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The article "A Take on 'Special Solicitude' in State Standing: Reconciling the Unreconcilable" delves into the concept of state standing in legal cases, specifically examining conflicting opinions in Massachusetts v. EPA and U.S. v. Texas. It analyzes the impact of Massachusetts v. EPA on state standing since 2007, particularly in parens patriae suits, and discusses the use of "special solicitude" in state standing cases. The article highlights the limited precedential impact of Massachusetts v. EPA on state standing and its practical implications for future legal cases involving state suits against the federal government, emphasizing the narrow decision in U. S. v. Texas. [Extracted from the article]

How can tort law contribute to combatting climate change? The Principles of European Tort Law (PETL), in particular the framework of art 4:102 PETL, have already served as inspiration for a duty of care for both governments and companies, aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This is in line with the development of law in Europe, where liability for an insufficient contribution to combatting global warming is becoming increasingly concrete. The PETL, therefore, do not necessarily need to be amended on this point. However, the development could be strengthened in two ways. First, it is proposed to amend art 4:102(3) PETL, providing that the duty of care may be determined in part by reference to internationally recognised fundamental rights and international documents that constitute a breach of duty for companies. Secondly, making room in the PETL for injunctive relief would do justice to the need to take preventive measures, as, in climate cases, preventing global warming is more urgent than ex post compensation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document provides an overview of the obligations and legal framework surrounding climate-proofing buildings in the Netherlands. The country has committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and becoming climate-neutral by 2050, and the built environment plays a significant role in achieving this goal. The state imposes obligations on property owners to reduce energy consumption and increase the use of renewable sources, but these obligations must be legal and proportionate to the owner's interests. The document discusses the enforcement of these obligations, the role of subsidies and incentives, and the financial impact on owners. It also highlights the importance of considering the specific circumstances of each building and owner, and the potential need for compensation in certain cases. The document concludes that while Dutch law generally allows for climate-proofing obligations without compensation, the obligations for residential buildings are expected to increase in the future. Proportionality is emphasized throughout, and owners have the ability to challenge or claim compensation for obligations that result in inevitable losses or do not allow for sufficient time for implementation. [Extracted from the article]

The article explores how the United States can utilize its buying power and trade laws to promote clean energy and combat climate change. It discusses the Executive Branch's ability to use national security import laws and antidumping duty laws to support domestic clean industries and address competition from countries that do not meet climate commitments. The text also provides background information on global heating, greenhouse gas emissions, and the legal framework for regulating carbon pollution. It highlights the potential use of Section 232 and antidumping duties as tools to encourage climate-friendly manufacturing and level the playing field for domestic industries. [Extracted from the article]

The article discusses the pollution burdens faced by residents of Wilmington, California, particularly due to the presence of an oil refinery in the area. The refinery has been in operation for over 100 years and is a major source of toxic chemicals in the community. Despite legal actions and minor penalties, the refinery continues to operate and contribute to negative health outcomes for residents. The article explores the limited legal protections available to Wilmington residents and compares the environmental impact assessment laws in Guatemala and South Africa to those in the United States. The aim of the article is to advocate for statutory reforms and stronger environmental rights for Wilmington residents. [Extracted from the article]

Copyright of Journal for Business, Economics & Ethics / Zeitschrift für Wirtschafts und Unternehmensethik is the property of Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Taiwan Law Review is the property of Angle Publishing Co., Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The European Green Deal and the European Climate Law highlight the EU's commitment to strive for carbon neutrality. Considering the magnitude of the global challenge, it is evident that a green transition will not succeed without the efforts of every sector, including financial institutions. Concerns have been raised that central banks may, in fact, contribute to the increase of greenhouse gas emissions and, in consequence, aggravate global warming. This all has currently resulted in a rapid expansion of the debate on the potential role of central banks, and in particular the ECB, to consider climate objectives. In the European context, however, it is often argued that environmental sustainability lies outside the ECB's traditional core mandate to focus on price stability. This article aims to introduce the environmental integration principle, laid down in Article 11 TFEU, in the ECB's legal framework, and provide an analysis of the possibilities for and limitations to the greening of the ECB's monetary policy based on this provision. Although Article 11 TFEU has great potential with regards to the greening of sectoral policies, in legal literature, the provision has not gained enough academic attention in terms of the financial sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Rising greenhouse gases have contributed to global