Sustainable Trade Research Articles

Trade Liberalization, Foreign Investment and Economic Growth: Experience from Non-Oil Producing Countries in Africa

This study focuses on trade liberalization, foreign investment and economic growth in non-oil-producing countries of Africa using the panel autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) model. Annual time series data spanning from 2000 to 2023. The study reveals a strong long-term relationship between trade liberalization, foreign direct investment (FDI), and economic growth in non-oil-producing African countries. This finding is evidenced by the rejection of the “no long-run relationship” hypothesis, indicating a solid and enduring connection among these factors, which aligns with previous research. Most variables conform to theoretical expectations, supporting the hypothesis that trade liberalization and FDI contribute positively to economic growth. However, FDI and exchange rates exhibit unexpected deviations, likely reflecting structural challenges common in non-oil African economies, such as barriers that limit stable FDI inflows and hinder sustainable growth. The error correction term (ECT) further suggests that these economies adjust quickly from deviations, with respective short-run adjustment rates of 90%, 10%, and 50% in different model specifications. This high responsiveness indicates that, despite short-term disruptions, these economies tend to revert swiftly to their long-term growth trajectories. Based on the findings, we recommend that policies should be directed towards the pursuit of consistent and sustainable trade liberalization by reducing trade barriers, and reduction of obstacles to foreign investment to improve economic growth in non-oil-producing countries of Africa.

TPAAS: Trustworthy privacy-preserving anonymous authentication scheme for online trading environment.

In recent years with the improvement of information communication technology (ICT) and wireless communication, Online Trading Environment (OTE) has become a popular E-commerce platform to connect sellers and buyers in an efficient way. As, OTE's are increasing in a wider range, the authentication and verification of entities in OTE network becomes a challenging task. Although, some authentication schemes exist in OTE's, they have flaws such as account creation delays, authentication delays, communication cost and user privacy. In this work, a trustworthy and secure anonymous authentication scheme is proposed to prevent malicious users to enter into the OTE network. In addition, our proposed scheme provides conditional privacy to users until they maintain a genuine relationship with other entities without compromising. If any dispute occurs, then the system will revoke the access of that particular entity. Moreover, the security and performance analysis in this work concludes that our scheme ensures a secure interface to provide sustainable trading experience to users by taking less computation cost and communication delay when compared to other existing authentication schemes.

Capital mobility, financial development and sustainable trade development in sub-Saharan Africa: a GMM-PVAR based analysis

PurposeThe existing literature on the effects of capital mobility and financial development on sustainable trade development in sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries has been centered on production-based carbon emissions without investigating consumption-based or trade-adjusted carbon emissions. The purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of capital mobility and financial development on sustainable trade development, specifically trade-adjusted carbon emissions in SSA economies.Design/methodology/approachThe study employed the novel GMM-PVAR estimator and the Drisc-Kraay fixed effect panel corrected standard error (PCSE) dynamic ordinary least squares (DOLS) and the fully modified least squares (FMOLS) approaches on panel data from 46 sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries over the period 1992–2021.FindingsThe study established that capital mobility has a significant positive effect on sustainable trade development in SSA in the long run. Further, the empirical results reveal that the link between financial development and sustainable trade development is significantly positive in the long run. Moreover, the results suggest that capital mobility and financial development have predictive power on sustainable trade development.Practical implicationsThe findings of the study imply that policymakers ought to pay equal attention to capital mobility and financial development when developing sustainable trade development policies.Originality/valueThe existing literature has been centered on production-based carbon emissions, without specifically considering sustainable trade development (consumption-based carbon emissions). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to examine the effect of capital mobility and financial development on sustainable trade development in SSA countries context.

