Environmental Protection Regulations Research Articles

Assessing the impact of China's river chief system on enterprise pollution discharge.

The River Chief System (RCS), a pivotal environmental governance policy promoted by the Chinese government, has far-reaching implications for public health. This study aims to comprehensively assess the impact of RCS on corporate pollution emissions, emphasizing its role in improving environmental quality and safeguarding public health. Utilizing a database of industrial enterprises and data from heavily polluting enterprises spanning 2003 to 2013. Manual collation of RCS policy implementation across prefecture-level cities during the same period. Application of the DID method to verify the impact of RCS on the extent of corporate pollution emissions. RCS significantly reduces pollution emissions from enterprises. Heterogeneity analysis reveals RCS to be more effective in addressing visible pollutants in rivers, non-provincial capitals, and heavily polluting industries, resulting in a notable reduction in pollution emissions. Mechanism testing underscores the importance of increasing government attention to environmental protection and strengthening environmental regulation as key factors contributing to RCS's success in reducing pollution emissions from enterprises. Additionally, the study finds that improving the business environment of enterprises, measured through the marketization index, enhances the effectiveness of RCS in improving river pollution by enterprises. This study introduces a new perspective on examining the pollution reduction and abatement effects of RCS, addressing a gap in micro-level research. The findings not only contribute to the understanding of RCS's impact on pollution but also offer valuable insights for governments and policymakers in promoting the further development and implementation of RCS policies. The results of this research are of significant importance in strengthening environmental governance and safeguarding public health. By effectively controlling corporate pollution emissions, RCS contributes positively to improving environmental quality and, consequently, enhancing public health outcomes.

Occurrences, Possible Sources, and Risk Impacts of Organochlorine Pesticides in Soil of Changchun Central Urban Area, Northeast China

Eighteen organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in soil samples from the Changchun central urban area, Northeast China were analyzed using accelerated solvent extraction combined with gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (ASE-GC/MS) for the purpose of elucidating their contamination status, distribution characteristics, influencing factors, and feasible dangers in this city region. The complete concentrations of OCPs ranged from 15.63 to 92.79 ng/g, with a geomean of 36.46 ng/g. Hexachlorocyclohexane(HCHs), dichlorodiphenyltrichoroethane (DDTs), and chlordanes were the most dominant OCPs, with γ-HCH and p,p′-DDT being the predominant isomers. Higher concentrations of OCPs often centered to the northeast and southwest of the Changchun metropolis, and these artificial influences contributed to the destiny of OCPs in the soils. The residues of OCPs were derived from the historic utility of the technological DDT, dicofol, and lindane. A Pearson’s correlation evaluation indicated that TOC was once a key factor controlling OCP accumulation. The ecological risk evaluation based on the soil quality guidelines (SQGs) advises that the presence of DDTs, lindane, and heptachlor may additionally pose a poisonous ecological danger to soil organisms. The contrast outcomes of the incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) confirmed that the highest cancer risk of OCPs to the posed populace was once low, whilst some unique areas with excessive OCP residues ought to be given attention. The research results provide basic information for evaluating the extent of OCP pollution in the soil of major cities in Northeast China and can help authorities establish environmental protection regulations and soil remediation techniques.

Regional institutions’ contribution to energy market integration in the middle East

The energy market integration in the Middle East is assessed by comparing the acting institutions in the Levant and Persian Gulf sub-regions. Pami Aalto's regional institution's theoretical framework and the case-oriented comparative research method are adopted for this purpose. Changes in the Levant region coincided with the Arab League's establishment. This league did not develop due to inappropriate bi-lateral energy relationships and a lack of effort among the inter-state trade institutions. Regional institutions, lacking order creation, next to the Arab League members' sovereignty disturb gas transmission, transit, and environmental protection regulations. The Arab League has recognized Israel as an energy-producing member and has reduced the political conflicts' intensity to improve Arabic leadership in the Levant integration. The Persian Gulf states' unilateral trade negotiations, sanctions imposed by the US and EU on Iran's energy sector, and political disputes between Iran and some Arab states prevent coherent regional integration, liberalization, and the launch of joint energy projects. In bi-lateral energy diplomacy competition between the regional great energy powers, Iran and Saudi Arabia outside the region is evident. Though the environmental stewardship institution supports green energy, the profit-interest has priority in these regions. The outcome of this article reveals the existence of constraints imposed on energy market integration in these sub-regions.

