Green Movement Research Articles

Valuation and conflicts in the Peruvian extractive frontier: Towards a politics of value analytical framework

This article contributes to the on-going debate about how to understand extractive conflicts. What drives conflicts in areas of extraction? Do local people mobilize to reject extraction outright, or do they mobilize to secure rents and compensation from extractive projects? Political ecologists and ecological economists argue that different incommensurable languages of valuation challenge monetary value in a contest of values. Political economists disagree and argue that the majority of conflicts are about compensation, not alternative valuations. In this article, I suggest that value does indeed play a key role in extractive conflicts, but I also recognize the criticisms presented by political economy. To explore an alternative usage of value for understanding extractive conflicts, I draw on David Graebers anthropological notion of value, through which I elaborate an analytical framework of a politics of value, illustrated by three case studies of extractive conflicts in the Peruvian Andes. By analyzing conflicts in the extractive frontier as a ‘politics of value’, this article re-thinks how we understand the complicated dynamics of value and valuation in the extractive frontier and develops an analytical framework of a politics of value, to understand how conflict dynamics shape valuation, and how valuation, in turn, shapes conflict dynamics.

Driving SMES towards Green Business: The Impact of Sustainable Marketing Mix on Performance and Loyalty in BNI'S Go Green Movement

Growing global concerns over environmental issues, such as climate change and pollution, have heightened the demand for sustainable business practices, particularly in the banking sector. Financial institutions support environmental sustainability through green finance by offering eco-friendly products like green loans and bonds. This study examines how BNI's Go-Green initiative enhances SME customer loyalty by incorporating the sustainable marketing mix, focusing on people, profit, and planet. A quantitative approach was used to assess the impact of the sustainable marketing mix on SME performance and customer loyalty within BNI's Go Green movement in Bukittinggi, Indonesia. A stratified random sample of 303 SMEs was selected from a population of 1,239. Data were gathered through structured questionnaires using a five-point Likert scale and analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling-Partial Least Squares (SEM-PLS). Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) validated the measurement model, and the structural model assessed direct and indirect effects. The variable had the highest Average Variance Extracted (AVE) 0.873. Discriminant validity showed a strong correlation between business sustainability and customer loyalty (0.768). Place and Business Sustainability had significant positive effects on customer loyalty, while People and Planet had more limited impacts. This study introduces the expanded marketing mix people, profit, and planet into the green finance framework and highlights the underexplored mediating role of business sustainability in fostering SME customer loyalty. The findings emphasize the importance of aligning green banking products with SME needs to enhance loyalty and support global sustainability goals, including the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Unleashing the Power of Civil Society: Examining the Impact of the Saudi Green Building Forum in Advancing Eco-friendly Construction in Saudi Arabia

This paper delves into the role of civil society in propelling green building practices, one key to a sustainable future. It focuses on the Saudi Green Building Forum (SGBF) “in Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council, since 2017” as a case study that illuminates how civil society organizations contribute to environmental stewardship, social equity, and economic prosperity in the construction sector. The concept of green building is traced from its origins through its global development, explicitly emphasizing notable examples from Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and Saudi Arabia. The paper reassures the audience by outlining the unique and robust alignment of SGBF’s initiatives and its support for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), underscoring its commitment to global sustainability. The study presents a descriptive analysis based on desktop research, illustrating the transformative impact of civil society in promoting sustainable construction practices through the SGBF. Key aspects covered include the historical evolution of the green building movement, successful implementations of green building standards, and the activation of civil society institutions and organizations in driving sustainability. The paper showcases SGBF’s strategies and projects as exemplary models of civil society’s contribution to greening the built environment and fostering a sustainable future in Saudi Arabia and beyond. The objective is to inspire by highlighting civil society’s far-reaching impact on the construction sector’s environmental, social, and economic dimensions of sustainable development.

The Climate Agenda as a Long-term Priority for Russia

The importance and urgency of low-carbon development and adaptation to climate change are becoming one of the central trends in long-term environmental strategy of Russia. It is concluded that the changes taking place in Russian legislation are confirming the country’s unchanged course to participate in the global climate agenda and search for new opportunities for economic growth (including sustainable development and the green economy). Proposals have been developed to mitigate threats to the implementation of the green agenda in the Russian economy. In particular, it is proposed to introduce new forms of international cooperation, such as active involvement in the Green Coalition of the New Silk Road, as well as increased participation of business in this and other areas.

