Natural Resource Policy Research Articles

Strategy towards sustainable energy transition: The effect of policy uncertainty, environmental technology and natural resources rent in the OECD nations

The stupendous increase in environmental pollutants alongside climate alterations are calling for integrated tasks at the global level to meet the Paris Agreements. Energy conversion from fossil fuel to renewable energy sources is an important step to address the adverse effects of extreme climatic conditions. This study explores the key contributors of energy transition in the context of the OECD countries during the period 1991 to 2019. To this end the major determinants chosen include natural resources rents, policy uncertainty, environmental technologies, environmental policies, income and globalization. The quantile regression technique is used to explore heterogeneous role of the contributory factors of energy transition across its different levels. This study applies method of moments quantile regression (hereafter MM-QR) by Machado and Silva (2019) that provides evidence on how the covariates affect the integral conditional distributions of energy transition. The study documents interesting findings. (i) Natural resources rents reduce the pace of the progress of sustainable energy transition in OECD economies. (ii) An escalation in the world uncertainty index leads to an improvement in energy transition index. (iii) Environmental technologies support the transition concerning cleaner and more efficient energy sources. (iv) Finally, as natural resources, uncertainty, environmental technologies, and globalization impacts energy transition differently, their effects need to be rationalized with varying environmental policy instruments. The study concludes that energy transition process requires the task of upgrading the quality of implementation of policies related to energy technology.

Analisis Kebijakan Sumber Daya Alam Provinsi Sumatera Utara

This research aims to analyze the influence of natural resource policies on economic growth and environmental benefits in North Sumatra Province. The research methods used include literature studies, interviews with stakeholders, secondary data analysis, quantitative analysis, and formulation of policy recommendations. The results of the analysis show that the implementation of natural resource policies has a significant impact on economic growth, but also raises challenges related to environmental protection and fair distribution of benefits. Policy recommendations are prepared to strengthen sustainability aspects in natural resource management in North Sumatra Province.

Multifaceted natural resources and green energy transformation for sustainable industrial development

Climate change is the most phenomenal challenge to humanity, and its roots are intervened with unsustainable industrialization, exercising overexploitation of natural resources. Therefore, the departure from non-renewable to renewables has become inevitable, though thought-provoking. In this respect, we explore how green energy transformation moderates the impacts of multifaceted natural resources on sustainable industrial development in the presence of other covariates involving technological progress, financial development, and economic progress. We compiled data from Group of Seven (G-7) members over the 1995−2018 period and applied panel quantile regression (PQREG) to capture the effects across varying levels of quantiles of sustainable industrial development. Results revealed a positive role of natural gas rents, while coal, forest, and total natural resource rents contributed adverse implications for sustainable industrial development. However, the green energy transformation proved to be the game changer because it not only directly induced sustainable industrial development improvement but also turned the unfavorable effects of coal, forest, and total natural resources into favorable ones by interacting with those multifaceted natural resources. Technological, financial, and economic progress supported sustainable industrial development in G-7 nations, particularly in members with existing middle and upper scales of sustainable industrial development. These findings are robust enough when subjected to different estimation tools. In light of these outcomes, the interaction between green energy transformation and natural resource policy is inevitably critical to attaining natural resource efficiency for sustainable industrial development. Therefore, it is imperative to establish a close policy coordination between advancing green energy technology and allocating natural resource revenue to achieve sustainable development goals (SDGs), with a particular emphasis on SDG-7 and SDG-13.

Bridging sustainable game management into land use policy: From principles to practice

Sustainability of land use is a guiding paradigm for natural resource policy in the 21st century and should also be pursued in wildlife management. We have bridged the theoretical sustainability framework with practical policy implementation by defining a certification scheme whereby landowners implement game management systems that are aligned with sustainability standards and audited by accredited bodies. Oversight is provided by a governance committee, comprising scientists, public officers, and certification body representatives, ensuring adaptability to evolving societal attitudes and regulatory changes. Using the Delphi method with a panel of 78 experts we defined key sustainability criteria for sustainable game management following a criterion of consensus. The agreed criteria were structured around three dimensions: game population, habitat, and socio-economic aspects, forming a coherent framework. The seven most important criteria for defining a certification system focused on maintaining or improving: 1) game population abundance, distribution, structure, and behavior compatible with conservation; 2) natural genetic characteristics of game populations; 3) diversity and conservation status of native game species; 4) diversity of native non-game species; 5) conservation status and diversity of habitats; 6) socio-economic functions and conditions of the activity; and 7) customer satisfaction. We discuss how the label derived from this certification could serve as an identity brand with positive effects on the recreational hunting market, but also that the promotion of this system requires the commitment of policy makers as well as the valuing of hunters against other options less respectful of the natural environment.