Recycle Performance of Heterogeneous Catalyst Metal Oxides-Based Layered Double Hydroxide for Oxidative Desulfurization Process of 4-methyldibenzothiophene

The desulfurization of oil must be resolved as soon as possible due to a variety of issues, including environmental contamination and protection regulations. It was believed that oxidative desulfurization (ODS) was the most promising method. In this research, metal oxide-based layered double hydroxides (TiO2@Ni-Al and ZnO@Ni-Al) were effectively synthesized for the ODS of 4-methyldibenzothiophene (4-MDBT). TiO2@Ni-Al and ZnO@Ni-Al exhibited superior catalytic performance and high recycling capacity, achieving a 99% removal rate after five reactions in 30 min. The heterogeneous catalyst TiO2@Ni-Al/ZnO@Ni-Al is easy to separate and recover from a reaction system. Increased temperature facilitates the transformation of 4-MDBT into 4-MDBTO2. The influence of H2O2's rapid decomposition rate, which can inhibit oxidation reactions, reduces the catalytic activity as the temperature increases. 4-MDBT Sulphur removal on TiO2@Ni-Al and ZnO@Ni-Al is 99.48 and 99.51%, respectively. TiO2@Ni-Al and ZnO@Ni-Al have great potential for use in the industry based on these results. Copyright © 2023 by Authors, Published by BCREC Group. This is an open access article under the CC BY-SA License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0).

Environmental Effect of Quarry Site on the Adjoining Neighborhood in Oluyole Local Government, Oyo State, Nigeria

This study assessed the environmental impact of the quarry site on the adjoining neighbourhood in Oluyole Local Government Area, Ibadan, and Oyo State. The healthy city concept provided an anchor for the research. The mixed-methods and cross-sectional survey research design were used. Primary and secondary data sources were used. Using systematic random technique, three hundred and eleven (311) copies of questionnaires were administered to households in the selected houses within 1km of a purposively selected quarry site. The variables that were investigated include the socio-economic characteristics, challenges associated with quarry sites, quarrying activities effect on human properties and psychological health, the coping mechanisms adopted by the people in the neighbourhood. The study revealed that residents of the neighbourhood close to the quarry site were faced with the following prevalent challenges; ground vibration as a result of blasting (FEI 4.81); noise from heavy machines, hauling and processing vehicles, as well as rock blasting (FEI 4.66); quarrying activities producing noise (FEI 4.23). Therefore, there should be more proactive measure in enforcing the environmental protection laws and regulations guiding the location of quarry sites.

Harnessing deep learning to forecast local microclimate using global climate data

Microclimate is a complex non-linear phenomenon influenced by both global and local processes. Its understanding holds a pivotal role in the management of natural resources and the optimization of agricultural procedures. This phenomenon can be effectively monitored in local areas by employing models that integrate physical laws and data-driven algorithms relying on climate data and terrain conformation. Climate data can be acquired from nearby meteorological stations when available, but in their absence, global climate datasets describing 10 km-scale areas are often utilized. The present research introduces an innovative microclimate model that combines physical laws and deep learning to reproduce temperature and relative humidity variations at the meter-scale within a study area located in the Lombardian foothills. The model is exploited to perform a comparative study investigating whether employing the global climate dataset ERA5 as input reduces model’s accuracy in reproducing the microclimate variations compared to using data collected by the Lombardy Regional Environment Protection Agency (ARPA) from a nearby meteorological station. The comparative analysis shows that using local meteorological data as inputs provides more accurate results for microclimate modeling. However, in situations where local data is not available, the use of global climate data remains a viable and reliable approach.

