Purpose Using the mission-oriented innovation policy system (MOIPS) for research and development (R&D) at the national level, this study explains how and when R&D spending on sustainable energy technologies drives the clean energy transition (CET). Design/methodology/approach The study utilises second-generation unit root tests, the Westerlund cointegration test, quantile-quantile plots, method-of-moments quantile regression, instrument-variable quantile regression, panel quantile regression and Dumitrescu and Hurlin panel causality analysis to test cause-and-effect and moderation models. Findings The empirical analysis shows that technology-related research and development spending significantly accelerate the CET across all quantiles. However, the constructive role of technology-related spending is more pronounced in lower quantiles than in higher ones. Moreover, moderation analysis reveals that economic globalisation (EGL) and artificial intelligence (AI) serve as boundary conditions that spur technological spending to achieve CET objectives. In addition, Dumitrescu and Hurlin’s panel causality analysis exhibits unidirectional causality from technological spending to CET. Originality/value This study contributes to methodological rigour, the literature and the context. First, it provides valuable findings on the heterogeneous impact of sustainable energy technological R&D spending on the CET by utilising second-generation method of moment quantile regression analysis to ensure methodological rigour. Second, the results offer insight into how heterogeneously EGL and AI moderate the relationship between sustainable energy technological R&D spending and the CET by linking the MOIPS framework, thereby advancing theoretical understanding. Third, this study has implications for policymakers, demonstrating that investing in sustainable energy technological R&D programs with the assistance of AI and EGL accelerates the CET, helping Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) nations meet the NetZero+ and United Nations Sustainable Development Goal(s).
Purpose This paper aims to examine how the relationship between geopolitical risk and renewable energy consumption varies across the conditional distribution. It also assesses renewable-energy innovation as a partial channel and energy-exporter status as a moderator. Design/methodology/approach This study uses an annual panel of 42 countries from 1990 to 2021. The empirical strategy combines two-way fixed effects, system generalized method of moments, method-of-moments quantile regression, cross-sectional augmented distributed lag, augmented mean group, and common correlated effects mean group estimators, complemented by cross-quantile tests, a bootstrap innovation-channel decomposition, and exporter-specific marginal effects. Findings Geopolitical risk is negatively associated with renewable energy consumption across all estimators, with a stronger association at the upper quantiles. It is positively associated with renewable-energy patenting, although patenting is negatively related to consumption from the middle quantiles onward. The bootstrap decomposition indicates a significant but limited indirect association, consistent with an innovation–deployment gap. Energy-exporter status partly cushions the negative association, but this buffer weakens at higher quantiles. Originality/value This research identifies significant distributional heterogeneity in the geopolitical-risk association, distinguishes technological response from renewable-energy use, and shows that the buffering role of energy-exporter status varies across quantiles.
Purpose This study aims to investigate how market orientation and technological orientation enable public sector organizations to achieve sustained competitive advantage, highlighting the mediating role of dynamic capabilities in highly competitive environments. Design/methodology/approach A structured questionnaire was administered to top and middle management personnel (n = 266) from diverse public organizations in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Structural equation modeling was used to test the proposed hypotheses. Findings The findings reveal that market orientation, technological orientation and dynamic capabilities significantly contribute to achieving sustained competitive advantage. Practical implications These findings have important implications for organizations operating in competitive environments, emphasizing the need for a nuanced approach to market orientation. Future research can delve deeper into the mechanisms at play and explore contextual factors to understand market orientation in dynamic business landscapes. Originality/value This study provides novel insights into the UAE public sector, highlighting its increasing economic significance and potential for regional technological leadership. It shows that market orientation, technological orientation and dynamic capabilities play a critical role in achieving sustained competitive advantage, offering a unique perspective on strategic capability development in public organizations.
Purpose Set within the context of sustainability-oriented financial markets, this study investigates the predictive power of financial, economic, and Environmental, Social, and Governance-related indicators, including investor sentiment indices, eco-friendly investment proxies, and cryptocurrencies, on West Texas Intermediate crude oil prices.Design/methodology/approach This study employed H2O AutoML to model the movements in the price of West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil using Generalized Linear Models, Gradient Boosting Machines, XGBoost, Deep Learning, and Stacked Ensembles. The model incorporates macroeconomic indicators, oil supply-demand data, and financial market indices, with data spanning from July 1, 2020, to May 1, 2025. Model performance was evaluated using root mean square error and mean absolute error. Feature contributions were evaluated using SHapely Additive exPlanations, partial dependence plots, and individual conditional expectation curves.Findings Across models, gold emerges as the most significant predictor, followed by the Green Bond Index, the ESG Index, and the S&P 500, underscoring the collaborative impact of conventional and sustainability-linked factors. The model demonstrates strong predictive performance (RMSE approximate to 0.76), while indicators such as the Financial Stress Index and the S&P Global Clean Energy Index also exhibit notable explanatory power. In contrast, sentiment and cryptocurrency variables show a relatively limited impact.Research limitations/implications This research underscores the crucial role of green finance indicators in energy market forecasting, suggesting that market participants and regulators should consider integrating both economic and environmental factors, particularly in the context of climate risks and global sustainability targets.Practical implications This research provides investors, analysts, and policymakers with critical financial and ESG drivers of oil markets, enhancing decision-making through transparent and reliable explainable AutoML tools.Originality/value This study makes a significant contribution to the integration of automated machine learning techniques with explainable AI tools. It examines the role of traditional financial factors, ESG, and sentiment-related factors in crude oil price forecasting.
