Environmental Performance Research Articles

ABSTRACT This study employs capital, labor, and energy as input variables, with provincial GDP as the desired output and CO2 emissions as the undesired output. Within the total factor productivity framework, two energy efficiency indices – energy economic efficiency and energy-environmental performance – are defined using the Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) method. Utilizing a non-radial, non-angle Slacks-Based Measure (SBM) model, the study calculates these indices and their decomposition for Chinese provinces from 2004 to 2023, analyzing their evolution and regional disparities. Based on the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) theory, the paper examines the relationship between energy efficiency indices, their decomposition, and regional economic growth. Results indicate that China’s overall energy efficiency indices were relatively low during the sample period, with significant regional disparities and potential for energy conservation and emission reduction. A non-linear relationship (either inverted U-shaped or U-shaped) was observed between these indices and economic growth. Industrial structure, population density, energy structure, and foreign capital utilization significantly affected both energy efficiency indices, though the mechanisms varied.

This study aims to analyze the influence of green human resource management and green intellectual capital on environmental performance mediated by environmental commitment. Sampling was done using census techniques, with a sample of 115 respondents. Data analysis using partial least squares-structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) with the help of the SmartPLS program. The results show that green human resource management (p-value 0.016 and T-stat 2.415) and green intellectual capital (p-value 0.000 and T-stat 5.457) have a direct positive and significant influence on environmental performance. Green human resource management (p-value 0.049 and T-stats 1.997) and green intellectual capital (p-value 0.000 and T-stats 6.257) have a very significant influence on environmental commitments. Our indirect analysis found that environmental commitment partially mediated the influence of green human resource management on environmental performance (p-value 0.000 and T-stat 6.845) and environmental commitment partially mediated the influence of green intellectual capital on environmental performance (p-value 0.048 and T-stat 2.132). This result implies that the Education and Culture Office needs to improve the implementation (GHRM) by conducting green recruitment and selection, providing training and development, and cultivating a reward system for employees. Then green intellectual capital needs to be developed by increasing environmental knowledge and increasing environmentally friendly innovation.

Against the dual backdrop of the digital economy and green development, digital transformation has emerged as a crucial pathway for enterprises to enhance their environmental performance. Based on the data of Chinese A-share listed companies from 2008 to 2021, the research empirically analyzes the effect of digital transformation on the environmental performance of enterprises and its industry differences. The research findings are as follows:(1) Digital transformation has a significantly positive impact on the environmental performance of enterprises, and this effect is achieved by promoting green technological innovation and optimizing the quality of internal control;(2)The heterogeneity analysis indicates digital transformation has a more remarkable effect on improving the environmental performance of low-pollution industries, non-high-tech enterprises, as well as non-manufacturing industries. However, due to the relatively high governance costs, the effects are relatively limited in high-pollution industries and the manufacturing industry. This research provides an important basis for the government to formulate targeted digital environmental protection policies and for enterprises to implement differentiated transformation strategies. It also has certain practical enlightenment significance for promoting the integration of digital economy as well as green development.

Bureaucratic Reputation Theory posits that reputational pressure exerts a constraining effect on the public sector and motivates it to achieve better performance. However, this theoretical perspective neglects the diverse sources of reputational pressure and fails to fully recognize the heterogeneous threat response behaviors of the public sector. This article seeks to revise this theoretical viewpoint by focusing on the environmental governance of local governments. Utilizing panel data from prefecture-level cities in China from 2014 to 2022, we empirically analyzed the impact of reputational pressure on local governments’ environmental governance performance, and revealed its underlying mechanism from the perspective of threat response behavior. The study found that: (1) Top–down reputational pressure exerts a significant positive effect on the environmental governance performance of local governments, while bottom–up reputational pressure fails to exert a significant positive effect; (2) The mechanism behind the aforementioned relationship lies in the different threat response behaviors triggered by the two types of reputational pressure. Top–down reputational pressure significantly triggers local governments’ substantive threat response behaviors in environmental governance, while bottom–up reputational pressure significantly triggers local governments’ symbolic threat response behaviors in environmental governance; (3) The higher the frequency of local leadership rotation, the more likely bottom–up reputational pressure triggers symbolic threat response behaviors in local governments’ environmental governance. The results contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the impact of reputational pressure on the public sector’s organizational operation and performance. They also provide theoretical and policy insights for understanding the behavioral patterns of local governments and exploring reputation management strategies for government institutions.