Legal Regulation of Environmental Protection: Interrelations between Financial and Environmental Law

The paper compares financial and environmental law principles of regulating activities related to environmental protection. The author analyzes the concept of environmental protection and focuses on the complex nature of the legal regulation of public relations that develop in the process of environmental protection. The author points out that historically, the rules regulating environmental relations appeared in order to protect property, in particular financial interests. It is emphasized that natural resources are the main source of income for our state and environmental protection measures are implemented for the common good. Activities related to environmental protection can be effective only in conditions of proper financing. Based on the conducted research, it was concluded that the specifics of the subject and method of legal regulation led to the attribution of financial and environmental law to the number of public branches of Russian law, which means that financial and environmental law regulation is primarily aimed at implementation of public interest. These industries are similar in terms of the method of legal regulation: environmental law, as well as financial law, mainly regulates public relations through the imperative method — the method of power and subordination. Despite the fact that the compared branches of Russian law regulate separate, different areas of public relations, their subjects may overlap. This is due to the fact that financial activities and activities in the field of environmental protection are not opposed, are not mutually exclusive. This is largely facilitated by the fact that financial law is a universal branch of Russian law, and financing is the most effective tool for influencing public relations.

Spatial-temporal evolution and correlation analysis between habitat quality and landscape patterns based on land use change in Shaanxi Province, China.

Regional habitat quality is an important reflection of ecosystem services and ecosystem health. Exploring the characteristics of habitat quality changes and revealing the vulnerability of regional ecosystems caused could provide reference for the improvement of ecological service functions and the protection of regional ecological environment. Based on remote sensing data of Shaanxi Province from 2000 to 2015, InVEST model and grid analysis were used to analyze the evolution characteristics of habitat quality and landscape pattern, and spatial autocorrelation was also used to analyze the spatial correlation and temporal evolution characteristics. The results showed: (1) Arable land, grassland, and forest land were the main landscape types in Shaanxi province, accounting for more than 94% of the total area, and the arable land and unused land showed a decreasing trend, while the grassland and forest land showed an increasing trend, and the proportion of construction land continued to increase with the rapid economic development from 2000 to 2015; (2) The spatial distribution characteristics of habitat quality was similar to land use cover change, which was "high in the southern and central forest areas, low in the northern sandy land and central urban agglomeration", and habitat quality value showed a steady increase, indicating that the habitat quality was getting better; (3) The landscape pattern index values of Guanzhong Plain urban agglomeration changed significantly, which tended to be fragmented, and the landscape types were more diverse and uniform; (4) There were obvious spatial correlation between habitat quality and landscape pattern, and the spatial differentiation of clustering was obvious, and the clustering effect of habitat quality and landscape pattern characteristics would weaken with the increase in urbanization degree. The analysis of the spatial association between habitat quality and landscape pattern could provide scientific support for ecological protection and landscape planning.

Problem issues of criminal liability for illegal cutting

In the context of the armed aggression against Ukraine, the issue of environmental protection becomes particularly acute.
 The World Meteorological Organization has said that recent years have been the warmest on record. Over the past 50 years, there have been five times as many weather-related, climate-related, and water-related catastrophes.
 Forests play an important role in combating climate change and preserving human-friendly living conditions on Earth. Therefore, the task of preserving and increasing forest cover acquires not only national, but also international strategic importance.
 The article examines the issue of improving legal mechanisms for the protection and protection of forests, in particular the provisions of the Criminal Code. It is noted that the current version of Article 246 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine is not consistent with other norms that regulate legal relations in this area. First of all, this is related to the change in the definition of “forest” and “forest fund” contained in the Forest Code of Ukraine.
 Additionally, the application of Article 246 of the Ukrainian Criminal Code reveals serious flaws in its design as well as a failure to adhere to contemporary environmental protection standards and regulations.
 One of the consequences of this shortcoming is that in practice it is almost impossible to prosecute for the transportation or storage of illegally cut wood, since it is necessary to prove the fact of illegal cutting.
 The article substantiates the need to expand the range of actions for which criminal liability should arise under this article. In particular, it is proven that criminal liability for illegal cutting of trees and shrubs should not be limited to forests, protective and other forest plantations.
 Taking into account the social importance, it is proposed to establish responsibility under the third part of this article also for the felling of trees and shrubs in parks and squares, as special objects of urban improvement.
 Also given are the reasons for the need to separate an additional article in the Criminal Code of responsibility for transportation, storage, sale of illegally cut trees and shrubs, as well as wood. Relevant legislative changes are proposed.

