Transboundary Environmental Problems Research Articles

Analysis of modern problems of cooperation between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Kazakhstan in the field of environmental management and environmental safety

Aim. The problems of cooperation between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Kazakhstan in the field of nature management and environmental safety are considered. Possible directions for the development of cooperation both at the interstate and interregional levels of border territories are presented. Purpose is to analyse the current state of cooperation between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Kazakhstan in the field of environmental management and environmental safety. Material and Methods. The main results were obtained using a systematic approach through field geographical research, comparative historical and comparative typological analysis, etc. Materials regarding water resources, reservoirs and statistical indicators of the dynamics and structure of water use were used. Results. The main problems in the field of nature management and environmental safety of the two countries were identified. The prospects of interstate cooperation between Russia and Kazakhstan at the interstate and regional levels on transboundary environmental problems and sustainable use of land and water resources, protection of wildlife are identified and substantiated. Based on a retrospective analysis of the experience of interaction between the two countries and possible prospects for cooperation, concepts and directions for the development of strategic partnership in field of cross‐border nature management and environmental safety of transboundary water bodies, and the conservation of migratory species of wildlife are proposed. Conclusions. The modern post–virgin space is confidently transforming into an agro‐export one – an analogue of the virgin one at a new technological and climatic stage with an export orientation in the face of new challenges. The further development of this space should be based on the optimisation of agriculture and water use, taking into account the preservation of natural diversity.

The Mediterranean Sea Basin as a Single Ecosystem: Problems and Prospects for International Cooperation

The article justifies that the Mediterranean Basin in the broad sense (Mediterranean, Black, Azov and Marmara Seas) is a single ecosystem. The state of this ecosystem is affected by the rivers of this water intake basin, among them - the Nile, Tiber, Po, Rhone, Ebro, Danube, Don and others. The interconnection of the individual elements of the ecosystem is ensured through active water exchange and a sufficiently branched system of currents that turn the inland seas of the Mediterranean basin into communicating vessels. The paper analyzes the main anthropogenic factors, as well as the influence of climate changes on the ecological condition of the Mediterranean ecosystem. Within the framework of anthropogenic impact, special attention is paid to the negative impact of urbanization, the oil industry (production, transportation and oil refining), industrial and agricultural waste, as well as runoff waters. The problem of plastic, as well as contamination with dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) is discussed in detail. Analysis of DDT accumulations in the bottom sediments of the Mediterranean basin makes it possible to study the synchronization of anthropogenic processes and their long-term nature. Aridization (intensification of droughts) in the Mediterranean is shown as an important problem for the regional ecology, not directly related to the anthropogenic factor. The article reveals the disastrous effects of increasing droughts and climate change on Mediterranean basin countries. International cooperation to regulate transboundary environmental problems in the region is associated with a number of problems. Among them is the delimitation of sea zones between countries, first of all - the territorial claims of Turkey in the Eastern Mediterranean. The problem of the shelf around the Serpents Island in the Black Sea is also considered, as well as territorial disputes in the Western Mediterranean (France/Spain). The paper widely presents successful cases of cross-boundary cooperation: the 1976 RAMOGE Agreement, the 1975 Mediterranean Action Plan and the 1995 Barcelona Convention, as well as its seven protocols. The cases of PEGASO and 4GreenInn projects, as well as the BSEC environmental projects, are considered as successful examples of cross-border academic cooperation. Promising areas of cooperation are outlined and the conclusion is made about the importance of transboundary environmental risk management, despite the political differences between the Mediterranean countries and the EU sanctions restrictions on Russia after 2014.

TRANSBOUNDARY ENVIRONMENTAL COOPERATION OF KAZAKHSTAN AND RUSSIA: PROBLEMS AND PROSPECTS

The article examines interstate cooperation between Kazakhstan and Russia on transboundary environmental issues. An analysis of the environmental policy of Kazakhstan and Russia is carried out, and the key norms of the two countries’ environmental legislation are examined to determine the foundations and mechanisms for solving shared environmental problems. The role and ongoing policy of Kazakhstan’s central state body in the environmental protection sphere as a tool for solving environmental problems is determined. The main reasons for the environmental problems of the Ural and Ishim river basins and the biological diversity of the border areas of Russia and Kazakhstan are discussed. Priority prospects for environmental cooperation are highlighted in relation to the countries’ common transboundary environmental problems, including cooperation potential within the framework of the Eurasian Economic Space.

