmental externalities from the use of both bag types: marine pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. It also compares results for two countries, Denmark and the USA, which differ in the demand for plastic and paper bags. The theoretical analysis shows that a unilateral tax on plastic bags should equal the marginal environmental damage of plastic bags minus a fraction of the marginal environmental cost of paper bags, hence being lower than the Pigouvian tax. The optimal common tax should equal a weighted average of the marginal environmental damage of the two bag types and would be lower than the Pigouvian tax on plastics if the marginal external cost of plastic bags exceeds that for paper bags. The empirical analysis shows that for default parameters, the variation in tax level across the studied scenarios is small. It also shows that if Pigouvian taxes cannot be implemented, a common uniform tax on both bag types would result in a higher welfare gain than a tax on plastic bags alone. Sensitivity analysis reveals that the level of the second-best taxes and their associated environmental and welfare impacts are sensitive to assumptions regarding the littering rate and decay rate of plastic bags in the marine environment. • A separate tax on plastic bags leads to substitution towards unregulated products. • Both plastic bags and substitutes cause marine pollution and GHG emissions. • We estimate first and second-best environmental taxes on plastic and paper bags. • Pigouvian taxes on both plastic and paper bags yield the highest welfare effect. • A uniform tax on all bags yields higher welfare than a single tax on plastic bags. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cement industry plays a significant role in global carbon emissions, underscoring the urgent need for measures to transition it toward a net-zero carbon footprint. This paper presents a detailed plan to this end, examining the current state of the cement sector, its carbon output, and the imperative for emission reduction. It delves into various low-CO 2 technologies and emerging innovations such as alkali-activated cements, calcium looping, electrification, and bio-inspired materials. Economic and policy factors, including cost assessments and governmental regulations, are considered alongside challenges and potential solutions. Concluding with future prospects, the paper offers recommendations for policymakers, industry players, and researchers, highlighting the roadmap's critical role in achieving a carbon-neutral cement sector. • Cement industry faces urgent need for net-zero transition due to high carbon emissions. • Roadmap spans phases: foundation, acceleration, net-zero, targeting emissions by 2050. • Innovations like alkali-activated cements offer promise for emission reduction. • Collective action and policy crucial for sustainable transformation of cement sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogeological effects of climate change will continue to affect water reservoirs worldwide. Some regions are experiencing and will experience severe decline in their water resources due to prolonged periods of drought. Since emergency practices such as the provision of emergency drinking water and forest firefighting depend on regional surface and groundwater resources, the safety of the hydro geosphere's of a region is of fundamental importance, especially in times of crisis. The study uniquely addresses the integration of emergency water management within broader sustainable practices, particularly in the German context where such an analysis has not been previously consolidated. Using the example of emergency drinking water management, the paper elaborates the extent to which measures of emergency response are currently recognised as part of sustainable water management. In an analysis, 79 documents addressing emergency drinking water management of both water supply companies and crisis management authorities in Germany were analysed. The findings revealed a general lack of documents addressing the long-term dependencies between water resources and emergency measures currently applied. Furthermore, the documents do not elaborate on how to implement these measures in a sustainable way recognising the distinctive characteristics of a region. Since response measures can potentially intensify water stress in a region, emergency water management must be consequently included in a holistic water management process to protect landscapes and communities for the future. This paper provides a first comprehensive compilation of essential documents dealing with emergency drinking water management in Germany. It furthermore introduces a new approach to emergency water management and identifies necessary research that could serve as a baseline for future crisis decision making to strengthen national and international initiatives on water resource protection. • Holistic water management must include water intense measures of emergency response. • Procedures of crisis management can intensify processes of regional water depletion. • Performance of emergency response can decline in times of long-term dryness. • The management of water emergencies requires adaptation to regional hydrogeography. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Mediterranean basin is one of the most vulnerable regions worldwide due to its population density, the concentration of economic activities along the coasts and borderline climatic balance. It is identified as one of the most critical erosion hotspots in Europe, mainly due to the degradation of coastal areas, overexploitation and unsustainable practices affecting beach tourism, agriculture and fishing. The region is also affected by other phenomena such as storms and floods, which are exacerbated by climate change. To mitigate and adapt to these environmental and climatic changes, Nature based Solutions (NbSs) are considered a promising step-forward. However, despite their global recognition in both research and policy, few scientific papers and documents on the state of NbSs implementation for coastal risk management in the Mediterranean exist. This paper aims to provide an understanding of the status of NbS adoption for coastal risk management in the Mediterranean through a literature review. Out of 162 scientific papers and documents, only 23 were found to be relevant to the study. Through the definition and support of an innovative matrix-based approach, the analysis of the state of adoption of NbSs have been performed. Despite the limited information on the state of the adoption of NbSs for coastal risk management in the Mediterranean due to the low numbers of scientific research and documents available, some key considerations have been revealed. • The Mediterranean basin is the most critical erosion hotspots in Europe. • NbSs are recognized a promising step-forward in coastal risk management. • Novel framework for the analysis of past and present NbS implementation. • Few studies report the adoption of NbSs for Mediterranean coastal risk management. • NbS for coastal risk management in the Mediterranean is still in an experimental phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change affects human activities, including tourism across various sectors and time frames. The winter tourism industry, dependent on low temperatures, faces significant impacts. This paper reviews the implications of climate change on winter tourism, emphasising challenges for activities like skiing and snowboarding, which rely on consistent snowfall and low temperatures. As the climate changes, these once taken-for-granted conditions are no longer as commonplace. Through a comprehensive review supported by up-to-date satellite imagery, this paper presents evidence suggesting that the reliability of winter snow is decreasing, with findings revealing a progressive reduction in snow levels associated with temperature and precipitation changes in some regions. The analysis underscores the need for concerted efforts by stakeholders who must recognize the reality of diminishing snow availability and work towards understanding the specific changes in snow patterns. This should involve multi-risk and multi-instrument assessments, including ongoing satellite data monitoring to track snow cover changes. The practical implications for sports activities and the tourism industry reliant on snow involve addressing challenges by diversifying offerings. This includes developing alternative winter tourism activities less dependent on snow, such as winter hiking, nature walks, or cultural experiences. [Display omitted] • Snow coverage in winter is projected to shrink due to climate change. • Low and inconsistent levels of snow will impact the winter tourism industry. • Besides being unsustainable, artificial snowmaking is a short-term solution. • To survive, the winter tourism industry must adapt to the changing climate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mitigation actions in all sectors of society, including sports, to limit global warming have become an increasingly hot topic in public discussions and sports management. However, so far, there has been a lack of understanding and practical examples of how these organizations, especially in team sports, can holistically assess and reduce their climate impacts to achieve carbon neutrality. This paper presents a carbon footprint assessment, implemented actions for GHG emission reduction, and offers the example of a professional Finnish ice hockey team that achieved carbon neutrality. The study is based on a life cycle assessment method. The Results show that the team's carbon footprint was reduced from 350 tCO 2eq by more than 50% between seasons 2018–2019 and 2021–2022 in the assessed categories. The most GHG emission reductions were achieved in the team's and spectators' mobility and ice hall energy consumption. Furthermore, the team compensated for their remaining emissions to achieve carbon neutrality. Multiple possibilities for further GHG emission reductions were recognized. The majority of the GHG emissions were linked to the Scope 3 category, indicating that co-operation with partners and stakeholders was a key to success in attaining carbon neutrality. This paper also discusses the possible limitations and challenges that sport organizations face in assessing climate impacts and reducing GHG emissions, as well as the prospects of overcoming them. Since there are many opportunities for sports to contribute to climate change mitigation, relevant targets and actions to reduce GHG emissions should be integrated into all sport organizations' management. [Display omitted] • This the first assessment of professional ice hockey team's carbon footprint. • Multiple actions led to a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. • Concludes how sport organizations can manage their environmental impacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the global context, countries must reduce carbon dioxide emissions to "net zero" by 2050 to limit global warming to 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels. China's Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) are to peak carbon dioxide emissions by 2030 and achieve the carbon neutrality target by 2060. To monitor the achievements of the NDCs, establishing an annual-based accounting mechanism is necessary to record the carbon stocks in China, especially for Blue Carbon. The paper aims to present China's first national-scale systematic Blue Carbon accounting for mangroves, salt marshes, and seagrasses, covering the accounting subjects of physical and monetary assets, as well as relevant indicators for