Governance Issues Research Articles

Demand side management through energy efficiency measures for the sustainable energy future of Pakistan

Pakistan is facing energy crises due to localized shortages, market manipulation, infrastructure disruption, rising demand, governance issues, climate and geopolitical events. In this situation Demand Side Management (DSM) is a promising solution to overcome the problem of energy crises. DSM strategy helps to manage consumer demand through energy conservation rather than to addition of new power capacity. In this study, Low Emissions Analysis Platform (LEAP) develops an energy model for Pakistan for the period 2022–2050. Three scenarios has been to constructed namely Baseline (BAS), Green Energy Policy (GEP), and Energy Efficiency (ENE) to predict the future energy demand, production, carbon emissions and the investment cost which covers capital, operational and maintenance costs. The model results suggest that DSM targets should be achieved through the implementation of ENE scenario. Predicted energy production and consumption under the ENE scenario are substantially less than those under the BAS scenario. The country can meet its 635.83,000 GWh energy demand with its 747.15,000 GWh energy production. Non-renewable sources produce 171.27,000 GWh, whilst renewable sources produce 575.88,000 GWh. According to this scenario, by 2050, CO2 emissions will be produced around 93.16 million metric tons, requiring an investment cost of $46.80 billion for building new power capacity. The study provides a roadmap with a suggestive optimal balance between energy saving with DSM approach and utilizing renewable energy production to meet energy demand for different sectors of the economy.

The Influence of Environmental, Social, and Governance Issues in the Banking Industry

The Influence of Environmental, Social, and Governance Issues in the Banking Industry

Random forest model used to predict the medical out-of-pocket costs of hypertensive patients.

Precise prediction of out-of-pocket (OOP) costs to improve health policy design is important for governments of countries with national health insurance. Controlling the medical expenses for hypertension, one of the leading causes of stroke and ischemic heart disease, is an important issue for the Japanese government. This study aims to explore the importance of OOP costs for outpatients with hypertension. To obtain a precise prediction of the highest quartile group of OOP costs of hypertensive outpatients, we used nationwide longitudinal data, and estimated a random forest (RF) model focusing on complications with other lifestyle-related diseases and the nonlinearities of the data. The results of the RF models showed that the prediction accuracy of OOP costs for hypertensive patients without activities of daily living (ADL) difficulties was slightly better than that for all hypertensive patients who continued physician visits during the past two consecutive years. Important variables of the highest quartile of OOP costs were age, diabetes or lipidemia, lack of habitual exercise, and moderate or vigorous regular exercise. As preventing complications of diabetes or lipidemia is important for reducing OOP costs in outpatients with hypertension, regular exercise of moderate or vigorous intensity is recommended for hypertensive patients that do not have ADL difficulty. For hypertensive patients with ADL difficulty, habitual exercise is not recommended.

The Inflammatory Bowel Disease Middle East Registry: Challenges Faced, and Lessons Learned from Setting Up a Multi-Country Patient Registry

The burden of inflammatory bowel disease is rising globally, including in the Middle East. There is a paucity of real-world data related to the disease and its treatment in many countries in this region. Patient registries can provide real-world evidence of disease incidence and aetiology, treatment and patient outcomes. The authors designed a non-interventional, multicentre registry to evaluate treatment pathways, resource consumption, and clinical outcomes of patients with inflammatory bowel disease in the Middle East. This article describes challenges faced, and lessons learned from setting up the registry. Registry development requires time, effort, expertise, and skills development to be functional and meet international standards. Careful consideration of legal, governance, ethical and financial issues; data protection and control, minimum data set, data quality assurance, data collection methods, inclusion criteria as well as data sources is critical to the development process. Our findings present stakeholders with a guide for the development and implementation of future registries in the Middle East and offer valuable lessons learned that other countries or regions can utilise as they address inflammatory bowel disease burden and establish their own registries.

