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The Green Financial Reform and Innovation Pilot Areas (GFRIPA) policy is a key institutional arrangement that enables China's green finance to advance from theory to practice. Few studies have quantitatively evaluated the policy's environmental performance. This study uses a generalized synthetic control method (GSCM) alongside panel data from Chinese prefecture-level cities since 2007 to assess the effects of the GFRIPA policy on energy consumption and pollution emissions and to pinpoint the underlying mechanisms. Results show that establishing the GFRIPA significantly reduces energy consumption and pollution emissions, and that the effect emerges immediately in the policy's issuance year. Possible mechanisms consist of the increase in urban green innovation, the ease of financing constraints, the optimization of industrial structure, and the enhancement of environmental governance. Heterogeneity analyses reveal that policy effects are more profound in cities with a higher degree of marketization and a higher level of education. The findings provide valuable insights into consistently promoting the GFRIPA policy to meet environmental goals for energy conservation and pollution reduction and ultimately advance green economies in developing nations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Innovation is the central element of climate change policy in many jurisdictions. Reduced to technology development and linked to market‐driven priorities, innovation accommodates the interests of large emitters in the energy sector and underpins a sustainable development discourse that denies ecological limits to economic growth. This study examines the use of innovation as a key component of climate change policy in the case of Alberta's Climate Change Emissions Management Corporation, utilizing a political economy approach to explain the drivers of government funding priorities. An analysis of this technology fund's investments over nine years, under two different governments, revealed that nearly half of the revenue has been used to subsidize R&D in the fossil fuels industry in the name of clean energy development, and that this priority has continued despite recent government commitments under the Paris CoP agreement. The carbon levy system that generates revenue for the fund has been unsuccessful in incentivizing facility reductions, pointing to the need for more stringent regulation. Innovation as a framework for transition to a post‐carbon economy is severely limited by its exclusion of the roles of social knowledge and citizen participation in envisaging and designing paths for change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the light of challenges to sustainable development in the post‐2015 development agenda, this paper assesses how increasing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions affect inclusive human development in 44 countries in sub‐Saharan Africa for the period 2000–2012. The following findings are established from Fixed Effects and Tobit regressions: first, unconditional effects and conditional impacts are respectively positive and negative from CO2 emissions per capita, CO2 emissions from liquid fuel consumption, and CO2 intensity. This implies a Kuznets‐shaped curve because of consistent decreasing returns; and second, the corresponding net effects are consistently positive. The following findings are apparent from Generalized Method of Moments regressions: first, unconditional effects and conditional impacts are respectively negative and positive from CO2 emissions per capita, CO2 emissions from liquid fuel consumption, and CO2 intensity. This implies a U‐shaped curve because of consistent increasing returns; and second, the corresponding net effects are overwhelmingly negative. Based on the robust findings and choice of best estimator, the net effect of increasing CO2 emissions on inclusive human development is negative. Policy implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This study mainly examined the influences of enterprises' carbon reduction behaviors on their sustainable development, and investigated the effects on sustainable development of carbon emission reduction by state‐owned enterprises (SOEs) from high‐carbon‐emission industries in China. Data were coded through a content analysis procedure, followed by regression analysis. Analysis of variance results revealed that SOEs and high‐carbon‐emission industries emphasize realizing carbon reduction more than do privately owned enterprises and non‐high‐carbon‐emission industries, with significant between‐groups differences observed between these enterprises and industries. Regression results indicated that carbon reduction positively and significantly influences corporate sustainable development, suggesting that carbon reduction is beneficial to both the ecological environment and corporate sustainable development. However, carbon reduction negatively yet insignificantly influences the sustainable development of SOEs in industries with high carbon emissions. The empirical findings may serve as a critical reference for China, which is moving toward a low‐carbon economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We consider the incentives of a single firm to invest in a cleaner technology under quotas and emission taxation. We assume asymmetric information about the firm's cost of employing the new technology. Policy is set either before the firm invests (commitment) or after (time consistency). Contrary to the conventional wisdom, we find that with commitment (time consistency), quotas give higher (lower) investment incentives than taxes. With quotas (taxes), commitment generally leads to higher (lower) welfare than time consistency. Under commitment with quadratic abatement costs and environmental damages, a modified Weitzman rule applies and quotas usually lead to higher welfare than taxes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper therefore looks closer into climate gas emission and the shift to non-fossil energy in Sweden. What types of organizations are behind the shift to non-fossil energy use, what are the relative effects on emissions, to what extent can these interactive dynamics be considered eco-innovations? Do these effects vary between public and private organizations, and if so, can they be related to specific institutions and policies? Methods include statistical survival analyses, in particular Cox regression. These analyses inform us why energy sources shift. Results indicate that wood fuel and solid waste increase as sources of energy while fossil oil has decreased between 2003 and 2010. This result is in line with industrial and environmental policies of the Swedish governments that present these