Denaturalizing Dispossession in the Political Ecology of the American West: Reassessing the History of the Los Angeles Aqueduct and Its Implications for Indigenous Land and Water Rights

Indigenous dispossession has been left out or relegated to the historical background of much of the political ecology of the American West, naturalized as a precursor to natural resource policy rather than as a direct and ongoing consequence of it. This article offers a framework for denaturalizing dispossession, drawing on Indigenous and settler colonial studies to examine the specific legal, political, and territorial processes by which dispossession is produced and contested over time. This framework is used to examine the long-overlooked history of Indigenous dispossession wrought by the Los Angeles Aqueduct in the early twentieth century. In-depth archival, legal, and ethnographic research reveals how, in the 1930s, this history became obscured by naturalizing discourses that continue to be invoked in disputes over tribal land and water rights today. The study underscores the complex intersections of law, history, and justice in struggles over dispossession and highlights the need for more engagement on these issues from political ecologists of the American West.

Inherent Dilemma: Balancing conservation efficiency and social equity in natural resource governance

Natural resource governance often grapples with the challenge of balancing conservation efficiency and social equity. While both objectives are essential, their persistent collision exposes an inherent dilemma. Suggesting that existing studies fail to grasp the depth of such dilemmas adequately, this paper examines the comprehensive impacts of natural resource policies that strive to maximize conservation targets. I hypothesize that (1) the attainment of conservation efficiency comes at the cost of reduced social equity and (2) the long-term sustainability of natural resource policy is compromised when it prioritizes conservation efficiency while disregarding social equity concerns. The empirical analysis draws on fieldwork in Ugandan communities to consider the impacts of a fisheries policy initiated by the government in 2015. A survey of 319 fishermen and unstructured interviews with eighteen elders on Buvuma Island in Lake Victoria reveal that while the new policy has considerably enhanced resource conservation, it has also intensified social inequities, and there are valid concerns about its long-term sustainability. Additionally, despite the new policy encountering substantial local opposition, a seemingly paradoxical consensus asserts that conservation success is only attainable with the same policy’s implementation. In the conclusion section, this paper suggests that the common “win–win assumption,” which implies misleadingly that conservation efficiency and social equity can always be simultaneously attained, should be replaced with the acknowledgment that trade-offs between the two objectives are often necessary.

Do Financial Development, Institutional Quality and Natural Resources Matter the Outward FDI of G7 Countries? A Panel Gravity Model Approach

Given the global growth of foreign capital flows, foreign investments hold significant potential for achieving sustainable development. Thus, this paper aims to highlight the key factors of FDI. In particular, it analyzes the effects of financial development and natural resources on FDI and how institutional quality and institutional distance can moderate these effects. The study used the dynamic panel gravity framework with two-step system GMM estimators to assess whether the developed financial system, better institutions, and possessing natural resources influence the outward FDI of G7 countries to host countries over the period 2002–2021. The results show that a well-developed financial system and well-functioning institutions in host countries are important prerequisites for FDI inflows. We find that the relationship between financial development and FDI is positively and significantly moderated by both institutional quality and institutional distance. Contrarily, these factors negatively moderate the connection involving natural resources and FDI. The significant negative association between institutional indicators’ interaction with natural resources indicates that natural resources play a key role in FDI, while joint policies for institutions and natural resources considerably decrease FDI inflows. Moreover, we discover that factors like GDP per capita, logistics infrastructure, and population could attract and handle more FDI. Based on the findings, the study recommends that host governments should focus on policies that strengthen the financial system, reduce institutional and legislative barriers, and enhance institutional quality and business environment to grant foreign investors access to all areas of their economies. Moreover, host governments should brand separate policies for institutions and natural resources to improve their economic advantages.

