This study constructs a horizontal ecological compensation matrix and an input–output efficiency matrix for ecological compensation in the Yellow River Basin. By integrating spatial Moran’s I analysis, Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA), and Social Network Analysis (SNA), the results show that command-and-control and voluntary regulations exert a substantially greater influence on compensation payments than market-based instruments. The spatial network evolved from a fragmented state in 2021 into an integrated basin-wide structure by 2023, with Inner Mongolia displaying the highest betweenness centrality and acting as a critical regional coordination hub. However, decreasing returns to scale in Henan, Qinghai, and Shandong suggest resource wastage, requiring more rational regulatory utilisation. The policy implications are that authorities should formally designate Inner Mongolia as a standing ‘Ecological Compensation Coordination Hub’. In regions with decreasing returns, a ‘non-site supervision’ model should be promoted to reduce inefficiency. Furthermore, indicators for sustainable agricultural practices should be introduced to ensure long-term collaborative protection across the basin.
Consumers are increasingly concerned about environmental and health hazards in their mode of purchase, leading to a rising demand for eco-friendly products. This study aims to evaluate the specific variables that encourage consumers to move beyond general environmental concern to engage in consistent sustainable purchasing behaviour utilising and extending the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) framework. Data were gathered from 763 consumers using a structured questionnaire and analysed through structural equation modelling. The results indicate that health attitudes positively affect both behavioural attitudes and subjective norms, strongly driving purchase intentions. Behavioural attitudes and subjective norms consistently predict intent to purchase green products. The findings offer practical guidance for businesses and policymakers, suggesting that building consumer trust through transparent communication and clear labelling is crucial for encouraging sustainable consumption, thereby supporting larger sustainability objectives.
While many studies examine ecological footprint drivers, the impact of economic and political uncertainty is underexplored. This study addresses this gap by analysing the effects of the World Uncertainty Index (WUI) and renewable energy consumption on ecological footprints across 126 countries from 2001 to 2021, using a dynamic spatial Durbin model. Results show that WUI significantly reduces ecological footprints in both the short and long run. Spatial spillovers reveal that uncertainty’s effects extend beyond national borders, amplifying regional environmental impacts. Comparative analysis indicates that the negative effects of uncertainty outweigh the benefits of renewable energy consumption. These findings highlight the critical importance of socioeconomic and political stability, suggesting that effective environmental governance requires both domestic policy coherence and global coordination to mitigate uncertainty-driven spillovers and promote long-term ecological resilience.
Assessing public awareness of climate change is essential for understanding the recognition of human-driven impacts and informing mitigation, adaptation, and policy actions; however, recent evidence suggests that indicators are narrow and national-level data are limited. This study, therefore, aims to assess public awareness of climate change among Indonesians by formulating a Climate Change Awareness Index (CCAI) that integrates motivation, knowledge, and skills — reflecting underlying values, factual understanding, and practical abilities for climate action. An online survey of Indonesians residing both domestically and abroad yielded 476 valid responses. Using Principal Component Analysis (PCA) combined with a Gradient Boosting Regression model, we identified the leading contributors to climate change awareness: fossil fuel usage, religious obedience, perceived economic impacts, individual pro-environmental efforts, and sustainable waste management practices. The median CCAI score was [Formula: see text], indicating a moderate to high level of awareness, with substantial regional variations. Three dominant pathways to awareness emerged, the most prominent beginning with religious obedience, progressing through awareness of fossil fuel use, and culminating in recognition of environmental impacts. Although the model explains 76.8% of the variance in awareness, important factors such as information and knowledge sources are not yet fully represented. Overall, this study underscores the importance of self-awareness, collectivist values, and faith-based motivations in fostering climate action, offering insights to guide future policy design and research in Indonesia and similar contexts.
