Regional Trades Research Articles

Dual water-electricity cooperation improves economic benefits and water equality in the Lancang-Mekong River Basin

Transboundary river cooperation provides an effective pathway to maintain regional security and sustainable development; however, its implementation is a pressing and prominent concern due to lack of appropriate compensation measures and effective incentive strategies. Here we develop a dual water-electricity cooperation (DWEC) framework that combines water and electricity trading to meet the often-conflicting demands of participating countries. The results from the Lancang-Mekong River Basin reveal that substantial benefits in both economic and social aspects can be achieved through coupling regional water and electricity trades. Economic benefits can be obtained by expanding cooperation space and thereby greatly improving the willingness of countries to participate in basin-wide cooperation. Electricity trading plays a key role in loss compensation for water exporters, ensuring no loss for any party and maximizing basin-wide benefits. Furthermore, the DWEC improves regional water use equality, especially in water shortage periods when there is severe competition among water users. The proposed cooperation framework provides a viable way to implement cooperation in transboundary river basins.

Reaching IMO 2050 GHG Targets Exclusively Through Energy Efficiency Measures

_ Maritime transport accounts for around 3% of global anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (Well-to-Wake). These GHG emissions must be reduced by at least 50% in absolute values by 2050 to contribute to the ambitions of the Paris Agreement signed in 2015. Switching to zero-carbon fuels made from renewable sources (hydro, wind, or solar) is seen by many as the most promising option to deliver the desired GHG reductions. However, renewable energy is a scarce resource that gives a much larger GHG reduction spent within other sectors. This study explores how to reach the IMO 2050 GHG targets exclusively through energy efficiency measures. The results indicate that by combining wind-assisted ship propulsion (WASP) with a slender hull form, fuel consumption and GHG emissions can be reduced by 30–35%, at a negative abatement cost for speeds exceeding 8 knots. Where the cost saving increases with the speed because at higher speeds, the fuel accounts for a higher share of the total cost, which implies that the cost saving goes from zero at 8 knots, to 5% reduction at 11 knots average speed to 14% reduction of total cost with 15 knots average speed. In comparison, GHG reductions through zero-carbon fuels will increase transport costs by 50–200%. Introduction From the first days of our civilization, sea transport has enabled regional and global trades. Today, sea transport accounts for 80% of the global trade measured in ton-miles (UNCTAD 2021) and 3% of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions measured Well-to-Wake (Lindstad et al. 2021). More than 40% of this sea trade is performed by dry bulkers, making them the real workhorses of the sea. Even though sea transport is energy efficient compared to other transport modes, all sectors need to reduce their GHG emissions by at least 50% in absolute values by 2050 to contribute to the Paris Agreement (UNFCCC 2015). According to Bouman et al. (2017), the desired energy and GHG reductions can be achieved through: Design and other technical improvements of ships; Operational improvements; Fuels with zero or low GHG footprints; or a combination of these.

Trade Relations and Trade Openness amongst the ECOWAS Member Nations

This study is necessitated by the belief that, there is an improved trade relation amongst West African countries following the establishment of a Regional Economic Community– the ECOWAS. In this regard, so much has been said about the trade bloc, but we are yet to feel its impact on the regional economy. Thus, this study is set to ascertain the nature of trade relations, impediments to trade and means of improving on trade liberalization within the sub–region .An ex-post facto research study was adopted in the study. It made use of secondary data for the period 2000 to 2019. Descriptive statistics, percentages and granger causality tests were utilized in estimating the time-series statistics. Outcome of the study indicates that there is still a low level of trade amongst the ECOWAS member states. The average total imports and exports from the ECOWAS trading bloc for the period under review stood at 7.1% and 20.10% respectively. This is considered rather poor! Reasons adduced to this effect are that regional trading arrangements still retains the specified patterns which consist of primary products and assume low levels of international sale. The sub-regional sale volume is low as they export raw materials and not processed goods. There is little that they are interested in importing from each other. Again because of the limited diversity of products, the same primary products also tend to dominate her trade with the rest of the world. It was also ascertained that there is a low level of trade liberalization within the ECOWAS sub region. Most of the member states were ranked lowest in terms of trade openness in the continent and the world at large. The study therefore recommends that apart from the new wave of increased interest in regional integration and removal of trade barriers, there is need for a major shift – ECOWAS member nations must play down on the continued dominance of primary production, export and low value addition. Regional trades need to be driven by a diversified production structure essentially driven by growth in manufacturing that would deliver lots of jobs, raise productivity and incomes; else intra regional trade will remain fragile, unadoptable and therefore more susceptible to major disruptions. Poor trade relations are likely to persist in the sub–region without a robust manufacturing sector where innovation and technology would improve value addition and raise productivity.