facts as institutionally and policy-related 'green innovation'. However, our analysis contests such a conclusion and it is noticed that the shift to non-fossil sources of energy has not led to verifiable decreases in green-house gas emissions. Results instead suggest that 'green' innovation of non-fossil energy was mostly the effect of low-tech innovation in public organizations with no fundamental effect on CO emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, Greenhouse Gas Emissions are the main reason of the global warming threat. Carbon sequestration by the forests plays the important role in reducing CO2 emissions. Therefore, the environmental policy of the state to reduce greenhouse gases should first of all focus on the development of forestry. But at the same time the environmental policy depends on the tax policy of the state and is significantly different in developed countries and in countries with transition economies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article shows how a joint application of the 2006 IPCC methodology and the ISO 14064-1 standard of certification, as well as the co-operation between academic, legislative and administrative organizations, are important points for a sustainable management of an administrative jurisdiction, providing positive environmental effects. The administrative systems can choose validated ISO 14064-1 GHG inventories, produced in time series, as a strategy tool for local management, as a compass to orient future policy decisions. The Province of Siena (Tuscany, Central Italy) was one regional system in Europe to achieve the ISO 14064-1 certification of its GHG inventories, developed in time series applying the 2006 IPCC methodology. The results of the time series (year 2006-2010) of GHG inventories elaborated for the Province of Siena point out that the performed environmental management policies may bring about a significant reduction of GHG emission released to the atmosphere over time (net emission: 449 Gg CO2eq in 2006, 84 Gg CO2eq in 2010). The experience of the Province of Siena can be considered a significant reference model for all public authorities at the micro and macro scale who are interested in reducing GHG emission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Over the past years there has been a debate on the relationship between the environmental and financial performance of businesses, but researchers have not reached any agreement. This research attempts to explore this relationship, especially as in recent years there has been controversy about how this relationship has been affected by the global economic crisis. Taking into account that successfully limiting global climate change to safe levels in the long term is likely to require connecting climate change policies to sustainable development strategies, this paper focuses on the performance of environmental policies. We used a sample of 855 international companies in sectors of intensive greenhouse gas/CO2 emissions. Specifically, we used data from the Forbes Global 2000 Index and Carbon Disclosure Project data from 2006 to 2009. The data analysis was performed using panel data methodology. The results obtained show that in times of economic crisis, the synergy between environmental and financial performance is higher, meaning that companies must continue to invest in sustainable projects in order to enhance relations with their stakeholders, leading to higher economic profits. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reviews existing linkages between the two broad concepts of human development and sustainability and discusses ways in which the often separate literatures can learn from each other. It proposes a practical way in which the measurements of human development and sustainability can be linked with each other. Empirical results for both a weak and a strong sustainability indicator are presented for the time period 1980–2006. The most important policy conclusion derived from these results is that countries of high to very high human development face the double task of achieving strong sustainability by severing the link between high human development and strongly unsustainable carbon emissions and helping other countries, particularly those with low levels of human development, to achieve weak sustainability in the first place and strong sustainability eventually. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Abstract: This articles argues that extraction and emission caps are a promising strategy for a sustainable degrowth transition, but that their design and implementation is far from simple. We draw attention to the institutional structures and processes through which caps are to be set, designed and enforced, and discuss the danger of eco-authoritarian politics in the name of enforcing caps or other environmental limitations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Japan has recognized the need to make significant reductions in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, including CO2, but Japanese energy policy is fragmented and ineffective in coping with the challenge. Highly controversial options have been included in its strategy. Against this background, the current Japanese energy policy is reviewed and alternative future options are proposed, with their implications examined in the real policy context. A backcasting methodology, which creates a normative vision and identifies policy paths to attain the vision, is identified as a highly relevant conceptual framework for the analysis. Four visions are presented, within which subsequent policy packages and detailed policy paths are created. Two-tier evaluation stages are set to validate the policy packages and paths, through discussion with key Japanese energy experts. The study provides an insight into the effectiveness of the methodology, and implications of the proposed visions and policy packages. A series of innovations are made, including the 'policy road map' as an effective tool that links the backcasting framework and strategic policy discussions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recognizing the potential for over- as well as under-estimating the mitigation costs of non-CO2 greenhouse gases in an offset programme, this article examines the accuracy of cost estimates prepared by government agencies for the control of other types of emissions from small/medium sources via an offset programme. Specifically, analogy is made to the control of SOx and NOx controlled by California's Regional Clean Air Incentives Market (RECLAIM) Program. Even allowing for the energy crisis in 2000-2001 that drove up NOx emissions and control costs, it appears that the engineering cost methods used turned out to be generally accurate, defined