Greater knowledge of environmental impact has contributed to raising the awareness level on sustainability in supply chains. Organisations increasingly recognise the need to implement the sustainable packaging principles in warehouses to minimise their organisational environmental impact. Consequently, this study investigates the role of sustainable packaging in managing environmental impacts in supply chains, focusing on new-age packaging materials, such as recyclable and biodegradable packaging materials, and handling transportation with lower carbon footprints. The main goal of the research is to evaluate how sustainable packaging practices in warehouses influence waste minimisation, reduction of carbon emissions, and the overall performance of the supply chain, as well as to determine challenges and costs related to its implementation. This research employs both a survey method, whereby responses from 385 supply chain experts were analysed quantitatively, and qualitative analysis from literature reviews. It is intended to establish the current knowledge of sustainable packaging and further explore its adoption and application among businesses. The fits of models are verified with SmartPLS, and the results of the analysis with the IBM SPSS Statistics 27 show that the hypotheses have significant implications to reduce waste production and greenhouse emissions. The conclusion emphasises the necessity to develop and use sustainable packaging as a way of enhancing supply-chain environmental performance. These research findings are worth noting by policymakers, practitioners, and scholars in the field of environmental sustainability, by taking innovative packaging initiatives. It was found out that 89.4% of the respondents had already switched to sustainable packaging, and biodegradable materials were the most common (40.3%). Regression analysis showed a significant positive impact of sustainable packaging on waste reduction ([Formula: see text], [Formula: see text]) and carbon emission reduction ([Formula: see text], [Formula: see text]), affirming the model’s predictive value.
This research aims to examine the nonlinear and synergistic effects of Global Peace Index (GPI), green finance (GF), and environmental taxation (ET) on the renewable energy transition (RET) in a sample of 86 countries from 2002 to 2022. A two-stage empirical strategy is employed. First, a panel threshold regression (PTR) model identifies critical thresholds for GPI, GF, and ET. Second, a Common Correlated Effects Mean Group (CCE-MG) estimator is employed to address cross-sectional dependence and estimate regime-specific effects. The results reveal that the effects of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) on RET are unstable and exhibit “regime-switching” behaviour, conditional on the thresholds of GPI, GF, and ET. Their influence reverses, weakens, or becomes insignificant depending on institutional settings. Importantly, the full benefits of GDP and GHG on RET materialise only when peace, green finance, and environmental fiscal policies are simultaneously present, highlighting a strong institutional synergy. Additionally, control variables such as institutional quality (IQ) and foreign direct investment (FDI) consistently promote renewable energy consumption across all regimes and model specifications. The results are reassuringly robust to alternative measures of threshold variables and an alternative estimator based on Driscoll–Kraay standard errors. This research contributes to the growing literature on renewable energy adoption and offers novel insights for designing integrated, context-sensitive climate and energy policies adaptable to a wide range of economic and institutional contexts.
Iran’s natural gas sector faces persistent imbalances that generate significant environmental consequences, including amplified carbon emissions and worsened air pollution. These imbalances are exacerbated by policy-driven price distortions and fossil fuel dependence, hindering environmental policy effectiveness. This study analyzes the environmental implications of Iran’s gas market dynamics using a Vector Autoregression (VAR) framework in first differences on time-series data from 1995 to 2024. The bounds cointegration test reveals no long-run equilibrium relationship, indicating that environmental and subsidy policies have only temporary short-run effects due to structural inertia and infrastructural constraints. Sanctions significantly worsen the gas market balance, with indirect negative environmental consequences. To align Iran’s energy sector with environmental policy goals, this paper proposes a sequenced framework: (1) prioritising infrastructure modernisation to reduce flaring and methane leakage; (2) replacing distortionary subsidies with targeted social protections while introducing carbon pricing; (3) implementing a renewable portfolio standard conditional on grid reliability; and (4) establishing an independent energy and environmental data agency. These recommendations aim to transform Iran’s fossil-fuel-dependent market to support environmental sustainability and climate commitments.
Given firms’ uncertainty regarding the timing and efficiency of future technological breakthroughs, firms tend to delay investment and demand higher returns to compensate for the associated risks. This concept is defined in the paper as technology-induced risk. From the perspective of green technologies, such risks are more pronounced, and firms are more sensitive to government green industrial policies. This study employs a Difference-in-Differences (DID) model and uses panel data of Chinese A-share listed companies from 2008 to 2023 to evaluate the impact of China’s Green Factory pilot policy on firms’ green-induced technology risk (GITR). The results indicate that the Green Factory pilot policy significantly reduces firms’ GITR. The mechanism analysis suggests that the policy achieves this effect by strengthening government green procurement, promoting substantive green innovation, and facilitating industry–university–research collaboration. Heterogeneity analysis reveals that the policy’s risk-reduction effects are more pronounced among firms with greater government environmental attention, higher levels of human capital, and fewer financing constraints. These findings offer valuable policy implications for both governments and enterprises aiming to foster the healthy development of green technologies and reduce GITR.