GEO-STRATEGIC CONSEQUENCE OF CHABAHAR AND GWADAR SEA PORTS AND THE INTERESTS OF EXTERNAL PLAYER

In this study, we are trying to examine the Geostrategic and economic potentials of Gwadar and Chabahar deep Sea ports recently two constructed ports while Gwadar situated in Balochistan Province of Pakistan and Chabahar located in Sistan and Balochistan area of Iran has been recognized as coagulated strategic agreements between China and Pakistan and between India and Iran. These sea port politics are forming an unbalance of powers in the region after the United States of America is expanding its military role in the region and attended more strategic partnership with India. Both ports could change the dynamics of regional politics, oceanic trades and transshipment, therefore, in this developing scenario both Gwadar and Chabahar Iranian port have taken a central stage in the current phase of international politics and have taken a unique geo- strategic and geo-political significance. Gwadar deep sea port is weighted as a strategic base from where; China can monitor US movement in the Persian Gulf, Indians naval actions in the Arabian sea and US-Indo maritime cooperation in the IOR (Indian Ocean Region). India, in response of this strategic move developing Chahbahar port with Iranian assistances and partnership of Afghanistan, desire to Central Asian countries coupled with to reduce the influence of Chinas future long -run geo-economic and strategic interest in the entire region. The new economic, strategic and development move have created a new power structure which places the indigenous people better off after the new wave of globalization in this region. The development of Chabahar and more specifically Gwadar port could go nowhere, if the property rights of local masses and their socio economic security are not protected. One solution is to provide free and fair access of local masses to the new developments with equal distribution of resources and other opportunities to the locals at their doorsteps

Dietary acculturation generates virtual carbon flow: The overlaid effects of geographically varied dietary patterns and population migration in urban and materials-flowing China

Quantifying the carbon footprint (CF) of food-demand can aid in mitigating the effects of global climate change, especially in the context of urbanisation, which enriches urban diets with animal products. Urbanisation also attracts large numbers of people migrating from rural areas and even across provinces in China. Migrants gradually shift from the dietary patterns of their hometowns, toward those of their destinations, a process known as “dietary acculturation.” However, few studies have explored the dietary CF resulting from such migrations. Here, we compared the dietary patterns of rural vs. urban households in 31 Chinese provinces, and quantified the CF of dietary acculturation by overlaying interprovincial migrant populations with geographically varied dietary patterns. Our results show that the mean net dietary CF increased by 21 Mt CO2e yr−1 due to dietary acculturation. The increased intakes of aquatic products and beef jointly contributed 75% of this CF growth, while declined cereal intake offset ∼44%. The wealthy province of Guangdong, which has the largest immigrant population, accounts for ∼30% of growth in the dietary CF. Regression analyses revealed that the Engel coefficient had a strong marginal effect on the variations in CF attributable to dietary acculturation. Additionally, the dietary CF of migrant populations was positively correlated with the virtual environmental flows (e.g., carbon, water, and energy) that are embedded in regional commodity trades. This quantification of the CF of dietary acculturation provides novel insights that may be used to further quantify the carbon emissions of food demand.