The Moderating Role of Economic Policy Uncertainty in the Relationship between State Ownership and Environmental Performance

Introduction The valorization of agrifood residues into phenolic-rich extracts represents a promising approach to reduce residues and recover resources within a circular economy framework. Methods In this study, a comparative Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of three extraction processes from agrifood by-products was conducted, namely date pits powder, citrus by-products, and cherry press-cake, producing phenolic-rich extracts to be applied in packaging, food, and cosmetic products. Using the ReCiPe 2016 method and a functional unit of 1 kg of total phenolic compounds (TPC), environmental impacts across 18 categories were assessed from a gate-to-gate perspective. Results and discussion The extracts from date pits powder, citrus by-products, and cherry press-cake showed TPC of 243 ± 5.6 mg GAE/g extract, 33.57 ± 0.07 mg GAE/g extract, and 445 ± 5 mg GAE/g extract, respectively. Results identified electrical energy consumption as the dominant contributor to environmental burdens in all scenarios, due to the energy-intensive steps of freeze-drying and chemical treatments. The citrus by-products scenario exhibited the lowest environmental impacts due to simplified processing and effective ethanol recovery, despite the total biomass valorization not being considered. In contrast, the cherry press-cake upcycling pathway showed the highest environmental footprint, primarily due to the cascade extraction method implemented. Date pits powder valorization presented an intermediate trend, where the high resource usage was balanced with the total valorization of the biomass to obtain cellulose nanocrystals (CNC). The findings highlight a critical trade-off between environmental performance and resource efficient use, emphasizing the need for the individuation of alternative unit operations, focusing particularly on the reduction of energy usage, to enhance the sustainability of biomass valorization processes in view of their industrial application.

Against the backdrop of global climate warming and China's "dual carbon" goals, the steel industry, as a representative of high energy consumption and high emissions, has drawn widespread attention regarding its environmental performance. This paper takes steel enterprises as the research subject, analyzes the connotation of digital-green coordinated development, and constructs an environmental performance evaluation system for steel enterprises in the digital context by integrating policy requirements for the metallurgical industry outlined in the Implementation Guidelines for Digital-Green Coordinated Transformation Development. The paper briefly introduces data processing methods for evaluation indicators and subsequent scoring calculation approaches, providing concrete ideas on how to incorporate digital indicators into the environmental performance evaluation of steel enterprises.

Abstract Purpose Extended methods and more representative datasets are needed to comprehensively evaluate the environmental life cycle performance of recycling systems compared to other material strategies. In this paper, we investigate the environmental impact profile of recycling compared to reduction, linear systems (energy recovery or landfill) and a change in the plastic polymer used in primary food packaging in a southeastern Norwegian context. Method The life cycle assessment scope is a system expansion with multiple functions (SEMF), which accounts for every function through a cascade of recycling loops. Closed-loop allocation is used to compare the average burden of a product within a recycling loop cascade to the reduce and linear system strategies. The regionalised scope is set to southeastern Norway, for which regionalised life cycle inventories are collected. Low and high recycling scenarios were investigated. Low recycling scenarios represent current open-loop recycling efficiencies per studied polymer type, whilst high recycling scenarios are derived from the Norwegian Deposits Pay System (DPS) PANT of beverage bottles. The energy recovery rate is based on the country mixes in which the plastics are incinerated. The investigated plastic polymers are mono-polyethylene terephthalate (mono-PET) and 95% low-density polyethylene (LDPE) with 5% ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH). Results and discussion The current open-loop recycling of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polyethylene (PE) film in Norway is comparable to a linear product system with energy recovery and landfill across all environmental impact categories. The high - efficiency recycling system demonstrated the potential to achieve 50% less climate impact compared to the linear baseline, but with great impact variability across the investigated environmental indicators and multiple instances of problem-shifting. Comparatively, a 50% reduction in material thickness corresponded to a universal 50% lower impact compared to the linear baseline across all impact categories. The SEMF framework highlights the resource and environmental limitations of current and potential recycling efficiencies, which are otherwise missed at the product level. Conclusion Material recycling has no significant environmental benefit compared to a linear reference with the current recycling rates. Much higher recycling rates are needed, but material quality degradation is an obstacle. The factual numbers of recycling loops due to material degradation and losses should be included in life cycle assessments (LCAs) to provide a more realistic picture of the environmental performance of material recycling. The study also showed that the reduction of material and a change of material resulted in lower environmental impact, which underscores the need to combine different strategies.