The agricultural decision process in a small tank cascade system in Sri Lanka: diagnosing options for adaptive governance

Small Tank Cascade Systems (STCS) are interconnected small reservoirs constructed in shallow valleys in the dry zone of Sri Lanka. STCS have assumed heightened significance for their potential contribution to climate adaptation of agricultural systems. Local communities managed STCS to store water by capturing seasonal rain and cultivating crops that suited local conditions over millennia. The British colonial centralisation of STCS governance led to the degradation and deterioration of STCS. Contemporary water governance literature identifies STCSs as complex multifunctional systems. Adaptive co-management (ACM) approaches can reconcile complex resource governance issues by combining co-management with co-governance. We studied Palugaswewa STCS in North Central Sri Lanka to explore farmer and government officials' views, perceptions, knowledge, and experiences about agricultural decision-making including current governance, issues, and proposed improvements seeking evidence for ACM in practice. We interviewed eleven farmers and four extension officials selected from the analysis preceding this research. Our results show that an informal decision process (pre-cultivation meeting) precedes and informs the formal decision process (cultivation meeting), farmers use their collective knowledge and experience to anticipate seasonal weather and plan cultivation, and government officials facilitate a community-led decision process with institutional limitations. We concluded that the informal process compensates for the lack of timely meteorological information, allows space for sharing and co-development of knowledge and facilitates ACM. Future governance interventions in STCS need to recognise informal processes that drive decision-making, provide timely user-centred meteorological information, and rethink legal frameworks at local and national levels to provide flexibility for local farmers.

Noise ordinances: The key to Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) issues surrounding datacenters

The declaration of Noise Control Act of 1972 was a historic moment, whereby the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of the United States appropriately recognized and acted toward protecting the American population's health and welfare from the dangers of noise emission. And while this policy served as the Gold Standard for the creation of noise policies around the world, the decision to transfer the responsibility of regulating noise to state and local levels of government is one that has had a negative impact on the acoustical industry in the United States. This paper outlines instances where defined noise ordinances would have had protected vulnerable populations (in contiguous areas), as well as the parties affiliated with datacenters. The document also outlines methodological policies, guidance for adoption or updating of noise ordinances for Authorities Having Jurisdiction (AHJ), examples of mission-critical systems contributing to noise emission and the most effective solutions available to achieve compliance.

Fossil-fueled stories: an ecolinguistic critical discourse analysis of the South African government’s naturalisation of fossil fuels in the context of the climate crisis

ABSTRACT In recent years, aging coal power plants, lack of maintenance, and issues of poor governance have resulted in a high frequency of rolling scheduled blackouts, throughout South Africa. This has led to greater urgency being placed on switching to renewable energy sources, which South Africa has great potential for. Despite this, and the current reality of the global climate crisis, South Africa continues to rely heavily on coal, not only as an energy source at home, but also as a key part of the country’s export economy. This paper utilises a corpus-assisted, ecolinguistically-informed critical discourse analysis framework to investigate the ways in which members of the South African national government construct the use of coal and other fossil fuels in light of a global climate crisis. The data for this paper consists of a variety of public-facing texts from the South African national government on the topic of climate change. Our analysis revealed that despite a stated commitment to prioritising renewable energy by the government, its implicit messaging normalises the continued use of fossil fuels and minimises their serious negative impacts.

Bangladesh’s Rankings in Global Governance and Justice Indexes: University Students’ Perception Analysis

Identifying specific areas of concern in Bangladesh such as the independence and effectiveness of the judiciary, protection of human rights, freedom of speech and press, government influence on the legal system, transparency and accountability of law enforcement agencies, corruption, efficiency of the legal system, and accessibility of justice for marginalized communities, contributes to a better understanding of the challenges faced by the country in these domains. The research primarily examines the relationship between Bangladesh’s low rankings in international indexes and the perceptions of 200 university students. Data from three global indexes and a survey with students highlight a significant alignment between their perceptions and the country’s poor rankings, revealing concerns regarding the mentioned areas. Despite these concerns, positive student views on the importance of an effective judiciary for economic growth and public awareness about the legal system are noted. Using a mixed-method approach, the research combines secondary data from international indexes with primary data from student questionnaires among university students in Bangladesh, shedding light on critical governance, justice, and legal system issues. The findings underscore the need for further research to gain deeper insights, incorporating perspectives from experts and stakeholders. This study contributes to understanding the challenges faced by Bangladesh in these domains.