Terek River influence on transboundary environmental problems of North Caucasus

Terek River influence on transboundary environmental problems of North Caucasus

Study on Ecosystem Service Value (ESV) Spatial Transfer in the Central Plains Urban Agglomeration in the Yellow River Basin, China.

Urban agglomeration is the key area to realizing regional sustainable development. Timely and accurate assessment of its ESV spatial transfer can provide a scientific basis for intercity environmental cooperation to solve transboundary environmental problems. The ESV and its spatial transfer characteristics in the Central Plains Urban Agglomeration in 2000 and 2018 were quantified by introducing the breaking point model. The findings were as follows: Firstly, taking the central city of Zhengzhou as the transferred-in area, ESV spatial transfer distributions and changes presented a trend of hinterland > metropolitan area. Secondly, the ESV spatial transfer intensity from the metropolitan area to the central city presented an increase trend, with an increase of RMB 498,400–1,053,000/km2, and the ESV spatial transfer intensity from the hinterland to the central city presented a decrease trend, with a decrease of RMB 15,200–814,000/km2 in contrast. Thirdly, a total of RMB 294.763–331.471 billion worth of ESV has been transferred, and only that worth RMB 0.534–1.716 billion reached the central city, accounting for 0.181–0.518% of the total ESV transferred and 2.760–17.482% of the central city’s ESV. Fourthly, the ESV spatial transfer radius of each city was 25.47–214.17 km, but the ESV spatial transfer range of a few cities could reach the central city. Lastly, there was inefficiency in the ESV spatial transfer only in the natural driving spatial transfer pattern due to the spatial heterogeneity of ESV distribution, and there was potential for strengthening the ecological interactions based on space guidance provided by ESV spatial transfer.

Correction to: Where do people spend their leisure time on dusty days? Application of spatiotemporal behavioral responses to particulate matter pollution

In recent years, the deterioration of air quality due to high levels of particulate matter (PM: especially PM 10 and PM 2.5) has become a transboundary environmental problem in countries of the East Asia Pacific region. People tend to change their behavior in response to bad air quality, and those changes generate a wide range of socioeconomic implications. Despite their significance, however, the effects of PM on human behavior, especially behaviors involving outdoor activities, have not been sufficiently examined. This study employed panel analyses to empirically investigate differences in the preferences for recreational spaces with changes in the PM 2.5 level in Seoul, South Korea, from March 1 to June 30, 2017. We found a statistically significant relationship between the PM 2.5 level and the number of visitors to particular types of study sites in the daytime on weekdays and all days of the weekends. In both time groups, the number of visitors in open spaces decreased, while those in commercial spaces increased with heightened PM 2.5 level. But the numbers of visitors to indoor sports facilities showed no significant changes with the level of PM 2.5. We also found differing levels of pedestrian volume change according to sub-categories of open and commercial spaces. As an early empirical study of the impact of PM on human behavior, this work will help evaluate environmental policies and make possible safer community development planning.

New alliances in global environmental governance: how intergovernmental treaty secretariats interact with non-state actors to address transboundary environmental problems

The past few years have witnessed a growing interest among scholars and policy-makers in the interplay of international bureaucracies with civil society organizations, non-profit entities, and the private sector. Authors concerned with global environmental politics have made considerable progress in capturing this phenomenon. Nevertheless, we still lack in-depth empirical knowledge on the precise nature of such institutional interlinkages across governance levels and scales. Building upon the concept of orchestration, this article focuses on the relationship between specific types of international bureaucracies and actors other than the nation-state. In particular, we investigate how the secretariats of the three Rio Conventions reach out to non-state actors in order to exert influence on the outcome of international environmental negotiations. Our analysis demonstrates that the three intergovernmental treaty secretariats utilize various styles of orchestration in their relation to non-state actors and seek to push the global responses to the respective transboundary environmental problems forward. This article points to a recent trend towards a direct collaboration between these secretariats and non-state actors which gives rise to the idea that new alliances between these actors are emerging in global environmental governance.

