Implementation Of Environmental Policies Research Articles

Institutional Investors’ Green Activism and Corporate Green Innovation: Based on the Behind-Scene Communications

ABSTRACT This paper investigates the promotion effects of institutional investors’ communication on corporate green innovation. We use content analysis to identify the efficiency of institutional investors’ communication, and find that institutional investors’ communication promotes corporate green innovation. The mechanism analysis indicates that institutional investors’ communication improves managers’ awareness of green transformation, promotes corporate green investment efficiency and mitigates the extent of greenwashing. The positive impacts of institutional investors’ communication are more effective on corporate utility patents than on invention patents. Such green governance effects are more pronounced in non-state-owned firms, green investors and close-distance to the institutional investors. By introducing exogenous shocks of the New Environmental Protection Law and China’s regional carbon emissions trading market pilots, we find that the impact of institutional investors’ communication on green innovation is enhanced after the implementation of environmental policies. Overall, our research contributes to the existing literature on institutional investors’ green activism and the factors of green innovation, and also enriches the cross-disciplinary research on environmental regulation affecting institutional investors’ green governance.

Implementing a systemic approach to water management: piloting a novel multi-level collaborative integrated water management framework in east London

ABSTRACT To address urban growth, resource competition, and environmental degradation, effective integrated water planning is crucial. In the UK, policy frameworks like the 25-Year Plan for the environment and the National Framework for Water Resources stress the need for a systemic approach. Despite efforts in stakeholder engagement and meta-models, integrating physical and human aspects in water management remains a challenge. This paper introduces a multi-level framework for regional water planning, demonstrated through London's Sub-Regional Integrated Water Management Strategy (SIWMS). The framework, depicted as an inverted triangle, starts with conceptual analysis, gathering stakeholder insights and data. Integrated modelling creates a baseline for scenario assessment, providing evidence through metrics and simulations. Integrated planning focuses on collaboration for option selection and implementation. Results show the framework's effectiveness for systems-level analysis at the river basin scale. The logical progression facilitates stakeholder engagement, enhancing shared understanding. The Water Systems Integration Modelling (WSIMOD) Framework allows simultaneous assessment of interventions on various indicators, aiding in prioritising multi-benefit schemes and identifying potential negative impacts. The study supports the prioritisation of schemes like Sustainable Drainage System (SuDS) and emphasises the importance of a multi-level collaborative approach for robust, stakeholder-supported regional water planning to achieve effective implementation of planning and environmental policies.

Investigation of 200 anthropogenic activities in a representative alpine peatland in the Altay Mountains, northwestern China.

Peatlands records can be used to reconstruct and understand the history of environmental evolution, as well as a more accurate reflection of human activities. The black carbon (BC) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are ideal natural archives of anthropogenic activities. To identify the information of anthropogenic activities recorded by peatlands in the middle and high latitudes of the alpine mountains in the arid and semi-arid regions of China. this study analyzed the concentrations of BC, δ13C ratios of BC, PAHs, and molecular diagnostic ratios of PHAs (including Benzo(a) anthracene (BaA), Chrysene (Chr), fluoranthene (Flt), anthracene (Ant), phenanthrene (Phe), Benzo(a) pyrene (BaP), and pyrene (Pyr) in a 30-cm peat profile from the Altay Mountain, northwestern China. Our results revealed concentrations of BC from 11.71 to 67.5mg·g-1, and PAHs from 168.09 to 263.53ng·g-1. The δ13CBC value ranged from - 31.37 to - 26.27‰, with an average of - 29.54‰, indicating that the BC mainly comes from biomass combustion. The ratios of BaA/(BaA + Chr), Flt/(Flt + Pyr), and Ant/(Ant + Phe) exceeded 0.35, 0.5, and 0.1, respectively, revealing that the PAHs pollutants mainly originated from the combustion of biomass and fossil fuel burning. Furthermore, based on these findings and our knowledge of social development in Altay, industrial transport and tourism have influenced the emission, transport, and deposition of BC and PAH in peatlands in the Altay mountains since the 1980s. After 1980, pollutant concentrations decreased with the implementation of environmental policies. The results not only reveal the influence of anthropogenic activities on the sedimentary characteristics of peatlands in the Altay Mountains, but also provide an important theoretical basis for the conservation of fragile mountain peatlands.