ABSTRACT Conductive hydrogels (CHs) have emerged as a promising class of multifunctional materials that integrate the softness, stretchability, and high water content of traditional hydrogels with the electrical conductivity essential for modern electronic applications. Their unique ability to conform to dynamic biological interfaces while maintaining stable electrochemical performance makes them ideal candidates for next‐generation flexible and wearable devices. This review provides a comprehensive and critical analysis of the recent progress in CH development, focusing on the design strategies, synthesis routes, and structural innovations that enhance their electrical, mechanical, and environmental performance. Various types of conductive elements, including metallic nanostructures, carbon‐based nanomaterials, ionic species, and intrinsically conducting polymers are discussed in the context of hybrid network formation and charge transport mechanisms. Special attention is given to the multifunctional properties of CHs, such as antifreezing behavior, self‐healing capability, tissue adhesion, and long‐term stability, which are pivotal for real‐world deployment. Application‐driven sections explore the role of CHs in wearable strain sensors, energy storage systems, and triboelectric nanogenerators, highlighting state‐of‐the‐art device performance and integration strategies. Finally, current challenges and future perspectives are outlined, emphasizing the need for scalable fabrication methods, sustainable material systems, and intelligent functionalities. This review aims to guide interdisciplinary efforts in advancing CHs as transformative materials for soft electronics, bio‐integrated technologies, and adaptive human–machine interfaces.

Corporate entrepreneurship positively impacts organizational growth and profitability by offering a competitive edge over innovation-driven technology advancements and a tumultuous global marketplace. As developing countries become more involved in international competition, the significance of human resources as a source of high organizational performance has become apparent. Combining corporate entrepreneurship activities and human resource management practices is vital for enhancing organizational performance. Despite the increasing research on corporate entrepreneurship, research on the influence of corporate entrepreneurship, human resources management, and employee engagement on the organizational performance of telecommunication organizations in Zimbabwe is scarce. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of corporate entrepreneurship and human resources management practices on organisational performance through mediating the role of employee engagement. This research followed a positivist research paradigm. Four hundred (400) employees in the telecommunications industry were selected using a stratified sampling method. An online questionnaire was utilised to gather data. Descriptive and inferential statistical techniques were employed to analyse data using Statistical Packages for Social Science (SPSS) version 27.0. The hypotheses were tested using multiple regression analysis. The results indicated a significant relationship between corporate entrepreneurship and human resources management practices on organisational performance. In addition, the results show that corporate entrepreneurship and human resources management practices positively impacted employee engagement. Employee engagement emerged to have a positive impact on organisational performance. Employee engagement mediates the relationship between corporate entrepreneurship and organisational performance. Additionally, employee engagement mediates the relationship between human resources management practices and organisational performance. The research broadens the knowledge base in corporate entrepreneurship, human resources management practices, employee engagement, and telecommunication's organisational performance. Policymakers and human resources practitioners, thus, may use this study as a reference point for adopting corporate entrepreneurship policies and human resources management practices strategies aimed at enhancing organisational performance in this unpredictable business environment. Lastly, a conceptual model was developed to link corporate entrepreneurship, human resources management practices, employee engagement, and organisational performance in the telecommunication sector of Zimbabwe.