warming above the pre-industrial levels with detrimental effects on world climatic patterns. Extreme weather has inflicted drastic impacts, including loss of lives and livelihoods and economic disruption. However, collective international cooperation in adopting greenhouse gas emission mitigating measures can translate into long-run beneficial effects of improving environmental quality. This study examines if international environmental cooperation among the world's top ten polluters can reduce production side emissions. Design/methodology/approach: The panel estimation procedure was applied to data from ten top polluting countries from 2000 to 2019. Findings: The results revealed a statistically significant inverse association between a nation's commitments to international environmental treaties and carbon dioxide emissions. Other than confirming the environmental Kuznets curve effect, industrial intensification, international trade and law rule are other strong correlations of carbon dioxide emissions. Research limitations/implications: The main policy implication is the urgency for the leaders of the world's top ten polluters to actively cooperate in developing and implementing new production-side carbon emission measures as well as the implementation and enforcement of existing international treaties to minimize further environmental damage and let the countries in the lower ranks of carbon emissions to enjoy the long-run benefits of the decarbonized world. Originality/value: This study makes a new contribution to the environmental research literature by unfolding how collective global cooperation on environmental challenges can help reduce environmental damage in a coherent analytical framework. Peer review: The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/IJSE-09-2022-0598 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our study mainly focuses on the major challenge faced by organizations while controlling the emission of greenhouse gases via the carbon management system (CMS), keeping in view the complexity of climate change, which is considered as one of the major challenges of present times. We narrow our focus to the factors related to the emission of carbon within this system. We assess the quality of the CMS using the guidelines provided by Tang and Luo (2014), Australian Accounting Review, 24(1), 84–98. The data for this research include the carbon emission–based data of the multinational companies, which disclose their carbon footprint. Based upon the empirical findings, we came to understand that the law of material balances prevails as carbon emission has a negative co‐relationship between the carbon emissions and CMS, meanwhile the effects are not eminent. The adverse impact of such emissions has become obvious within 2 years. The quality of the CMS is determined by Target, Project, GHG (greenhouse gases) accounting, and disclosure. Our study has important policy implications for researchers, policymakers, and accounting companies because the role of the CMS is becoming integral. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Inventum. Ingenieria, Tecnologia e Investigacion is the property of Corporacion Universitaria Minuto de Dios and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to analyze the simultaneous effect of the regulation (non-financial information (NFI)- 254/2016) and the factors driving in (no)environmental disclosure (ED) and the reduction of greenhouse gases (GHG) of Italian companies. Design/methodology/approach: The study is supported by the theory of legitimacy. The level of ED regarding GHG was measured for 125 Italian companies in 2018, the companies were selected from Commissione Nazionale per le Società e la Borsa di Itália, because those included in the list of companies in the Dichiarazione Non Finanziaria all date back to December 31, 2019. Using a scoring system and content analysis of their annual reports, through 20 criteria supported by the literature. The study explores variables of the current legislation, the effect of disclosure and no disclosure, and the influence of the shareholding structure, managerial shareholding, economic power and industry classification at the ED level. The analyses were carried out using structural equation modeling because the authors seek to understand the cause-effect relationship between aspects of legitimacy with dissemination on GHG emissions. Findings: This study finds that NFI. Research limitations/implications: The study is limited to understanding the effect of legislation on the level of mandatory disclosure in non-financial reports, and the Paris Agreement (voluntary) disclosure on GHG, so the choice of companies analyzed and the study variables are limited to companies that are required to publish non-financial reports, and the variables considered in the study take into account normative aspects and voluntary guidelines of the Paris Agreement. As implications, the results show that adherence to the Paris Agreement contributes more to the quality and comprehensiveness of the information than adherence to the European and Italian legislation (mandatory), which reinforces the understanding that even if the legislation has advanced, it is still soft regarding the quality of information on companies' practices regarding the reduction of GHG emissions. Practical implications: The findings suggest that non-financial reports are being adopted by listed Italian companies, however, there is variation in the scope of the reports, especially on GHG. For companies listed in Italy, non-financial reports comply with Italian Legislative Decree 254/2016 (mandatory), however, the quality of information on GHG is improved when companies' reports have greater adherence to the Paris Agreement (voluntary). Social implications: The results can encourage companies listed in Italy to incorporate NFI in annual reports based on the Paris Agreement, the global pact to reduce GHG emissions, thus building confidence in the capital market and society in general. Originality/value: The findings contribute to the literature on non-financial reporting, the level of compliance with legal basis and international best practices, such