China's Environment

Evidence is provided that many, if not most, small-scale hydrocarbon occurrences in the Bohemian Massif, both newly described and already known, are in fact concentrated within five distinct north-south zones, 20-40 km wide, which cut various geological units. These linear structures provided long-lived and periodically reactivated conduits for various geofluids that include, apart from hydrocarbons, thermal and mineral waters, warm brines, uranium-bearing hydrothermal solutions, CO 2 , CH 4 , and He. Geological and geochemical data suggest repeated episodes of fluid and hydrocarbon migration throughout the geological history of the linear zones. A number of local present-day gas emissions and small oil seeps are probably indicative of the most recent migration stage that has resumed in the Tertiary period, following the Alpine orogeny. In some localities, the present-day peaks of CO 2 , CH 4 and C 2 -C 12 hydrocarbon emissions mirror major earthquakes that occur elsewhere in the so...

The paper focuses on the issue of air pollution in the industrially important Most region in the 1960s. It analyses how society and government responded to increasing environmental degradation in the region within the evolving political and economic context by examining the media and changes in legislation. Inspired by Donald Worster's environmental history framework, the paper aims to illustrate the dynamic interplay between the expansion of industry, environmental concerns and policymaking during this crucial period. By investigating the nuances of media discourse and legislative reforms, it explores how air pollution was perceived and what actions were taken to tackle it in the region, contributing to a deeper understanding of the interconnections between society, state, and ecology in environmental contexts.

China was a poor country in 1978, with a per capita GDP of only $156.8. However, with a reform and opening-up process, the country moved from a planned to a market-oriented economy. With double-digit growth for nearly 30 years, China's per capita GDP soared to $12,614.10 by 2023. Up to 2010, China focused primarily on economic growth. Around 2000, it was becoming evident that unfettered economic growth was contributing to serious air and water pollution problems which were posing a threat to human and ecosystem health. Aware of these problems, China enacted and strengthened over 30 environmental laws, more than 100 administrative regulations and over 1000 local regulations. All these efforts reduced average annual PM2.5 levels in Beijing from 101.56 µg/m3 in 2013 to 39 µg/m3 by 2023. In 2005, the majority of the world’s top 10 polluted cities were in China. By 2020, not even one of the top 15 polluted cities was in China. In terms of water pollution, China has continued to make progress. In 1985, the country was monitoring 35 water quality parameters. By 2006, this number increased to 106. Between 2016 and 2020, China constructed treatment facilities for 50.52 Mm3/day of sewage, and 125,000 km of new sewage pipelines. With strong and consistent political support, China's air and water qualities will undoubtedly continue to improve significantly by 2030.

The water management of the Yellow River was subsumed under the wartime system of the Nationalist government since the beginning of China's national resistance against Japanese aggression in 1937. The Yellow River Conservancy Commission, responsible for disaster prevention and economic exploration of the river, was on the one hand affiliated to the Ministry of Economic Affairs under the aegis of the Executive Yuan, while on another hand it was under the supervision of the First War Zone Command. The three parties above were closely related in all practical work and formed a complex operation mode which caused the water management in the flooded area to be riddled with difficulties and omissions. To be specific, albeit nominally unified, it functioned separately in its military, financial, and personnel management branches, and there was a lack of clarity in the responsibility of its three components. This resulted in chaotic circumstances, all parties impeding each other and denying responsibility. This situation reflected the serious deficiencies of the wartime system of the Nationalist government in various regards, such as in its functions, values, and administrative capacities.

Considering increasing public interest in environment-related problems and the carbon-neutrality aims of countries, this study focuses on the effect of green bonds on enabling carbon neutrality and supporting clean electricity in China, which is the leading top carbon-emitting and energy-using country in the world. In this context, the study makes a disaggregated level empirical analysis by considering sectoral emissions and source-based electricity generation by using quantile-based approaches from January 2, 2019, to December 31, 2023. The outcomes show that (i) green bonds decrease mainly emissions in transport and international aviation sectors; (ii) green bonds have mixed effects on the remaining sectoral emissions; (iii) green bonds increase electricity generation from all sources at higher quantiles, whereas they decrease electricity generation at lower quantiles. Thus, the effect of green bonds varies across sectors, electricity generation sources, and quantiles. Accordingly, a set of policy endeavors, such as dealing with firstly such critical sectors as power and industry, supporting the allocated green bond issuance to specified sectors, and focusing on some clean electricity generation sources like solar and wind, are argued for China.