Wildlife trade dynamics: exploring bushmeat market with a view toward social and ecological justice in Ibadan Metropolis Nigeria

This study examines the bushmeat trade in Ibadan Metropolis, Nigeria, through the lens of environmental justice, focusing on sustainable livelihoods and wildlife conservation. Environmental justice in this context seeks to ensure fair economic opportunities for bushmeat marketers, predominantly women (93%), while protecting vulnerable wildlife species. The surveyed marketers—90% of whom were married—face social inequalities, with only 50% having secondary education and 10% lacking formal education. Most marketers sell bushmeat to household consumers and travelers, raising concerns about the potential spillover of wildlife products beyond Nigeria’s borders, with implications for conservation and zoonotic disease risks. ANOVA results show that greater experience leads to higher profits from species like grasscutter (Thryonomys swinderianus; P = 0.005) and nile monitor lizard (Varanus niloticus; P = 0.001). As key species such as West African crocodile (Crocdylus suchus), African leopard (Panthera pardus), and ground pangolin (Manis temminckii) decline in availability in traditional hunting grounds, this study emphasizes the urgent need for conservation policies that promote sustainable trade practices and provide alternative livelihoods. These strategies would advance the science of environmental justice by reducing pressure on wildlife (ecological justice) while ensuring stable incomes for marketers (social justice).

Development of russian-mongolian foreign trade relations in food industry

In the context of shifting trade emphasis to the East, Russia attaches great importance to the development of cooperation with the Asia-Pacific countries, where Mongolia is a key partner. The purpose of the article is to reveal global trade trends and identify key areas for the development of Russian-Mongolian foreign trade relations in the food industry. Having conducted a comprehensive analysis of the economic and political factors shaping bilateral trade, the article provides insights into the challenges and opportunities for expanding cooperation in the food sector. Global trend in the food market is that China a leader. China accounts for the largest share (35%) in Russia turnover also. Mongolian trade ties with Russia are becoming closer year by year. This was demonstrated by the official visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to Mongolia in September 2024. We can observe that Mongolia closely cooperates with such a region of Russia as Buryatia. Through a detailed examination of trade patterns, regulatory frameworks, and market trends, the study uncovers areas of untapped potential and identifies barriers to optimal trade flow. Drawing on industry best practices and case studies from other global food trade partnerships, the paper offers a series of practical recommendations for stakeholders. These recommendations cover infrastructure development, promotion of cultural exchange, harmonization of legal and regulatory frameworks, absorption and use of technology to create a more robust and sustainable trade ecosystem.

СТАЛИЙ РОЗВИТОК ТОРГІВЛІ: ТЕОРЕТИЧНИЙ АСПЕКТ

The article highlights the theoretical aspect of sustainable trade development. It is found that trade development through more rational and efficient use of resources, production growth, increased income and investment leads to economic growth and employment. It is found that the sustainability of domestic trade is reflected primarily in its impact on human development. It is determined that the sustainable development of Ukraine's trade is laid down in the provisions of trade agreements between Ukraine and other countries and unions of countries. The author analyzes the features of the WTO agreement on sustainable trade development. The article analyzes the provisions of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement in the area of trade policy development with regard to sustainable development. It is noted that trade is key to achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals. It is found that the main direction of implementation of socio-economic management methods for sustainable trade development is performance management, which enhances the social orientation of management through the effect of activity and creates a system of motivation and incentives for labor. It has been found that trade is also important for social integration, which, along with the economy and the environment, is one of the three pillars of sustainable development. In Ukraine, environmental and sustainable development issues are poorly integrated into the process of formulating and implementing public policy, including trade policy. Therefore, environmental protection and sustainable development should be clearly enshrined in trade policy. The presence of environmental factors in a trade agreement cannot depend solely on the policies and approaches of the other party.

A Sustainable Model for Forecasting Carbon Emission Trading Prices

Carbon trading has garnered considerable attention as a pivotal policy instrument for advancing carbon peaking and carbon neutrality, which are essential components of sustainable development. The capacity to precisely anticipate the cost of carbon trading has significant implications for the optimal deployment of market mechanisms, the economic advancement of technological innovations in corporate emissions reduction, and the facilitation of international energy policy adjustments. To this end, this paper proposes a novel and sustainable trading price prediction tool that employs a four-step process: decomposition, reconstruction, prediction, and integration. This innovative approach first utilizes the Improved Complete Ensemble Empirical Mode Decomposition with Adaptive Noise (ICEEMDAN), then reconstructs the decomposition set using multi-scale entropy (MSE), and finally uses the Long Short-Term Memory neural network model (LSTM) enhanced by the Grey Wolf Optimizer (GWO) to predict the carbon emission trading price. The experimental results demonstrate that the tool achieves high accuracy for both the EU carbon price series and the carbon price series of China’s seven major carbon trading markets, with accuracy rates of 99.10% and 99.60% in Hubei and the EU carbon trading markets, respectively. This represents an improvement of approximately 3.1% over the ICEEMDAN-LSTM model and 0.91% over the ICEEMDAN-MSE-LSTM model, thereby contributing to more sustainable and efficient carbon trading practices.