Internal trade and environmental policy effectiveness in developing countries: A binary endogenous growth model with regional Heterogeneity

The shift of environmental pollution from developed to developing countries is largely induced by global labor and trade trends. Unlike their developed counterparts, developing countries face more pronounced regional disparities in social development within the realm of environmental governance. This paper proposes a binary endogenous model to assess the implications of environmental policies on such developing nations with sizable regional disparities. The model enhances the precision in simulating real-world ramifications of environmental policy implementation. It reveals that the 'pollution haven' effect extends beyond just the relocation of pollutant-generating industries to less developed regions; it also leads to the shipment of products fabricated using environmentally-degrading processes from less developed to developed regions, thereby undermining environmental regulation. Furthermore, the model's results were juxtaposed with China's increasingly stringent national environmental protection policy, adopted since 2000. The study confirms that environmental degradation has a substantial spatial spillover effect positively correlated with internal trade volume. The paper's conclusions assist in offering a new evaluative framework for the ensuing examination of environmental policy practicality in developing countries. It also recommends policy-making tools for enhancing the effectiveness of environmental regulations in these regions, such as limiting internal trade of polluting products alongside environmental levies and subsidies.

Preventing deviant behaviours in the formulation and implementation of environmental health policies in the era of self-media

National health could significantly impact political, economic and social spheres, having a critical role in national development, social stability and sustainable economic growth. The Chinese government is prioritizing health in all policies and promoting environmental health work. However, deviations in the implementation of China’s environmental health policy, such as excessive or incomplete execution, could hinder progress. Studies have identified the main factors that are inhibiting effective policy implementation; these include incomplete grassroots policy mechanisms, cognitive biases amongst policy executors, varying acceptance of policy execution objects and environmental complexity. To mitigate these issues, several actions have been recommended including improving government mechanisms, enhancing technical support, developing talents, increasing public scientific literacy and considering the needs of policy executors and environmental complexity. The Internet, especially self-media platforms, can enhance policy communication, reduce information bias and foster a favourable environment for policy implementation. By using self-media’s dissemination mechanism effectively, we can strengthen public consensus and improve public scientific literacy in environmental health. This contributes to eliminating policy formulation and implementation deviations, fully leveraging the guiding role of policies and promoting the construction of a Healthy China.

Restore polder and aquaculture enclosure to the lake: Balancing environmental protection and economic growth for sustainable development

The restoration of lakes and their buffer zones is crucial for understanding the intricate interplay between human activities and natural ecosystems resulting from the implementation of environmental policies. In this study, we investigated the ecological restoration of shallow lakes and buffer zones in the Yangtze-Huaihe River Basin, specifically focusing on the removal of polder and aquaculture enclosure areas within the lakes. By examining data from eight shallow lakes and their corresponding buffer zones, encompassing lake morphology, water quality parameters, and land use/land cover (LULC) data spanning from 2008 to 2022, which shed light on the complex relationships involved. During the process of restoring polder and aquaculture enclosure areas, we observed a general decrease in the extent of polders and aquaculture enclosures within the lakes. Notably, the removal of aquaculture enclosures had a more pronounced effect (reduction rate of 83.37 %) compared to the withdrawal of polders (reduction rate of 48.76 %). Linear regression analysis revealed a significant decrease in the concentrations of seven water quality parameters, including COD, CODMn, TN, TP, NH3-N, Chl-a, and F, while pH and DO factors exhibit a distinct increasing trend. The results of redundancy analysis and Pearson correlation analysis demonstrated significant correlations between the area of polders and aquaculture enclosures and the changes in lake water quality. Encouragingly, the withdrawal of polders and the removal of aquaculture enclosures had a positive impact on the lake water quality improvement. In contrast, the LULC in the buffer zones of the lakes experienced a gradual decline owing to land degradation, resulting in a reduction in ecosystem service value (ESV). These results offer valuable support for policymakers in their endeavors to restore lake water quality, mitigate the degradation of buffer zones land, and promote the sustainable development of land and water resources.