How does the Chinese government, on occasion, manage to spirit away China's immense air pollution problem? In order to ensure that blue skies will greet participants in international mega-events in China, such as the 2008 summer Olympic Games, the 2014 APEC summit, and the G20 summit in 2016, host cities and surrounding regional governments have often implemented stunningly comprehensive plans for controlling air pollution which have usually included the halting of industrial production, the restriction of traffic, the suspension of construction work, and the relocation of residents. These plans are formulated and implemented for a defined period of time only, and they seem to represent an ad hoc top-down campaign-style of governance rather typical of Chinese politics. In contrast to traditional political campaigns in China, however, governance campaigns nowadays involve a much more significant level of scientific knowledge and steering. For the current "blue sky" campaigns, for instance, environmental engineers are asked to design and oversee measures for smog and air quality control in close collaboration with local authorities, while political scientists are consulted to mitigate the potential risk of any public backlash against the harsh regime of pollution control. We argue that the integration of policy and science that occurs for the purpose of alleviating air pollution during these events deserves specific attention with regard to what can be learned about the incorporation of scientific knowledge into policy making in China and its tangible effects. Based on a study of the G20 summit that was held in Hangzhou in September 2016, this article explores how, under this special form of pollution control enforcement, the government regionally mobilized public (and especially scientific) resources to fabricate blue skies. Finally, the sustainable effects of science-policy integration for implementing impromptu air pollution control are also examined.

Settling a "green recovery" at the center of all economic recuperation procedures is progressively seen as the finest and as the only way nations could restore their economies. Therefore, this study assesses the role of energy finance, green policies, and investment towards green economic recovery in the USA by using a linear econometric approach and nonlinear (DSGE) model. Considering the fiscal tax-lowering rate, for instance, the study evaluates the effects of fiscal measures on local fiscal pressures in the USA regarding the pandemic. The regression analysis shows that both energy finance and green energy policies have positive and statistically significant impacts on green investment. The results from the linear econometric approach indicate that every additional state green energy policy tool adopted is associated with 1% more green investment in the USA. In addition, the findings show that green policies in human resources and R&D of green energy technologies prompt a sustainable green economy through labor and technology-oriented production activities. Implications for scholars, investors, technology managers, and policymakers are derived and discussed.

This research aims to look into the effect of COVID-19 on emerging stock markets in seven of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations' (ASEAN-7) member countries from March 21, 2020 to April 31, 2020. This paper uses a ST-HAR-type Bayesian posterior model and it highlights the stock market of this ongoing crisis, such as, COVID-19 outbreak in all countries and related industries. The empirical results shown a clear evidence of a transition during COVID-19 crisis regime, also crisis intensity and timing differences. The most negatively impacted industries were health care and consumer services due to the Covid-19 drug-race and international travel restrictions. More so, study results estimated that only a small number of sectors are affected by COVID-19 fear including health care, consumer services, utilities, and technology, significance at the 1%, 5%, and 10%, that measure current volatility's reliance on weekly and monthly variables. Secondly, it is found that there is almost no chance that the COVID-19 pandemic would positively affect the stock market performance in all the countries, mainly Indonesia and Singapore were the countries most affected. Thirdly, results shown that Thailand's stock market output has dropped by 15%. Results shows that COVID-19 fear causes an eventual reason of public attention towards stock market volatility. The study presented comprehensive way forwards to stabilize movement of ASEAN equity market's volatility index and guided the policy implications to key stakeholders that can better help to mitigate drastic impacts of COVID-19 fear on the performance of equity markets.

Reef fish traded alive for table food are high value-to-volume products, with demand centred in Hong Kong and southern mainland China. Import demand functions for live reef food fish are estimated for Hong Kong, in aggregate and for individual fish species. Cross-price, income and population elasticities, and the impact of SARS and Chinese New Year on demand, are estimated. Results show that price has a smaller influence on import demand than expected. The most influential factor is Chinese New Year. The price of low and medium-value species exhibited a negative impact, whereas the price of very high-value species exhibited a positive impact, on demand. This suggests that high-value live reef species may be Veblen goods, where consumption increases as a direct function of its price, in this case due to associated prestige and status.