Reining in the Behemoths for the Common Good? An Analysis of State Control of State-Owned Enterprises and the Pathway to Better Governance in China

AbstractThe state-owned enterprise (SOE) is the most significant business form in China. In the planned economy era, the state employed SOEs to implement economic policy and to provide employment opportunities. After entering the marketization era, the state still expects SOEs to preserve the state assets and fulfill political goals, notwithstanding the governance issues facing SOEs. SOEs do not generally perform as well as private corporations worldwide and the existing literature attempts to explain the reasons for poor governance problems from many different perspectives. SOEs in China have many distinctive characteristics compared to their counterparts overseas. The ways in which the state exercises its control over SOEs are the primary reasons for creating the vital distinctive characteristics that invite SOEs’ poor governance problems in China. The three most significant problems are discussed here. First, over-politicization and bureaucracy lower SOEs’ operational efficiency. Second, the board of directors (BOD) fails to perform its traditional role in corporate governance in serving the corporate interests. Third, the comprehensive involvement of the Communist Party in China (CPC) needs to be regulated and the accountability of internal organs should be extended to the party committees within the companies. We submit that the existing SOE supervision and control methods need to be changed to clarify the for-profit purpose of SOEs. The BOD needs uninterrupted business management power and the party activities should follow party rules and company law to make party cadres accountable for their business decisions.

Research of Tax Governance on Urban Village Rent: A Case Study of X Village in Dongguan City

Tax governance is an important part of the national governance system and also a significant reflection of the national governance capacity. Using X Village in Dongguan City as a case study, this paper summarizes the tax governance issues in the urban rental market through field investigations and online data collection, as well as identifies the deficiencies in current laws, regulations, and policies. The research reveals that there are practical problems such as regulatory gaps and implementation difficulties, asymmetric market information, inadequate participation in social governance, and difficulty in coordinating conflicting interests in X Village. In response to these issues, the study explores corresponding paths for governance and proposes methods such as establishing comprehensive regulations and strengthening law enforcement, creating an information-sharing platform, enhancing participation in social governance, and balancing economic interests to address the tax irregularities in urban village rentals. This will help provide a solid foundation for the sustainable development of urban villages.

Research Progress of Functional Materials for Conversion of Agricultural Biomass Wastes

Excess agricultural biomass waste is increasing rapidly, leading to many environmental and governance issues. Therefore, increased attention has been paid to the recycling and value-added application of agricultural biomass waste. In recent years, the research of agricultural biomass waste utilization and derived functional materials has mainly included the following two aspects： ① the extraction of natural polymers and value-added applications and ② the direct preparation of new carbon-based materials, including adsorption, catalysis, energy storage electrode, and composite functional materials. The conversion of agricultural biomass waste into functional materials has been gradually realized and widely used. To enable industrial-scale production and the quality and safety of agricultural biomass waste derivatives and to develop highly feasible and cost-effective biomass waste conversion methods should be the focus of future studies.

Enhancing administrative service delivery practices of local government: Experiences from Nepal

This study aims to examine the administrative service delivery practices within the local government of Nepal and explore the intricate perceptions of the interplay between governance, service delivery, and citizens. The objectives include understanding the contextual elements that shape states, addressing concerns of developing nations, emphasizing service delivery, prioritizing citizen viewpoints, and tackling governance issues. Utilizing a mixed-methods approach grounded on post-positivism, the study employs purposeful sampling to select rural municipalities in Nepal. Data collection involves a quantitative institutional survey to assess the current state of public administrative services, with survey respondents comprising service providers and citizens. The respondents reported higher levels of satisfaction with the efficiency, timeliness, and resource availability of administrative services. However, the study also revealed gaps and disparities in the knowledge and perceptions of administrative practices and governance among different respondent groups and ecological regions. Emphasizing the significant advantages of collaboration, decentralization, people-centric development, and meaningful engagement, the study highlights the need for further research and policy interventions to enhance public service delivery and governance of local government in Nepal.