Energy Access in the Village of Gunung Arba, Jango Village from the Perspective of Environmental Justice in Central Lombok District Community

Environmental justice from the perspective of public participation in the development of natural resources is a national program where the government is starting to switch from fossil energy to green energy, which means that in the future the government will no longer hope for energy such as coal, oil and gas, etc. This is a very strategic step taken by the government. Centralized is the antithesis of the increasing pressure to decentralize regional government, including regarding the management of natural resources (SDA) policies in the mining and oil and gas sectors, To ensure that this program runs well, of course the community is involved in monitoring it. Community participation in sustainable development is indeed weak, including in terms of policy making, even though the laws and regulations also stipulate that the community has rights as explained in the Aarhus Convention, where parties have an obligation to guarantee the right of access to information, community participation in decision making, and access to justice in environmental matters in accordance with the provisions of the convention. Then in Law No. 32 of 2009 concerning Environmental Protection and Management, it is intended, among other things, 1) to provide information to the government, 2) to increase the public's willingness to accept government decisions. 3) Helps with legal protection. and 4) Democratize decision making. From the above basis, it further strengthens the community so that it can participate actively in the development of natural resources in this country.

Can China’s leading officials’ accountability audit of natural resources policy promote corporate emissions reduction?

The Chinese government proposed the policy of the leading officials’ accountability audit of natural resources (AANR) in 2013 and launched pilot audits in some regions in 2014. In order to explore whether AANR reduces corporate environmental pollution, this paper validates the impact of AANR on corporate emission reduction using a multi-period difference-in-difference (DID) method based on a sample of Chinese A-share heavy-polluting corporations from 2010 to 2017. The results indicated that AANR can significantly reduce corporate pollutant emissions, with legitimacy pressures and resource dependence playing a mediating role. Further research found that the AANR promoted emission reduction more strongly for large-sized corporations and political connection corporations, and more significantly for corporations with higher internal and external governance levels. Policy effects were more significant in regions with favorable economic growth and legalization. The above findings verify the effect of government audits on micro corporation pollution management, enrich the theoretical system of AANR research, and provide meaningful empirical evidence for AANR's further improvement.

International Legal Outer Space Policy of the United States of America

The new outer space natural resources policy of the United States, outlined between 2015 and 2020 by national legislation (including the U.S. Space Resource Exploration and Exploitation Act of 2015 and the U.S. Executive Order of April 6, 2020) and in 2020 also by the U.S.-initiated separate international Artemis Aсcords, is meant to be consistent with the universal Outer Space Treaty of 1967, the basic source of international space law. This policy, which opens access for private investors to natural resources of celestial bodies under the American legislation has commanded a wide international attention not only because of the exhilarating data on the high density of deposits of precious metals and other highlydemanded natural resources on some asteroids, but also because of the question raised during the workings of the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space: does this policy violate the US obligations under international law according to which the use of outer space, including celestial bodies, constitutes "the province of all mankind"? Or is it more rational for other states to create a similar international format of selective cooperation in order to be among the first to exploit the wealth of nearby celestial bodies without devoting political efforts to collectively establish international offense committed by the United States? Can a national legal and international legal response of Russia, China and other states, which are not subordinated to the United States, supported by their technological and industrial outer space infrastructure applicable to the outer space natural resources activities, become an effective incentive to negotiate a universal special international legal regime? It appears to be feasible since it is necessary to ensure conflict-free and, consequently, economically stable outer space natural resources activities corresponding to the national interests of the majority of states even with different international legal positions.

The status and future of essential geodiversity variables.

Rapid environmental change, natural resource overconsumption and increasing concerns about ecological sustainability have led to the development of 'Essential Variables' (EVs). EVs are harmonized data products to inform policy and to enable effective management of natural resources by monitoring global changes. Recent years have seen the instigation of new EVs beyond those established for climate, oceans and biodiversity (ECVs, EOVs and EBVs), including Essential Geodiversity Variables (EGVs). EGVs aim to consistently quantify and monitor heterogeneity of Earth-surface and subsurface abiotic features, including geology, geomorphology, hydrology and pedology. Here we assess the status and future development of EGVs to better incorporate geodiversity into policy and sustainable management of natural resources. Getting EGVs operational requires better consensus on defining geodiversity, investments into a governance structure and open platform for curating the development of EGVs, advances in harmonizing in situ measurements and linking heterogeneous databases, and development of open and accessible computational workflows for global digital mapping using machine-learning techniques. Cross-disciplinary collaboration and partnerships with governmental and private organizations are needed to ensure the successful development and uptake of EGVs across science and policy. This article is part of the Theo Murphy meeting issue 'Geodiversity for science and society'.