In modern times, enhancing energy efficiency is one of the core agenda items for the economies to progress the world. United Nations general assembly has recommended increasing energy efficiency by considering the SDG-7 guidelines. In the contemporary period, E7 economies are deficient in producing the financial resources to ensure the availability of funds for the acquisition of energy efficiency. COVID-19 crises, lack of resilience in economies, devastating fiscal burdens, and tight monetary conditions of E7 economies are the major barriers. To resolve such issues, some innovative financing techniques, such as green financing, financial inclusion, and FinTech, were suggested to investigate. However, this research tested the empirical role of financial inclusion, green financing, and FinTech on the energy efficiency of E7 economies. Study findings have shown a significant role of such financing techniques on energy efficiency. Comparatively, green financing is found most fitting and highly supportive financing tool for energy efficiency among the three. The differences in attributes, financing mechanism, funds flow system, transection systems, and variation in support by the financial institution are the main reasons that lessen the role of financial inclusion and FinTech for energy efficiency. However, theorists must revisit the transaction system of FinTech and financial inclusion parameters like green bonds for energy efficiency attainment. Policymakers are suggested to develop viable and energy system-friendly policies to grant green finance to the energy systems of E7 economies, as conveniently as possible.

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SUMMARYSince China is a leading market for a number of types of seafood, and much of this seafood is imported from other countries, Chinese consumption of seafood is an issue of vital importance to many of the world's fisheries. Focusing on luxury seafood, in particular bêche-de-mer, shark fin and live reef food fish, this paper firstly examines the links between Chinese consumption and species population trends in source countries. After a discussion of current efforts at conservation and management of these fisheries, the paper shows how the consumption of luxury seafood in contemporary China is intertwined with broader historical trends, including the expansion of Southern Chinese cuisine; cultural beliefs and traditions, in particular surrounding elements of traditional Chinese medicine; and most importantly, notions of social status and conspicuous consumption linked to the development of the Chinese economy and social stratification. The paper points to the role of the his...

The urgent and global concern of environmental problems transcends local and regional boundaries, posing significant challenges for policymakers in developing countries. Amid conflicting economic and environmental goals, evaluating the efficacy of regulatory policies becomes increasingly critical. This study investigates the effectiveness of public policy in incentivizing developing nations to prioritize environmental regulation, with a specific focus on China's most recent environmental policy, the Ecological Environmental Protection Plan. Using multilevel modeling and difference-indifferences estimation with data from six of China's most populous cities between 2014 and 2019, we see evidence of air quality improvements following the implementation of the policy. Furthermore, we observe greater enhancements in air quality in the cities most affected by the institutional details of the policy. This shows that well-crafted public policy can improve air quality, providing crucial insights for policymakers and scholars alike.

Studying the pluralization of the law-making process in China, this article explains how environmental NGOs shifted from an outsider to an insider status following the amendment to the Environment Protection Law. Whereas law-making in China has often been described as a search for compromise, this case-study rather highlights the link between the entry of new actors in the legislative process and their role in rebalancing power relations among administrative agencies with conflicting views and interests, thereby directly impacting the reframing of the law. This case-study thus highlights consultative authoritarianism's permeability with power politics and social mobilization. Differentiating the 'entry moment' from the process whereby ENGOs durably become insiders, this article also investigates the conditions for sustainable inclusion and the way the inclusion process broadens. Pointing that authoritarian participation differentiates from democratic participation because ENGOs are primarily included as experts, this article complements the consultative authoritarianism framework by arguing that expertise allows for a technocratic form of representation of the broader public deprived of the right to political participation, hence enabling the law to better reflect the general interest.

The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) is the frontrunner in fisheries certification, receiving both extensive support and strong criticisms. The increasing uptake by fisheries and markets (almost 10% of world fisheries tonnage engaged by the end of 2014) has been followed by a widening pool of stakeholders interacting with the MSC. However, the applicability of the MSC approach for fisheries in the developing world (DW) remains doubtful, reinforced by a worldwide uptake skewed towards developed world fisheries. Here, a group of MSC stakeholders, with the aid of an ad-hoc questionnaire survey, reviews constraints to MSC certification in DW fisheries, evaluates solutions put forward by the MSC, and recommends actions to improve MSC uptake by DW fisheries. Recommendations to the MSC include researching and benchmarking suitable data-limited assessment methods, systematizing and making readily available the experiences of certified fisheries worldwide and constructing specific fisheries capacity-building for regional leaders. The MSC can further review the certification cost, especially for small-scale fisheries and, in partnership with other institutions, mobilize a fund to support specific DW fishery types. This fund could also support the development of market opportunities and infrastructures likely to satisfy local conditions and needs. For wider market intervention, the MSC should consider embarking on some form of vertical differentiation. Finally, for fisheries that may never move towards certification, the group identifies tools and experience available at MSC that can improve environmental performance and governance bearing.