investors. It focuses on the design of the accounting method and system, the selection of data categories applied to this system, and the application of China's Blue Carbon accounting based on this accounting system. Taking Blue Carbon accounting as a starting point, this paper analyses the restoration prospects of these ecosystems and their application potential for NDCs in China compared with the terrestrial ecosystems. The results indicate that mangroves are the most cost-effective type of ecosystem, even compared to terrestrial forests. Thus, the paper provides policymakers with a new perspective on the decision-making of carbon sequestration relevant decisions, aiming to promote the monitoring, restoration, and expansion of China's coastal blue carbon ecosystem through the establishment of a sound Blue Carbon accounting system, and to help achieve the carbon neutrality goal in China's NDCs through regular and systematic monitoring of its national Blue Carbon inventories. • China's coastal blue carbon ecosystems are carbon sources rather than carbon sinks. • Mangroves are the most cost-effective coastal blue carbon ecosystem compared to salt marshes and seagrass beds. • The Blue Carbon of mangroves is more cost-effective than the Green Carbon of terrestrial forests when meeting China's Nationally Determined Contributions target of increasing forest stocks. • Establishing guidelines for Blue Carbon data requirements will lay a scientific foundation for formulating strategies and policies to cope with global climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change exhibits a clear trend of escalating frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, posing heightened risks to drainage systems along the existing road networks. However, very few studies to date have investigated the consequences of projected future changes in rainfall on main road drainage and the resulting risk of road flooding. The work presented in this paper builds on the limited research by introducing a probabilistic model for assessing the impact of climate change on road drainage systems, incorporating climate uncertainty and drainage system variation. The probabilistic scenario-based model and associated framework offer a practical and innovative method for estimating the impact of short-duration storms under future climates for 2071–2100, in the absence of fine-resolution spatio-temporal data. The model also facilitates the assessment of the effectiveness of a climate adaptation strategy. An illustrative case-study of a road drainage system located in the south of Ireland is presented. It was found that the probability of road flooding during intense rainfall is projected to surpass the current acceptable limits set by Irish standards. Assessment of a proactive climate adaptation strategy implemented in 2015 indicated it may need to be adjusted to further reduce climate change impacts and optimise adaptation costs. • Climate change can impact extreme rainfall patterns, and resulting road flooding. • A flooding model is developed incorporating climate and drainage system uncertainty. • A quantitative climate risk analysis framework is proposed for road drainage. • The effectiveness of a climate adaptation strategy adopted in Ireland is quantified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change is considered one of the major systemic risks facing the world in the 21st century. To address climate change, China has adopted a series of climate policies, but the uncertainty brought about by frequent climate policy issuance has increased pressure on enterprises, which may not be conducive to enterprises reducing emissions. This paper uses data on 1211 listed companies on the A-share market in China from 2012 to 2022 to study the impact of climate policy uncertainty on enterprise pollutant emissions. The research findings show that climate policy uncertainty increases corporate pollution emissions; climate policy uncertainty mainly generates negative impacts on enterprise environmental regulation, social responsibility, and R&D investment, thereby negatively affecting enterprise emissions reduction. Further heterogeneity analysis shows that climate policy uncertainty in China has a more significant impact on non-state-owned enterprises, technology-intensive enterprises, lightly polluting enterprises, and enterprises in western regions. These findings emphasize the importance of enterprise social responsibility, environmental regulation, and R&D investment in enterprise emissions reduction and provide policy implications for Chinese enterprises to optimize their energy-saving and emission reduction strategies in the face of climate policy uncertainty. • We investigate the correlation between uncertainty in climate policy and the corporate pollution emissions. • We utilized an extensive dataset comprising publicly listed Chinese firms spanning the period from 2012 to 2022. • Climate policy uncertainty negatively impacts corporate environmental regulation, social responsibility, and R&D investment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the aggravation of global warming and the increasing demand for energy, the development of renewable energy is imminent. Floating photovoltaic (FPV) is a new form of renewable energy generation. However, the impact of FPV on the aquatic environment is still unclear. By long-term empirical monitoring and data analysis, this paper reveals the shading effect of large-scale FPV power station on aquatic environment for the first time. The results show that: (1) Compared with the non-photovoltaic (NP) zone, FPV only significantly reduces the concentration of dissolved oxygen in the photovoltaic (P) zone. (2) The concentration of chlorophyll a , nitrate nitrogen and total phosphorus increase, while pH and ammonia nitrogen decrease. FPV only causes an effect of the same order of magnitude as the initial concentration, and has no significant adverse effects on the nutritional status of the water body at a coverage ratio less than 50%. (3) FPV has a cooling effect on the water body during the daytime and a thermal insulation effect at night, with the most pronounced impact on peak water temperature (T w). The heating and cooling process of T w in P zone usually lags behind the NP zone by 1–3 h. The diurnal fluctuation and vertical difference of T w as well as the stability of water body are reduced under the shading of FPV, alleviating the influence of climate change on T w and water body stratification. (4) If 10% of the water area larger than 1 km2 in China are used to develop FPV, more than 900 million tons of CO 2 emissions can be reduced, and about 5 billion m3 water can be saved, which is significant in the context of climate change. In general, this paper provides a reference for the future aquatic environmental impact assessment of FPV and the formulation of related policies. • The impact of FPV on aquatic environment has been assessed. • The scale effect of FPV and impact of "fish-photovoltaic integration" are revealed. • Spatial-temporal and object specificity of impact on aquatic environment is reviewed. • The responds of FPV to the challenges of global climate change are further discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Renewable energy is not only an efficient way to ensure energy independence and security but also supports the transition to a low carbon economy and society. The progress of renewable energy technological innovation is an important factor that influences the development of renewable energy. An in-depth analysis of the driving factors that influence this progress is crucial to China's energy transition. Based on Chinese provincial data over 2000–2015 and panel data models, this paper regards the CO 2 emissions as climate change and explores the response of renewable energy technological innovation to intensive CO 2 emissions. We also analyze the effect of the driving factors such as energy price and R&D investment on this innovation process. The main conclusions drawn are: (1) There are significant differences in technological innovation levels across China's provinces. (2) We observe that the intensive CO 2 emissions have promoted renewable energy technological innovation level, meaning that innovation process responds actively to climate changes. (3) R&D investment from government and enterprise both are conducive for promoting the innovation level. (4) Energy price has an insignificant effect on innovation in renewable energy technologies and we attribute this to the unreasonable energy price mechanism. This paper provides clear evidence for understanding the role of innovation on climate change. • The drivers of the renewable energy technological innovation are explored. • There are significant differences in technological innovation across provinces. • Renewable energy technological innovation responds actively to climate changes. • R&D investment is conducive for promoting the technological innovation levels. • The government should give full play to the role of the energy price mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While socioeconomic and institutional factors are crucial in explaining the onset and evolution of conflicts, recent research suggests that climate change is a further indirect driver acting as a "threat multiplier". This paper focuses on the concept of vulnerability to both climate change and conflicts to explain why some locations are more likely to engage in armed conflicts than others in the presence of a similar level of exposure to climatic changes. In particular, by means of a Spatial Autoregressive Model, we identify a set of local-specific vulnerability factors that increase conflict risk in East Africa. We employ a georeferenced database with a resolution of 25 × 25 km, covering the period 1997–2016. Results from our analysis provide some interesting insights: first, climate change does not increase conflict risk per se , but only in the presence of pre-existing vulnerabilities. Second, resource access and socioeconomic factors play a key role in driving the climate-conflict nexus especially in urban areas. In particular, vulnerability is increased whenever power is not distributed in such a way as to ensure an equitable distribution of resources. Overall, our findings suggest that, by addressing vulnerability factors that prevent adaptive capacity and an equitable distribution of resources, societies may benefit in terms of both diminished conflict risk and alleviation of climate change impacts. • The climate-conflict nexus is mediated by access to resources at the local level. • Climate change only increases conflict risk in case of pre-existing vulnerabilities. • Climate change acts as a threat multiplier for vulnerable communities. • Synergies for ensuring adaptive capacity to climate change and peace exist. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change is a non-traditional security crisis affecting the global economy and diplomatic progress. In order to curtail carbon emissions and alleviate the perils of climate change at their roots, urban green innovation (UGI) has emerged as a pivotal technological solution. Using the expansion of the Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration in China as a case study, this paper develops a quasi-experimental model to analyze the effects of regional integration policies on UGI. The main findings are: (1) Regional integration policies significantly enhance UGI and their impact is more pronounced with the expansion of urban agglomerations; (2) Regional integration policies contribute to the advancement of exploitative green innovation while tending to diminish exploratory green innovation; (3) The green innovation effects (GIEs) created by the expansion of regional integration policies are largely influenced by governmental mechanisms on environmental governance as well as residents' green preferences. Based on these findings, recommendations are put forward to promote UGI from the perspective of policy implementation. • The quasi-experimental models of urban agglomeration expansion on green innovation are constructed. • The positive effects of urban agglomeration expansion on green innovation are proven. • Urban agglomeration expansion can enhance exploitative green innovation and also reduce exploratory green innovation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global warming has accentuated the effects of extreme heat on health. Health insurance, functioning as a risk management tool, has the potential to alleviate these impacts. Consequently, this paper investigates the correlation between extreme heat events and the demand for health insurance in China. Using data from the China Health and Nutrition Survey, we have observed a substantial increase in the likelihood of residents purchasing health insurance during extreme heat events. To be specific, for every extra day of extreme heat events annually, there is a 0.3% increase in the probability of purchasing health insurance. This effect is not uniform across different demographic groups. It is particularly pronounced among middle-aged and elderly individuals, rural residents, those with lower educational levels, higher income brackets, and individuals residing in underprivileged areas with limited access to green spaces and healthcare facilities. Furthermore, our study indicates that the increased frequency of extreme heat events not only impacts individuals' physical health but also triggers negative emotions, which in turn drive risk-averse behavior related to health insurance purchases. These findings carry substantial policy implications for mitigating the economic consequences of climate change. • Extreme heat increases the likelihood of residents purchasing health insurance. • Each additional day of extreme heat boosts health insurance purchases by 0.3%. • This effect varies among different populations. • Mechanistic analyses indicate extreme heat impacting physical and mental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to examine the impact of geopolitical risk (GPR), threats (GPT) and acts (GPA) on returns and volatilities of regional climate change stocks under different market conditions, employing quantile regressions. Our main results suggest that climate change stock returns positively (negatively) respond to GPR in bullish (bearish) market states, however the effect is not uniform across the regions. The volatilities mainly show a positive response to geopolitical tensions; geopolitical acts appear to have a more pronounced impact on volatilities than geopolitical threats. We further find that GPR leads to higher volatility during the Russia-Ukraine war, creating heightened uncertainty. Overall, the results reveal that geopolitical risks have an asymmetric and heterogenous impact on climate change stocks. The results provide significant insights and implications for financial market participants and policy makers. • The study investigates how geopolitical risks (GPR) influence the returns and volatilities of climate change stocks in different market conditions. • We focus on the Russia's invasion of Ukraine as a geopolitical conflict. • We find an asymmetric impact of GPR on climate change stock returns, with positive responses observed in bullish market states and negative responses in bearish market states. • While GPR does not significantly affect returns, it leads to higher volatilities during the Russia-Ukraine war. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Feeding the world's population while minimising the contribution of agriculture to climate change is one of the greatest challenges facing modern society. This challenge is particularly pronounced for dairy production where the carbon footprint of products and the mitigation costs are high, relative to other food stuffs. This paper reviews a number of mitigation measures that may be adopted by dairy farmers to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from their farms. A simulation model is developed to assess the cost-benefit of a range of mitigation measures. The model is applied to data from Ireland, a country with a large export-oriented dairy industry, for a range of farms including top, middle and bottom performing farms from a profitability perspective. The mitigation measures modelled included animal productivity, grass production and utilisation, better reproductive performance, early compact calving, reduced crude protein, decreased fertiliser N, protected urea, white clover, slurry tank cover and low emission slurry spreading (LESS). The results show that over half of the greenhouse gas abatement potential and most of the ammonia abatement potential were realised with cost-beneficial measures. Animal and feed-related measures that increased efficiency drove the abatement of GHG emissions. Low-emission slurry spreading was beneficial for the bottom and middle one-third of farms, while protected urea and reducing nitrogen use accounted for most of the ammonia abatement potential for the most profitable farms. Results showed that combining mitigation measures resulted in a decrease of 23%, 19%, and 12% in GHG emissions below 2020 levels for the bottom, middle, and top performing dairy farms, respectively. The findings imply that top dairy farms, that are already managed efficiently and optimally, may struggle to achieve the national and international GHG reduction targets with existing technologies and practices. • The top dairy group may struggle to achieve the 2030 and future GHG reductions targets with existing technologies and practices • 56%–86% of emissions reduction achieved through mitigation measures that were cost effective, net-zero for all three groups • Farm-level MACCs can account for variability in GHG and NH3 mitigation potentials and costs, that are often missed at the sectoral or country level. • The study found that combining mitigation measures resulted in a decrease of 23%, 19%, and 12% in GHG emissions below 2020 levels for the bottom, middle, and top dairy groups, respectively • Farm-level marginal abatement cost curve (MACC) are useful for understanding the capacity to reduce gaseous emissions from specific agricultural systems or farms [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change has intensified the effects of habitat fragmentation in many ecosystems, particularly exacerbated in riparian habitats. Therefore, there is an urgent need to identify keystone connectivity spots to ensure long-term conservation and sustainable management of riparian systems as they play a crucial role for landscape connectivity. This paper aims to identify critical areas for connectivity under two contrasting climate change scenarios (RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5 models) for the years 2030, 2050 and 2100 and to group these critical areas by similar connectivity in keystone spots for sustainable management. A set of analyses comprising climate analysis, drainage network analysis, configuration of potential riparian habitats, riparian habitat connectivity, data clustering, and statistical analysis within a Spanish river basin (NW Spain) were applied. The node and link connectivity would be reduced under the two climate change scenarios (≈2.5 % and 4.4 % reduction, respectively), intensifying riparian habitat fragmentation. Furthermore, 51 different clusters (critical areas) were obtained and classified in five classes (keystone spots) with similar connectivity across the different scenarios of climate change. Each keystone spot obtained by hierarchical classification was associated with one or more climate scenarios. One of these keystone spots was especially susceptible to the worst climate change scenario. Key riparian connectivity spots will be crucial for the management and restoration of highly threatened riparian systems and to ensure long-term biodiversity conservation. • Connectivity importance was reduced under different climate change scenarios. • Critical area detection for connectivity conservation is threatened by climate change. • Critical areas were classified with similar connectivity keystone spots against climate change. • Keystone spots with high PC index will be priority for conservation management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Governments globally face increasing pressure from climate advocates and international agreements, such as the Paris Agreement, to enact policies addressing climate change. This paper addresses the imperative for sustainable practices outlined in such agreements, with a specific focus on assessing the drivers of Green Procurement Practices (GPP) within Public Sector Organizations (PSOs). A dearth of research exists in systematically analyzing and prioritizing these drivers, exploring their interdependencies, and elucidating their relative importance. GPP is pivotal in market transformation by promoting environmentally friendly products and endorsing low-carbon, energy-efficient alternatives. This, in turn, contributes significantly to mitigating climate change and fostering a shift towards a greener, more sustainable economy. Identification of the drivers has been performed by an extensive review of the literature combined with the author's viewpoint, while the analysis has been performed using the novel method of Dominance-based Rough Set Approach (DRSA) and Interpretive Structural Modelling (ISM) with Matriced' Impacts Croise's Multiplication Applique'e a UN Classement (MICMAC) analysis. The study's outcome reveals that the Demand for Eco-friendly products is the primary driver for the incorporation of GPP, followed by the drivers' Presence of guidelines support and Government Regulations. Findings of the research also demonstrate that suppliers' propensity to adopt green practices depends on several factors, including sustainable supplier cooperation, degree of commitment to embrace green initiatives, government interventions in the form of incentives and guidelines support, and the presence of a legal framework. The findings of this research will enrich the understanding of policymakers and managers to formulate strategies for advancing GPP structured and sustainable implementation in PSOs. The study's findings will also benefit green technology sector advancement through the widespread adoption of GPP. • Study focuses on assessing the drivers of green procurement practices (GPP) in public sector organizations (PSOs). • Analysis has been performed using the novel DRSA and ISM-MICMAC approach methodology. • Analysis reveals that the demand for eco-friendly products is the primary driver for incorporating GPP. • Other key drivers include the presence of guidelines support and government regulations. • Findings will enrich the understanding of policymakers and managers to formulate strategies for advancing GPP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The detrimental effects of climate change are becoming pressingly apparent over the decades with policy-makers clumsily grappling with various policies to mitigate on its impacts on their respective economies. However, inefficiencies permeate in the implementation of these policies as they are being implemented only at the end of the process of economic activities. To resolve such a problem, this paper develops an innovative and novel approach to internalize CO 