as the Paris Agreement, providing empirical analyzes of non-financial disclosures in publicly available reports in Italy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Feedstock particle size and pyrolysis temperature both impact biochar properties. • Finer feedstock pyrolyzed at 300 °C decreased soil N 2 O and CO 2 emission rates. • Finer feedstock pyrolyzed at 300 °C increased net nitrification rates. • Particle size effect on N 2 O and CO 2 emission lessened with pyrolysis temperature. Atmospheric greenhouse gas (GHG) concentration increases are a serious problem impacting global climate. Mitigation of agricultural GHG production is crucial as fertilized soils contribute substantially to changes in GHG atmospheric composition. Biochar derived from agricultural or forestry biowaste has been widely used in agriculture and may help mitigate GHG emissions. While different kinds of biochar and their effects on GHG emissions have been studied, feedstock particle size may interact with pyrolysis temperature to impact biochar effects on GHG emissions, but this has not been investigated. Here, feedstock particle size effects on biochar characteristics and soil nitrous oxide (N 2 O) and carbon dioxide (CO 2) emissions were studied using Camellia oleifera fruit shell feedstock with three particle size fractions (0.5–2, 2–5, and 5–10 mm) each pyrolyzed at 300, 450, and 600 °C. Results showed that dissolved organic carbon in biochar increased with particle size when pyrolyzed at 300 °C, but decreased with pyrolysis temperature. The 0.5–2 mm shell-derived biochar was associated with the lowest N 2 O and CO 2 emission rates but the highest net nitrogen mineralization rates compared to 2–5 mm and 5–10 mm shell-derived biochar when pyrolyzed at 300 °C. Overall, shell particle size was more important for soil processes at lower pyrolysis temperatures with less variation among particle sizes at higher pyrolysis temperatures. The results indicated that feedstock particle size may interact with pyrolysis temperature and impact mitigation of soil N 2 O and CO 2 emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perfluoroisobutyronitrile (C4F7N) is a new eco-friendly gas insulation medium that has potential to replace the most greenhouse gas sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) used in power industry. In order to ensure the engineering application safety, an in-depth assessment of the acute inhalation toxicity of C4F7N gas mixture is required. This article revealed gender differences in male and female mice after exposure to C4F7N and the physiological recovery characteristics of surviving mice by means of 4 h acute inhalation toxicity tests, hematological determinations and histopathological examination. Comparative analysis on the toxicity of C4F7N on mice and rats is also evaluated. We find that the LC50 of C4F7N for male and female mice is 1175 ppm (4 h), 1380 ppm (4 h) and female ones are more tolerant to C4F7N. Mice that exposed to 1000 ppm C4F7N for 4 h could survive and return to their normal state after the 14-day observation period without irreversible damage. The toxic effect duration of C4F7N on rats is longer than that of mice. Relevant results revealed the acute inhalation toxicity of C4F7N systematically and provided fundamental reference for inhalation safety protection and engineering application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perfluoroisobutyronitrile (C4F7N) is a new eco-friendly gas insulation medium that has potential to replace the most greenhouse gas sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) used in power industry. In order to ensure the engineering application safety, an in-depth assessment of the acute inhalation toxicity of C4F7N gas mixture is required. This article revealed gender differences in male and female mice after exposure to C4F7N and the physiological recovery characteristics of surviving mice by means of 4 h acute inhalation toxicity tests, hematological determinations and histopathological examination. Comparative analysis on the toxicity of C4F7N on mice and rats is also evaluated. We find that the LC50 of C4F7N for male and female mice is 1175 ppm (4 h), 1380 ppm (4 h) and female ones are more tolerant to C4F7N. Mice that exposed to 1000 ppm C4F7N for 4 h could survive and return to their normal state after the 14-day observation period without irreversible damage. The toxic effect duration of C4F7N on rats is longer than that of mice. Relevant results revealed the acute inhalation toxicity of C4F7N systematically and provided fundamental reference for inhalation safety protection and engineering application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This Article suggests a novel concept in climate change law and attorney ethics law by proposing that many states' attorney ethics laws could be interpreted to require, or at least permit, attorneys to disclose client activity relating to greenhouse gas emissions. Every state has some form of ABA Model Rule 1.6(b), either requiring or allowing attorneys to disclose client activities that result in death or substantial bodily harm. This Article asserts that precedent surrounding this disclosure rule indicates that the rule could be applicable to harms caused by greenhouse gas emissions. Attorney disclosures, in turn, could impact a wide swath of greenhouse gas-emitting activities, making it more transparent and, in certain cases, requiring attorneys to counsel cessation of such activities or withdraw from representation. Because climate advocacy organizations are seeking to use all legal tools at their disposal to slow or stop greenhouse gas emissions, attorney ethics law could present an additional strategic tool to try and control greenhouse gas emissions activities. Thus, attorneys from the private sector and in government should be aware of the potential ethical issues they may face when handling greenhouse gas-related legal work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modern earth buildings constructed of Compressed Earth Blocks (CEBs) are of low-cost, energy efficient, and sustainable. Environmental regulations are suggested for zero emission of