Reef fish traded alive for table food are high value-to-volume products, with demand centred in Hong Kong and southern mainland China. Import demand functions for live reef food fish are estimated for Hong Kong, in aggregate and for individual fish species. Cross-price, income and population elasticities, and the impact of SARS and Chinese New Year on demand, are estimated. Results show that price has a smaller influence on import demand than expected. The most influential factor is Chinese New Year. The price of low and medium-value species exhibited a negative impact, whereas the price of very high-value species exhibited a positive impact, on demand. This suggests that high-value live reef species may be Veblen goods, where consumption increases as a direct function of its price, in this case due to associated prestige and status.

Achieving synergistic governance of air pollution treatment and greenhouse gas emission reduction is the way for the Chinese government to achieve green transformational development. Against this background, this paper takes the implementation of the carbon emissions trading system (ETS) as the breakthrough point, using the time-varying difference-in-differences (DID) model to explore the synergistic emission reduction effect of ETS on air pollution and carbon emissions and its mechanism. The results indicate that the implementation of ETS not only significantly reduces CO2 emissions but also synergistically achieves the reduction of air pollutants, and the synergistic emission reduction effect is mainly achieved through the synergistic reduction of SO2. Moreover, the emission reduction effect of ETS has economic and regional heterogeneity. On the one hand, the ETS has a more prominent carbon reduction effect in less developed provinces and cities and has a significant synergistic e...

Research on the enhanced control and emission-reduction measures to improve air quality during major events could provide data theory and scientific support for air-quality improvement during non-activities. Based on the air-quality data published by the China Environmental Monitoring Station and the meteorological elements and weather conditions released by the China Meteorological Administration, this paper explored the characteristics of air-quality evolution in Beijing from 5 August to 18 September 2015 and the weather situation during the Military Parade. The results showed that: (1) Emission-reduction measures implemented for air quality by Beijing and its surrounding area were induced, and we explored the contribution of these measures to pollutants or AQI in the locality. (2) During the 2015 Military Parade, Beijing was in the front or lower part of the high-pressure system. Due to the strong effect of North or Northeast winds, the weather situation was conducive to the diff...

The state remains central in contemporary environmental politics and policies, although environmental governance increasingly involves neoliberal and non-state mechanisms. Environmental management in China holds features of an ‘environmental state’ and has been undergoing continuous restructuring, manifested by a recent city-regionalism turn. Informed by the theories of eco-state restructuring (ESR) and eco-scalar fix, this paper investigates air pollution management in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Region by tracing the practices of environmental and territorial governance over the past decades. Through the analysis of parameters of the eco-state, this paper conceptualises the air pollution governance in China into three phases, namely pollutants emission control (the 1990s–2005), campaign-style regional governance (2006–2012) and city-regionalism in air quality governance (2013 onwards). We find that the central state plays proactive but different roles in each phase, characterised by...

Developing a Low-Carbon Roadmap for China's Cities Disclaimer While every effort has been made to ensure its accuracy, the Centre for Strategic Economic Studies (Victoria University) does not make any representations or warranties (express or implied) as to the accuracy or completeness of the information contained in this report. The Centre for Strategic Economic Studies (Victoria University), its employees and agents do not accept any liability in negligence for the information (or the use of such information) which is provided in this report. ©2013

With the rapid development of the waste incineration industry in China, top priority has been given to the problem of pollution caused by waste incineration. This study is the first attempt to assess all the waste incineration plants in Wuhan, the only national key city in central China, in terms of environmental impact, site selection, public health and public participation. By using a multi-criterion assessment model for economic, social, public health and environmental effects, this study indicates these incineration plants are established without much consideration of the local residents' health and environment. A location analysis is also applied and some influences of waste incineration plants are illustrated. This study further introduces a signaling game model to prove that public participation is a necessary condition for improving the environmental impact assessment and increasing total welfare of different interest groups in China. This study finally offers some corre...