The Long-Term Effects of the Lacey Act Amendment on High-Risk Timber Species: Insights from 15 Years of Interrupted Time Series Analysis

Despite comprising a small portion of U.S. wood consumption, tropical hardwoods like Keruing and Meranti are highly valued for their aesthetic and physical properties. However, their sustainability is threatened by illegal logging and over-harvesting, compounded by the use of generic names that obscure species identities, complicating trade monitoring and regulation. Enacted in May 2008, the Lacey Act Amendment (LAA) aims to ensure the legality of plant and plant product sourcing in the U.S. This study evaluates the LAA's impact on the import of these tropical hardwoods from Indonesia and Malaysia, hypothesizing that the amendment has curtailed illegal imports, thereby reducing import volumes and increasing prices. Using data from 1990 to 2023, we employed i) intervention multiple regression analysis with Autoregressive Error and ii) intervention Auto-Regressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) models with Step Transfer Function to analyze changes in import trends. Findings indicate that while LAA has significantly impacted import trends as anticipated, the effects are complex and evolving over time, highlighting the need for ongoing regulation analysis and enforcement monitoring. This research underscores the critical role of targeted legal frameworks in promoting sustainable trade practices and conservation, offering valuable insights for policymakers aiming to combat exploitative and illegal logging globally.

Rethinking the China-U.S. Trade balance from 2001–2020 based on emergy perspective

In the year 2018, escalating trade imbalances between China and the United States led to a trade war over tariffs and trade policies that garnered global attention. While trade deficits are primarily reflected in currency terms, trade involves a broader exchange of different resources. Hence, this study employs Emergy Accounting approach (EMA), an environmental quality-oriented assessment method, to collect official statistical data from both countries and consider differences in statistical data weight. Utilizing the NEAD V2.0 database, this research calculates and discusses the total emergy flow, trade imbalances, and structures in China-U.S. trade from 2001 to 2020. Additionally, it computes and analyzes emergy indicators, delving into the dynamic changes in the emergy values of various categories of goods. The results indicate a gradual balance in the emergy trade deficit between China and the United States, with both countries benefiting from the trade. Specifically, China benefits from importing raw materials from the United States, while the U.S. gains from importing inexpensive embodied labor from China. Considering differences in data statistical calibers and applying the EMA contribute to a more accurate understanding of the trade situation and the correction or prevention of errors. The Emergy theory provides a new perspective for a comprehensive assessment of trade relationships. China and the United States have the potential to establish a fairer, more balanced, collaborative, and sustainable trade relationship, contributing to global sustainable development.

Assessing the risk of overexploitation to a tarantula species in the pet trade.

The global pet trade in invertebrates remains poorly understood and underrepresented in policy and research. Tarantulas are a highly traded invertebrate group. Many individuals in trade are wild caught, and trade regulation is often lacking, raising concerns about the effect of trade on local ecosystems and populations. We addressed local concerns surrounding the international trade of Tapinauchenius rasti (Caribbean diamond tarantula), which is endemic to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. We assessed the extinction risks associated with this widely traded species by analyzing supply of and demand for the species with the COM-B (capability, opportunity, motivation, behavior) model. This model breaks down decision-making into capability, opportunity, and motivation. We interviewed stakeholders throughout the supply chain and analyzed content of an online hobbyist forum and a time series of prices for this species and other tarantulas. In terms of motivation, there was limited preference for the Caribbean diamond tarantula due to its morphology and behavior. In terms of opportunity, the species was readily available, primarily through captive breeding. Collecting wild specimens is challenging due to enforcement measures and logistical difficulties, making it an unprofitable endeavor. In terms of capability, the species was relatively low in price, likely because it is easy to breed in captivity. As a result, the current wildlife trade does not pose a significant threat to the Caribbean diamond tarantula. Our methodology can serve as a valuable tool for assessing potential threats posed by trade to other spider species and possibly other invertebrates. Understanding these threats is crucial for promoting responsible and sustainable trade practices that minimize risks to wild populations while ensuring equitable benefits for communities coexisting with wildlife.