greenhouse gases. The strength of CEBs is usually enhanced with the addition of 5 to 10% of cement whose manufacturing may be harmful to the environment. A novel composite of soil (i.e., clay, sand, and jute fiber) is used to produce CEBs without addition of cement. The jute fiber was added by weight from 0.5 to 2% to a mixture of pulverized clay, sand, and water. The CEBs were tested for compressive strength, tensile strength in terms of modulus of rupture, load vs deflection response, shrinkage, drying time, and development of cracks. With the addition of jute fiber, (i) the compressive strength, deflection, drying time, shrinkage, and cracks were reduced, (ii) the modulus of rupture slightly increased, and (iii) the load at failure was almost same. The addition of 0.5% of jute fiber was enough to minimize the drying cracks. The CEBs were reinforced with jute fiber dried in about half the time taken by those without fiber. The average compressive strength, tensile strength, and linear shrinkage of the CEBs are within acceptable limits prescribed by available guidelines. This paper shows that the CEBs manufactured using clay, sand, and jute fiber could be used for construction of earth buildings instead of those stabilized with cement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Agro-Environment Science is the property of Journal of Agro-Environment Science Editorial Board and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Agriculture has become an important source of greenhouse gas emissions. This paper calculates the agricultural GHGs emissions of 30 provinces in China from 1997 to 2016, and analyzes the emission intensity of GDP of carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide by club convergence. After using the DEA CCR model to divide the club, the absolute β-convergence analysis method is used to verify the emission trends of various greenhouse gases. The results showed that the carbon dioxide emission intensity showed obvious absolute β convergence in all three clubs. Methane and nitrous oxide only have absolute β convergence in one of the clubs, respectively, and there is divergence in other clubs. Since the emission trends of the three greenhouse gases in the clubs are different, the formulation of reasonable reduction target allocation plan should be more detailed and targeted, and more stringent emission reduction targets should be set for provinces with high GHGs intensity of GDP in order to reduce it rapidly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The evolution of mean annual minimum (TMIN) and maximum temperature (TMAX) on the Swiss Plateau shows distinct differences over the last 150 years. TMIN increased relatively steadily by about 3 °C. TMAX increased by only 1.5 °C with substantial decadal variability and hardly any increase until about 1940. However, in the most recent decades, TMAX trends are somewhat larger than TMIN trends. While most aspects of the TMIN evolution can be well explained by the global forcing and the modifying effects of the large-scale atmospheric flow alone, local sunshine duration (SD) information is crucial to explain major features of the TMAX series and the differences between TMIN and TMAX since about 1950. SD shows no clear trend until 1950, a decline from 1950 to 1980 and an increase since 1980 resembling the global dimming and brightening signal. TMAX is strongly influenced by SD and the TMAX evolution can be well reconstructed with local TMIN and SD. Strong TMAX declines are found from 1950 to the 1970s. TMIN shows no trend in this period. Between 1980 and about 2005, both TMIN and TMAX show strong increases caused by the greenhouse gas forcing, decreasing aerosols and probably also decreasing cloud cover. Since about 2005, the increases are weaker. The brightening has weakened and the warming effect of the continuously growing greenhouse gas forcing has additionally been reduced by cooling effects caused by large-scale atmospheric flow anomalies. The reasons for the considerable differences in the TMIN and TMAX evolution prior to 1950 remain unknown and further investigations are needed to shed more light on this disparity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Utah Urban CO2 Network (UUCON) is a network of near-surface atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) measurement sites aimed at quantifying long-term changes in urban and rural locations throughout northern Utah since 2001. We document improvements to UUCON made in 2015 that increase measurement precision, standardize sampling protocols, and expand the number of measurement locations to represent a larger region in northern Utah. In a parallel effort, near-surface CO2 and methane (CH4) measurement sites were assembled as part of the Uintah Basin greenhouse gas (GHG) network in a region of oil and natural gas extraction located in northeastern Utah. Additional efforts have resulted in automated quality control, calibration, and visualization of data through utilities hosted online (https://air.utah.edu , last access: 22 August 2019). These improvements facilitate atmospheric modeling efforts and quantify atmospheric composition in urban and rural locations throughout northern Utah. Here we present an overview of the instrumentation design and methods within UUCON and the Uintah Basin GHG networks as well as describe and report measurement uncertainties using a broadly applicable and novel method. Historic and modern data described in this paper are archived with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) and can be found at 10.7289/V50R9MN2 (Mitchell et al., 2018c) and 10.25921/8vaj-bk51 (Bares et al., 2018a) respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the court cases County of San Mateo v. Chevron and City of Oakland v. BP, in which plaintiffs' state nuisance for climate change damage against greenhouse gas (GHG) emitters were removed to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California from the California Superior Court. The court considered the doctrine of non-diversity removal, as well as the regulation of GHG under the Clear Air Act, and displacement of federal common law public nuisance claims.