Protection of Human Rights Against the Environment in the Indonesian Legal System

Purpose: This research examines the relationship between human rights and environmental protection in the context of Indonesia's legal system. Theoretical Reference: It refers to Indonesia's legal system and the 1945 Constitution to understand the regulation and implementation of human rights and environmental protection. Method: The study employs the normative law method with philosophical and analytical approaches. Results and Conclusion: Indonesia's constitution guarantees the right of every individual to a good and healthy environment; the enforcement and safety of these rights often face various challenges. The challenges include the imbalance between economic goals and environmental protection, weak law enforcement, and a need for more understanding of Human Rights and public participation in environmental issues. Implications of Research: Through a deeper understanding of the relationship between human rights and environmental protection, it is expected that Indonesia's legal system can be more effective in ensuring a sustainable and habitable environment for all its citizens. Originality/Value: This article suggests the importance of enhancing the integration of human rights and environmental protection within the framework of the Constitution and daily practices.Additionally, increasing awareness and compliance among all parties with existing regulations is highly necessary. Hopefully, these efforts will support achieving sustainable development goals in Indonesia, which encompass human rights and a healthy environment.

The Changing Nature of the Natural Gas Trade between Russia and Turkey: The Role of Climate Change and the EU Institutions

This article focuses on the changing nature of Russia-Turkey energy trade relations. The main argument of the article is that climate change, as well as EU institutions and environmental protection regulations, have been decisive in the long-term transformation of bilateral natural gas relations. The EU favors competitive market structures to combat climate change, and the EU Green Deal sets ambitious targets for renewable energy consumption. These variables establish grounds for legitimacy among EU members in the face of Russian dominance of the EU energy market. However, as discussed in this paper, the Russian government’s main strategy to counter this opposition from the EU side is to circumvent the EU’s institutional arrangements through its relations with Turkey. The final point to be discussed in this paper is the impact of the EU energy and environment policies on changes in Russian perceptions of Turkey.

Green credit and corporate energy efficiency: Enterprise pollution transfer or green transformation

In recent years, there has been a burgeoning emphasis on advancing the paradigm of energy transformation and expediting the maturation of novel energy systems in order to enhance the structural integrity of China's energy industry. Employing the 2007 "Opinions on Implementing Environmental Protection Policies and Regulations to Prevent Credit Risk" as a quasi-experimental setting, this study utilizes longitudinal panel data spanning from 2000 to 2014, encompassing Chinese industrial enterprises. Through the application of a difference-in-differences analytical framework, this research rigorously evaluates the ramifications of the Green Credit Policy (GCP) on firm-level energy-utilization efficiency (FLEE). The empirical findings proffer compelling evidence of a substantial amelioration in FLEE attributable to the enactment of the GCP. Furthermore, a nuanced investigation of heterogeneity reveals that the GCP exerts a conspicuously more pronounced influence in elevating FLEE levels within the eastern region, state-owned enterprises, entities characterized by low technological sophistication, and those operating within highly pollution-intensive sectors. Mechanism analysis underscores the pivotal role of resource allocation and the amelioration of financing constraints as indirect pathways through which the GCP bolsters FLEE.

The Preparation of Mn-Modified CeO2 Nanosphere Catalysts and Their Catalytic Performance for Soot Combustion

With the increasing stringency of environmental protection regulations, reducing the severe pollution caused by soot particles from diesel vehicle exhaust has become a widespread concern. Catalytic purification technology is currently an efficient method for eliminating soot particles, which needs to develop high-activity catalysts. This work uses a two-step hydrothermal method to synthesize MnOx/CeO2 nanosphere catalysts, which have synergistic effects between manganese and cerium, and have high reactive oxygen species. Among them, the MnCe-1:4 catalyst represents the optimal catalytic activity, and the values of T10, T50, and T90 are 289, 340, and 373 °C, respectively. On account of their simple synthetic procedure and low cost, the prepared MnOx/CeO2 nanosphere catalysts have good prospects for practical applications.