Qualitative information can potentially fill critical gaps in understanding historical and cultural factors and lived experience to inform environmental decisions. However, the role and use of qualitative information in environmental decision making are not well researched and to date few studies have been conducted that analyse the ways qualitative information is integrated in decision making. This literature review was conducted to identify studies on environmental decision making processes in the areas of air permitting, brownfields, superfund, aquatic restoration, and EPA chemical rulemaking, that included qualitative information search terms, in order to examine the role that qualitative information played in the decision. While a number of studies describe public comment processes, we found limited evidence for the use of other types of qualitative information, or about the ways information is collected, analysed or otherwise incorporated. Evidence linking the use of this information to the outcomes of decisions was also limited. Based on these results, we present a preliminary framework for the types of qualitative information that may be available in the context of environmental decision making, opportunities and methods for incorporating qualitative information, and other factors that affect how and whether this kind of information can influence decisions. Practical takeaways from this research can inform practitioners in environmental decision making settings as they advance and systematise methods for collecting and incorporating qualitative information into decisions. The results demonstrate the need for further research, particularly for improving the ability of environmental decisions to improve health and well-being, and developing strategies for the systematic integration of qualitative methods into environmental decision making processes.
Vulnerability assessment is central to understanding climate-related risks in Bangladesh. This review synthesised 67 quantitative and mixed-method studies published between 2010 and 2024 to map vulnerability types, their geographic focus, and methodological approaches. Results show that livelihood vulnerability was the most frequently studied topic, coastal areas, particularly Khulna district, received the most attention, and research output increased markedly after 2020. Methodologically, index-based assessments anchored in Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change dimensions (exposure, sensitivity, adaptive capacity) and cross-sectional household surveys dominated, while longitudinal and participatory approaches were rare. Important gaps were identified: physical and economic vulnerabilities were rarely examined as primary topics, several regions (e.g. Haor Basin, chars, floodplains, and northwest) remain underrepresented, and indicator sets and methods lack standardisation. To better inform adaptation, future research should prioritise standalone physical and economic vulnerability assessments, standardise indicators for comparability, expand funding and capacity to underrepresented regions, and promote longitudinal and participatory methods that link findings to actionable adaptation measures. Key implications include prioritising resources for physical/economic vulnerability analyses, targeting adaptation investments to under-researched regions, and integrating standardised, evidence-based vulnerability metrics into national adaptation planning.
The link between trade and emissions is multifaceted, extending beyond export–import balances. While prior studies emphasise emissions embodied in net exports, they often overlook those avoided through imports. Using input–output tables, this paper presents a unified accounting framework to measure emissions embodied in exports and those avoided by importing instead of producing domestically, highlighting spatial differences in production emissions. Results show that in 2021, exports accounted for 31% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) and 25% of particulate matter (PM2.5) emissions. Yet trade, by enabling high-intensity producers to import rather than produce, reduced global GHG emissions by up to 2.2% annually between 2004 and 2021. In contrast, trade increased PM2.5 emissions by up to 1%, as high-emission countries export to low-emission countries. These findings reveal trade’s uneven environmental impacts and underscore the need to consider spatial variations in emission intensity when evaluating its role in global mitigation efforts.
The southwest coastal region of Bangladesh is facing significant economic impacts due to climate change-initiated events, which are closely linked to the adaptive capacity of local households. However, there is a limited study, and this study therefore assessed the economic vulnerability of 300 households in the Koyra sub-district of Khulna (a southwest coastal region) and identified key indicators of adaptive capacity that influence this vulnerability. Data were collected through a household survey. Using a composite index, we found an overall economic vulnerability of 0.645 (which implies an overall moderate vulnerability), with around 84% of households experiencing moderate to high vulnerability. The ordered logistic regression revealed that factors such as female-headed households, poor health of the household head, presence of disabled or dependent members, lack of access to safety nets and financial services, and inability to grow crops were identified as significant determinants of economic vulnerability. The study suggests that collaboration between the community and government to implement essential economic and climate adaptation strategies could help reduce the vulnerability and increase the resilience of southwest coastal households in Bangladesh. Specifically, enhancing alternative livelihoods, expanding salinity-tolerant rice varieties, and implementing greater social safety nets are essential.