Historical construction, quantitative source identification and risk assessment of heavy metals contamination in sediments from the Pearl River Estuary, South China

Historical reconstruction of heavy metals (HMs) contamination in sediments is a key for understanding the effects of anthropogenic stresses on water bodies and predicting the variation trends of environmental state. In this work, eighteen sediment cores from the Pearl River Estuary (PRE) were collected to determine concentrations and geochemical fractions of HMs. Then, their potential sources and the relative contributions during different time periods were quantitatively identified by integrating lead-210 (210Pb) radioisotope dating technique into positive matrix factorisation (PMF) method. Pollution levels and potential ecological risks (PERs) caused by HMs were accurately assessed by enrichment factors (EF) based on establishment of their geochemical baselines (GCBs) and multiparameter evaluation index (MPE). HMs concentrations generally showed a particle size- and organic matter-dependent distribution pattern. During the period of 1958–1978, HMs concentrations remained at low levels with agricultural activities and natural processes being identified as the predominant sources and averagely contributing >60%. Since the reform and opening-up in 1978, industrial and traffic factors become the primary anthropogenic sources of HMs (such as Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb, Cr, and Ni), averagely increasing from 22.1% to 28.1% and from 11.6% to 23.4%, respectively. Conversely, the contributions of agricultural and natural factors decreased from 37.0% to 28.5% and from 29.3% to 20.0%, respectively. Subsequently, implementation of environmental preservation policies was mainly responsible for the declining trend of HMs after 2010. Little enrichment of sediment Cu, Zn, Pb, Cr and Ni with EFs (0.15–1.43) was found in the PRE, whereas EFs of Cd (1.16–2.70) demonstrated a slight to moderate enrichment. MPE indices of Cu (50.7–252), Pb (52.0–147), Zn (35.5–130), Ni (19.6–71.5), Cr (14.2–68.8) and Cd (0–9.90) highlighted their potential ecological hazards due to their non-residual fractions and anthropogenic sources.

What does clean energy attract? Evidence from the transfer structure of energy-intensive projects in China

The transfer of energy-intensive projects to areas abundant in clean energy resources holds promise for optimizing the energy structure. After obtaining specific information on transferred projects of listed energy-intensive firms through search or phone contact, this paper innovatively constructs a three-dimensional panel containing 1,859,220 observations to empirically examine the attraction of clean energy to energy-intensive projects under the carbon intensity constraint policy (CICP). Our findings reveal that: (1) the CICP promotes the transfer of gray energy-intensive projects, leading to the transfer structure trending towards graying. (2) Furthermore, we observe a positive correlation between the proportion of thermal power in transfer-out areas and the outflow of gray energy-intensive projects. Conversely, areas with higher wind power and photovoltaics attract a greater inflow of gray energy-intensive projects. (3) Notably, clean energy predominantly attracts the inflow of gray projects rather than green projects. Our findings provide micro evidence and valuable insights into the transfer of energy-intensive industries, informing the design and implementation of future environmental policies for policymakers and stakeholders.

Macroeconomic impact of environmental policy uncertainty and monetary policy implications

This paper evaluates the macroeconomic implications of uncertainty arising from delays or unpredictability regarding the timing and extent of environmental policy implementation. An environmental dynamic stochastic general equilibrium (E-DSGE) model shows that increasing uncertainty about environmental policies is associated with a subsequent decline in investment, as firms prefer to postpone investment decisions. The decline in physical investment within polluting sectors subsequently induces a fall in employment, consumption and output. Using a novel climate policy uncertainty index developed by Gavriilidis (2021), alongside Google Trend data index, the paper shows that uncertainty about climate regulations has both recessionary and inflationary effects, corroborating the theoretical findings. Further analysis suggests that appropriate monetary policy tools could moderate the welfare cost arising from the environmental policy uncertainty, emphasizing the need for Central Banks to adopt a more aggressive stance in stabilizing GDP and inflation in the face of environmental policy uncertainty shocks.