The global community has set intensive targets in Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to better people’s lives after closing the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). It corresponds to the 2030 aspirations of the United Nations to enhance and promote the sustainable development of human society. The current paper explores the impact of fiscal hedging and R&D in energy Using a green-energy system in SDGs. To do this, we used TOPSIS and QARDL methodologies on a 21-year dataset of South and Southeast Asian economies from 2000 to 2020. The study results show that fiscal hedging contributes favourably to the environmental degradation of the underlying economy. Research and development (R&D) in renewables has contributed negatively to ecological degradation and SDGs in the economies of South & Southeast Asia. This study suggests policy guidelines for advanced and developing economies based on fiscal stability and technical innovation through R&D to meet SDG.

This study aims to look into Napoleon wrasse ranching in Anambas Islands Regency. Historically, the society in Anambas Islands has been socially constructed an unsustainable view of exploiting marine resources. In Napoleon wrasse fishery, overfishing has played a significant role in the loss of its populations. Due of the lack of adult Napoleon wrasse stock in marine ecosystem, larvae despite its high mortality rate are also sought as ranching target. It is found a tremendous amount of larvae are wasted in ranching period due low survival capacity to adapt to a caged ecosystem, so that the effectiveness of larvae ranching is questianable. Larvae fishing has become the object of the tragedy of the commons, whereas this particular activity plays an important role in the fishery. As a result, conservation and management have never been more important. The reflection to establish sustainable view is seen from discussion between Agent-Structure theory by Bourdieu and Agent-Network Theory...

The last three decades of the 20th century witnessed the booming development of the concept "Sustainable Development" in the global arena. During this time, the traditional GDP index for measuring national wealth was put into question and the international community has been in eager in its search of alternative indicators to GDP. Following this global tide, China started drawing its blueprint for the achievement of sustainable development in the country. The Chinese central government put forward the formulation of "Scientific Outlook on Development" and officially published its environmentally-adjusted GDP accounting report in 2006. The sudden suspension of the Green GDP accounting project subsequent to the release of the report was caused by multiple factors. The decline of the Green GDP accounting project mirrored the most common problems existing in environmental governance and in the cadre management system in China that need to be tackled urgently. It can ...

The serious fine particle (PM 2.5) pollution in China causes millions of premature deaths. Driven by swift economic growth and stringent control policies, air pollutant emissions in China have changed significantly in the last decade, but the change in the source contribution of PM 2.5-related health impacts remains unclear. In this study, we develop a multi-pollutant emission inventory in China for 2005-2015, and combine chemical transport modeling, ambient/household exposure evaluation and health impact assessment to quantify the contribution of eight emission sectors to PM 2.5 exposure and associated health risk. From 2005 to 2015, the mortality due to PM 2.5 from ambient air pollution (AAP) decreases from 1.04 (95% confidence interval, 0.84-1.25) million to 0.87 (0.70-1.04) million. The agricultural sector contributes 25% and 32% to ambient PM 2.5-attributed mortality in 2005 and 2015, respectively, representing the largest contributor during this period. The contribution of power plants drops monotonously from 13% to 6%. The percentage contribution of industrial process drops significantly while the contribution of industrial combustion stays the same level. The overall contribution of industry is still as large as 26% in 2015 in spite of strict control measures. For transportation, despite strict emission standards, its contribution increases remarkably due to the rapid growth of vehicle population. When both ambient and household PM 2.5 exposures are taken into account, the mortality due to integrated populationweighted exposure to PM 2.5 (IPWE) drops from 1.78 (1.46-2.09) million in 2005 to 1.28 (1.05-1.52) million in 2015. Most of the IPWE reduction comes from domestic combustion as a result of urbanization and improved income, whereas this sector remains the largest contributor (58%) to IPWE-related health risk in 2015. Our results suggest that the government should dynamically adjust the air pollution control strategy according to the change in source contributions. Domestic combustion and agriculture should be prioritized considering their predominant contributions to mortality and the lack of effective control policies. More stringent control measures for industry and transportation are necessary since the existing policies have not adequately reduced their health impacts. Electricity production is no longer the top priority of air pollution control policies given its lower health impact compared with that of other sources.