Purpose This study systematically synthesises recent evidence on the implementation of climate-smart agriculture (CSA) in South Africa and its relationship with food security and climate response. It examines how CSA practices relate to the four dimensions of food security: availability, access, utilisation and stability, while assessing their documented contributions to climate adaptation, mitigation co-benefits and the factors constraining adoption.Design/methodology/approach The review followed the PRISMA 2020 (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines. Scopus, Google Scholar, ScienceDirect and institutional repositories were searched using database-specific combinations of terms relating to CSA, food security, climate change and South Africa. Eligible studies were published in English between 2018 and 2025 and examined CSA practices in South Africa in relation to food security and/or climate outcomes. Thirty studies were identified. Primary empirical studies constituted the main units of analysis, while review studies were used for contextual comparison. Data on CSA practices, research methods, geographical coverage and reported outcomes were analysed through thematic synthesis and descriptive mapping.Findings CSA implementation in South Africa is diverse, context-specific and uneven across provinces and farming systems. Common practices include crop diversification, conservation agriculture, organic soil management, water-saving interventions, agroforestry and integrated crop-livestock systems. These practices were associated with more stable yields, improved soil conditions, higher farm incomes, greater dietary diversity and stronger resilience to climate shocks. Adaptation evidence was more consistent than mitigation evidence, which was largely inferred from reduced synthetic inputs, improved soil carbon, nutrient recycling and ecosystem restoration. Adoption remained constrained by weak extension services, insecure land tenure, limited finance, labour and knowledge gaps, gender inequalities and youth disengagement.Research limitations/implications The evidence base is methodologically uneven, geographically concentrated and dominated by cross-sectional studies. Future research should employ longitudinal and robust impact-evaluation designs, standardise food-security and climate indicators, directly quantify mitigation outcomes and expand coverage in underrepresented provinces.Practical implications Scaling CSA requires decentralised extension services, context-specific training, improved access to finance and climate information, targeted support for women and young farmers, and stronger coordination across agricultural, land, food-security and climate-policy domains.Originality/value This study provides a South Africa-focused synthesis integrating CSA practice typologies, the four dimensions of food security, adaptation and mitigation evidence, and institutional barriers within a single analytical framework. It distinguishes well-supported benefits from more tentative claims and identifies the conditions necessary for equitable and sustainable CSA implementation.
Purpose This study examines the effects of metaverse responsiveness on team sensemaking capabilities in healthcare settings, which are increasingly driven by sustainable development goals.Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from 308 health professionals working in teams at health facilities in the United Arab Emirates. The research hypotheses were assessed using the bootstrap technique in SmartPLS 4.0.Findings The results indicated a positive and significant association between the responsiveness of interactivity of augmented reality (AR) and perceived informativeness (PI) with team sensemaking capabilities. In addition, the results significantly supported the mediating effect of knowledge management. On the other hand, the findings confirmed a significant and positive relationship between knowledge management capability and creation and team sensemaking. Furthermore, the results showed that knowledge management transfer, application, and storage were not appreciably related to team sensemaking.Research limitations/implications This study was based on cross-sectional data, which limited the ability to establish causal relationships between PI and diverse expertise management strategies. The study results provide valuable insights for organizations seeking to optimize their knowledge management strategies.Originality/value The findings of this study offer realistic implications for groups aiming to enhance their knowledge management processes through informativeness and interactivity to support sustainable development.
PurposeThis study addresses a literature gap by quantitatively mapping and visually synthesizing the research in the intersection of strategic management, firm performance and sustainability. It aims to investigate the intellectual structure and thematic evolution of this interdisciplinary domain. Design/methodology/approachThis study uses data from the Web of Science Core Collection and has applied VOSviewer to analyze co-authorship, co-citation, bibliographic coupling and keyword co-occurrence networks. FindingsThe results show an upward trend in scientific output since 2010, particularly after 2018, aligning with the global agenda on sustainable development. Strategic governance, sustainable innovation, ESG indicators and digital transformation are the main topics. The findings also highlight mainstream theoretical frameworks, such as the resource-based view, stakeholder theory and dynamic capabilities, but with limited integration. Originality/valueThis study contributes to the rapidly growing literature by providing a systematic, visual account of the field's dynamics, identifying leading authors, journals, research institutions and emerging themes. Therefore, it offers core areas of interest for researchers willing to further develop this area, and for practitioners and policymakers to use strategically to support or align with the sustainable development goals.