Natural Resources Policy in the Clinton Administration: A Mid-Course Evaluation from Inside <br>

Natural Resources Policy in the Clinton Administration: A Mid-Course Evaluation from Inside <br>

"Natural Resource Policy," in Natural Resources and the Environment: The Reagan Approach (1984) <br>

"Natural Resource Policy," in Natural Resources and the Environment: The Reagan Approach (1984) <br>

Spatial Green Space Assessment in Suburbia: Implications for Urban Development

Nonthaburi, a suburban province adjacent to the Bangkok Metropolis, has experienced a reduction in green spaces due to urban expansion. This study quantified Nonthaburi’s green space through visual interpretation of land use and land cover (LULC) using THEOS and Sentinel-2. Areas of green space were extracted using remote sensing indices and pixel-based classification based on THEOS. The extracted green area was then integrated with the existing LULC patterns to align with the green space characteristic established by Thailand’s Office of Natural Resource and Environmental Policy and Planning. This includes public services, functional utility, median strips, community economics, fallow, and natural green space. The analysis of green space management and planning utilized the Urban Green Space Index (UGSI), Per Capita Green Space (PCGS), and accessibility to public green space. The results revealed that Nonthaburi comprises a green space area of 465.29 km2 or 73.06%, exhibiting a higher prevalence within its western region while displaying a relatively lower extent in the urban zone adjacent to the Bangkok Metropolis. The per capita green space is 367.71 m2 but decreases to 255.82 m2 when accounting for the latent population, meaning it still meets the World Health Organization (WHO) criteria. Currently, only six parks (single and clusters) meet the criteria for public green space. Additionally, both fallow and median strip green spaces (at road interchanges) need to be considered for their potential use in new public service. Furthermore, very high-resolution imagery from unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) should be used for green space planning by the organization.

The Future of Mineral Development on Federal Lands, chapter in The Evolution of Natural Resources Law and Policy (MacDonnell and Bates, eds., 2010) <br>

The Future of Mineral Development on Federal Lands, chapter in The Evolution of Natural Resources Law and Policy (MacDonnell and Bates, eds., 2010) <br>

Role of Inclusive Finance on oil Resource production targets: How Fiscal Pressures influence natural resources policy and green recovery in Gulf countries?

This study considers the impact of fiscal pressures on natural resources policy and green recovery techniques as it explores the effect of inclusive finance on reaching oil resource production targets in Gulf countries. The connection between financial inclusion, oil production targets, and fiscal restrictions is examined in countries heavily dependent on oil resources income. The study examines how global oil price fluctuations and changing environmental rules impact resource management and revenue stability. Developing green initiatives and diversification methods are crucial for reducing fiscal vulnerabilities brought on by the oil market's volatility. Using empirical data and case studies, this study clarifies policy frameworks that balance financial inclusion, oil production, and environmental sustainability. Adopting circular economy models, increasing energy efficiency, and investing in renewable energy sources are recommended for achieving a balanced and sustainable development. Study provides several policy implications for the associates parties on the basis of current research findings.

Is there a relationship between economic growth and natural resource commodity price volatility? Evidence from China

The volatility of commodity prices of natural resources such as oil and coal is closely related to the economic growth of a country. This study examines the volatility of economic growth and natural resource commodity prices in China during 1980–2020 and the causal relationship between them using the wavelet power spectrum and wavelet coherence in the wavelet method. The results reveal the following. (1) The wavelet power spectrum uncovers strong fluctuations in economic growth and natural resource commodity prices, both susceptible to crisis events. (2) The wavelet coherence demonstrates a significant causal relationship between economic growth and natural resource commodity price volatility. Specifically, (a) there is a notable negative correlation between economic growth and WTI crude oil prices and coal rents. (b) There is a two-way causal relationship between economic growth and WTI crude oil prices and coal rents, and a one-way causal relationship between economic growth and total natural resource rents and oil rents. Finally, using frequency-domain causality tests as a robustness check confirmed a long-term causal relationship between economic growth and natural resource commodity prices. This study clarifies the relationship between economic growth and natural resource commodity price volatility and provides a scientific basis for formulating natural resource and economic policies.