유아교사의 유아교육기관 ESG 인식 및 중요도에 따른 교육 요구도 분석

Objectives The purpose of this study is to explore the educational needs of early childhood educators based on the analysis of their current awareness levels and perceived importance of ESG, utilizing the Borich needs assessment and The Locus for Focus model. Methods For this purpose, a study was conducted with 202 kindergarten teachers in the metropolitan area(Seoul, Gyeonggi Province, Incheon) using SPSS 23.0 and Excel programs. Through IPA analysis, we identified areasin need ofimprovement and areasofexcess. We conducted a t-test to examine the difference between the current level and importance of ESG. Additionally, we determined the top priority for educational support by comparing the Borich needs assessment and The Locus for Focus Model. Results The main results are as follows, First, within the IPA framework, HH was categorized into four areas, all of which fall under the “S” domain. HL comprised a total of three areas, with two falling under the “E” domain and one falling under the “G” domain. LL also had a total of three areas, with one falling under each of the “E”, “S”, and “G” domains. LH consisted of four areas, with two categorized under the “E” and “G” domains. Second, The analysis of the difference between the current perception levels and importance of ESG items revealed statistically significant differences in the “E” domain. Specifically, there were significant differences inthe items related to ‘waste recycling in early childhood education institutions,’ ‘implementation of environmental management policies in early childhood education institutions,’ and ‘establishment of environmental performance evaluation systems in early childhood education institutions.’ In the “S” domain, there were statistically significant differences observed for the items related to the establishmentand implementation of policies for employee stability within early childhood education institutions, as well as the establishmentand implementation of fair trade, anti-corruption, and ethical management policies for cooperation with suppliers within early childhood education institutions. Similarly, in the “G” domain, statistically significant differences were found for the items related to ‘public disclosure of management activities’ onthe website of early childhood education institutions and ‘prevention of inappropriate succession methods in early childhood education institutions.’ These differencesindicatethat these items are perceived as more important than the current level of awareness. According to the Borich Needs Assessment, the priority areas were ranked as follows:‘wasterecycling in early childhood education institutions,’ ‘prevention of inappropriate succession methods in early childhood education institutions,’ ‘implementation of environmental management policies in early childhood education institutions,’ ‘public disclosure of the management activities on the early childhood education institution’ swebsite, ‘and’ establishmentand implementation of fair trade, anti-corruption, and ethical management policies for cooperation with suppliers within early childhood education institutions.' Third, According to the analysis of The Locus for Focus model, the HH domain consists of 5 items, including ‘waste recycling in early childhood education institutions,’ ‘implementation of environmental management policies in early childhood education institutions,’ ‘establishment and implementation of policies for employee stability within early childhood education institutions,’ and ‘establishment and implementation of fair trade, anti-corruption, and ethical management policies for cooperation with suppliers within early childhood education institutions,’ as well as ‘prevention of inappropriate succession methods in early childhood education institutions.’ Fourth, The results indicate a common priority for the followingitems

Evaluating conflict in collaborative environmental governance: A study of environmental justice councils

AbstractThe formal engagement of diverse stakeholder groups in environmental policy design and implementation is increasingly common. While engaging diverse stakeholders in common fora can help address complex environmental dilemmas, insofar as different stakeholders have varying perspectives and resources to contribute, this same variance can lead to intractable conflicts. While policy scholars have developed various conceptual approaches to understanding conflict in the policy process, few scholars have applied conceptual approaches to understand how policy conflicts are reflected in interpersonal communications among diverse stakeholders. In this article, we draw on environmental justice council meeting minutes and use qualitative, computational, and statistical methods to analyze, over time: (i) the extent and severity of policy conflict observed among council actors; (ii) the association between actor‐level attributes and conflict, as conveyed in two‐way communication between actors; (iii) the association between actor's sector and change in conflict; and (iv) variation in conflict across council activities. By exploring the overtime association between policy conflict and attributes of policy actors (e.g., sectoral affiliation and interpersonal attributes), our analysis addresses not only the influence of the number of interactions for an actor at the meeting but also how they are interacting at the meeting by leveraging their position in the meeting communication network. Our article contributes to the study of the public policy process and collaborative governance, drawing attention to how conflict materializes in a collaborative forum engaged in policy making.

The Role of Communication Media in Socio-Environmental Conflicts

In recent decades, certain environment-related issues have come into the public eye. This article aims to analyse socio-environmental conflicts from both a democratic and a communication policy perspective. Given that these socio-environmental conflicts are the response to public policies, this article seeks to study the role played by the media in shaping them. The study focuses on the Basque Country, where many socio-environmental conflicts arise due to the implementation of public environmental policies. The methodology includes quantitative analysis using the data obtained from conducting a press analysis, and a qualitative approach using information obtained from in-depth interviews and the analysis of documentation. The results suggest a communicational and democratic deficit in the socio-environmental conflicts analysed, since the media do not help to build public opinion in a dialogical and dialectical way. To address this, we need a more diverse field of communication beneficial for environmental issues, so that we can work on information, considering the perspectives of all actors and the main topics of discussion. Environmental issues should go beyond traditional representative policies, inviting a broader range of actors in debates.