Integrating Ecosystem Services Supply–Demand and Spatial Relationships for Intercity Cooperation: A Case Study of the Yangtze River Delta

Transboundary environmental problems caused by urban expansion and economic growth cannot be solved by individual cities. Successful intercity environmental cooperation relies on the clear identification and definition of the rights and obligations of each city. An Ecosystem services (ES) approach not only budgets the ES supply and demand of a city, but also defines the spatial relationships between Services Provisioning Areas (SPA) and Services Benefiting Areas (SBA). However, to date, quantitative studies integrating ES budgets and spatial relations have been scarce. This study integrates ecosystem services supply–demand budgeting with flow direction analysis to identify intercity environmental cooperation in the highly urbanized Yangtze River Delta (YRD) region of China for water-related ecosystem services (flood protection, erosion regulation and water purification). The results demonstrated that there were significant spatial mismatches in the supply and demand of three water-related ES among 16 core cities in the YRD region: five to six cities in the southern part of the region had significant service surpluses, while ten to 11 cities in the north–central part had significant service deficits. We then went on to offer definitions for Ecosystem Services Surplus City, Ecosystem Services Deficit City and Ecosystem Services Balance City, as well as Service Provisioning City, Service Benefiting City and Service Connecting City in which to categorize cities in the YRD Region. Furthermore, we identified two intercity cooperation types and two non-cooperation types. This framework can be used to promote ecological integration in highly urbanized regions to advance sustainable development.

Environmental impact of carbon cross-media metabolism in waste management: A case study of municipal solid waste treatment systems in China

Waste treatment is a metabolic process that incurs pollutants migration across environmental media (i.e., air, water, and soil) and involves various conversions of physicochemical forms of carbon. Multiple forms of carbon compounds, such as CO2, CH4, CO, VOCs, and other organic matter can contribute to a series of transboundary environmental problems. However, current strategies targeting pollution reduction in single medium may cause pollution transfer to other environmental media, leading to comparatively large difficulty in assessing the related environmental impact on integrated ecosystems. This paper develops an analysis framework of carbon cross-media metabolism in municipal solid waste (MSW) treatment systems that include landfilling, composting, incineration, and anaerobic digestion. Life cycle impact analysis and sensitivity analysis methods are used to recognize the essential technologies in promoting the carbon cross-media migration and decreasing the integrated environmental impacts. The framework is implemented in a case study of the MSW treatment systems of 2013 in China. Results show that 86%–98% of carbon pollutants generated through landfilling, composting, and incineration ended up in the natural environment, while anaerobic digestion achieved an 87% pollution removal rate. Co-generation technology applied in incineration flue gas treatment, biochemical + membrane treatment technology in wastewater treatment, and co-processing of sludge in cement kilns were identified as the essential technologies affecting carbon migration across the gas-liquid, liquid-solid, and solid-gas interface, respectively. The relatively high environmental impacts of landfilling and incineration can be decreased by optimizing their technological compositions and applications. This study can provide support to replace the traditional environmental practice aiming at pollution control in single environmental medium independently by a systematic management approach that considers carbon cross-media metabolism and integrated environmental impact.

Regional convergence in environmental policy arrangements: A transformation towards regional environmental governance for West and Central African ports?

Environmental policy-making in West and Central Africa, with implications for the region's ports, is usually dominated by state actors that also represent the nation-states at regional inter-governmental co-operation. The ports share common and transboundary environmental problems, but fall under diverse political and decentralisation systems. Also, in spite of regional inter-governmental co-operation there is disagreement between regional environmental policies and those for the ports at sub-national level. The port authorities are largely absent in environmental negotiations with outcomes ignoring their contributions. However, institutional reform of the ports from the year 2000 onwards has seen the port authorities gaining greater autonomy as public non-state actors and beginning to involve in environmental policy-making. This paper seeks to understand how environmental policy-making and governance is transforming in West and Central African ports. By combining the policy arrangement approach, the main analytical tool for the paper, with the concept of regional convergence, interaction processes among key actors involved in port environmental policy-making in West and Central Africa are studied. The study finds a developing innovation of joint environmental policy-making arrangement in which West and Central African port authorities, from sub-national level, are engaging directly with regional inter-governmental and Environmental Non-Governmental Organisation actors. The developing innovation by-passes institutionalised state-led environmental policy-making arrangements, with the potential for transforming environmental governance of West and Central African ports. It is concluded that non-state actors, when given flexible manoeuvring, can be innovative in overcoming diverse statist political dynamics in dealing coherently with transboundary environmental issues within a territorial region. However, state actors remain key as linking pins in transboundary environmental policy and governance.

Is PM2.5 Trans-boundary Environmental Problem in Japan dramatically improving?

Is PM2.5 Trans-boundary Environmental Problem in Japan dramatically improving?