2 emissions by proposing a ramified Taylor rule which captures a climate change premium, the level of which is directly dependent on the extent of deviation of actual CO 2 emissions from its targeted level. The key benefits of the proposed tool are that not only effectiveness level is being bolstered by applying the tool right at the start of the process of economic activities but also that funds collected out of such a climate change premium could empower governments worldwide to vigorously green their economies. The model is tested for a given economy using the DSGE approach with findings attesting to the effectiveness of the proposed tool in curtailing the level CO 2 emissions, independent of the type of monetary shock under scrutiny. Most importantly, depending on the extent of aggressiveness in mitigating the pollutants level, the parameter weight coefficient can be fine-tuned accordingly. • This paper develops an innovative model to internalize CO 2 emissions by linking CO 2 emissions to the macroeconomic state of the economy through the Taylor rule. • The model is tested using DSGE technique on a given economy. • Many benefits emanating from the newly developed model such as policy effectiveness. • A climate change premium is incorporated in the model which can provide funding to green economic activities. • The parameter weight coefficient can be fine-tuned accordingly depending on the degree of aggressiveness of the economy in mitigating CO 2 emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper contributes to the debate on the determinants of deforestation, a menace that is posing threat to sustainable development particularly in tropical developing regions. Specifically, the paper focuses on the effect of energy justice and democratization. The main contribution to the literature hinges on the emphasis on energy justice - operationalized as rural-urban equality in access to electricity and clean fuels and technologies for cooking - and its interaction with democracy. Using a panel data of 47 sub-Saharan African countries over the period 2000–2020 and the dynamic two-step generalized method of moment estimator, the results generally indicate that improvement in rural-urban equality in access to electricity and clean fuels and technologies for cooking is associated with a reduction in deforestation. Democracy is similarly found to be associated with reduction in deforestation. The conditional effect analysis largely depicts an intensified reducing effect of energy justice on deforestation in the presence of improved democratic practices. The results though robust to an alternative estimator, the Driscoll-Kraay estimator, differ when sub-regional analysis is considered. The paper aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goals 7, 13, 15 and 16. • How energy justice and democratization contribute to deforestation is examined. • Energy justice is measured by rural-urban equality in modern energy access. • Participatory, deliberative, egalitarian, liberal and electoral democracy are used. • Improving rural-urban equality in access to modern energy reduces deforestation. • Improving democracy reduces deforestation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper contributes to our understanding of how to improve manufacturing firms' green operations underpinned by the proactive behavior theory. Chinese manufacturing firms are focused on because of their significant impact on global climate change and distinctive governance structure. Specifically, we survey 155 highest-level environmental managers (EMs) in these firms who have an ultimate decision-making power on environmental issues, and investigate the antecedents and consequence of their proactive pollution reduction behavior (PPRB). Through identifying the psychological motivation implied in EMs' environmental management behavior, we find that both EMs' role breadth self-efficacy (including in-role self-efficacy and extra-role self-efficacy) and felt responsibility (including felt responsibility establishment and felt responsibility coordination) can improve their PPRB. Further, available resources in firms only positively moderate the impact of extra-role self-efficacy on PPRB, and incentives from external stakeholders only moderate the impact of felt responsibility establishment on PPRB. Our empirical results also confirm that PPRB can improve corporate operational performance, strategic competitiveness, and environmental performance, but a higher level of PPRB's performance comes more from the driving force of PPRB's antecedents rather than PPRB itself. • The antecedent and performance of proactive pollution reduction behavior (PPRB) are revealed in this paper. • The effect of environmental managers' (EMs') psychological motivation has been analyzed along with contextual factors. • Both EMs' role breadth self-efficacy (RBSE) and felt responsibility (FR) improve their PPRB. • Contextual factors positively (but weakly) moderate the impact of RBSE and FR on PPRB. • EMs' PPRB may enhance performance in various aspects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Over the last decades ' resilience ' has particularly arisen as an attractive perspective with respect to cities. As cities continue to expand, their susceptibility to uncertainties and new challenges, such as climate change, has increased, rendering ' urban resilience ' an increasingly favoured concept in the realm of Urban Development, Planning and Management (UDPM). Despite recent reviews, an updated analysis of the concept is required to understand whether there is in fact scientific evidence to support the expansion and favouring of ' urban resilience ' in UDPM. The need to understand how the concept evolved is further emphasised by the need to perceive how the distinct sciences have contributed to its development, and which were the focuses and conceptual underpinnings of such evolution. Thus, the objective of this paper is to provide a broader review of the multidimensional concept of ' urban resilience ', while understanding how distinct research fields have contributed to its inception and expansion, and how distinct conceptualisations of resilience have influenced its evolution. Supported by a bibliometric analysis of urban-centric publications, this paper highlights the recent extensive growth and expanding application of ' urban resilience ' to distinct research fields, as well as an apparent theoretical stabilisation of the concept, which reemphasises the idea of a three-dimensional conceptual resilience perspective in scientific literature: (1) 'engineering', (2) 'ecological', and (3) 'social-ecological resilience'. Consequently, this research emphasises that, if the related conceptual underpinnings are clear, ' urban resilience ' can potentially serve as an ' integrative metaphor ', adapted by diverse stakeholders, to reinforce UDPM initiatives. Highlights • Urban Resilience has been gaining scientific prominence in recent years. • Bibliometric analysis shows increased concept application within and between different fields of science. • Concept use in distinct fields highlights its role as an integrative metaphor. • Literature analysis emphasises that Urban Resilience has evolved thematically. • Urban resilience has evolved conceptually until an apparent theoretical stabilisation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Countries in the East African region have for decades been synonymous with natural disasters, conflicts and severe environmental degradation. About 10 million out of the 65.6 million displaced persons globally are found in this region. This paper presents an empirical analysis of environmental impacts caused by forced displacements in five East African countries. Contrary to a widely-held opinion, there is sufficient anecdotal and empirical evidence depicting environmental damage caused by refugees and/or Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). A spatial analysis of current and former refugee and/or IDP camps in these five countries suggests the formation of “deforestation clusters” with concentrations of camps that compound environmental impacts. Technological advancements such as remote sensing capabilities can provide the means for assessing and implementing environmental protection measures. This paper recommends environmental care in humanitarian settings be considered an integral part of the Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and climate change/variability agenda, based on cost- and responsibility-sharing, employing technology, and incorporating appropriate monitoring tools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of global climate change and human activities are anticipated to significantly impact ecosystem services (ESs), particularly in urban agglomerations of arid regions. This paper proposes a framework integrating the dynamic Bayesian network (DBN), system dynamics (SD) model, patch generation land use simulation (PLUS) model, and the Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs (InVEST) model for predicting land use change and optimizing ESs spatial patterns that is built upon the SSP-RCP scenarios from CMIP6. This framework is applied to the oasis urban agglomeration on the northern slope of the Tianshan Mountains in Xinjiang (UANSTM), China. The findings indicate that both the SD model and PLUS model can accurately forecast the distribution of future land use. The SD model shows a relative error of less than 2.32%, while the PLUS model demonstrates a Kappa coefficient of 0.89. The land use pattern displays obvious spatial heterogeneity under different climate scenarios. The expansion of cultivated land and construction land is the main form of land use change in UANSTM in the future. The DBN model proficiently simulates the interactive relationships between ESs and diverse factors. The classification error rates for net primary productivity (NPP), habitat quality (HQ), water yield (WY), and soil retention (SR) are 20.04%, 3.47%, 4.45%, and 13.42%, respectively. The prediction and diagnosis of DBN determine the optimal ESs development scenario and the optimal ESs region in the study area. It is found that the majority of ESs in UANSTM are predominantly influenced by natural factors with the exception of HQ. The socio-economic development plays a minor role in such urban agglomerations. This study offers significant insights that can contribute to the fields of ecological protection and land use planning in arid urban agglomerations worldwide. • An integrated framework combining DBN, SD, PLUS and InVEST models was proposed. • Impact of natural and socioeconomic factors on ESs was determined under climate scenarios. • The spatial pattern of ESs was optimized and partitioned using DBNs. • ESs in arid oasis urban agglomerations are mainly affected by natural factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coastal areas are of paramount importance due to their pivotal role in facilitating a wide range of socio-economic activities and providing vital environmental services. These areas, as the meeting points of land and sea, face significant risks of flooding due to the ongoing rise in sea levels caused by climate change. Additionally, they are susceptible to extreme events like king tides and large waves in the future. This paper introduces a framework for estimating the extreme total water level (TWL) by considering the effects of regional sea level rise (RSLR) resulting from a warming climate under RCP 8.5. It also incorporates the contributions of high tides, 100-year storm surge, and 100-year wave setup and run-up. The proposed framework is utilized to evaluate the occurrence of