Network Integration as a Tool for Sustainable Business Development

Business enterprises are required to adopt new economic models and business strategies in line with global trends such as the green agenda, the shortening of innovation cycles, digitalization (networking platforms) and socio-economic security. The models of network integrations (clusters, industrial symbioses, innovation ecosystems, etc.) are developing faster than other business models. Networking allows businesses to synergetically, based on the principles of collaboration, trust and self-organization, increase intellectual, innovative, social, and environmental values, which leads to economic growth and sustainable development. Through networking integration, the business performance of all participants in multi-company projects can be improved, regardless of their size and activities. The purpose of this study is to develop a methodological framework for assessing the synergistic effect and the level of collaborative maturity of participants in network industrial integration. This paper provides a comprehensive analysis and evaluation of network business integration efficiency. The authors’ methodology is based on the AHP hierarchy method, expert evaluation and Harrington’s level of desirability. The methodology is validated on Russian industrial integrations: industrial cluster of Nizhny Novgorod region; pipeline valve manufacturing cluster; South Ural industrial cluster producing spare parts and assembly units for roadbuilding, construction and agricultural vehicles. The results show that the level of collaborative maturity of business partners and the synergies from network integration effect the sustainability of business development. Recommendations for businesses are provided to improve their network integration and collaborative maturity. Furthermore, the findings allow the authors to define directions for further research, considering the interests of the business community, regional authorities, and financial institutions, and provide a framework for researchers to investigate the link between industrial network integration and economic growth.

Negotiating the legitimacy of conservation at mining frontiers: Evidence from Madagascar and the DR Congo

Political ecologists are increasingly interested in the dynamics of power and authority where mining and conservation converge. We contribute to this emerging literature by applying an 'actor-oriented' approach to explore the creation of protected areas in African mining frontiers. Concretely, we look at how 'multiple-use' protected areas have been layered on top of mining frontiers in eastern DRC and northern Madagascar. Both of these mining frontiers include artisanal, semi-industrial, and industrial mining activities and permits. In the DRC case, various state and non-state armed actors are also implicated in mining. Our results show that the legitimacy of conservation at mining frontiers evolves as a process involving indiscrete phases of negotiation, coercion, resistance and cooperation. When authorities and alliances supporting mining interests preclude coercive conservation strategies, conservation authorities need to negotiate their way through different phases of resistance and cooperation. We find that in both cases, local actors living at the extraction and conservation nexus assert their agency and 'forum shop', by switching their allegiances between conservation and mining actors.

SUSTAINABLE GROWTH THROUGH GREEN ECONOMY: AN ECONOMETRIC ANALYSIS

Objective: In recent years, the growing interest and awareness of environmental issues have once again brought the issue of population growth to the forefront, exerting significant pressure on production. The increased pressure on production and the resultant rise in production have led to a faster trend in consumption. As a natural consequence of both trends, detrimental effects on ecological balance and the environment have begun to emerge. The concept of "green economy" has emerged as an approach to restore the disrupted ecological balance and operationalize this order. This widely spreading concept has begun to generate significant policies at both national and international levels. Method: This study aims to examine the relationship between renewable energy production, consumption, wastewater, and solid waste data, covering the years 1980-2022, using econometric methods to explore the relationship between green economy and economic growth in the context of Turkey. The objective is to analyze the impact of the recent and rapidly increasing transformation towards "green economy" on the long-term trajectory of economic growth in Turkey. Result and Discussion: Based on the findings of the study, it has been determined that, at the 0.05 level of statistical significance, there is no long-term relationship between the variables and economic growth, as well as no long-term significant relationship between any of the variables. When the statistical significance is accepted at the 0.10 level, a significant long-term relationship is identified between the amount of wastewater and renewable energy, with a 1% increase in wastewater leading to a 0.82% increase in renewable energy. Implications: The findings of this study and the transformation towards a green economy, widely covered in the literature, have been recognized in Turkey and an unnamed green transformation movement has begun. As the results of the analysis of the study indicate, the policies introduced for the transition to a green economy and transformation efforts have a positive and significant impact on economic growth in the long term, but the same cannot be claimed for the short term, but in the future, advances in scientific and technological progress and over-specialization will inevitably have positive consequences on global and domestic sustainable development in the short term. Originality/Value: The distinctive feature of this study from similar studies in the literature is that the relationship between the green economy and sustainable growth was analyzed empirically and with five separate econometric models. Recommendations: Turkey needs serious reforms in education in its transition to a green economy. In addition, there is a need for political determination to use environmentally friendly sectors that are more open to innovation and competition, such as renewable energy and green building sectors.