From policy stringency to environmental resilience: Unraveling the dose-response dynamics of environmental parameters in OECD countries

In the pursuit of sustainable development and the mitigation of negative externalities arising from environmental stressors, a multitude of member countries within the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) have embraced various environmental policies. Nevertheless, previous empirical research has largely overlooked investigating the causal relationship between the Environmental Policy Stringency (EPS) and environmental indicators. To bridge this gap, we conduct an empirical study to examine the dose-response relationship between EPS, as a continuous treatment variable, and selected environmental indicators. Our findings reveal evidence of a mixed treatment effect of policy stringency on the environment. Notably, the implementation of EPS leads to a reduction in carbon emissions per capita and an overall decline in ecological footprint. However, despite OECD countries moving towards a negative trajectory to preserve the environment, carbon intensity remains steadfastly on a positive path. Moreover, the intensification of policy stringency demonstrates positive effects on total renewable energy production, encompassing solar, wind, and eco-innovation. Building upon these empirical results, we offer several policy implications for the adoption and implementation of environmental policies within OECD countries.

The influence of digital platform on the implementation of corporate social responsibility: from the perspective of environmental science development to explore its potential role in public health.

This paper aims to explore the intersection of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and public health within the context of digital platforms. Specifically, the paper explores the impact of digital platforms on the sustainable development practices of enterprises, seeking to comprehend how these platforms influence the implementation of environmental protection policies, resource management, and social responsibility initiatives. To assess the impact of digital platforms on corporate environmental behavior, we conducted a questionnaire survey targeting employees in private enterprises. This survey aimed to evaluate the relationship between the adoption of digital platforms and the implementation of environmental protection policies and practices. Analysis of the survey responses revealed a significant positive correlation between the use of digital platforms and the environmental protection behavior of enterprises (), Moreover, the presence of innovative environmental protection technologies on these platforms was found to positively influence the enforcement of environmental policies, with a calculated impact ratio of (). An intermediary analysis highlighted that environmental innovation technology plays a mediating role in this process. Additionally, adjustment analysis showed that enterprises of various sizes and industries respond differently to digital platforms, indicating the need for tailored environmental policies. These findings underscore the pivotal role of digital platforms in enhancing CSR efforts and public health by fostering improved environmental practices among corporations. The mediating effect of environmental innovation technologies suggests that digital platforms not only facilitate direct environmental actions but also enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of such initiatives through technological advances. The variability in response by different enterprises points to the importance of customizable strategies in policy formulation. By offering empirical evidence of digital platforms' potential to advance CSR and public health through environmental initiatives, this paper contributes to the ongoing dialogue on sustainable development goals. It provides practical insights for enterprises and policy implications for governments striving to craft more effective environmental policies and strategies.

Technoeconomic Analysis of a Wind Power Generation System and Wind Resource Mapping Using GIS Tools: The Case of Twelve Locations in the Commune of Evodoula, Cameroon

This paper performs a technoeconomic analysis of the wind power potential and evaluates the cost of wind power generation in Evodoula, comparing two methods, the conventional method and the uncertainty method based on a comparative spatiotemporal approach using the geographic information system (GIS) software tool. This study is based on satellite wind data measured at 10 m above ground level (AGL) over a 40-year period (1980-2019), by the meteorological service NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration)/Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC). The main objectives are to obtain an appropriate design for a proven optimal location and to assess the viability of wind power at Evodoula. For this type of study, there is little literature available. The optimization of an onshore wind farm and deployment in the wind energy development interest area (ZIDEE) is carried out to obtain a minimum and parsimonious discounted cost production unitary (CPU) of the electricity produced. The results showed that in Okok, a location with a large energy deficit, an onshore wind farm with an electricity generation capacity of 12.5 MW with 5 NORDEX N100-2.5MW wind turbines would have a total energy production (TEP) of about 64.0254825 TWh and a selling price of electricity that would be 0.0034 CAD$/kWh, which is very low compared to the utility price (about 98% cheaper). The total cost of the wind farm would be about $11 million, with a net present cost of about $218 million. The annual profit generated by the wind farm would be over $6 billion. The return on investment (ROI) of the project is estimated at 2880.882%. The constructed onshore wind farm would avoid CO2 emission at over 11 MtCO2,eq/year as the energy generated is from the atmosphere. The wind farm would realize an average annual cash flow estimated at nearly $30 million after 20 years of operation. These savings would allow the installation of CO2 capture systems in conventional power plants. In addition, the analysis of uncertainties and risks was identified and quantified to estimate the confidence levels of the project development results. The risks have been assessed, and we recommend that the total uncertainty of the project is around 15%. The energy values in P75 and P90 are 10.08% and 19.22%, respectively, lower than the energy value in P50 of 11.60 GWh/An. Finally, the main policy recommendations for an inclusive design process are highlighted. The contribution of this study is to assist policy makers in making appropriate decisions in the development and implementation of energy and environmental policy in Cameroon and in many continental areas.