Governance characteristics and feelings of safety are associated with attitudinal success in community‐based natural resource management & conservation organizations in northern Kenya

Abstract For Community‐based Conservation (CBC) projects to be effective in the long‐term, they need to receive the support of the communities involved. Assessing whether CBC governance systems are working effectively is challenging, and it is important to evaluate both the characteristics of these governance systems, and the perceptions of community members. It is also important to understand how factors other than the governance features of individual CBC organizations may affect feelings of satisfaction. Using existing data collected by a local NGO in northern Kenya from 2014 to 2017, we investigated whether characteristics indicative of good governance have increased over time in 28 community‐owned natural resource management & conservation organizations (“conservancies”). We also assessed whether the presence of good governance characteristics, and other factors (whether community members feel safe, conservancy population size, and age of conservancy) predict the degree to which community members reported feeling satisfied with their conservancy. We adapted an existing monitoring dataset that captured governance, management, and administration practices. We created a modified index that focussed on concepts that have been identified in wider literature as being important aspects of the governance of socio‐ecological systems. Our analyses produced the following main findings: Characteristics of good governance significantly increased in conservancies over the study period. Self‐reported satisfaction with a conservancy was most strongly predicted by self‐reported feelings of safety and our measure of good governance. Livestock raiding and land/boundary conflicts appears to be the security issues most closely associated with community members reporting that they feel unsafe. Our adapted measure of governance and analyses provide a more robust assessment of the idea that governance characteristics of conservancies improved in meaningful ways during the study period. However, these analyses also point to the ways in which the monitoring of governance of CBC projects could be improved by incorporating or strengthening assessments of concepts that are known to be of importance in governing the use of natural resources. Our analyses of community members' satisfaction with their conservancies point to the need for CBC projects to consider interactions with other groups in the wider landscape, and to engage with issues of governance at different levels of organization. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

Bridging business and human rights and business for peace: A case study of Microsoft’s multitrack diplomacy

Through the practice of corporate diplomacy—a subset of track-two diplomacy—multinational enterprises (MNEs) can help address issues of polycentric governance, including those in the realms of business and human rights (BHR) and business for peace (B4P). Despite growing interest in both fields of academia and practice, there remains scope for further empirical work at their intersection. This article, therefore, contributes to the extant literature on BHR and B4P by empirically exploring the case of Microsoft, an American MNE, and its corporate diplomacy activities on digital peace in cyberspace. Specifically, the case focuses on three purposefully selected initiatives: (1) the company’s corporate diplomacy efforts on the Digital Geneva Convention, (2) the Digital Peace Now campaign, and (3) its proactive engagement in response to the war in Ukraine. These initiatives highlight how responsibility, leadership, employee empowerment, and partnerships have contributed to Microsoft’s corporate culture and decision-making processes to create an environment that prioritizes digital peace and integrates both BHR and B4P perspectives. In doing so, this article argues for the importance of addressing B4P activities in tandem with BHR in a complementary manner within practitioner initiatives.

ANALYZING IMRAN KHAN’S POST-PREMIERSHIP SPEECHES: A CRITICAL DISCOURSE PERSPECTIVE

The primary objective of this study is to explore the speeches made by well-known political figure in Pakistan, Mr. Imran Khan, following his removal on April 10, 2022. The research explores the persuasiveness of Khan's speeches, spurred on by his considerable influence, especially among young people. The context of Fairclough's 3D model was used to analyze five carefully selected speeches that were given between June 19, 2022, and March 25, 2023. After being translated from Urdu into English, the speeches were examined. Using the 3D model required close examination of the discourse practices, text, and sociocultural background in order to reveal the complex relationships between language, power, and sociopolitical setting in Pakistan. The analysis shows how skillfully Khan uses rhetorical elements like irony, satire, and intertextuality to address important topics, advocate for change, and raise social consciousness. These findings shed light on wider issues of public opinion, government, and social standards in addition to helping to comprehend Khan's communication tactics. This research sets the stage for future discussions on discourse analysis, political communication dynamics, and the role of language in shaping political discourse, ultimately enhancing our understanding of modern political dialogue in Pakistan.