Control strategies can be optimized to attain air quality standards at minimal cost through selecting optimal combinations of controls on various pollutants and regional sources. In this study, we developed a module for least-cost control strategy optimization based on a real-time prediction system of the responses of pollution concentrations to emissions changes and marginal cost curves of pollutant controls. Different from other method, in this study the relationship between pollution concentrations to and precursor emissions was derived from multiple air quality simulations in which the nonlinear interactions among different precursor emissions can be well addressed. Hypothetical control pathways were designed to attain certain air quality goals for particulate matter (PM 2.5) and ozone (O 3) in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region under the 2014 baseline emission level. Results suggest that reducing local primary PM emissions was the most cost-efficient method to attain the ambient PM 2.5 standard, whereas for O 3 attainment, reducing regional emission sources of gaseous pollutants (i.e., SO 2 , NO x , and volatile organic compounds (VOCs)) exhibited greater effectiveness. NH 3 controls may be cost-efficient in achieving strengthened PM 2.5 targets; however, they might not help in reducing O 3. To achieve both PM 2.5 (< 35 μg m −3) and O 3 (daily 1-h maxima concentration < 100 ppb) targets in Beijing, the reduced rates in BTH regions of NO x , SO 2 , NH 3 , VOCs and primary PM are 75%, 75%, 5%, 55%, and 85%, respectively from the emission levels in the year of 2014. Local reduction is the most effective method of attaining moderate PM 2.5 and O 3 targets; however, to achieve more aggressive air quality goals, the same level of reductions must be conducted across the whole Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.

in recent years, China has experienced rapid economic growth and equally rapid increases in energy use. As a result, energy induced environmental degradation has also increased in China, especially in its urban areas. When this fact is coupled with China's requirement for further economic expansion to meet the growing needs of its population, it is clear that the country faces great challenges in balancing its goal of economic growth with environmental sustainability. This paper suggests that an alternative energy path emphasizing energy efficiency and renewable energy development can be in China's long.term economic and environmental interest.

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This study probes into climate policy design at city level in China, with Hangzhou's energy efficiency and renewable energy policies between 2005 and 2014 as a case. The study applies a political action arena approach to accentuate the importance of different normative preferences behind climate change policies in relation to Hangzhou's emerging urban climate governance regime. Three main categories of policy instruments are identified: i.e. command-and-control, market-based, and collaborative governance instruments, and their development over time is examined. It is concluded that in Hangzhou energy efficiency is a more mature and comprehensive political action arena than renewable energy. The study also finds that there has been a significant shift away from preferences towards command-and-control to more marketbased instruments, while cooperative governance instruments are still in their infancy. It finally shows that the design and implementation of local programs, especially the selection of policy instruments, are strongly influenced by the normative preferences of local officials. Thus, the approach of Hangzhou's government to the design and implementation of climate policies seem to gradually become less authoritarian, more market based, and more accountable, due to the inherent complexity of this political action arena.

The purpose of the study is to test the role of green bond financing on energy efficiency investment and economic growth. To achieve the study objective, fuzzy decision-making modeling technique is applied. The results revealed that bank loans are now the main source of financing for energy efficiency projects. Project-based financing might be replaced with Energy Performance Contracts (EPC) warranting energy efficiency investment. Moreover, green banks invest both public and private funds in energy efficiency promoting economic growth. The usage of green bonds for financing environmentally beneficial projects or companies is limitless. Providing for screening energy efficiency investment proposals with small payback hurdle rates might have large opportunity costs. Green bonds can be used to remove the financing barriers for green finance and sustainability tool. On this, study provides policy implications to key stakeholders; if suggested policy suggestions implemented successfully, these would help to enhance scope of green bond financing to uplift energy efficiency financing and green growth successfully.

In general, the public expenditure on schooling, science, and research and development (R&D) is thought to have a positive effect on the development and sustainability of an economy, but such evidence is lacking in the developing and developed countries, especially in the top 10 CO2-emitting countries. This study investigates the impact of public spending and green finance on environmental sustainability, using the ordinary least square method and data envelopment analysis, which uses the panel data from selected countries from 2008 to 2018. Results reveal a fluctuating green economic growth index, which was due to the non-serious existence of government policies. More precisely, a 1% increase in gross domestic product (GDP) growth increases the carbon emissions by about 0.40%, whereas the rise in coal consumption decreases environmental efficiency by about 0.88%. We also concluded that 0.95% GDP growth and economic development significantly enhance environmental emissions, whereas ...

The goal of this study is to examine the impact of household income and air pollution on the health of developing-country residents. The panel dataset of twelve developing nations used for this purpose. High levels of fine particulate matter in the air are linked to increased health problems, and lower incomes for households in the economies studied. However, effective environmental management and renewable energy resources have a significant role in controlling the harmful impact of fine particulate matter in the air. It highlights that developing economies could lower the fine particulate matter in the air by strengthening the regional environmental policies and adopting renewable resources. In emerging countries, environmentally friendly strategies and the shift from carbon base to non-carbon-based energy would minimize pollution in the atmosphere and improve the quality of life for inhabitants and other organisms. Improved quality of life and lower levels of fine particulate mat...