Accurate prediction of carbon allowance price movements is essential for informing environmental policy and strengthening market-based regulatory instruments. Sophisticated statistical and machine learning methods enable policymakers to calibrate carbon tax structures, improve the operational performance of emissions trading systems, and direct investment toward low-carbon initiatives with increased confidence. The present research analyses Chongqing’s emissions trading scheme (CQTS) in China — a pioneering instance among national carbon markets launched under the overarching decarbonisation agenda — and introduces a novel forecasting framework utilising Gaussian process regression (GPR) whose hyperparameters are determined through Bayesian inference. Through dynamic adaptation to latent market dynamics and unobserved structural changes, this approach responds more effectively to shifting trading patterns. The empirical analysis employs daily settlement data for Chongqing emission allowances from June 9, 2015 to March 23, 2021 — a period characterised by significant regulatory revisions, market maturational stages, and evolving participant behaviour as the scheme became incorporated into China’s national carbon pricing mechanism. Model assessment is conducted using an out-of-sample interval from January 22, 2020 through March 23, 2021, producing key performance indicators: a relative root-mean-square error (RRMSE) of 8.1950%, a root-mean-square error (RMSE) of 1.9930, a mean absolute error (MAE) of 1.5904, and a correlation coefficient (CC) of 97.146%. As far as we are aware, this constitutes the inaugural application of GPR within the context of Chinese carbon trading platforms. Beyond contributing to the theoretical discourse on price discovery in emerging emissions markets, the methodology offers a versatile analytical blueprint that may be readily extended to similar cap-andtrade frameworks globally.
This study examines the commitments made in the Conference of the Parties (COP) summits, COP 3 (Kyoto), COP 15 (Copenhagen), COP 21 (Paris), and COP 28 (Dubai). It critically investigates global climate initiatives concerning sustainability and environmental justice. While these summits have played a pivotal role in shaping international climate diplomacy, persistent gaps remain between pledges and their implementation — particularly in mobilising adequate financial and technical support for developing countries. Drawing on Political Ecology Theory and Environmental Justice Theory, the study examines how structural asymmetries and historical inequalities may continue to shape global climate governance. We highlight how, in some instances, well-intentioned environmental leadership may risk overlooking equity and inclusion, particularly when developing nations are expected to meet ambitious climate standards without proportionate support. At the same time, the paper acknowledges critical progress made through COP processes — such as the Paris Agreement’s recognition of common but differentiated responsibilities (CBDRs) and the establishment of the Loss and Damage Fund at COP 27 and COP 28. Policy recommendations include the institutionalisation of independent climate finance audits and the integration of justice-centred accountability frameworks into global climate policy. By situating contemporary climate negotiations within a historical and justice-based framework, the paper calls for more inclusive, transparent, and accountable COP mechanisms. This includes amplifying the voices and needs of those most vulnerable to climate change, particularly in the Global South.
This study explores the impact of climate risks on international trade facilitation across 83 countries, adopting a spatial perspective. Our findings reveal a significant negative relationship between climate risks and trade facilitation, with innovation capacity and economic freedom being two key channels driving this causality. Furthermore, the effects of climate risks on trade facilitation vary depending on the development level of the countries involved and their roles as importers or exporters. As geographic distance increases, the spatial effect on trade facilitation follows a distance-decay pattern. These results provide valuable insights into the complex interplay between trade patterns, climate policy coordination, and international cooperation, emphasising the need for integrated strategies to address climate risks in global trade systems.
Achieving carbon neutrality is crucial for mitigating the escalating global climate crisis and meeting international climate commitments. Developed countries have set ambitious targets for carbon neutrality by mid-century, aligning with the global effort to limit warming to 1.5[Formula: see text]C above pre-industrial levels, as stipulated in the Paris Agreement. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which form the backbone of developed economies and account for the majority of businesses, are pivotal in realising these climate objectives. While individual SMEs emit lower levels of carbon compared to large corporations, their collective contribution to national emissions is significant. This study investigates the critical role of SMEs in the transition towards carbon neutrality across developed nations. Through an in-depth bibliometric analysis, this research systematically maps the existing literature on SMEs and carbon neutrality, offering insights into key research trends, focal areas, prolific authors, leading journals, and collaborative networks. These insights illuminate how SMEs contribute to national and global carbon reduction efforts. Additionally, a systematic literature review, guided by the PRISMA framework, identifies the principal drivers and barriers influencing SMEs’ progress towards sustainability. Key drivers include regulatory pressure, market demand, cost efficiency, and leadership commitment, while significant barriers encompass financial constraints, knowledge gaps, supply chain complexity, and organisational inertia. The findings enrich the body of knowledge by highlighting the challenges and opportunities faced by SMEs in developed economies, emphasising the need for tailored policies and support mechanisms to enhance their capacity to reduce emissions and foster environmental stewardship.