Health and ecological risk of heavy metals in agricultural soils related to Tungsten mining in Southern Jiangxi Province, China.

Dayu County, a major tungsten producer in China, experiences severe heavy metal pollution. This study evaluated the pollution status, the accumulation characteristics in paddy rice, and the potential ecological risks of heavy metals in agricutural soils near tungsten mining areas of Dayu County. Furthermore, the impacts of soil properties on the accumulation of heavy metals in soil were explored. The geo-accumulation index (Igeo), the contamination factor (CF), and the pollution load index (PLI) were used to evaluate the pollution status of metals (As, Cd, Cu, Cr, Pb, Mo, W, and Zn) in soils. The ecological risk factor (RI) was used to assess the potential ecological risks of heavy metals in soil. The health risks and accumulation of heavy metals in paddy rice were evaluated using the health risk index and the translocation factor (TF), respectively. Pearson's correlation coefficient was used to discuss the influence of soil factors on heavy metal contents in soil. The concentrations of metals exceeded the respective average background values for soils (As: 10.4, Cd: 0.10, Cu: 20.8, Cr: 48.0, Pb: 32.1, Mo: 0.30, W: 4.93, Zn: 69.0, mg/kg). The levels of As, Cd, Mo, and tungsten(W) exceeded the risk screening values for Chinese agricultural soil contamination and the Dutch standard. The mean concentrations of the eight tested heavy metals followed the order FJ-S > QL > FJ-N > HL > CJ-E > CJ-W, with a significant distribution throughout the Zhangjiang River basin. Heavy metals, especially Cd, were enriched in paddy rice. The Igeo and CF assessment indicated that the soil was moderately to heavily polluted by Mo, W and Cd, and the PLI assessment indicated the the sites of FJ-S and QL were extremely severely polluted due to the contribution of Cd, Mo and W. The RI results indicated that Cd posed the highest risk near tungsten mining areas. The non-carcinogenic and total carcinogenic risks were above the threshold values (non-carcinogenic risk by HQ > 1, carcinogenic risks by CR > 1 × 10-4 a-1) for As and Cd. Correlation analysis indicated that K2O, Na2O, and CaO are main factors affecting the accumulation and migration of heavy metals in soils and plants. Our findings reveal significant contamination of soils and crops with heavy metals, especially Cd, Mo, and W, near mining areas, highlighting serious health risks. This emphasizes the need for immediate remedial actions and the implementation of stringent environmental policies to safeguard health and the environment.

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT AND JUSTICE SYSTEM IN BANGLADESH: ISSUES AND LEGAL FRAMEWORK

This paper presents environmental justice in Bangladesh which is connected with the human development, implementation and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations and policies. Environmental justice means the fair treatment of all people without discrimination of race, color, national origin and also include the development, implementation and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies. Environmental justice is very essential for the human rights which effects human lives as well as sustainable development of the country. Environmental justice also include protection against natural disasters, mass displacement, maintenance of natural resources, protection against health threats and livelihood of the Human being. Environmental justice ensures all people’s enjoyment of human rights, economic development, health protection above all healthy environment for life. There are also various environmental issues like global warming, over population, Waste disposal, Ocean acidification, loss of biodiversity, deforestation which are harmful for human lives. The Environmental problems in Bangladesh are climate change, cyclone, flood, drought, earthquake, riverbank erosion, air pollution, water pollution, soil pollution, and noise pollution etc. Environmental Justice System is the burning issues of the world and human existence depends on the sustainable development of the environment.
 