Creating a more inclusive approach to wildlife trade management.

Global wildlife trade involves a diverse array of species. Although sustainable trade underpins livelihoods for communities worldwide, unsustainable trade, whether legal or illegal, threatens thousands of species and can lead to extinctions. From plants and fungi to fish, amphibians, mammals, invertebrates, and reptiles, a diverse array of species across taxa are affected by trade. Attention to wildlife trade has increased in recent years, but its focus has largely remained on a narrow range of high-profile species, with taxa deemed less charismatic frequently overlooked, despite some having significant trade volumes and levels of threat to wild populations. These biases can hamper effective policy interventions, reduce awareness of wider threats from trade, and prevent conservation efforts from focusing on the most pressing issues. It is important to broaden the scope of research and policy discussions and create a more inclusive approach to trade management. The diversity of approaches to wildlife trade can be improved by expanding monitoring of trade to a wider variety of taxa; collecting fundamental ecological data to underpin assessments of trade sustainability; improving and codesigning conservation interventions with key stakeholders and trade actors; and developing appropriate strategies for managing the supply, trade, and demand in diverse wildlife products to ensure species and livelihoods are protected.

A practical approach to meeting national obligations for sustainable trade under CITES.

Reconciling conservation goals with sustainable resource use requires adaptive management strategies. The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) regulates global trade for species listed on Appendix II, partly by requiring member countries (parties) to ensure exports do not damage wild populations (called making positive "nondetriment findings" [NDFs]). Unfortunately, when parties find NDFs difficult, they often suspend legal trade, imposing economic costs and driving trade underground. To make it easier for parties to examine the detrimental nature of exports, we devised a spatial approach and applied it to seahorses (Hippocampus spp.) in Tamil Nadu, India, as an example. Our approach involves mapping answers to 5 key questions on species distribution (QA), pressures (QB), management measures (QC), management implementation (QD), and species' population status (QE). We gathered data from fisher interviews and published literature. Seahorse abundance was greatest in southern Palk Bay and the northern Gulf of Mannar, primarily in seagrasses and coral reefs (QA). Fishing pressure was highest in Palk Bay, primarily from bottom trawlers and dragnetters operating in shallow seahorse habitats near the coastline (QB). Management measures including a marine protected area (MPA), bottom trawl exclusion zone, and closed season were theoretically in place (QC), but their implementation was poor (QD). Fishers reported seahorse catches in 85% of the area covered by the MPA and the exclusion zone; bottom trawlers were responsible for most violations. Seahorses were also captured in Sri Lankan waters, where bottom trawling is banned. Fisher reports indicated declining seahorse catches and reduced body sizes (QE), highlighting unsustainable exploitation. Our results highlight the need for better implementation of existing management measures before a positive NDF can be made and suggest mitigation beyond bans. Such pragmatic spatial analyses can help regulate exports at sustainable levels, supporting CITES implementation for its vast range of species.

International wildlife trade quotas are characterized by high compliance and coverage but insufficient adaptive management

Effective management of international wildlife trade is crucial to ensure sustainability. Quotas are a common trade management tool and specify an annual number of individuals to be exported, yet at present there is no global assessment of quota coverage and compliance. Using over 7,000 country–year specific reptile quotas established under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) covering 343 species, we quantify quota coverage, compliance, trade trends pre-quota and post-quota setting and whether quotas likely represent adaptive management. Quotas predominantly concerned live wild-sourced reptiles, with only 6.6% of live non-zero quotas exceeded and 4.5% of zero quotas subverted. For 62.3% of species, quotas were established higher than pre-quota trade, with traded volumes post-quota mainly unchanged or higher than pre-quota establishment, thus potentially facilitating sustainable trade. Over 38% of quota series of species remained at the same level each year, with the longest-running quotas proportionately updated the least, indicating that many quotas do not change adaptively in response to changing threats to species through time. Greater specificity in exactly what quotas cover, justification for unchanged quotas and transparency over quota determination are needed to ensure that high compliance equates to sustainable use.