Toward clearer skies: Challenges in regulating transboundary haze in Southeast Asia

Addressing transboundary environmental problems, such as pollution, and climate change, hinge on strategies that often require both mandatory and voluntary participation of affected nations. Using an unprecedented approach, the Singapore government recently passed a Transboundary Haze Pollution Act (THPA) that financially penalizes companies for smoke-haze affecting the city-state but originating from activities outside her political boundaries. This Act may set a precedent for future actions against proximate actors of environmental degradation but is fraught with substantial challenges in implementation. In attempting to hold agri-business companies accountable, the THPA must present indisputable evidence of fire burning activities and positively identify the initiator of these fires. We further argue that small amendments to the THPA, and other similar laws, may result in environmental co-benefits related to carbon emissions, ecosystem services and biodiversity preservation.

Transition to ecosystem-based governance of the Benguela Current Large Marine Ecosystem

The signing of the Benguela Current Convention in March 2013 ushered in a new era of south–south collaboration between the three southern African countries of Angola, Namibia and South Africa towards the ecosystem-based governance of the Benguela Current Large Marine Ecosystem (BCLME). The three developing countries have collaborated since the 1990s to develop a common vision for improved understanding and management of the priority transboundary environmental problems that threaten the resilience and robustness of the BCLME. What started with modest scientific collaboration developed organically into a holistic approach to ocean management; this was as a result of consistent support from the governments of the three countries and a number of development partners. The result is the signing and ratification of the Benguela Current Convention – the first legal framework in the world to be based on the LME approach to ocean governance. This paper traces the genesis of collaboration between the three BCLME countries in the adoption and implementation of the LME approach to ocean governance.

China's toxic informal e-waste recycling: local approaches to a global environmental problem

Electronic waste or e-waste has been an increasingly severe problem over the last decade, and is the fastest growing waste stream in the world. China's inexpensive labour and manufacturing abilities have already made it “the world's factory” and for e-waste recycling it is no exception. Informal workers do the majority of e-waste collection and recycling in cities throughout China. E-waste recycling work provides livelihoods for migrant workers and the urban poor and has formed a well-established shadow economy. The improper dismantling and burning of e-waste for resource recovery exposes workers to toxins and heavy metals, and causes severe air, water, and soil contamination. The illegal global trade of e-waste makes it a transboundary environmental governance problem of local and global scales. This paper investigates informal workers' knowledge of the environmental impacts of e-waste, perceptions of their work and whether they would be receptive to government regulation of recycling work. It finds that informal recyclers interviewed lack environmental awareness of the dangers related to e-waste recycling and are unwilling to be regulated due to fear of losing jobs and profits through regulation. Weak e-waste legislation and social marginalization are also major barriers to protecting e-waste recyclers and the environment. Through a scalar analysis of environmental governance, this paper proposes strengthening the roles of small enterprises and inclusion of Non Governmental Organization (NGOs) and Government Organized NGOS (GONGOs) to work in the informal sector to find safer recycling solutions to fill the large gap between legislation and de facto practices.

Transboundary Pollution in Northeast Asia: An International Environmental Law Perspective

Transboundary environmental problems pose significant challenges in achieving lasting peace, order, stability, and prosperity in the Northeast Asian region. Through rapid economic growth and energy-intensive industrialization, countries in this region are faced with serious environmental challenges, such as dust and sandstorms (DSS). This article describes the present state of DSS and the major legal and policy responses to deal with this problem in the Northeast Asian region. It focuses on how international environmental principles and theories can illustrate the emergence of the regional cooperative and regional institutionalization and assesses the developments so far. It then lays out why and how more expansive policy coordination among the countries in this region can lead to more promising results.

Nonbinding agreements in Europe's trans-boundary river pollution: a first assessment

Deciding whether commitments should involve binding or nonbinding agreements is a crucial strategic element when it comes to designing effective governance systems. Up to now, legally binding treaties seem to be the preferred approach. More than 1500 bilateral and 1100 multilateral treaties have been signed according to one recent compilation.2 However, at least some have proven to be ineffective, if not counterproductive, for solving the problems they were negotiated for. Therefore, it is not surprising to see states increasingly use a different approach for solving trans-boundary environmental problems: nonbinding agreements. In contrast to signing legally binding treaties, state officials negotiate international norms that are intentionally nonbinding, but still possess legal relevance. This paper provides a first assessment of nonbinding agreements in Europe’s trans-boundary river pollution. In particular, the paper focuses on the goals as well as on the achievements of nonbinding agreements and compare them with binding treaties.