From knowledge to profit: business reputation as a mediator in the impact of green intellectual capital on business performance

PurposeThe purpose of this research is to support the green movement and improve corporate performance by focusing on green intellectual capital and its various components (e.g. green human capital, green structural capital and green relational capital). Furthermore, this study looks into the impact of business reputation in mediating the link between green intellectual capital qualities and business performance.Design/methodology/approachTo obtain data from the target population, this study employed quantitative techniques and a survey approach for data collection from respondents (managers and employees) of firms. The final sample size was 255.FindingsAccording to structural equation modeling green human capital, green structural capital and green relational capital all have a positive and statistically significant impact on organizational performance. Furthermore, the study shows that a company’s reputation plays an important role in mediating the relationship between the green intellectual capital component and business performance. These findings are confirmed by the natural resource-based perspective theory. This shows that developing green intellectual capital and promoting a green environment increases a company’s reputation among stakeholders, which promotes organizational performance.Research limitations/implicationsThe study’s findings will help policymakers and administrators better understand the role of green intellectual capital in business reputation and performance. Based on empirical data, the study would contribute to the management, environmental science and performance literature.Originality/valueTo the best of the researcher's knowledge, this is the first study to apply the natural resource-based view theory and to consider corporate reputation as a mediator between green intellectual capital and business success.

Contemporary discourse on neocolonialism: an analytical review of research

The article provides an overview of contemporary research on neocolonialism. The work examines the history of the term "neocolonialism", as well as the main features of neocolonialism in the 21st century, including: the transformation of the nature, forms and methods of colonial influence, and changes in its scale. The main reasons for the interest in the problems of neocolonial studies are outlined, including a general change in research optics, the emergence of new forms of colonial dependence, etc. The prerequisites for the emergence of neocolonial studies in sociological science are indicated. The analysis of foreign studies demonstrates, on the one hand, the preservation of interest in traditional topics related to the colonial legacy in African countries, since they are still in the most vulnerable position compared to other former colonies, and on the other hand, an exit to a broader topic related to cultural neocolonialism in the context of globalisation, as well as the transformation of technology into an instrument of colonial influence. Modern domestic studies of neocolonialism have their own specifics, expressed, firstly, in the dominance of the economic interpretation of neocolonialism, secondly, they are often devoted to the study of the relationship between neocolonialism and globalisation and capitalism, thirdly, in the works of domestic authors special attention is paid to the position of Russia in the system of global neocolonialism. Based on the analysis of scientific discourse, the authors developed a typology of neocolonialism forms, that divides all forms into two large groups - traditional and new. Traditional forms include, first of all, economic and political neocolonialism. New forms include cultural and educational neocolonialism. The intensification of the digitalisation process and the increase in environmental risks at the beginning of the 21st century allow us to say that such forms of neocolonialism as environmental and digital are becoming increasingly important. Particular attention in the article is paid to environmental neocolonialism as a new, special form. The reasons for the growing interest in it and its impact on the political and economic spheres are also considered. The thesis of turning the green agenda into a new form of ideology, with the help of which the G7 countries implement policies that are beneficial to them, is discussed. The authors conclude that it is necessary to identify specific interests and values behind modern environmental initiatives.