In general, the public expenditure on schooling, science, and research and development (R&D) is thought to have a positive effect on the development and sustainability of an economy, but such evidence is lacking in the developing and developed countries, especially in the top 10 CO2-emitting countries. This study investigates the impact of public spending and green finance on environmental sustainability, using the ordinary least square method and data envelopment analysis, which uses the panel data from selected countries from 2008 to 2018. Results reveal a fluctuating green economic growth index, which was due to the non-serious existence of government policies. More precisely, a 1% increase in gross domestic product (GDP) growth increases the carbon emissions by about 0.40%, whereas the rise in coal consumption decreases environmental efficiency by about 0.88%. We also concluded that 0.95% GDP growth and economic development significantly enhance environmental emissions, whereas ...

To contribute to the fight against the prevalent, deteriorating, smog pollution in China, India, and other rapidly industrializing regions, the team who planned this Special Volume (SV) of the Journal of Cleaner Production (JCLP) worked to document and consolidate what is known about what has worked and what hasn't worked well in preventing smog or in reducing their severity or duration. Based upon fifty-four articles, the team developed an interdisciplinary, holistic approach for mitigating and preventing smog, which is comprised of the following eight interconnected categories of articles pertaining to: 1) Monitoring, inventory and assessment; 2) Scientific research; 3) Policy formulation, implementation and evaluation; 4) Regulatory instruments; 5) Economic incentives; 6) Information, education and societal empowerment; 7) Technology development and deployment; and 8) Social norms, culture and lifestyle. The team summarized the new knowledge and findings from the fifty-four articles included in those eight categories of this SV. Special attention was given to important issues in the current policy debates surrounding smog pollution, including: preventive methods, which are preferable to end-of-pipe pollution control approaches; balancing environmental, economic and social objectives; co-benefits among local air quality improvement approaches, relations between climate change and societal wellbeing; monitoring, reporting and inventory; and more effective information disclosure and public participation for preventing or reducing smog now and in the future. The introductory article concludes with a cautiously optimistic message, to turn the ongoing , uphill fight against smog into an accelerator of the profound and urgently needed transitions towards equitable, sustainable, post-fossil-carbon societies.

The main objective of the present study was to examine the impact of socioeconomic factors on environmental degradation or preservation using the logarithmic mean disivia index (LMDI). The study used the latest data from thirty Chinese provinces from 2012 to 2020. Pooled mean group (PMG) results were estimated to determine the long-term and short-term impact of the aforementioned compound variables on carbon emissions. The study results revealed that population growth, per capita GDP growth, and fossil fuel-led energy consumption, positively impacted environmental degradation in China at the provincial level. However, clean energy intensity and a transition towards renewable energy in China are helping to reduce carbon emissions. Similarly, clean energy intensity is also helping to lower carbon emissions. The study proposed that at the provincial level, joint efforts were required to control environmental degradation in China. The positive impact of renewable energy intensity on car...

The study aims to examine the CO 2 emissions by considering the implication of COVID-19 under strict lockdown in India. The nonlinear (asymmetric) relationship is investigated between CO 2 emission and COVID-19 with its specific determinants. The positive and negative asymmetries of COVID-19 determinants are also captured by using econometric techniques. The daily data series of CO 2 emission, new confirmed cases, confirmed deaths, and lockdown as dummy variables from January 30, 2020, to December 1, 2020, for India is analyzed by employing the nonlinear autoregressive distributed lag model. This research revealed a significant nonlinear relationship between CO 2 emission and COVID-19. The bound test and asymmetric coefficients are confirmed by the variables' long-and short-run relationships. The dynamic multiplier graphs present that India's strict lockdown due to the rapid increase in COVID-19 patients significantly reduces toxic gas emissions, especially CO 2 emissions. This asymmetric relationship has been proficiently declared that unhealthy public routine, extra traffic, and unhygienic gases released in the air become the reason for environmental destruction. The lockdown is practically imposed for specific periods and reasons, contributing to reducing toxic emissions, but it is not a permanent solution for environmental sustainability. The government of India, policymakers, and environmentalists should make people aware of unhealthy and environmentally envying activities and policies and long-term applicable strategies should be designed to upgrade the environment's quality.