extreme coastal flooding along the Persian Gulf coast of Iran, an area that is home to significant industries in the country. The results offer an estimated increase of RSLR by 0.23 m from 2020 to 2050 considering an ensemble of climate model projections. Extreme wave setup values are estimated to range between 0.19 and 0.66 m, while storm surge is projected to vary from 0.4 to 1.44 m across the studied coastline. These together yield in a projected extreme TWL along the coastline within the range of 3.18 and 3.90 m above the current sea level. This significant increase in sea level could lead to the inundation of approximately 513 km2 of low-lying coastal land, which accounts for about 16% of the studied domain and could pose serious flooding threat to the people and their assets in this region. Finally, relative ranking of flooded zones (i.e., 6 zones) helps determine the areas with higher chance of flood exposure, at which investment in flood mitigation measures should be prioritized. [Display omitted] • Regional sea level rise is quantified using GCMs under RCP 8.5. • Flooding maps are shown under regional SLR, tides, storm surge, wave setup and run-up. • Extreme total water level is expected to inundate important ports in Persian Gulf coast of Iran by 2050. • Research projects that 513 km of low-lying coastal areas will be inundated due to extreme total water level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change is widely regarded as a "wicked problem" due to its complexity, interconnectedness, and the numerous stakeholders involved in finding a solution. The wickedness of climate change is further compounded by effects which are often nonlinear and uncertain, making it difficult to predict and manage its impacts. This paper builds on the growing body of knowledge on wicked problems by proposing an integrated heuristic that facilitates management in diverse economic and sociopolitical contexts by capturing the origins and dynamics of contemporary global socioenvironmental wicked problems and their potential resolution. The heuristic can also serve as the basis for a holistic wicked problem macro-theory. It is recognised that wicked problems such as climate change amplify into crisis states due to poverty and rigidity traps embedded within a system panarchy, which impede effective action for adaptation and mitigation. The concept of the "virtuous challenge" is embedded within the heuristic as a vital link in governance to enable effective leadership in the management of contemporary wicked problems through focused incremental transformation and a shift to an "agrowth" imperative. It is acknowledged that collaboration between stakeholders in the Global North and Global South is necessary for successful responses to virtuous challenges. • Wicked problems are contextualised within an integrated conceptual heuristic • "Virtuous challenges" in the heuristic facilitate wicked problem governance • Tree-planting is a virtuous challenge relevant to climate change • The heuristic provides the basis for a wicked problem macro-theory [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable development requires high investment, and developing economies need external aid to afford it. Developed economies are committed to providing financial support to fight climate change to those with fewer resources suffering the severest consequences. Climate finance consists of financial activities focusing on mitigating and adapting to climate change effects. In this paper, two critical perspectives were addressed: the role of climate finance on environmental degradation and human development and climate finance determinants. This research compiled a panel covering 36 developing economies from 2001 to 2019. Panel-corrected Standard Errors and Feasible Generalized Least Squares estimators were applied. The Seemingly Unrelated Regressions method was carried out to provide robustness of the empirical findings. The empirical results show that climate finance contributes to environmental degradation mitigation, and this effect is more notable in lower-middle-income countries. In these countries, regulatory quality contributes to environmental quality. Moreover, climate finance and human development have a positive bilateral relationship. However, the results suggest that foreign capital inflow slows down human development. These findings provide useful information for policymakers to design and implement environmental policies and strategies to maximize the allocation of climate finance funds and thus help to improve environmental quality. • Annual data from 2001 to 2019 covering 36 developing economies. • An analysis of the role of climate finance and foreign capital inflow on environmental degradation. • Climate finance mitigates environmental degradation and improves human development. • Regulation quality decreases environmental degradation in the LMIC. • Human development is the most significant driver of climate finance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, China has achieved numerous economic miracles but it has also been plagued by severe air pollution. The frequent hazy weather has severely restricted China's sustainable development. To investigate the nonlinear threshold effect of socio-economic factors on urban haze in China, this study constructs a spatial econometric Smooth Transition Autoregressive Regression (STAR) model based on the STIRPAT theory by using the remote sensing inversion PM 2.5 data of 223 prefecture-level and above cities in China mainland during 2004–2016. In this study, the ARAR-STAR model is estimated by quasi-maximum likelihood estimation, and the accuracy of parameter estimation is verified by Monte Carlo simulation, which proves that the ARAR-STAR model constructed in this study is robust. It is concluded that: there is a complex spatial nonlinear relationship between socio-economic factors such as economic development level, population density, advanced industrial structure, energy consumption, opening-up, and haze pollution. The effect of socio-economic factors on haze emission reduction under the spatial influence has complex heterogeneity with the smooth transition between high and low regimes with economic development. The ARAR-STAR model constructed in this paper, which has both individual fixed effects and time fixed effects, expands the form of existing spatial panel nonlinear models and enriches and implements the application of spatial panel smooth transfer threshold models in the environmental field. Not only can it provide policy recommendations for China to achieve "coordinated efficiency in pollution reduction and carbon reduction" as soon as possible, but it also contributes to China's plan to address global climate change and promote global sustainable development. • Using spatial panel smooth transition autoregressive regression model for 2004–2016, we revisit the nonlinear effects of socio-economic factors on urban haze in China. • The ARAR-STAR model is estimated by quasi-maximum likelihood estimation. • We employ Monte Carlo simulation to obtain robust results. • The effect of population density, industrial structure, energy consumption, opening-up on haze emission has heterogeneity with the smooth transition between high and low regimes with economic development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coastal areas frequently face critical conditions due to the lack of adequate forms of land use planning, environmental management and inappropriate coastal risk management, sometimes leading to unexpected and undesired environmental effects. Risk management also involves cultural aspects, including perception. However, the acknowledgement of risk perception by stakeholders and local communities, as one of the social pillars of risk analysis, is often lacking. Starting from an overview of the risk concept and the related approaches to be addressed, the paper investigates the evolution of coastal risk management with a focus on the Italian case study. Despite the design and adoption of national policies to deal with coastal risks, coastal management still shows in Italy a fragmented and poorly coordinated approach, together with a general lack of attention to stakeholder involvement. Recent efforts in the design of plans aiming at reducing risks derived from climate change and mitigating their impacts (National Strategy on Climate Change Adaptation; National Climate Change Adaptation Plan; National Recovery and Resilience Plan activities) should be effective in updating knowledge about climate change risks and in supporting national adaptation policies. • Traditional coastal risk defense measures often lead to ineffective results. • Novel risk approaches are needed to manage the complexity of coastal issues. • Risk perception is a fundamental component in coastal risk management. • In Italy coastal management is fragmented and poor-coordinated. • It is important to involve stakeholder and society at large in management processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change has become a risk that companies, governments and stakeholders must consider. Climate risk affects everything from people's health to the performance of companies. The European Union has approved various legislations and action plans to counteract the effects of climate change in a pioneering strategy. Companies can play a critical role in mitigating climate change and creating a more sustainable future by integrating environmental considerations into their decision-making processes. However, this integration may impact their performance. This paper aims to analyse the effect of climate change on the stock returns of European companies. The study sample consists of 265 companies listed in the Stoxx 600 index between 2015 and 2021 and the methodology used is the econometric method for panel data. The results show that carbon emissions have a negative effect on the performance of companies. Oppositely, a good rating in the environmental pillar has a positive impact on returns. • Companies can help fight climate change by integrating environmental considerations. • Market values low exposure to climate risk. • Carbon emissions have a negative effect on companies' stock returns. • This study raises climate risk awareness for companies and offers measurement tools. • Good rating of environmental score impacts positively stock returns of companies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to climate change, the frequency and intensity of droughts are expected to increase. To improve resilience to droughts, proactive drought management is essential. Economic assessments are typically included to decide on the drought risk-reducing investments to make. The choice of both methods and scope of economic assessments influences the outcome, and thus the investment choice. This paper aims to identify how comprehensively economic assessments are applied in practice. Through a systematic literature review, 14 actual economic assessments are identified and their methods are evaluated based on seven criteria for economic assessments as derived from the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The results show that in practice, economic assessments rarely address all criteria. Applying a limited number of criteria reduces the scope and narrows the approach, possibly leading to the underestimation of drought risk reduction approaches' related benefits. Applying the seven criteria in practice will improve the results of economic assessments of drought risk reduction measures, allowing for optimal investment selection. Based on the different criteria, a Framework for Economic Assessments of