Міжнародні боргові метрики в контексті фінансування "зеленого" порядку денного

The article summarizes the public debt policy issues in the context of financing climate change measures, and suggests priorities and mechanisms of fiscal, debt and sectoral policies to ensure sufficient financing of the green agenda. Authors have emphasized the trilemma between achieving climate goals, maintaining fiscal sustainability, and ensuring political capacity. It has been found that even under favorable external financial conditions, climate-vulnerable countries face a constant premium to the cost of borrowing. As a result, developing countries with high levels of debt and climate vulnerability are caught in a vicious circle of growing investment needs for climate- sustainable structural transformation and significant dependence on increasingly expensive debt financing, which leads to a combination of deteriorating debt sustainability and insufficient funding for climate change challenges. Authors argue for a comprehensive multilateral policy aimed at reforming the international debt architecture and increasing the amount of available financing for climate change adaptation under a government-led framework. Achieving common goals requires a carefully calibrated combination of climate change mitigation instruments based on enhanced domestic revenue mobilization, in particular through carbon pricing, more efficient spending on transfers, green subsidies and investments, and regulatory measures. Authors propose a comprehensive approach to implementing climate change mitigation policies, including the implementation of a fiscal strategy, sectoral policies to prevent climate change, and stimulating private investment. Emphasized the importance of developing further tools for incorporating climate policy into debt sustainability analysis.

'Environmentalism of the poor': The case of Kenya green belt movement

'Environmentalism of the poor': The case of Kenya green belt movement

More green but less just? Analyzing urban green spaces, participation, and environmental justice in Amsterdam

Cities worldwide are taking action to increase the amount and quality of urban green spaces. However, not all efforts for the greening of cities produce just and inclusive outcomes. For more inclusive urban greening processes, scholars have proposed incentivizing residents’ participation in planning and implementing green initiatives that promote creating and maintaining green spaces. However, further in-depth analysis of the connection between implementing new urban green spaces and environmental (in)justice is needed to understand how unjust outcomes might emerge due to policies aiming to promote the uptake of urban green through citizen engagement. To investigate the justice implications of policies that aim to create new urban green spaces through citizen participation, this article combines GIS analysis and qualitative analysis of 26 semi-structured interviews to evaluate the process and outcomes of the Green Agenda policy in Amsterdam. The Green Agenda (Agenda Groen) is a municipal policy supporting citizens’ initiatives to uptake urban green. Through the analysis of this case study, the article aims to identify factors that create barriers to achieving just outcomes during the implementation of policies for urban greening. Results indicate that although the approach has successfully increased the amount of urban green in Amsterdam, the presence of barriers that impede procedural justice and lack of recognition made the urban greening process less just. The three underlying factors that create barriers in Amsterdam are the centralization of the government, the lack of support for local organizations, and the effect of socioeconomic characteristics on inclusion and participation. The article concludes by discussing the synergies and tradeoffs between identified barriers and suggesting solutions to be integrated into future policies for more successful and just greening processes.

Campus landscape types and pro-social behavioral mediators in the psychological recovery of college students.

Physical and mental health problems of college students are becoming more prominent, and contact with nature has a positive effect on physical and mental health. This paper investigates the psychological recovery effect of different types of campus green space landscape on college students. From the perspective of college students' perception of campus landscape types, the green space, blue space, gray space and movement space of three universities in Anhui Province are investigated. Through choose campus landscape types and questionnaires, structural equation modeling (SEM) and mediation modeling were constructed on the role of college students' perception of campus landscape types on psychological recovery. It was found that the level of landscape type perception had a significant effect on the effect of psychological recovery and the generation of pro-social behavior, with no significant gender difference, while psychological recovery also had a positive effect on the generation of pro-social behavior. The study also found that campus landscape type not only directly affect students psychological recovery, but also promote psychological recovery through the mediating role of pro-social behavior. The study reveals the effects of campus landscape type on college students' psychological recovery, and pro vides a basis for planning campus of different types.