Supporting the Competitiveness of Indonesian Frozen Cephalopod Commodities in Sustainable Trade in the China Market: A Factor Gap Analysis Approach

Supporting the Competitiveness of Indonesian Frozen Cephalopod Commodities in Sustainable Trade in the China Market: A Factor Gap Analysis Approach

Development and validation of a novel forensic STR multiplex assay for blue (Anthropoides paradiseus), wattled (Bugeranus carunculatus), and grey-crowned crane (Balearica regulorum)

The blue crane (Anthropoides paradiseus), wattled crane (Bugeranus carunculatus), and grey-crowned crane (Balearica regulorum) are species of concern as their populations are declining and they face several threats including habitat loss, disturbance and illegal trade. In South Africa, these species are bred in captivity for trade purposes which is permitted and regulated globally under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Legal sustainable trade through captive breeding of endangered wildlife species such as cranes has been promoted to counteract the illegal trade of individuals from the wild. Captive breeding independent of wild populations may reduce the harvest pressures on wild bird populations which in turn benefit the recovery of exploited species. This approach is considered to be controversial by some individuals. Although captive breeding of endangered species, for both population sustainability and commercial purposes, is promoted to aid in conserving species, concerns have been raised with regards to breeding facilities being used for laundering of animals. To monitor the legal trade of cranes in South Africa a short tandem repeat (STR) assay following recommendations of the International Society for Forensic Genetics (ISFG) was developed and validated. An STR assay comprising of four multiplexes that include 16 STR markers and two gender determination markers was proven to be highly informative with average polymorphic information content (PIC) values of 0.806, 0.646 and 0.725 for A. paradiseus, B. regulorum and B. carunculatus respectively. In addition, the assay showed sufficient discriminatory power for parentage assignment of closely related individuals in all three species (A. paradiseus: PI = 1.7×10−24, PIsibs = 4.7×10−08, and B. carunculatus: PI = 1.4×10−19, PIsibs = 2.9×10−07 and B. regulorum: PI = 1.7×10−12, PIsibs = 5.0×10−05). Analysis of 251 samples suggested that the validated multiplex assay ensures reliability, reproducibility, and repeatability for applications in forensic case work where illegal trade of offspring is suspected through verifying parentage of captive birds in breeding facilities.

Design principles for a blockchain-based multi-sided platform for the sustainable trade of water: An affordance approach

Water scarcity has become a critical challenge affecting the well-being of many communities worldwide and has been incorporated as one of the focal points within the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 6). Digital technologies, such as blockchain technology, have shown promising potential to help tackle this issue through smart distribution of water abundancies to water-scarce regions. This research employs affordance theory and affordance-based design (ABD) to investigate the design of blockchain or distributed ledger technology (DLT) to tackle challenges related to water scarcity. Using design science research (DSR), this paper proposes design principles (DP) for a blockchain-based multi-sided platform (MSP) for the smart distribution and trade of water. To obtain our principles, we collaborated with a company employing a blockchain-based MSP for water trade. We identified the different elements of the DPs, including affordances and material properties, and matched these principles with meta-requirements obtained from the literature. This research aims to contribute to the scholarly debate by generating prescriptive knowledge in the form of DPs and providing tangible contributions that shed light on the optimal design of similar blockchain applications. These applications are envisioned to ensure their efficacy in addressing the pressing challenges of water scarcity and equitable water access, thereby fostering a sustainable and resilient future for everyone.