Introduction: Trace metals can negatively impact biological functions and brain development. Cognitive and neurobehavioral disorders in children are poorly documented in Haut-Katanga Province, an area with significant and multiple exposures to trace metals that can lead to the exacerbation of cognitive and behavioral disorders. Objective: This study aimed to characterize the behavior of schoolchildren linked to their cognitive performance in urban and rural environments. Methods: A cross-sectional pilot study was conducted on 52 schoolchildren aged 6 to 11 (22 from rural areas presumed less exposed to metals and 30 from Lubumbashi, DRC). This study employed NEPSY-II tests, the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ-Tutor), ENA 2020 software and trace metal spectrometry assays. Statistical tests were carried out with SPSS-20 and Stata-18. Results: Our findings revealed a correlation between children’s malnutrition and low mother’s education. The “total difficulties score” was more prevalent in rural areas (73%) compared to urban settings (37%) p < 0.05), in contrast to the “negative impact of difficulties” (59% versus 57%, p > 0.05). Urban children demonstrated superior cognitive performance, particularly in “facial affect recognition” (8 versus 4, p = 0.013) and “inhibitory control” (6.5 versus 3, p = 0.032). As-U(urine), Cd-B(blood), Hg-B, Mo-U, Ni-U, Pb-U, Pb-B and Sb-U were elevated compared to references. In general, urban areas had higher metal levels than rural areas. Blood and urine metals showed a complex and significant relationship with behavioral difficulties or cognitive performance. Conclusions: The observed behavioral issues, cognitive performance deficits and their association with nutritional deficiencies and trace metal exposure suggest a multifactorial neurodevelopmental origin. These findings highlight the need for further research in the region.

Epoxy resin coatings are widely employed for steel protection owing to their excellent adhesion, chemical stability, mechanical strength, and barrier properties. However, conventional bisphenol A-based resins and organic solvents may pose risks to reproductive, developmental, and immune systems, as well as contribute to atmospheric pollution. This mini-review critically evaluates recent advancements in fully waterborne bio-based epoxy nanocomposites as sustainable alternatives, with particular emphasis on their enhanced antibacterial and corrosion-resistant performance in tropical marine environments. A central focus is the role of chitosan-grafted graphene oxide (Chi-GO) as a multifunctional nanofiller that significantly enhances both antibacterial efficacy and barrier capabilities. For instance, coatings reinforced with Chi-GO exhibit up to two orders of magnitude lower corrosion current density than pristine epoxy coatings, and achieve over 95% bacterial inhibition against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus at a 1 wt.% loading. The review summarizes key synthesis methods, functional modification techniques, and commonly adopted evaluation approaches. Emerging research further underscores environmental performance metrics, including reduced volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions and improved life-cycle assessments. By integrating bio-based polymer matrices with Chi-GO, these composite systems present a promising pathway toward environmentally benign and durable protective coatings. Nevertheless, critical challenges concerning scalability and long-term stability under real-world operating conditions remain insufficiently addressed. Future research should emphasize scalable manufacturing strategies, such as roll-to-roll processing, and conduct extended tropical exposure testing (e.g., salt spray tests beyond 2000 h). Additionally, developing comprehensive life-cycle assessment (LCA) frameworks will be crucial for sustainable industrial implementation.

Purpose This study examines board cultural diversity's (BCD) impact on corporate environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance, and its variation across markets and economic conditions. Design/methodology/approach We use an 18-country panel dataset of 5,294 firm-year observations from 2009–2020 from the Thomson Refinitiv database for firm-level variables and World Bank for country-level data. The analysis employs ordinary least squares and dynamic system generalised method of moments estimators. Propensity score matching is used to address potential endogeneity. Findings The study finds BCD positively affects ESG performance across model specifications. The effect is stronger for environmental and social dimensions, with a limited impact on governance. When cultural diversity is more evenly distributed across board members, it influences governance. Finally, ESG performance is highly persistent, with past performance significantly shaping current outcomes. Research limitations/implications This study contributes to corporate governance theory by empirically showing that BCD positively impacts ESG performance. This deepens our understanding of how diverse leadership structures enhance firms' sustainability practices and transparency. BCD's influence on ESG reporting is a gradual, long-term process rather than having an immediate effect. Practical implications Investors should carefully consider directors' appointment, given their influence on ESG performance. BCD may be more effective as a strategic, forward-looking measure rather than a quick fix for current ESG performance. Originality/value We provide international evidence on ESG performance, particularly BCD's influence. Further, ESG performance is best modelled as a dynamic process influenced by past performance and evolving over time.