Revealing environmental inequalities embedded within regional trades

Carbon emissions embodied in interprovincial trade (CEE-IT) are closely related with the environmental responsibility allocation. Besides the perspective of administrative division, more rational and effective clusters based on provincial characteristics is more conducive for understanding the regional emission reduction linkages and simplifying the steps of responsibility determination. To provide a reasonable management of CEs transference mitigation in China, this study develops a provincial clustering scale CEE-IT model through three-scale accountings (i.e., aggregated-scale, consumption-scale and income-scale analysis). Specifically, 30 provinces are aggregated into several new regions with similar characteristics. Carbon emissions from different energy sources are first considered to distinguish and specify different emission reduction modes. The input output analysis (IOA) and structural decomposition analysis (SDA) are applied to quantify the embodied interprovincial carbon emissions and the relative contributions of socio-economic factors at the sector-level of disaggregation and aggregation, respectively. Three-scale accountings are innovatively employed into EEBT model to deeply analyze the emissions along China’s domestic inter-regional supply chains for identifying regional production, consumption and income-based emission responsibilities. Based on three accounting perspectives, the results provide suggestions for coordinated emission reduction across regions (including specific provinces) from the overall and decomposition levels. It shows that cutting the imports of mining sector for all regions could reduce emissions from the supply side. Rural household consumption and fixed capital formation are the major drivers for Ⅳ region from the consumption side. Technological innovations in Ⅲ region have reduced carbon emissions by 55.2% and contributed 159 Mt reductions from 2007 to 2012. Ⅲ region is insensitive to energy types and the utilization of crude oil in Ⅰ region limit the improvement of its system efficiency. Importing large quantities of emission-intensive products from Beijing and Jiangsu is a cause of high income-based emissions in Ⅱ region.

Provenance of wine and oil amphorae in northern Adriatic: archaeometric and epigraphic approaches

This research focuses on the archaeometric analysis of a large set of wine (type Dressel 6A) and oil amphorae (type Dressel 6B and probably funnel necked amphorae) from northern and central Italy, with the main aim of characterizing the various regional productions and trades among them and other production region of the Adriatic coast. Archaeobotanic and archaeological evidence, as well as the geographic context, indicated that both northern and central Italy were devoted to the growth of both grapes for wine production and olive trees. The various stamps recorded on Dressel 6A and Dressel 6B amphorae, the family names of which can be linked to specific regional areas within this territory, attest that numerous production centres were active even in the Cisalpina (northern Italy). The comparison with amphorae and fired local clay material of Romagna and Middle-Adriatic area, allowed to confirm the Middle-Adriatic origin of some series of Dressel 6A and Dressel 6B amphorae, as originally hypothesized for these amphorae.

The impacts of local networks on subsistence resilience and biodiversity in a low-lying Moluccan reef system between 1600 and the present

Using field data for the 1980s and historic material, I show how the central places of networks crucial for regional and long-distance trades in the Moluccas between 1600 and the present were often environmentally vulnerable volcanic islands and low-lying reefs. After reviewing existing data on hazards, and evaluating the evidence for erosion and degradation, I suggest how resilience has been historically achieved through social and material exchanges between islands, accommodating the consequences of specific perturbations. Re-interpretation of published data shows how inter-island trade has re-organised patterns of biological interaction spatially and over the long term, helping us assess whether, in the face of climate-change effects, such areas are zones of robustness or of potential fragility.

Understanding Regional Trades and Labour Councils: Sources for Australian Labour History

An exploration of sources available to document the history of a specific type of Australian labour organisation, the regional trades and labour council, has been informed by a quest for the early history of the Gippsland Trades and Labour Council. This paper builds on previous surveys to investigate the variety, extent and relevance of sources available to document the formation of such organisations and the context within which they determine and carry out their strategies and campaigns. The paper also considers advances in technology and the challenges and opportunities they offer for accessing, appraising and making available labour history sources, both physical and born digital.