Exploring the role of green finance and natural resource policies in carbon emission efficiency of China's manufacturing industry in the context of post-COVID-19 period

China's manufacturing industry accounts for a significant portion of its total carbon emissions. While the activities of manufacturing have been found to be inevitably influenced by the pandemic, how COVID-19 influences the utilization of manufacturing industry has rarely been discussed in previous studies. Understanding how COVID-19 has reshaped manufacturing activities may also be helpful for providing updated policy implications in the post-pandemic era. The objective of this research is to investigate the extent to which the impact of the built environment on the utilization of manufacturing industry has changed post pandemic, as compared to pre-pandemic period. This study empirically investigates the spatial effects of green finance on manufacturing industry's carbon emission efficiency (CEE) in China, as well as the role that natural resource policies play in this mechanism. Based on panel data from 30 provinces and municipalities in China during the period from 2013 to 2022, a Spatial Durbin Model applied to analyze the nexus between green finance, natural resource policies and CEE. Results show green finance significantly improves CEE and this effect is strengthened in the post-pandemic period. This research also verifies the synergy effect of green finance and natural resource policies on CEE of manufacturing industry in post-pandemic. The results of this study provide policymakers with a timely understanding of the changes in CEE during the pandemic, which can help redesign manufacturing industry in the post-pandemic era.

Natural resource dependence, policy and institutions for environmental sustainability and African welfare

AbstractIn developing countries, particularly in Africa, dependence on natural resources poses a threat to development, leading to poor health, reduced productivity, and increased poverty among nations. This raises significant concerns for the prospects and welfare of Africa, given the rising environmental pollution. However, the literature on the mitigating effect of policies and institutions for environmental sustainability (PIES) on resource‐dependent countries in Africa is scarce. As a result, this study explores the effects of natural resource dependence and the mediating effect of PIES on under‐five mortality and human development in Africa. This novel hypothesis may contribute to the divergent differences in African welfare. Using a panel of 30 resource‐dependent countries spanning 2005 to 2021 and employing the two‐step dynamic generalized method of moments, the study provides evidence in support of the novel hypothesis. The findings show that dependence on natural resources can be either a blessing or a curse for African countries, depending on the degree to which environmental sustainability is embraced. Furthermore, a heterogeneous analysis demonstrates significant support for countries with high policies and institutions for environmental sustainability in mitigating the negative impacts of natural resource dependence on welfare. The study concludes that dependence on natural resources without environmental sustainability cannot guarantee a balance between the well‐being of the economy and the environment. Therefore, environmental management should not be politically motivated so as to sustainably improve human well‐ being in Africa.

A co-design framework for natural resource policy making: Insights from tree health and fisheries in the United Kingdom

Environmental and land use policy literature asserts the need for more holistic, participatory and co-designed forms of governance for the sustainable management of natural resources. Co-design is also increasingly recognised by government as a useful approach but is often applied with varying degrees of success. The purpose of this paper is to assess recent examples of policy co-design across three UK case studies focused on tree/woodland management and fisheries. The first set out to co-design criteria for ‘low impact’ fishing with fisheries stakeholders to inform new fisheries policy and management strategies. The second co-designed new policy options with tree/woodland stakeholders to replace existing tree health grants, as part of the UK government’s broader Environment Land Management scheme. The third aimed to scope, with stakeholders, the potential for a new social survey of fishers. Despite the different contexts, all projects sought to apply principles of co-design by engaging with stakeholders during the early stages of policy development. A comparative assessment between the three case studies allows us to identify challenges for co-design and to provide recommendations for successfully applying co-design principles through stakeholder-researcher-policy maker partnerships. Challenges include building trust between stakeholders and policymakers, overcoming traditional modes of evidence-based policy making, accessing hard-to-reach groups, getting discussions to move beyond the general to the specific, and recognising that co-design takes time and is resource-intensive. A new co-design framework is presented, setting out five stages for incorporating the principles of co-design in natural resource policy making: scoping, co-design, testing, implementing and evaluation.