Systems for rating bodies of evidence used in systematic reviews of air pollution exposure and reproductive and children’s health: a methodological survey

BackgroundTranslating findings from systematic reviews assessing associations between environmental exposures and reproductive and children’s health into policy recommendations requires valid and transparent evidence grading.MethodsWe aimed to evaluate systems for grading bodies of evidence used in systematic reviews of environmental exposures and reproductive/ children’s health outcomes, by conducting a methodological survey of air pollution research, comprising a comprehensive search for and assessment of all relevant systematic reviews. To evaluate the frameworks used for rating the internal validity of primary studies and for grading bodies of evidence (multiple studies), we considered whether and how specific criteria or domains were operationalized to address reproductive/children’s environmental health, e.g., whether the timing of exposure assessment was evaluated with regard to vulnerable developmental stages.ResultsEighteen out of 177 (9.8%) systematic reviews used formal systems for rating the body of evidence; 15 distinct internal validity assessment tools for primary studies, and nine different grading systems for bodies of evidence were used, with multiple modifications applied to the cited approaches. The Newcastle Ottawa Scale (NOS) and the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations (GRADE) framework, neither developed specifically for this field, were the most commonly used approaches for rating individual studies and bodies of evidence, respectively. Overall, the identified approaches were highly heterogeneous in both their comprehensiveness and their applicability to reproductive/children’s environmental health research.ConclusionEstablishing the wider use of more appropriate evidence grading methods is instrumental both for strengthening systematic review methodologies, and for the effective development and implementation of environmental public health policies, particularly for protecting pregnant persons and children.

Remote Sensing Ecological Quality and Its Response to the Rocky Desertification in the World Heritage Karst Sites

Clarifying the spatial and temporal evolution characteristics of the ecological environment quality of World Heritage Karst Sites (WHKSs) and its response to different rocky desertification grades at spatial scales is crucial for the monitoring and protection of WHKSs as well as the implementation of ecological and environmental policies in karst regions. The ecological evaluation model of Remote Sensing Ecological Index (RSEI) was used to evaluate the ecological environment of Libo–Huanjiang World Heritage Karst site and Shibing World Heritage Karst site, and then the spatial autocorrelation and geo-detection model was used to further analyze the ecological environment, and final spatial overlay of RSEI and rocky desertification by year to analyze the linkage relationship between RSEI and rocky desertification. The results showed that (1) in the three-phase ecological environmental quality evaluation of the two heritage sites, the RSEI in 2010, 2016, and 2022 reached 0.60, 0.67, and 0.64 for the Libo–Huanjiang heritage site, and RSEI in 2010, 2016, and 2022 for the Shibing heritage site reached 0.60, 0.74, and 0.70, respectively; (2) the RSEI of both heritage sites show a gradually increasing positive spatial correlation, and has significant spatial aggregation characteristics, with both heritage sites dominated by the high-high and low-low spatial aggregation categories; (3) both heritage sites have the highest degree of explanation of changes in ecological quality by the NDBSI factor, indicating that this factor plays a key role in changes in ecological quality at heritage sites; (4) the response of the RSEI mean value of Libo–Huanjiang in each grade of rocky desertification area is, from high to low, no rocky desertification, non-karst, potential rocky desertification, mild rocky desertification, moderate rocky desertification, intensive rocky desertification, and extreme intensity rocky desertification, and the response of the RSEI mean value of Shibing is, from high to low, non-karst, no rocky desertification, potential rocky desertification, mild rocky desertification, and moderate rocky desertification. The spatial superposition analysis of the RSEI index and rocky desertification index can quantitatively study the changing status of the ecological environment in different rocky desertification areas, and the results of the study can provide theoretical references for the environmental monitoring and the prevention and control of rocky desertification in the karst areas and WHKSs.

“Us versus them” mentalities in co‐managing a Natura 2000 forest: Narratives, identities, and a culture of conflict

AbstractMultistakeholder co‐management is no blueprint for smooth and accepted environmental policy implementation. Parallel processes of cooperation and conflict rather shape co‐managing processes, which is the focus of this article. Combining the analysis of narratives, identities, and relational structure through means of social network analysis builds the conceptual and methodological foundation for this case study to explore a perpetual conflict between actors involved in co‐designing the management plans for a local Natura 2000 forest. Two opposing narratives are identified as competing over power and competency in discussions about the management plans for the Natura 2000 forest. Negative characterization frames and antagonizing with the other side fuels an “us versus them” mentality among the actors in the co‐management process and over time, a culture of conflict has become institutionalized. Interactions between the actors from the case study seemingly build on a complex, iterative pattern of disputes that is barely breakable and reversible into cooperative attitudes. Surprisingly, this culture of conflict does not resonate with the relational structure between actors in the case study as descriptive social network analysis shows. This case represents an intriguing puzzle pointing to an incongruence between relational and discursive mechanisms underlying cooperation‐conflict dynamics in multistakeholder co‐management, which is relevant for future examinations of cooperation and conflict in social network analyses. The results are discussed in light of power dynamics and concluded with an outlook to conflict research.