The link between sustainability initiatives at firm and supply chain levels: The mediating role of involvement of partners

AbstractThe deliberations of the COP28 in Dubai in December 2023 and the growing importance of UN Sustainable Development Goals have highlighted that sustainability initiatives have moved from being ‘nice‐to‐do’ to ‘must‐do’. The resource dependency theory suggests that a firm cannot develop green strategies in isolation, and a substantial involvement of all supply chain partners is needed for achieving larger impacts on environmental sustainability. However, the literature has yet to explore this link in detail. In this paper, we investigate the link between sustainability initiatives at a firm level and at the supply chain level in line with global green agenda. Data collected through a questionnaire survey of senior logistics and supply‐chain managers in UK companies were used to propose and statistically validate a framework combining both constructs and causal hypotheses. We further use a case of a farming company from Luxemburg to validate our research findings. Our results suggest a strong link in terms of green strategies between the firm level and supply chain level. We find that this link is mediated by the degree of involvement of supply chain partners. A case company participated in the study agreed to our research findings related to importance of technology and collaboration in food sector to share the resources among all supply chain players. We also find that green strategies result in improved business performance.

Assessing Decarbonization Approaches across Major Economies

The global energy transition is an uneven process, fundamentally related to the level of economic development of countries and their access to energy resources (renewable and non-renewable) to a large extent. The global climate is interconnected, and all nations impact it through their products and services. The six countries discussed—China, Brazil, Germany, Japan, Russia, and India—account for 44.8% of global primary energy consumption and 49% of global CO2 emissions. Each of them has its own strategy for achieving carbon neutrality, based on different decarbonization scenarios, which, according to the authors, depend on geopolitical factors, national economy characteristics, and the established pragmatic goals and objectives. However, the “green agenda” itself may not always be among the top priorities when formulating energy strategies. The study objective is to analyze the feasibility of the stated goals in these countries using a combined logistic curve-based forecasting tool for predicting solar and wind production as well as investment volumes. It aims to justify the relation between solar and wind energy production and investment policies using a calculated technological coefficient. Results show similar, but time-shifted fluctuating investment dynamics in solar and wind energy trends in Japan, Germany and China, with Germany and Japan outperforming investment forecasts when considering the technology efficiency coefficient. Furthermore, the findings highlight the overwhelming appreciation of the unevenness of the green transition process, which will consequently make it impossible to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement until 2050. Taking these factors into consideration, exploratory decarbonization scenarios for these six major world economies alongside two dimensions, namely, the pace of green transition versus green technology and versus resources, are presented.

Green Building Certification in Educational Facility

Abstract This study evaluates energy saving in campus facilities toward green building certification by evaluating existing energy consumption, water consumption, and material usage. It supports the green building movement primarily from the education sector to respond to government regulations. The assessment was conducted through EDGE-App, an open-access building performance software developed by IFC, in the Integrated Creative Education Learning Laboratory (i–CELL) Building. EDGE-App calculates the energy savings in the building by comparing the difference between EDGE’s base case and the i-CELL building as the improved case. The variables calculated in this research are energy consumption, water conservation, and material recovery. This building performs 70% energy savings, 42% water savings, and 48% less embodied energy in materials—thus, it was granted an EDGE Advanced Green Building Certification. Furthermore, this study can inform engineers, designers, developers, and other parties about saving energy and optimizing water and recyclable materials in campus facilities.

Is it possible to manage energy politics? Exploring the direct and indirect effects of political factors on the acceptance of solar energy

Is an energy transition a rational choice? To answer this research question, this study analyzed the direct and indirect effects of political ideology and partisan support on the acceptance of solar energy by applying regression analysis and the moderation effect. The risk perception factor, energy factor, and political factor were set as the independent variables. The results showed that non-political variables such as perceived risk, perceived benefit, negative emotion, knowledge, trust, and energy insecurity influenced the acceptance of solar energy more than political variables. Negative emotion had the strongest negative effect on the acceptance. Second, support for the Moon jae-in government as a partisanship variable was associated with the acceptance of the solar energy. However, ideology had no effect on the acceptance. Third, support for the Moon Jae-in government had a positive direct effect on the acceptance and indirectly influenced it by ways of perceived benefits, trust, and negative emotion, which are key influencers of acceptance of solar energy. Progressive political ideology had no direct effect on acceptance, but indirectly suppressed the effect of negative emotion on solar energy acceptance. This study shows that partisanship, in terms of presidential support, has both direct and indirect effects on solar energy acceptance, whereas ideology has indirect effects. Given the important role of political variables, future research should focus more on various political variables, such as political leadership, preference for green politics, climate politics, and the polarization of political support as independent variables.