Identification of ecological functional zoning and its influencing factors in the Sihu Lake Basin, China

Rational delineation of ecological functional areas and clarification of their driving factors are of significance for maintaining regional ecosystem stability. We assessed six ecosystem services of Sihu Lake Basin located in Jianghan Plain using InVEST and RUSLE models and recreational scoring methods. By using K-means clustering, we identified the ecosystem service bundles, and delineated the ecological functional areas in combination with ecological sensitivity and ecosystem service bundles. The dominant driving factors of different ecological functional areas were analyzed by Geodetector. The results showed that the spatial distributions of habitat quality and carbon sequestration services were similar, with high values being mainly concentrated in Changhu Lake Basin and Honghu Lake Basin. However, the spatial distributions of crop production and soil conservation services were different, with high-value areas concentrated in the northwest area with mountains. The high values of water production service were mainly concentrated in the eastern part of Honghu Lake Basin, while the high-value areas of ecological recreation service were mainly concentrated in the northwest area and the southern part of Honghu Lake Basin. The Sihu Lake Basin could be classified into crop production bundle, habitat quality bundle, and urban living bundle according to cluster analysis. The low ecological sensitivity areas accounted for 59.0% of the Sihu Lake Basin. We classified the study area into ecological restoration areas, ecological conservation areas, ecological transition areas, ecological development areas, and comprehensive use areas by combination of ecological sensitivity and ecosystem service bundles. The geodetector results indicated that the driving factors of each ecological function zone were significantly different. The natural factors significantly influenced the ecological restoration zone, while the normalized vegetation index and population density were the main influencing factors in the ecological conservation zone and the ecological development zone, respectively. Land use type was the main influencing factor in the ecological transition zone and the comprehensive use zone. The results could provide important support for coordinated regional social development and environmental protection.

Development of a guideline for the assessment of low frequency noise in Victoria, Australia

The Victorian Environment Protection Act 2017 commenced in July 2021 and includes a general environmental duty to minimise the risk of harm to human health and the environment from pollution and waste (including noise), as well as an obligation to not emit “unreasonable noise”. Unreasonable noise occurs if limits set by the Environment Protection Regulations 2021 are exceeded, or having regards to factors included in the Act’s definition of unreasonable noise. The Regulations prescribe ‘frequency spectrum’ as one of these factors. In this context, the Environment Protection Authority Victoria developed the ‘Noise guideline: Assessing low frequency noise’ (publication 1996) that applies to commercial, industrial and trade premises. This guideline provides the steps for assessing low frequency noise from existing and the approach to follow when planning and designing new developments in Victoria. It is the reference document to understand the risk of harm from the emission of low frequency noise and assess and address low frequency noise. The development of the guideline and the underlying considerations are presented.

Serial Mediation Model Linking Returnee Entrepreneurship Education and Green Returnee Entrepreneurial Behavior: An Analysis of Environmental Improvement

With the increasingly negative impact of environmental pollution on human production and life caused by the non-green operation of enterprises, a new generation of returnee entrepreneurs is called upon to take on regional environmental protection and global ecological improvement. This study examined the impact of returnee entrepreneurship education (REE). A conceptual model is constructed based on REE as the core factor of environmental sustainability and uses the occurrence of green entrepreneurial behavior among new university graduates returning to their hometowns as an evaluation basis. Convenience sampling was applied, and the relevant data were collected from 358 new university graduates in Jiangsu Province, China who received REE during their university years. Empirical analysis based on partial least squares structural equation modeling shows that REE evokes a commitment to the environment (CE) and has an indirect significant impact on green returnee entrepreneurial behavior (GREB) through institutional support and intention. However, a CE did not have a significant direct effect. The findings of this study have significant reference value for decision-makers in government departments in developing countries, universities, and many social groups that are actively responding to the United Nations Sustainable Development Initiative.

A power-dependence perspective of the pollution haven hypothesis

The pollution haven hypothesis has suggested that developed-country multinational enterprises (DMNEs) offshore their polluting activities to developing countries in an attempt to circumvent the stringent environmental protection regulations in their home markets. What remains unclear is why the host developing-country governments permit the above-average pollution caused by foreign subsidiaries. From a power-dependence perspective, we hypothesize that when the host developing-country governments exhibit dependence on advanced resources from developed countries, DMNE subsidiaries exert power (or influence) over the governments in regulatory discretion within the legal boundary. The unbalanced power relation grants DMNE subsidiaries the leeway to pollute more than their peers. By combining the pollution haven hypothesis with the power-dependence theory, this study highlights the heterogeneity within the local developing countries in environmental arbitrage in international business.