This study comprehensively examines the impact of physical climate risk on credit loss rates globally. The novelty of this paper is that it uses various credit loss metrics that reflect both current and forward-looking risk, including the realised credit impairment rate, the realised loan impairment rate, the realised loan charge-off rate, and the forward-looking Merton-model credit loss rate. Climate risk is measured by the Climate Physical Risk Index (CPRI), which aggregates major climate-related hazards across countries. Using a sample of 75 countries from 2001 to 2023, we find that a 1% increase in the climate risk index is associated with a 0.17% (0.32%) increase in the charge-off rate (the forward–looking credit loss rate), while it does not affect impairment rates. Sectoral analysis shows notable increases in forward-looking loss rates for the energy and industrial sectors of about 0.32% and 0.44%, respectively, when facing heightened climate risk. Furthermore, we find that enhanced institutional quality mitigates climate risk effects in the industrial sector but not in the energy sector. These results underscore the necessity for strengthening institutional frameworks and implementing targeted policy reforms, such as climate adaptation funds, insurance mechanisms, and accelerated transitions to renewable energy, to address-sector-specific climate-related financial risks.
Corporate financial fraud poses a significant threat to sustainable development, particularly in countries transitioning from a planned economy to a globalised, market-based system, such as Vietnam. Taking the implementation of the resolution on Environmental Protection Tax (EPT) in 2019 as a quasi-natural experiment, the Difference-in-Differences (DID) method is employed to investigate the impact of Vietnamese EPT regulation on corporate financial fraud. The findings indicate that the resolution significantly reduces both the occurrence and frequency of fraudulent activities by up to 5.6%. Furthermore, the study highlights the critical role of information transparency in enhancing regulatory compliance and curbing unethical behaviour, as well as the positive influence of fintech in strengthening this effect. In addition, heterogeneity analysis shows that the EPT’s impact on inhibiting corporate financial misconduct is more pronounced among firms with lower levels of state ownership. Based on these results, the study offers strategic recommendations for businesses and policymakers, emphasizing the integration of information transparency and fintech to mitigate fraud, support ESG initiatives, and foster scalable, compliance-driven ecosystems. These insights are especially relevant for improving SME governance and advancing Vietnam’s sustainable development goals.
The environmental impact of government size is a complex issue, yet the pollutant-specific effects and the role of institutional factors remain underexplored. This study examines the impact of local government size on sulphur dioxide (SO 2 ) emissions and industrial wastewater discharge in Chinese prefecture-level cities, and the moderating role of fiscal transparency. The results reveal that larger local government size increases SO 2 emissions but reduces wastewater discharge. However, both effects are weakened by fiscal transparency. The findings suggest that local governments may strategically compromise on regulating SO 2 emissions to cope with intensified fiscal pressure from government expansion, while allocating increased governance resources to wastewater treatment to pursue political performance. This implies that policymakers should closely monitor such strategic shifts and prioritise establishing fiscal transparency to limit speculative behaviour and ensure that enhanced governance capacity ultimately serves the broader public interest.
Concrete waste is crucial to the environment, and its recycling is encouraged to minimise the environmental impacts. This study aims to examine various policies to achieve sustainable concrete waste recycling in Thailand. The system dynamics modelling approach is used to capture dynamic changes of the concrete waste recycling process and assess the environmental impacts of concrete waste from townhouse demolition and the recycling process in Bangkok, Thailand. The results show that the impacts of energy consumption and CO 2eq emission, which are global impacts, are the most severe and evident in the concrete waste transportation process, contributing to 40% of the total amount, which is expected to be 0.5 million kgoe and 1.1 million kgCO 2eq in the next 20 years. Increasing the truck capacity reduces energy consumption from fewer trips, resulting in less CO 2eq emission. Transferring to electric trucks for transportation and demolition robots for demolition may assist in reducing energy consumption and CO 2 emissions by 40% (about 0.2 million kgoe and 0.4 million kgCo 2eq reduced) compared with current practices. The results also revealed that concrete waste recycling can improve material and landfill savings impacts. Increasing the plant’s capacity increases material savings and reduces landfill consumption. The results provide guidelines for the construction industry, policy makers, and academics to support the national net-zero, energy efficiency, and waste management targets by considering dynamic changes rarely mentioned in previous studies.