Application of SWOT analysis for the management of transboundary River Evros (Bulgaria, Greece, Turkey)

River Evros is a transboundary river flowing through Bulgaria, Greece and Turkey and coincides with the borderline among them for a considerable part of its length in the downstream part of its basin. River Evros is historically engaged to a long series of serious and devastating flood events with high socio-economical costs and environmental impacts on the riparian communities and even on the national economies of the three neighbouring countries which share the area of its hydrological basin. Besides, there have been a number of serious groundwater pollution incidents which have been identified at certain parts of the basin. Thus, the environmental problems encountered in the river’s basin, represent both quantitative and qualitative ones. This paper investigates the main reasons for the faced transboundary environmental, socio-economic and developmental problems engaged to the functioning of the River Evros natural system and its management, based on a SWOT analysis (acronym which stands for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats). The ultimate goal of the investigation is to make sound conclusions, acting as a tool which may well facilitate a, badly needed, rational and integrated management of the entire transboundary surface and groundwater resources of the River Evros system (main river and its tributaries).

Redefinition and Elaboration of an Obligation to Pursue International Negotiations for Solving Global Environmental Problems in Light of the WTO Shrimp/Turtle Compliance Adjudication between Malaysia and the U.S.

The linkage of the duty to negotiate over transboundary environmental problems to one of the requirements in the chapeau of Article XX of the GATT 1994, as shown in the original Shrimp/Turtle decision, proved to be indicative of the willingness of the WTO jurisprudence to embrace significant environmental mandates beyond trade rules. Yet, it remains an unsolved issue with respect to how and to what extent the United States that applied an import ban against shrimp products from Asian nations shall remedy the failure to seek negotiations with those complaining members, which should have been implemented before. In particular, such an omission, as Malaysia claimed, guaranteed the lift of the trade embargo. The article aims to examine whether the recent Shrimp compliance reports, based on Article 21.5 of the WTO’s Understanding on Rules and Procedures Governing the Settlement of Disputes, have fulfilled an accurate and balanced reinterpretation over the obligation to pursue negotiations. It is found that the WTO jurisprudence in this compliance adjudication generally favors the position of the United States, ruling that the flaw of non-negotiation on an international basis can be fixed by later performance without the removal of the trade restriction. It seems to imply that the multilateral negotiation’s obligation for solving international environmental problems does not definitely precede a unilateral measure in any circumstance, although a plain interpretation of the Shrimp ruling does warrant the supremacy of such an obligation. In effect, the compliance adjudication relatively reduced the burden of a country whose trade restriction has already been considered to be provisionally legitimate under individual exceptional clause, such as paragraph (b) or (g) in Article XX. Nevertheless, to reach a balanced result, the judicial organs of the WTO fairly commended the United States to continue the tasks of negotiations in good faith, though no conclusion of a specified multilateral environmental agreement is required.

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON “TRANSBOUNDARY ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS OF MIDDLE ASIA”, TASHKENT, UZBEKISTAN, NOVEMBER 2010

Irrigation and DrainageVolume 60, Issue 3 p. 427-428 ICID INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON “TRANSBOUNDARY ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS OF MIDDLE ASIA”, TASHKENT, UZBEKISTAN, NOVEMBER 2010 Er. M. Gopalakrishnan, Secretary General, ICIDSearch for more papers by this author Er. M. Gopalakrishnan, Secretary General, ICIDSearch for more papers by this author First published: 29 June 2011 https://doi.org/10.1002/ird.639Read the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onEmailFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditWechat No abstract is available for this article. Volume60, Issue3July 2011Pages 427-428 RelatedInformation

Making Transboundary Risks Governable: Reducing Complexity, Constructing Spatial Identity, and Ascribing Capabilities

Environmental problems that cross national borders are attracting increasing public and political attention; regulating them involves coordinating the goals and activities of various governments, which often presupposes simplifying and standardizing complex knowledge, and finding ways to manage uncertainty. This article explores how transboundary environmental problems are dealt with to render complex issues governable. By discussing oil pollution in the Baltic Sea and the gas pipeline between Russia and Germany, we elucidate how boundaries are negotiated to make issues governable. Three processes are found to be particularly relevant to how involved actors render complex issues governable: complexity reduction, construction of a spatial identity for an issue, and ascription of capabilities to new or old actor constellations. We conclude that such regulation is always provisional, implying that existing regulation is always open for negotiation and criticism.