Malaysian Container Seaport-Hinterland Connectivity: Status, Challenges and Strategies

This paper adopts a qualitative methodology to assess the Malaysian container seaport-hinterland connectivity from the perspective of its physical properties. The findings reveal that although Malaysia's major container seaports are connected to the hinterlands through road and rail transport, they are highly dependent on road. These seaports are also connected to inland freight facilities such as dry ports and ICDs, which are positioned as transit points to help connect exporters and importers in the hinterlands to seaports as well as facilitating regional and cross-border trades. This paper suggests that the quality of hinterland connectivity of Malaysian container seaports could be improved by implementing strategies which tackle the existing challenges including overcoming an extremely imbalanced modal split, insufficient rail capacity and limited train services, increasing road congestion and the limitations of space restriction in some inland facilities.

Industrial Agency in Regional Trades and Labour Councils

The range of roles and activities undertaken by peak union bodies has recently been conceptualized by Ellem and Shields. This article uses their framework to discuss industrial agency in an Australian regional peak union council. An examination of two locally significant industrial campaigns using historical data specifically considers the impact of the industrial identity developed within the particular locale. These campaigns support the proposal that regional peak union council agency is determined by the geographic and social relationships resulting from local industrial history. In addition, in order to achieve successful outcomes for campaigns, even over local issues, forms of agency should be flexible and operate across scales. This article concludes that extending the Ellem and Shields framework to include more explicit consideration of locale and specific industrial identity as a mediating factor enables a greater understanding of not only the possible roles and functions of, but also those developed in practice by, regional peak union bodies.

Women's Participation in ‘a Boys’ Club’: A Case Study of a Regional Trades and Labour Council

ABSTRACT Women's increasing participation in the workforce is not reflected in increasing participation in trade union organisations. For those few women who participate in trade union organisations, little attention has been paid to how they participate. This article addresses this gap by exploring how women participate in a Trades and Labour Council. Furthermore, it assesses whether women's participation in any way changes the structure of the organisation to be more representative of the gendered workforce.

Payment by Results: Not What it Seems

In 2002, the UK Department of Health set out proposals for a radical change in the way in which National Health Service (NHS) hospitals in England would be reimbursed for clinical activity [1]. Instead of block contracts with inherent specifications of cost and volume together with ceilings and tolerances, all providers – including providers in the private sector – will be reimbursed according to a single national tariff. The intended benefits include managing demand and risk, supporting patient choice and rewarding efficiency and quality. Similar systems already exist in North America, Europe, Scandinavia and Australia but its implementation is a bold initiative for the NHS, which carries significant risks. These include severe financial destabilisation for many NHS hospitals and Primary Care Trusts, a trend towards mediocrity in standards of care and loss of services, particularly those of a specialist nature [2,3]. A total of 15 hospital trusts will have to make savings in excess of £10 million to achieve the national tariff. The timetable for its implementation has recently been slowed down with the inclusion of elective care in 2005/2006, but the aim of including 90% of hospital care within the scheme by 2008/2009 remains. This is a very short timescale [1]. Medicare in the USA has been modified every year since its introduction in 1984. To a clinician the title – Payment by Results (PBR) – is a complete misnomer that smacks of political propaganda because the ‘results’ represent activity and bear no relationship to any clinical outcome. The relationship of quality to activity is questionable. One would hardly expect the success of a football team to depend on the number of games played rather than the goals scored! The tariff will be based upon healthcare resource groups (HRGs) allocated by speciality. The concept of HRGs was originally derived from diagnostic-related groups (DRGs), which have been widely used in the USA for reimbursement. They are intended to define groups of patients that are both clinically relevant and

Regulation and age discrimination in the dry-bulk cargo trades

One of the responses to more favourable dry-bulk cargo market conditions has been the extension of the commercial life of Capesize vessels. It is argued here that in assessing the seaworthiness of such vessels the cardinal factor is age. Regulations have been instituted in an attempt to ensure those vessels deemed to be unsafe are denied the opportunity to trade. The central premise of this discussion is of the uneven manner, internationally, in which these regulations have been and are enforced. The proof of this lies, as the analysis highlights, in the recent greater concentration of comparatively modern tonnage in certain regional trades as against the congregating of ageing tonnage in others.