What caused China to decide to protect the environment in the 1970s? Was it a result of domestic political changes or of developments in international environmental politics? While the decision to introduce comprehensive modern environmental policies in China has had arguably a long-term impact on environmental governance, few studies have scrutinised the early decision-making process. This article attempts to address the void in scholarship. Adopting the multiple streams framework, the authors argue that the origins of environmental policy in China arose from the confluence of three streams-problem identification, political tensions and policy choices-under Premier Zhou Enlai's sponsorship. The new ecological perspective arising from the environmental policy emphasises scientific principles and technocratic solutions, lending a contrast to an ideological approach that had characterised the previous decades. This process was accompanied by the new political role of an environmentalist group consisting primarily of bureaucrats and scientists who mobilised international experience to identify appropriate technological solutions. This article analytically traces the historical context, problem identification, policy entrepreneurship and key policy instruments that characterised the first phase of Chinese environmental policies. The authors discuss the extent to which key elements of China's environmental policies today may still be shaped by the technocratic approach in the initial phase.

The interplay between policy design and market forces has been crucial in driving the global energy transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources. However, models adopted by countries are based on different historical approaches and have therefore evolved differently over time, while also influencing each other. In this chapter, the UK and China have been chosen as two countries which have achieved successes in decarbonising their respective economies through the deployment of significant levels of renewable energy resources; however, each has adopted a differing energy transition strategy. The UK electricity market was one of the first globally to be privatised and deregulated in the late 1980s and early 1990s, following similar earlier initiatives in the natural resources and telecommunications sector. This experience and the subsequent market adjustments which were undertaken by the UK Government and the regulator laid the groundwork for similar processes which have taken place within the European Union and further afield. The entry of new market players initially in conventional gas-fired power generation during the 1990s and subsequently in renewables starting in the 1990s-but more substantially over the past 20 years-have brought nonutility private sector expertise into the deployment of new technologies. It was this track record which enabled the UK to design incentives for renewable energy-starting with tariffs and moving to auctions-with a strong likelihood that they would bring about successes in terms of deployment of new renewable capacity. It is for this reason that the UK has been selected to represent a noteworthy example of how regulation can harness market forces to play a decisive role in the shift towards renewable energy.

The drivers and characteristics of trends in aquatic product consumption are a crucial component of fish food system sustainability. The Chinese market for aquatic products is the largest in the world, yet little has been published on the characteristics of the freshwater fish market. This Paper draws on interviews with key informants to understand the social characteristics of the freshwater fish market in Chengdu, Sichuan province. Price, food safety and quality, freshness and local culinary traditions are important influences on patterns of freshwater fish consumption. However, imported species such as pangasius and branded products are increasing in popularity, indicative of changes in the Chengdu freshwater fish market and the Chinese market for aquatic products more generally.

In general, the public expenditure on schooling, science, and research and development (R&D) is thought to have a positive effect on the development and sustainability of an economy, but such evidence is lacking in the developing and developed countries, especially in the top 10 CO2-emitting countries. This study investigates the impact of public spending and green finance on environmental sustainability, using the ordinary least square method and data envelopment analysis, which uses the panel data from selected countries from 2008 to 2018. Results reveal a fluctuating green economic growth index, which was due to the non-serious existence of government policies. More precisely, a 1% increase in gross domestic product (GDP) growth increases the carbon emissions by about 0.40%, whereas the rise in coal consumption decreases environmental efficiency by about 0.88%. We also concluded that 0.95% GDP growth and economic development significantly enhance environmental emissions, whereas ...

A human-induced rise in temperatures is exacerbating droughts and other adverse weather events. Fossil fuels as a primary energy source contribute to global warming. It is, therefore, necessary to boost the number of renewable energy initiatives. To better comprehend how to improve renewable energy initiatives, simultaneous evaluation of a range of influential factors is required. This study examined financial development, economic progress, and energy pricing to understand how they affect energy consumption. Using the nonlinear autoregression distributed lag model, we analyzed the effect of financial inclusion on renewable energy consumption in China's 30 provinces from 2000 to 2020. The data showed that financial development has a considerable impact on renewable energy use. The findings of this study revealed that every 1% increase in financial development leads to a 0.24% increase in renewable energy use. This study's primary goal is to offer China a framework for increasing renewable energy investments that are socially and economically viable. This study also paves the way for other nations that import energy. As a result, it will be easier to meet sustainability targets if more projects employ renewable energy after this pandemic.