Understanding the spatially heterogeneous relationships between urban green amenities and residential dynamics: Evidence from Wuhan, China

Urban green turn has gained global momentum, with cities worldwide actively developing urban green amenities (UGAs). While considerable attention has been given to how expanding UGAs impact residential dynamics, the role of space in shaping these relationships has been underexplored. Employing global and local regression models, we investigate the associations between UGA characteristics, property prices and sales transactions, using data from 443 neighborhoods in Wuhan, China. Our findings reveal that at the city-wide level, larger UGAs are associated with gentrification trends marked by rising property prices and population shifts. High-quality UGAs are linked to higher risks of gentrification but do not significantly indicate direct displacement. Meanwhile, substantial bodies of water are associated with mitigating the effects of increased property prices and population shifts. At the local scale, these relationships show spatial heterogeneity, particularly between old inner-city areas and traditional industrial zones. Additionally, we analyze the roles of the state and real estate developers in influencing UGA development and the associated social ramifications in China. This study enhances our understanding of UGAs and their impacts on residential dynamics in a non-Western context, enriching the discourse on the social implications of urban green movements and ecological initiatives.

Environmental Awareness and Walking Behavior to the Grocery Store

The relationship between environmental awareness and actionable change is complex. While extensive literature examines the links between green ideology and eco-friendly behavior, few studies focus on how green ideology influences transportation choices and the built environment. This study investigates the relationship between environmental awareness and walking behavior, addressing three research questions aimed at: identifying socio-demographic characteristics linked to a high level of environmental awareness; exploring how environmental awareness affects perceptions of walkability; and determining whether individuals committed to community environmentalism are more likely to walk to the grocery store. The findings reveal that higher income is associated with considerations of local air quality, noise, and the importance of positive environmental transportation choices. Car ownership negatively impacts the willingness to adjust routes or travel time to minimize environmental impact. Environmentally aware individuals perceive the grocery store as closer, feel safer walking, view sidewalks as more available and in a better condition, and notice more tree shading. Those who consider air quality and noise levels in their walking decisions are more likely to notice tree shading. Individuals committed to community environmentalism are significantly more likely to walk to the grocery store, underscoring the crucial role of environmental values in shaping transportation behaviors and walkability perceptions.

Atlantic connectivity of a major green sea turtle Chelonia mydas foraging aggregation at the Banc d’Arguin, Mauritania

Understanding population connectivity is paramount for effective conservation. While genetic tools have elucidated sea turtle migration patterns, notable data gaps limit our understanding of ocean-wide connectivity, especially regarding east Atlantic green turtles. We characterized the genetic composition of a globally important green turtle foraging aggregation at the Banc d’Arguin, Mauritania, incorporating data from 323 individuals captured between 2018 and 2021. Using extended mitochondrial DNA D-loop (738 base pairs [bp]) and mitochondrial short tandem repeat (mtSTR; ~200 bp) markers, we assessed the genetic structure of Atlantic green turtle foraging aggregations and estimated the most likely origin of immature green turtles from the Banc d’Arguin using mixed stock analyses (MSAs). We identified 6 D-loop haplotypes, with a clear dominance of CM-A8.1 (91.8%) followed by CM-A5.1 (6.3%) and 4 rare haplotypes: CM-A1.4, CMA6.1, CM24.1 and CM36.1. We found 13 mtSTR haplotypes, with ‘7-12-4-4’ being dominant (89.0%). The genetic composition at the Banc d’Arguin differed significantly from the only foraging aggregation studied in West Africa to date—in the archipelago of Cabo Verde (located ca. 750 km from the Banc d’Arguin)—dominated by haplotype CM-A5. The MSA combining both genetic markers indicated that 87.6% of immature green turtles at the Banc d’Arguin originate from the major East Atlantic rookery at Poilão (Guinea-Bissau), but 11.6% come from more distant rookeries in South America (8.1%) and potentially Ascension Island (3.4%). We suggest that green turtle transatlantic movements may be more common than previously thought and highlight the importance of the Banc d’Arguin as a regional foraging hub for this species.