Green finance has emerged as a driving force in the restructuring of energy-intensive industries by integrating ecological objectives into financial decision-making. This paper explores the significance and strategic pathways of financial transformation for high-energy-consumption enterprises under the guidance of green finance. The discussion emphasizes the necessity of industrial upgrading, diversification of financing channels, improvement of environmental risk management, and reinforcement of sustainable competitiveness. Four major strategies are examined: enhancing green accounting information disclosure, innovating green investment instruments, strengthening environmental cost and performance management, and constructing green risk control systems. These approaches illustrate how enterprises can achieve financial resilience and ecological accountability simultaneously, thereby securing long-term growth within increasingly stringent environmental and financial frameworks.

This study conducts a systematic literature review, bibliometric analysis, and content analysis to investigate the relationships between environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance and firm value. Using Scopus and Web of Science (WoS) databases, 287 relevant articles published between 2015 and 2024 were identified. This research uses VOSviewer and the Bibliometrix-R package for analysis, examining annual trends, influential authors, journals, organizations, collaborations, and future research areas. ESG firm performance studies increased significantly from 2022 onwards. This study corroborates existing evidence indicating that most research finds a positive relationship between ESG performance and firm value. However, some studies report negative or insignificant results, likely due to variations across industries, regions, and time periods (Ghinizzini et al., 2025). This study reveals a lack of standardized ESG ratings, the need to separate E, S, and G components, and the importance of advanced causal methods for endogeneity issues. Bibliographic coupling identifies three research clusters: empirical findings on ESG and firm value relationships, qualitative and meta-analytic studies, and theoretical works. Future research should expand cross-country and industry comparisons, investigate ESG risk-mitigation aspects, and incorporate multiple theoretical frameworks. This analysis provides insights for scholars, policymakers, and professionals, emphasizing the need for consistent ESG regulations and aligning strategies with practices to enhance market values.

Purpose This study aims to systematically investigate the landscape of circular economy (CE) models within the fashion industry, with a focus on evaluating their effectiveness, applicability, and implications for sustainable business practices. The research seeks to identify which CE models are most viable for enhancing environmental performance, profitability, and long-term competitiveness in the fashion sector. Design/methodology/approach A comprehensive and systematic literature review was conducted, drawing on peer-reviewed academic sources and industry reports. The study critically examines a range of CE business models, including rental and subscription services, product customization, recycling, remanufacturing and repair, recommerce or peer-to-peer second-hand services, and transparency-focused models. Comparative analysis was used to assess their practical implementation, scalability, and sustainability outcomes. Findings The findings reveal that all examined models possess substantial potential for driving both environmental and economic value in the fashion industry. Among them, transparency-based business models emerge as particularly effective and feasible, providing multidimensional benefits for both established enterprises and start-ups. Transparency enhances consumer trust, strengthens accountability, and facilitates stakeholder engagement, thereby positioning it as a critical enabler of sustainable transformation within the sector. Originality/value This study provides a nuanced and integrative perspective on circular economy practices in the fashion industry, offering theoretical and practical insights into how businesses can strategically select and combine models to achieve sustainability goals. It contributes to the ongoing discourse by identifying transparency as a central mechanism for operationalizing circularity and fostering consumer-driven sustainability.