Drought Risk-Reducing Applications (FEADRRA) is proposed. Applying the criteria of the framework can support decision-makers in drought risk management and in carrying out the most fitting drought interventions. • Criteria of the economics of climate change rarely translate into practice. • Limited criteria included can underestimate risk-reducing measures' attractiveness. • A framework for the economic assessment of drought mitigation measures is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rising temperature in the world's atmosphere is an outcome strongly linked to man-made manufactured interventions. Recreational activities in the form of tourism are such interventions that can unleash multidimensional negative externalities if not regulated properly. The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) region has become one of the major hubs for recreational activities in the last few decades. However, the region's tourism-led environmental degradation has received scant attention in the literature. As such, this paper unveils how tourist footprint affects the region's environmental sustainability and explores potential solutions to encourage the tourism industry to be more pro-environmental. We have used the novel GMM-PVAR technique to assess how globalization, transportation, green energy, and economic growth have affected the tourism industry and carbon footprint in the BIMSTEC region from 1990 to 2019. We lean on the empirical outcomes to propose regional sustainable tourism development policies. The GMM-PVAR model indicates that renewable energy, economic growth, and the transportation sector's development positively affect the tourism industry's growth in the region. However, globalization and environmental degradation negatively influence tourists' arrival. Contrarily, transportation services, economic growth, and tourism boost the carbon footprint in the region. Although globalization and clean energy reduce carbon footprint, these indicators are insignificant, indicating that this region is still lagging in renewable energy generation and failed to reap the positive spillovers of globalization. Based on these outcomes, we propose that the region redesign its tourism industry to encourage eco-friendly tourism by leaning more on pro-environmental strategies (i.e., powering the tourism industry through the penetration of renewable energies) and tightening environmental regulations. [Display omitted] • The indicators of sustainable tourism in the BIMSTEC region are assessed. • Analysis is conducted using the novel GMM-PVAR approach. • Additionally, determinants of carbon footprint in the region are explored. • Renewable energy, GDP growth, and transportation services boost tourism while globalization reduces tourism. • Transport sector, GDP growth and tourism boost carbon footprint in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As of 2017, the sale and use of the refrigerants most commonly used in automotive cooling systems – hydrofluorocarbons – are entirely banned in all new vehicles placed on the market in the European Union. These refrigerants have been recognised as potent greenhouse gases and, therefore, direct contributors to climate change. It is within this regulation-driven market that the technologies for a sustainable solution have been developed. However, this paper argues that the market for automotive cooling systems has been ‘locked-in’, which means that competing technologies, operating under dynamic increasing returns, will allow for one – potentially inferior technology – to dominate the market. Whilst such a situation is not uncommon, this paper discusses the way that regulation has reinforced a patented monopoly in ‘picking winners’: to the advantage of a synthetic chemical, R-1234yf, as opposed to the natural solution, which is CO 2 . By developing a generic conceptual framework of path dependence and lock-in, the presented evidence seeks to show how a snowballing effect has led to the intensification of differences in market share. We also argue that the automotive industry is potentially promoting short-term fixes, rather than long-term, sustainable and economically viable solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the years, due to the climate crisis, sustainable economic growth and biodiversity protection have been increasingly promoted. Scientists, researchers, and experts in the field of sustainable development highlighted that bio-based restoration of ecosystems and responsible management of existing resources are needed to meet the needs of future generations. This paper discusses some of the latest developments in three main areas of sustainability, i.e., energy, water and environment, that emerged from the "16th Sustainable Development of Energy, Water and Environment Systems Conference – SDEWES 2021". The purpose of this introduction article is to briefly review the articles included in this Virtual Special Issue. As such, it acts as an editorial paper for the virtual special issue of the Journal of Environmental Management, dedicated to the SDEWES 2021 conference. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Circular economy (CE) aims at sustainable development (SD) by focusing more on renewable sources of energy and precise management of waste to i) guarantee the secure access to resources, ii) combat climate change and global warming. Environmental issues arising from energy use and lack of policies to monitor them challenge sustainable development. Circular economy emphasizes the economic development with the least amount of undesirable environmental impacts. To evaluate the environmental performance of decision-making units (DMUs) with data envelopment analysis (DEA), this paper develops a common set of weights (CSW) model using the ideal point method. Therefore, energy and environmental efficiency of the organization for economic cooperation and development (OECD) countries is analyzed using the Malmquist productivity index (MPI) during 2012–2015. Although Switzerland has the highest energy and environmental efficiency during 2012–2014, findings indicate that Ireland and the USA have continuously improved their energy and environmental efficiency. • Developing common set of weight models based on ideal point method. • Common weight analysis of Malmquist productivity index. • Guaranteeing the unique optimal solution for policy making. • Analysing the energy and environmental performance of OECD countries. • Dealing with undesirable outputs for efficiency analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of international trade on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions has primarily been viewed through the lens of emissions embodied in goods, which flow from lower-income to higher-income countries. This trade has been interpreted as allowing the high-income countries to shirk their responsibilities to address the global climate challenge by offshoring emissions. However, international trade may also have an impact on climate through flows from higher-income to lower-income countries, particularly long-lived capital and durable goods that have the potential to avoid future emissions. Given the innovation resources concentrated in higher-income countries and their historic domination of trade in such long-lived goods, this concept may balance the scales to some degree. This paper briefly develops the concept of future avoided emissions and illustrates it with the empirical case of the United States' trade in battery electric vehicles (BEVs) from 2017 to 2020. • Trade in capital goods may reduce future emissions in importing countries. • Such trade may balance trade in goods that embody emissions. • Trade in BEVs is an example, reducing future emissions from conventional cars. • A case study of US BEV trade reveals a surplus in future avoided emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A climate disaster can be devastating, but its challenges and losses provide some opportunities to other countries. Therefore, in this paper, we examine the impact of climate risk on international trade with a particular focus on developed and developing countries. Using a large sample of 160 countries between 2006 and 2019, we find that climate disaster is positively associated with high international trade. An increase in the climate disaster index will lead to an increase of about 5.9% in imports as a proportion of GDP. This is significant given that the mean of imports of the sample countries is 48%. Regarding the flow of trade, importation is likely to increase by about 6.7% and export to decrease by 0.65% after the occurrence of climate disasters in developing countries. Conversely, we did not find significant changes in imports and a weak association with exports for developed countries. We attribute this differential impact of climate disasters between developed and developing countries to the preparedness and risk mitigation mechanism in developed countries. The result suggests that the long-term effect of climate disasters increasing overall international trade is due to increasing imports in developing countries. Additional analyses demonstrate the robustness of these results to different model specifications and measurements of variables. Our results imply that climate change and its associated natural disasters offer more trade opportunities for developed countries than developing countries, highlighting the climate injustices between the high and low climate change contributors. • We examine impact of climate disaster on international trade. • Climate disaster is significantly associated with high trade. • Climate disaster increases importation in developing countries. • Climate disaster is not significantly related to imports in developed countries. • Our findings highlight the climate injustice between developed and developing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To deeply analyze and understand the macro-financial impact of climate change, this paper investigates the effect of climate risk on systemic financial risks by employing a network approach. The results demonstrate that climate risk not only affects a single financial market but also induces risk co-movement, which aggravates potential systemic financial risks. Specifically, the system-wide connectedness across the financial system respectively increased by 2.52% and 1.76% after the withdrawal of the US from the Kyoto Protocol and the Copenhagen UN Climate Change Conference. The bond and stock markets are the primary transmitters of climate shocks, while the forex and commodity markets appear to be more sensitive to climate-related information. In addition, the vulnerability of financial asset price fluctuations to climate risk changes substantially over time. Quantile regressions reveal the positive impact of climate risk on total connectedness across the financial system. This study provides novel insight into how the financial system responds to climate-related information and how systemic risk dynamics materialize. • We provide a dynamic network perspective in our study of the impact of climate risk on financial stability. • We examine the transmission channels of climate risk in the financial system. • Climate risk causes fluctuations in individual financial markets and increases the interconnectedness among them. • The bond and stock markets are particularly instrumental in transmitting climate risk during climate shocks. • The impact of climate risk on system-wide connectedness across financial markets varies with different quantiles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With global climate change becoming increasingly serious, carbon