Environment Regulations for Constructing Industrial Parks and Clusters Via a Case in Hanoi - and Environment Protection Law

Objective: The primary objective of this study is to examine the establishment of industrial parks and clusters, focusing on a case study in Hanoi, and its relationship with environment protection laws. The study aims to achieve this objective through the utilization of descriptive methods, qualitative analysis techniques including synthesis and inductive reasoning. Method: In pursuit of the study's objective, descriptive methods are employed to investigate the development of industrial parks and clusters in the context of environment protection regulations. Qualitative analysis techniques such as synthesis and inductive reasoning are applied to analyze the collected data and draw meaningful insights. Result: The outcomes of the study reveal the formulation of an effective environment protection model suitable for the context of industrial park and cluster development. The study also highlights a crucial finding that investors engaged in constructing and operating technical infrastructure within these clusters bear significant responsibilities and obligations for ensuring environmental protection. Conclusion: Based on the analysis conducted, the study concludes that the management and oversight of environmental matters by governmental authorities exhibit certain weaknesses. Specifically, inspections and evaluations related to environment protection are identified as areas needing improvement. Moreover, compliance with environmental protection regulations among industrial clusters (CCNs) is reported to be insufficient. Notably, a mere five out of the operational CCNs possess wastewater treatment facilities. Furthermore, many industrial zones lack comprehensive plans for centralized water supply systems and contravene regulations by undertaking secondary projects to extract underground water for production purposes. The study also underscores that a substantial portion of these secondary investment projects fail to adhere to stipulated criteria for tree coverage and other environmental protection regulations.

Konsultasi Publik Kegiatan Pengembangan Rumah Sakit

MM Hospital is one of the General Hospitals located on Jalan Sisingamangaraja, Harjosari I Village, Medan Amplas District, Medan City, North Sumatra Province. This hospital plans to develop its services in the health sector. Referring to Law No. 32 of 2009 concerning Environmental Protection and Management, Law No. 11 of 2020 concerning Job Creation, Government Regulation No. 22 of 2021 concerning the Implementation of Environmental Protection and Management and Regulation of the Minister of Environment and Forestry of the Republic of Indonesia No. 4 of 2021 concerning List of Businesses and/or Activities Required to Have an Environmental Impact Analysis, Environmental Management Efforts and Environmental Monitoring Efforts or a Statement of Undertaking to Manage and Monitor the Environment Appendix I Letter F Health Sector No.12. and Annex II Letter A Multisector with criteria required to have AMDAL, UKL-UPL and SPPL, for building area ≥10,000 m2, AMDAL is required. So that development activities in health services by MM General Hospital, are required to prepare an Environmental Impact Analysis Document (AMDAL) Category C. Based on the results of the public consultation conducted on May 19, 2023, several important issues that became input in public consultation activities, among others, were grouped into the impact of increased vibration, the impact of liquid waste generation, the impact of increased employment and business opportunities, the impact of changes in community income and the impact of changes in community attitudes and perceptions.

Quantitative prediction of the impact of deep extremely thick coal seam mining on groundwater

Reasonable exploitation and utilization of groundwater near coal mines in arid areas are of great significance to regional ecological and geological environment protection and sustainable mining of coal resources. It is a challenge to accurately predict the impact of deep coal mining on groundwater resources before mining. Adopting a coal mine in Inner Mongolia, China, as a case study, first, a well-fitted GA-BP neural network model was established to predict the height of the water-conducting fracture zone (WCFZ). The prediction results of WCFZ were verified by in-situ measured data of optical fiber and cable sensing systems. In Chinese coal mines, hydrogeological research generally lags behind geological exploration. Therefore, in the context of limited hydrogeological data, a variable weight model (VWM) for evaluating the potential groundwater yield of the objective aquifer (OAPGY) was established considering geological survey data before mining. Then, drilling pumping test data was used to verify the OAPGY predictions. Finally, groundwater resource protection measures were proposed according to the zoning results. The research results could provide a reference and basis for sustainable utilization of groundwater and reducing the impact of coal mining on groundwater resources.