The urban heat island (UHI) phenomenon presents pressing challenges for urban sustainability, intersecting urban planning, building design, public health and climate adaptation and mitigation policy. While UHI science has advanced, its knowledge and practice translation into real-life practice remains limited. This paper investigates the processes of how UHI knowledge can support the transition from diagnosing urban climate risks to shaping more thermally resilient cities. It begins by outlining the interdisciplinary significance of urban heat governance and highlights the persistent gap between scientific understanding and actionable outcomes by drawing from five global contexts-Japan, Germany, the United States, Hong Kong and Singapore. The paper explores how scientific insights are integrated into planning instruments, design regulations and environmental performance frameworks. Using an implementation science perspective, the paper examines four key themes: (i) barriers and enablers of science-policy integration, (ii) knowledge co-production, (iii) boundary objects and interfaces, and (iv) policy diffusion across cities. Findings emphasize the importance of institutional coordination, iterative co-production and simple and user-friendly tools for planners. The paper concludes by proposing a forward-looking research agenda focused on integrated modelling, climate-resilient design and community-driven approaches, contributing to a growing discourse on reorienting urban climatology towards practice for more equitable and sustainable cities.This article is part of the theme issue 'Urban heat spreading above and below ground'.

The sustainable conversion of lignocellulosic biomass into high-value biobased products is a key low-carbon strategy to address global energy and environmental challenges. Deep eutectic solvents (DES) have emerged as green, tunable media for biomass pretreatment, but their environmental performance and scalability remain underexplored. This study applies a prospective life cycle assessment (pLCA) to a scaled-up multicomponent DES system based on volatile fatty acid (VFA) formulations. Laboratory-scale data were extrapolated through scale-up modeling, learning curves, and scenario analysis to simulate industrial conditions. Environmental impacts of the scaled-up system were compared to laboratory-scale and three conventional pretreatment technologies to assess trade-offs and feasibility. Results show that, with solvent recovery, the scaled DES system reduces environmental impacts by at least 67% across all midpoint categories and outperforms traditional methods. Monetization impact and economic analysis confirm its feasibility, showing a risk index below 0.65 and lower costs than binary DES systems, demonstrating superior environmental and economic potential. Sensitivity analysis highlights DES recovery as a key driver: increasing recovery from 50 to 90% cuts impacts by approximately 70%, underscoring its importance. This study delivers the first pLCA of a scaled multicomponent DES pretreatment, highlighting its environmental-economic trade-offs and supporting its sustainable industrial potential.

Urban infrastructure planning is central to advancing sustainable cities, but project success increasingly depends on public acceptance as well as technical, economic, and environmental performance. This study develops a fuzzy–grey multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) framework that embeds public opinion as a formal evaluation dimension. A novel POI, derived from online discourse data, integrates multi-dimensional emotions, polarization, and participation intensity to capture societal legitimacy. The framework employs entropy weighting and applies three established MCDM methods: TOPSIS, VIKOR, and EDAS, to evaluate project alternatives under uncertainty and incomplete information. An empirical case study in Nanjing demonstrates that incorporating Public Opinion Index (POI) significantly alters decision outcomes: the ecological park gained priority due to strong public support, while the wastewater treatment plant declined in ranking despite environmental benefits. These results underscore the decisive role of societal legitimacy in shaping sustainable infrastructure decisions. The framework contributes to sustainable urban planning by providing a replicable tool for balancing technical feasibility, environmental responsibility, and social acceptance in future infrastructure projects.

Campaign-style enforcement is a crucial approach to bridging enforcement gaps and improving environmental quality. Existing literature has largely focused on its impacts on environmental performance, government actions, and public response, while relatively neglecting its effects on enterprises. Using a staggered difference-in-differences (DID) approach and data from China’s Central Environmental Inspection (CEI), this study examines the impact and mechanisms of campaign-style enforcement on corporate environmental governance, as well as the moderating role of government–business relations. Results show that campaign-style enforcement can lead heavily polluting enterprises to increase their environmental investments, though this effect is weakened when government–business relations are close. Furthermore, under the pressure of the CEI, local governments primarily employ punitive measures rather than financial incentives to prompt these enterprises to increase their environmental investments. Heterogeneity analysis reveals that campaign-style enforcement has a more pronounced effect on small firms and firms located in eastern regions. These results highlight regional differences in enforcement effectiveness and enrich understanding of how campaign-style environmental enforcement shapes corporate behavior, offering valuable insights for future CEI policies.