as ±25%. Although such a finding does not ensure that the same results will apply to the case of non-CO2 GHGs, it certainly reinforces the growing literature on ex ante-ex post cost comparisons of environmental controls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oregon's governor has proposed a load-based cap and trade programme that limits carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions to 10% below 1990 levels by 2020. A load-based programme is different from the source-based European Union Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS), as it regulates emissions sources, located outside the state, that serve Oregon's electricity load. This article describes the stakeholder process that developed the legislative proposal for the load-based cap. The Oregon Clean Energy Planning Model©, a modified capacity expansion model of annual load resource balances, is used to estimate programme costs. The net present value of the climate policy to Oregon ranges from a $518 million benefit to a $414 million cost under various load growth scenarios. Programme benefits are possible under low and medium load growth because the societal returns of energy efficiency exceed its cost over the life of the programme. CO2 allowance prices in 2017-2020 are estimated in the medium case at approximately $21 per tonne. Low energy efficiency deployment could raise allowance costs to $36, while an aggressive efficiency programme could reduce them to $13.50. Competition for Northwest renewable resources could increase allowance prices in final phase to $37, indicating the interdependence in programme design among state climate policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Managing local and global risks from the geological storage of CO2 under the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) presents three main challenges. First, the CDM procedures must be adapted to the specifics of the technology. Second, storage must last far longer than the crediting period, leaving questions about the management of long-term risks. Third, management of local environmental, health and safety risks falls largely outside the CDM governance framework. CDM procedures could be adapted to successfully manage the short-term global risk of carbon dioxide re-entering the atmosphere during the CDM crediting period, but local environmental, health and safety risks and longterm global risk cannot be ensured under existing structures. To better manage these risks, the implications for the CDM are: (1) to provide guidance on site characterization requirements, and have an independent auditor verify that the proposed geological storage site has a high likelihood of safely containing the injected carbon dioxide; (2) to require that carbon capture and storage (CCS) project design documents specify post-crediting-period commitments; and (3) to support CCS specific capacity building. But because CDM governance is designed to strike a balance between respecting host country sovereignty and ensuring high-quality emission reduction credits, some limitations to risk management of geological storage under the CDM remain. These limitations should be weighed against the potential benefits of including CCS in the CDM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China's rapid development is influencing global patterns of resource use and their associated environmental and geopolitical impacts. Trend projections suggest that China's rise will have unprecedented impacts on the rest of the world. I examine three key drivers affecting China's emergence (scale of development, government policy decisions, and globalization), along with four factors that may constrain development (environmental degradation, political instability, coal and oil consumption, and carbon dioxide emissions). China's rise represents a tipping point between fossil fuel-based economies and still emergent sustainable alternatives. Policy precedents between the United States and China over the next decade may well determine the future course of global sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the developments in the environmental policy in the Netherlands. The National Environment Policy Plan was published in 1989 by the Dutch Minister of Environmental Affairs aimed at achieving sustainable development in the country. The policy plan published by the Minister for Housing, Regional Development and the Environment in 1993 provided an opportunity for analyzing the impact of the plans published in 1989. The greenhouse effect caused by the use of fossil fuels has been discussed and the Dutch sectors responsible for the emissions decided on lowering their consumption of energy.

Given the rapid industrialization and urbanization of China, environmental problems have gradually become major constraints that hinder its sustainable economic development. Moreover, China's pollution abatement and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions have been severely affected by pressures coming from domestic environmental appeals and international environmental diplomacy. By using integrated data from the Chinese Industrial Enterprise and the Chinese Enterprise Environmental Survey and Reporting databases, this study constructs comprehensive indicators of pollutant discharge intensity and carbon emissions index at the enterprise level and uses the panel fixed effect model, Kaya identity, and mediation effect model to assess the effects of environmental regulations on pollution abatement and collaborative emissions reduction from the micro-perspective. Results show that these regulations can abate the pollution emissions of Chinese industrial enterprises and verify the effectiveness of environmental policies. These regulations can also efficiently reduce the carbon dioxide emissions of enterprises through pollution abatement. In other words, environmental regulations facilitate a collaborative emissions reduction of pollutant and greenhouse gas emissions from enterprises. Such collaborative emissions reduction effect is also influenced by the energy structure and consumption of enterprises. This paper presents empirical evidence and policy basis for further improving China's environmental regulation policy system and achieving coordinated progress in China's economic development and environmental governance. • Pollution abatement effect of environmental regulation is investigated. • Collaborative emissions reduction effect of environmental regulation is explored. • Pollution emissions reduce with the enhance of environmental regulation intensity. • Environmental regulation can reduce carbon dioxide emissions. • Collaborative effect is influenced by energy structure and energy consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]