‘Never a Colony’?: Rethinking the Colonisation of Enga Province, Papua New Guinea

ABSTRACTThis article examines the history of Enga Province, Papua New Guinea, from 1952 to 1975 in order to understand how pre‐colonial governance of the province laid the groundwork for the problems of weak governance that plagued Enga in the independence era. The most appropriate models to understand this issue, the article claims, come not from the comparative study of decolonised states such as those in Africa, but from the European experience of state formation. Drawing on these models, the article makes two arguments. First, that Enga was governed lightly and ineffectively in the colonial period because there was little Australia wanted to extract from Enga. Second, the structural situation remains largely the same today: governance in Enga is weak because there is little incentive for the national government to rule. Using Enga as a synecdoche for Papua New Guinea as a whole, this paper argues that we may best understand governance issues in Papua New Guinea using models and theories that emphasise the historical continuity between the pre‐ and post‐independence governments of the country.

TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT POLICY OF INDIA AND THE BARRIERS IN ITS IMPLEMENTATION

Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) has emerged as a promising urban planning approach globally, aiming to create sustainable, equitable, and livable cities by promoting compact, mixed-use development around transit nodes. In India, where rapid urbanization and burgeoning population densities pose significant challenges to urban mobility and sustainability, TOD has gained traction as a potential solution. However, the effective implementation of TOD policies in Indian cities faces numerous barriers, including deficiencies in public transportation infrastructure, outdated land use regulations, affordability and accessibility concerns, financing constraints, governance issues, and challenges related to gap in policy between state and local bye laws in its implementation. This research paper provides a comprehensive analysis of these barriers and proposes a policy framework to overcome them, drawing on insights from international best practices and case studies from Indian cities. Through an interdisciplinary approach that integrates urban planning, transportation engineering, economics, and public policy perspectives, this paper offers actionable recommendations for policymakers, urban planners, and stakeholders to facilitate the successful implementation of TOD in Indian cities. By addressing the identified barriers and leveraging the potential of TOD, India can realize its vision of sustainable, inclusive, and transit-oriented urban development.

Issues of Good Governance of Pakistan: A Historical Analysis

Issues of Good Governance of Pakistan: A Historical Analysis

Spatial Analysis of Regional Poverty Rates in Bali for the period 2016-2020

Poverty is a severe issue for local governments, particularly in Bali. This study aims to investigate factors influencing the regional poverty rate in Bali Province between 2016 and 2020. In the primary data obtained from BPS Bali Province, spatial regression data approaches and analyses were used. The findings show that housing, access to technology, and availability of natural resources affect poverty rates. The poverty line in Bali in the period 2016–2020 fluctuated significantly. Urban and rural poverty levels are affected by the availability of rice. At the same time, non-food commodities are higher in rural areas regarding housing, religious ceremonies, and customs. The contribution of the food poverty line to the urban poverty line was 68.76% less than the contribution of the food poverty line to the rural poverty line, which was 69.74%. From 2016 to 2020, the districts of Buleleng, Karangasem, Klungkung, and Tabanan each had the highest poverty depth index. The poverty depth index in urban areas reached 0.653, and in rural areas, 0.753. The severity index for urban poverty is 0.154, which is lower than the severity index for rural poverty, which is 0.156.

Evaluasi Pengelolaan Sampah Menggunakan Climate Resilient and Inclusive Cities (CRIC) Waste Assessment Tool Kota Palembang

Waste is a problem that cannot be ignored because it is always generated in all aspects of life. The Climate Resilient and Inclusive Cities CRIC Waste Assessment Tool helps in analyzing the current situation in the city and provides important and practical recommendations from both technical aspects, governance, and social issues. The research aims to evaluate urban waste management using the Climate Resilient and Inclusive Cities (CRIC) Waste Assessment Tool based on management technology in Palembang City. A quantitative strategy was used in this research, along with a descriptive and verification research method. Secondary data is taken from the national waste management information system and other literature to fill in the CRIC Waste Assessment Tool application. Data analysis using CRIC Tool covers waste management, governance, economy and knowledge of citizens, GHG emissions. The results of measuring waste management performance with CRIC show that waste management in the city is still low, most of the waste is disposed of uncontrollably, resulting in SLCPs. Waste banks and TPS3R are still lacking. Achievement of waste management to reduce greenhouse gas emissions has only reached 50% of the recommended target. Proper waste handling is still lacking, such as reduced dumping, open burning, and better composting practices. This will support modifications in waste handling from the community, which can support waste management technology development.