The “Belt and Road” Initiative and China's sporting goods exports: Basic characteristics and policy evaluation

The paper analyzes the basic characteristics of China's sporting goods exports using data from the CEPII BACI database from 2007 to 2019, combined with the social network analysis method, and evaluates the policy effect of the “Belt and Road” initiative implementation on the impact of China's sporting goods exports using the difference-in-differences method. The research findings are as follows: 1) The overall scale of China's sporting goods exports has consistently expanded, marked by a rapid increase in the total export volume. The exported goods exhibit a comprehensive range of product categories, indicating an ongoing evolution in the structural composition of products. Geographically, the export destinations are widespread, covering a diverse range of countries. However, there is a noticeable concentration trend in sporting goods exports, with gymnastics and track and field equipment being the primary export commodities. These sporting goods predominantly penetrate markets in Southeast Asia, West Asia, and Eastern Europe. In the sporting goods trade network associated with the “Belt and Road” initiative, China holds a central role, with Thailand, Turkey, and Poland progressively advancing toward central positions. 2) The implementation of the “Belt and Road” initiative has had a positive impact on China's sporting goods exports, and the policy's influence is particularly significant on the countries and regions along the “Belt and Road”. The implementation of the policy does not favor the breathing growth of sporting goods exports, but it does promote the deepening of the export product. Based on these perspectives, it is imperative for China to establish a robust and sustainable trade network, proactively foster sporting diplomacy, maintain strategic focus, and enhance product quality to effectively propel the development of a sporting powerhouse.

Analysis the Impact of Technology Innovation, Foreign Direct Investment, Trade Openness and Globalization on CO2 Emissions? Evidence from Developing Nations

The present study explores the effects of Technology Innovation, Foreign Direct Investment, Trade openness and globalization on environmental degradation (CO2 emissions) from 1999-2023 in developing (Afghanistan, Nepal, Pakistan Bangladesh, Bhutan, and India) Countries. The study employs the Autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) method is applied to reveal the existence of long run and short run relationship between CO2 emissions and its other determinants. A Granger causality test was also used in this investigation to ascertain the direction of causation between the variables. The results found that in Technology innovation and globalization are significantly increase the environmental degradation. The results of the analysis show that Trade openness and Foreign direct investment have a significant but negative effect on environment degradation. It is recommended that the developing nations give preference to sustainable trading procedures by including environmental factors into trade agreements and laws. This can involve promoting environmentally friendly labeling, assisting sustainable supply chains, and reducing trade obstacles for commodities that are good for the environment. Consistent with these empirical findings, this article suggests some vital policy implications in Developing countries to accomplish their sustainable development goals (SDGs).

Impacts of financial development and green trade on the shadow economy: An insight of eagle countries using Bayesian approaches.

The existence of a shadow economy is recognized as an impediment to sustainable development. By applying the Bayesian approaches, the current article investigates the linkage between financial development, green trade, and the scope of the shadow economy, aiming to contribute to a comprehensive understanding of how these factors address the challenge posed by the shadow economy in Emerging and Growth-Leading Economies (EAGLE) from 2003 to 2016. The results demonstrate that (i) The progress of the financial sector is expected to diminish the scale of the shadow economy. Specifically, the expansion of financial institutions and markets has a strong and negative influence on the shadow economy. (ii) Increased involvement in green trade is likely to result in a decreased shadow economy. Empirical findings provide evidence for effective policymaking in simultaneously promoting sustainable trade practices, strengthening financial systems, and curtailing informal economic activities for inclusive economic development.

Synergizing trade and sustainability: advancing SDG 14 through international trade dynamics

This paper explores the intricate relationship between international trade and the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 14 (Life Below Water), focusing on the potential of trade to contribute positively to marine conservation and sustainable use of ocean resources. By examining the intersection of economic, social, and environmental dimensions, the study delves into how trade policies and practices can be aligned with environmental objectives, particularly concerning marine ecosystems. A principal challenge identified is the tension between economic growth driven by international trade and the sustainability of marine ecosystems, exacerbated by practices such as overfishing and pollution from maritime transport. Another significant challenge is the lack of robust enforcement mechanisms for existing environmental provisions in trade agreements. To address these challenges, the paper recommends the integration of stringent and enforceable environmental clauses in trade agreements, coupled with the promotion of sustainable trade practices through international cooperation and capacity building. Furthermore, the study suggests the adoption of innovative trade mechanisms, such as eco-certification and the implementation of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), to enhance the protection of marine life, support sustainable fisheries, and reduce ocean pollution. The paper concludes with specific policy recommendations for leveraging international trade as a tool for the sustainable management of marine resources, ultimately contributing to the broader agenda of sustainable development.