neutrality, a key strategy to mitigate climate change, has attracted widespread attention. However, due to the multidisciplinary and complexity of carbon neutrality studies, as well as the diversification of research content, a comprehensive review and systematic synthesis of which is quite limited. In this paper, a bibliometric analysis on the topic of carbon neutrality is conducted to reveal the research progress from a quantitative and visual perspective and describe the evolution of research hotspots. The results show that carbon neutrality research is abundant at both the macro and micro levels. Low carbon development is the premise of carbon neutrality, and emission reduction and carbon sinks are the basis of carbon neutrality. The degree of research varies significantly in different countries, with China dominating in the number of publications, followed by the USA and the UK. The realization of carbon neutrality cannot be fully achieved by one single perspective and requires a comprehensive and systematic analysis of technology, economy, and society. Carbon neutrality is a technology-driven process guided by policy. Economically, carbon taxes and carbon markets are two important market mechanisms for reducing carbon emissions. Technically, researches of negative carbon technologies and renewable energy are growing rapidly. Carbon market, carbon negative technology, circular economy, and green energy will become the focus of future research. This paper helps scholars to understand the overall state of carbon neutrality research and provides a historical reference for future research. • The evolution of carbon neutrality research is identified by a bibliometric method. • Visualizes research status and outlines research foci, frontiers and prospects. • Retrieve 5271 articles published over 25 years in SCIE and SSCI databases. • Carbon neutrality is a technology-driven process guided by policy. • Circular economy and carbon markets are new areas of carbon neutrality research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of remarkable economic growth and financial development in the emerging economies of East Asia, this paper attempts to shed light on the ecological consequences (CO2 emission) of economic growth, foreign direct investment and financial development in the selected ASEAN-5 economies. Drawing on the data from 1982 to 2014, we employed a set of quantitative techniques for panel data analysis which entailed Dynamic Ordinary Least Squares (DOLS) and Fully Modified OLS (FMOLS) approaches. Our findings indicate that financial and economic development, as well as FDI, have a statistically significant long-run co-integrating relationship with environmental degradation (CO2 emissions) in the under analysis economies. It showed that in ASEAN-5 countries, economic growth, financial development and FDI leads to an increase in environmental degradation. The quadratic term for economic growth showed a negative impact on environmental degradation i.e. Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC). Our key findings manifest and emphasise the importance of appropriate policies for more inclusive economic and financial development and sustainable foreign direct investment which does not impede on the environment. Image 1 • Remarkable economic growth, financial development and FDI Influx weighs on the environmental quality in ASEAN. • Financial and economic development and FDI have a significant long-run relationship with environmental degradation. • Weak evidence of Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC). • FDI leads to environmental degradation in ASEAN i.e. support for Pollution Heavens Hypothesis (PHH) in ASEAN. • Different aspect of financial development has varying impact on the Environmental degradation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change poses risks to coastal cities due to sea-level rise and changes in storm surge. Using the contingent valuation method and payment card format, this paper seeks to estimate residents of Halifax Regional Municipality's willingness to pay (WTP) for protection from flooding impacts from storm surge. The contribution of this study is the application of this method in a previously unstudied region, to understand individuals' perception of risk and WTP to avoid damage, in order to inform policy aimed at protecting against damage due to sea-level rise and storm surge. WTP is estimated without and with the expectation of future climate change, and also for public vs. private goods. Data is analyzed and compared using OLS, Heckman two-step and Tobit Interval regression models. Results suggest that on average, WTP is roughly $12 per month per household over a ten-year period without the expectation of climate change, and roughly $13 per month per household assuming climate change will have negative impacts in the region. Individuals are most often willing to pay to protect against damages to public infrastructure, as well as power outages. Income and education do not play a major role in individuals WTP. Vulnerability to flooding and level of concern related to risky events have a statistically significant impact on WTP in all models, and gender and age have an impact on WTP in some models. • Willingness to pay (WTP) for protection from flooding is estimated in Halifax, Canada. • WTP is estimated without and with the expectation of future climate change. • Data is analyzed using OLS, Heckman two-step and Tobit Interval regression models. • WTP is roughly $12–13 per month per household over a ten-year period. • Vulnerability to flooding and concern related to risky events have an impact on WTP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract How farmers perceive climate change has an influence on how they adapt to climate change. Climate change perception and vulnerability were assessed based on the household survey information collected from randomly selected 118 farmers of Kalapara subdistrict in Bangladesh. This paper identified the socio-economic covariates of climate change perception and vulnerability in relation to agricultural adaptation. It was also determined whether their perception was consistent with meteorological information. Findings revealed that the farmers had a moderate level of perception of and vulnerability to climate change. An overwhelming majority (98%) of the respondents perceived a warmer summer and 96% of them observed a colder winter compared to the past. Among the farmers, 91% believed that rainfall had increased and 97% thought that the timing of rainfall had changed. The belief of increase in soil salinity and associated loss was prevailing among 98 and 99% of them, respectively. Observed climate data were mostly aligned with the farmers' perception with respect to temperature, rainfall, floods, droughts and salinity. Positive correlations were found among the perception of climate change, the perception of vulnerability and the number of adopted adaptation practices. Farmers' level of understanding of climate change, vulnerability and adaptation practices could be improved by involving them in different organizations, such as climate field school and farmer associations. It could accelerate the dissemination of agricultural adaptation practices among them to cope with adverse agricultural impacts of climate change. Highlights • Farmer climate change perceptions mostly tracked with meteorological data. • General farmers and climate field school farmers had the same level of perceptions. • Climate change perception and adaptation practices were positively correlated. • Climate field school farmers had better level of adoption of adaptation practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract In the arid Hexi Corridor of northwest China, vegetation cover plays a pivotal role in sustaining the unique terrestrial ecosystem. In this paper, vegetation changes during growth season from April to October were investigated through examining the trends in the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) across the Hexi region. Based on the GMMIS NDVI 3g.v1 dataset, NDVI trend and its dependency on elevation and land cover were analyzed for the period 1982–2015 according to multiple statistical tests. Results showed that NDVI exhibited a significantly increasing trend in ∼70% of the vegetated area, in contrast with a negative trend only in 2.85%. The resulting distinct groups with respect to decreasing, increasing and no trends presented significant differences in elevation and land cover composition, and the correlation between elevation, land cover and NDVI trend magnitude was subjected to precipitation and temperature change. The elevation and grassland cover were found to mainly account for variations in NDVI trend, and increase in elevation and various types of land cover excluding impervious and bare land would facilitate the trend magnitude. The dependency of NDVI trend on elevation and land cover was very vulnerable to increasing air temperature, which triggered an improvement in the vegetable activity to adapt to climate change, especially grass and forest. The contribution of crop and shrub to NDVI change was sensitive to precipitation trend change, but the crop was primarily influenced by human activities. The identified patterns of vegetation change would help to gain insights into the adapting mechanism of the fragile ecosystems in arid areas to changing environmental conditions. Graphical abstract Image 1 Highlights • A significantly increasing trend in NDVI was detected at 70% of the vegetated area. • The NDVI trend was strongly related to characteristics of elevation and land cover. • Significant variations in elevation and grass land imply the NDVI trend dependency. • The NDVI trend dependent on elevation and land cover is subject to climate change. • Effect of precipitation or temperature change was distinguished on the land cover. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Mitigating climate change will require reduced use of fossil fuels to generate electricity. To do so while eschewing nuclear power, countries have turned to wind and solar energy. In this paper, load duration and screening curves are used to investigate the extent to which a jurisdiction should invest in intermittent (solar and wind) sources of energy, gas and nuclear power. The application is to the Alberta electricity grid because it is nearly 90 percent reliant on fossil fuels, particularly coal, and recent policy intends to eliminate coal generating capacity by 2030 and replace two-thirds of the lost capacity with renewables. Results suggest that solar and wind are unable to replace two-thirds of coal generation, and that larger than anticipated investments in natural gas capacity will be required. However, if Alberta is serious about reducing emissions, it will need to rely on nuclear energy; at high carbon prices, nuclear power could reduce CO 2 emissions by some 95% compared to only 55% when relying totally on solar and wind. Highlights • Mitigating climate change will require reduced use of fossil fuels to generate electricity. • Load duration and screening curves are tools used to investigate optimal investment. • Solar and wind are unable to replace two-thirds of coal-fired generation in Alberta. • Alberta needs to rely on nuclear energy; at high carbon prices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Sustainable development as a concept of societal development encompasses some problems that need to be addressed carefully. They relate to overcoming the technical limits of individual systems, reducing environmental impact, social inclusion, green economic progress involving all stakeholders, limiting the impact of human activities, etc. Over the past few years, as a result of the increasingly pronounced climate change, more and more studies are addressing these problems and stress the importance of sustainable development. The key to sustainable development are, therefore, the solutions to the problems currently encountered by various stakeholders, that together contribute to the preservation of the environment for future generations. This is no longer based on the goodwill of individuals, but has become the responsibility of the entire generation. This article presents some examples of the solutions for the problems arising from sustainable development and is an overview of recent scientific achievements in the field of sustainable development that emerged from recent Sustainable Development of Energy, Water and Environment Systems (SDEWES) conferences. As such, it acts as an editorial paper for the virtual special issue of the Journal of Environmental Management, that is dedicated to the SDEWES2017 conference. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Systemic changes in environmental conditions, such as climate, can have a significant impact on both natural and human systems. This paper provides an improved understanding of the spatio-temporal variations in underlying climate processes, and the potential effects climate change may have on Vietnam's agricultural sector. Statistical methods were combined with geostatistical techniques to test the statistical significance of long-term trends in the climatic variables, graphically representing the distribution of climate patterns, identifying variations and trends of changes over time and their likely effects on agricultural production. By using records of monthly precipitation and temperature for a relatively long-term period (1975–2014) over a high density of 112 meteorological stations across the country, robust statistical and visual evidence of climatic change throughout Vietnam are provided. The Mann-Kendall trend test confirms the statistically significant long-term trends of rainfall and temperature in many regions across the country. The visual analysis shows remarkable changes in the spatio-temporal distribution patterns of those variables and most of the 'hotspot' areas identified by geostatistical mapping are in areas with confirmed long-term trends. The long-term significant trends are also concentrated in areas with very high proportion of agricultural land, particularly land used for rice production in the Red River and Mekong River deltas. The findings deliver a better understanding of underlying climate processes and impacts across regions of Vietnam and provide a basis to develop effective climate-related policies for agricultural production in response to changing climatic conditions. Highlights • We use data from weather stations at high spatial density recorded over a long period. • Robust visual and statistical evidence of climate change across Vietnam is provided. • We identify key rice-growing areas that are affected with pronounced climatic change. • We evaluate the likely effects of the ongoing climatic change on rice production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Livestock effluents are a nutrient supply that is beneficial for crops, so their use is essential to guarantee the sustainability of the global management of farms. Zero discharge cattle effluent management to irrigate fodder crops is a mitigation option, so it is considered a key factor for adaptation to climate change. This paper presents the result of an "on site" pilot scale (three-stage, vertical flow filtration system using lapilli). This is a low-cost solution in terms of finance and energy, which does not require the addition of chemicals, to treat a cattle effluent. The effluent's quality obtained allowed it to be injected in a drip system with low risks of obstruction. And the pilot system allowed to obtain elimination values for the main parameters of effluent's quality (TSS and COD, 98% and 80% respectively) similar or greater than the ones obtained in other treatments of low cost and energy, and gives values contemplated in reclaimed water reuse guidelines of many countries. Furthermore, elimination rate for the BOD 5 obtained 35 mgL−1 in treated effluent. High removal rates were obtained for N, P, K, Cu, Fe and Mn, medium for Ca, Mg and Zn and low for B and Na. These shows that the pilot system and fodder crop combination provide an optimal solution to small farms, controlling sanitary risks. The tested flow allows the use of this system by conventional small farms, which represented 94% of total cow farms in Canary Islands. Highlights • An alternative for effluent treatment using lapilli filtration to irrigate forages. • A climatic mitigation option obtaining a zero discharge cattle effluent management. • 98% & 80%, TSS & COD elimination, similar than obtained in other low cost treatments. • Treated effluent (35 mgL−1 DBO 5) suitable by the restricted irrigation guidelines. • To obtain high removal rates (N, P, K, Cu, Fe, Mn) medium (Ca, Mg, Zn) & low (B, Na). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flood Risk Management (FRM) is often essential to reduce the risk of flooding to properties and infrastructure in urban landscapes, but typically degrades the habitats required by many aquatic animals for foraging, refuge and reproduction. This conflict between flood risk management and biodiversity is driven by conflicting directives, such as the EU Floods and Water Framework Directives, and has led to a requirement for synergistic solutions for FRM that integrate river restoration actions. Unfortunately, ecological monitoring and appraisal of combined FRM and river restoration works is inadequate. This paper uses a case study from the River Don in Northern England to evaluate the effects of the FRM and subsequent river restoration works on instream habitat and the associated fish assemblage over an 8-year period. Flood risk management created a homogeneous channel but did not negatively affect fish species composition or densities, specifically brown trout. Densities of adult brown trout were comparable pre and post-FRM, while densities of juvenile bullhead and brown trout increased dramatically post FRM. River restoration works created a heterogeneous channel but did not significantly improve species composition or brown trout density. Species composition post-river restoration works returned to that similar to pre-FRM over a short-term period, but with improved numbers of juvenile bullhead. Although habitat complexity increased after river restoration works, long-term changes in species composition and densities were marginal, probably because the river reset habitat complexity within the time framework of the study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although planning and policy instruments are important for climate change adaptation, the implementation of these measures is critical for success. This paper studies different climate change adaptation strategies by analysing the measures adopted by stakeholders in charge of government policy development and implementation to minimise the impacts of climate change in the northern tropical region of Queensland, Australia. Local government organisations are responsible for taking a leading role in climate change adaptation. State and commonwealth government agencies are primarily responsible for developing climate transition policies and guidelines, as well as providing limited financial aid to help support the local government. Interviews were conducted with local government practitioners identified from different local government authorities in the study region. Although all the government bodies made some progress in developing better climate change adaptation policies, the interview participants identified that a lot more needs to be done, especially in implementation, including devising and the application of relevant action plans, economic assessments, stakeholder participations and engagement. From a local government practitioners' viewpoint, both the water sector and local economy will face the highest immediate impacts if climate change adaptation actions are not adequately implemented at local government level in the study region. There are currently no notable legal bindings to address climate change risks in the region. In addition, financial liability assessments due to climate risks and cost-share mechanisms among different levels of stakeholders and government authorities to face and prepare for climate change impacts hardly exist. Although the interview respondents recognise their high importance. As there are uncertainties in the achievements of climate change adaptation plans, from a local government practitioners' standpoint, the local authorities should take appropriate actions to integrate adaptation and mitigation works to face and prepare for climate risks rather than focusing only on adaptation. The respondents informed that some work has been done to identify flood prone areas and a few policy documents exist that accommodate sea level rise in planning practice, but these are done in fragments with no holistic implementation, monitoring or evaluation plans put in place. • Climate change adaptation actions are urgently needed. • The priorities and perceptions of government professionals are key to success. • Stakeholders needs to be engaged to formulate adaptation strategies. • Holistic implementation, monitoring or evaluation plans are important for success. • Climate change adaptation and mitigation measures are suggested to be integrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conservation finance embraces a series of innovative financing mechanisms aimed at raising and managing capital to be used for the conservation of biodiversity. The climate emergency and the pursuit of sustainable development underline the criticality of financial support for achieving this goal. Funding for the protection of biodiversity, in fact, has long been disbursed by governments in a residual form, only after they have dealt with social needs and political challenges. To date, the main challenge of conservation finance is to identify solutions that not only generate new revenue for biodiversity, but also effectively manage and allocate existing funding to provide a mix of social and community benefits as well. The paper, therefore, aims to act as a wake-up call, urging academics working in economics and finance to turn their attention to resolving the financial problems faced by conservation. Through a comparative bibliometric analysis, the study aims to outline the structure of scientific research on the topic of conservation finance, to understand the state of the art, and to identify open questions and new research trends. The results of the study show that the topic of conservation finance is currently a prerogative of scholars and journals of ecology, biology and environmental sciences. Finance scholars pay very little attention to the topic and yet there are many opportunities/needs for future research. The results are of interest to researchers in banking and finance, policy-makers and managers. • Conservation Finance is a hot topic little covered by Banking and Finance scholars. • The topic is still confined to the fields of ecology and environmental sciences. • A bibliometric analysis reveals three major trends in Conservation Finance research. • All publications report the same unmet need for funding for biodiversity conservation. • Underfunding of biodiversity conservation continues to be a global problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]