Purpose The study aims to explore the roles of Quadruple Helix (QH) stakeholders in promoting circular economy innovation (CEI) and their drivers to foster the circular economy (CE). Design/methodology/approach The systematic review was conducted using systematic searches by using Scopus and Web of Science databases to identify and classify the key drivers of CE innovation and the role of QH stakeholders, as outlined in interdisciplinary journal articles. The authors conducted a deductive systematic literature review (SLR) of 100 shortlisted articles on CEI. Findings The study identifies six interdependent categories of drivers, of which collaboration and knowledge sharing, organisational and economic drivers act as transversal enablers that shape the functioning and effectiveness of other drivers, highlighting the systemic nature of CEI. The results highlight the significance of integrated stakeholder action, showing that collaboration is not only an independent driver but also a prerequisite for other drivers to have a significant impact. Practical implications The study provides guidelines for policymakers, the government and environmental stakeholders to develop platforms that encourage individuals to achieve CE goals and invest heavily in digital innovation, collaborative networks and CE transitions. Originality/value The present study is the first of its kind to investigate the key drivers enabling CEI and examine the role of QH stakeholders – government, industry, academia and civil society – in fostering effective collaboration to accelerate CE innovation.
Purpose This study examines how lean management concepts might help production industries achieve sustainability goals as sustainability becomes a strategic necessity. This review aims to show how the manufacturing sector's sustainability goals are supported by the application of lean management concepts. Design/methodology/approach This study employs a systematic literature review (SLR) methodology, consolidating 63 peer-reviewed articles from the period 2010–2025. The review is protocol-driven utilizing Scopus-based keyword searching, predetermined inclusion and exclusion criterion, and thematic coding of extracted data. Studies were analyzed according to variables such as lean tools, sustainability dimensions, geography and reported outcomes. Findings The review identified seven thematic clusters of lean-sustainability integration: classical tool application for operational efficiency, digital and Industry 4.0 alignment, green/environmental initiatives, supply chain integration, strategic and organizational barriers, social outcomes, system-wide triple bottom line outcomes. Among the 63 studies, 57% addressed all three dimensions of the triple bottom line, 41% of studies addressed only one or two Sustainability dimensions. While social implications were the least addressed and showed the most variability, most research found favorable economic results, followed by environmental advantages. A thorough review of an outlier analysis (2%) was indicated with a significance of context, implementation quality and strategic alignment. Specific Lean Tool effect analysis revealed a significant relationship between 5S and the social dimension; Value Stream Mapping and the environmental dimension; and Total Productive Maintenance and the economic dimension and major gaps such as poor empirical evidence and the lack of emphasis on social sustainability. Originality/value This review contributes comprehensively through an integrated synthesis of contemporary research on lean-sustainability integration in manufacturing. It offers insights into both opportunities and challenges of current work and assists researchers, practitioners and policymakers in developing more context-aware and balanced sustainable operations frameworks. It also extends prior literature through the development of tool-specific insights, theoretical grounding and critical analysis of contradictory evidence; elements often underdeveloped in prior systematic reviews.
Purpose Inclusive housing policies may mitigate consumption downgrading via housing wealth, yet their actual efficacy and alignment with low-carbon development goals warrant further validation.Design/methodology/approach Herein, China's "Suggestions on Adjusting Housing Supply Structure to Stabilize Housing Prices" (commonly referred to as "National Article Six," NAS) is selected as an exogenous policy shock. A Bunching model is employed to identify the intention-to-treat effects of housing wealth growth on household consumption behavior and household consumption-based carbon emissions (HCCE).Findings (1) Due to real estate speculation, the NAS policy generated no significant bunching in housing purchases before 2018, yet it effectively boosted housing wealth after 2018. (2) The resulting consumption-stimulating effects were concentrated merely in two categories - dressing and education, as well as entertainment and culture. Correspondingly, their HCCE increased by 4.7 and 4.4%, accounting for 0.11 and 0.05% of China's total carbon emissions, respectively.Originality/value Existing literature on the impact of housing wealth on consumption remains contentious, with debates centering on the wealth effects versus the mortgage slave effect. To this end, a more extensive body of evidence is hereby proposed, incorporating housing supply structure and HCCE into the research framework. By decomposing the impact into specific consumption categories, the research provides evidence for refining housing policies to promote consumption while balancing low-carbon development goals.
Purpose This study explores the dynamic connectedness among geopolitical risk (GPR), crude oil market volatility (OVX), investor attention (IA), and major agricultural, livestock and metal commodity markets.Design/methodology/approach Employing the quantile-frequency connectedness framework developed by Chatziantoniou et al. (2022), we examine how the interrelationships among these variables evolve across market conditions -ranging from normal to extreme- and across various investment horizons, from short to long-term. In contrast to traditional methods that focus solely on either quantile or frequency domains, our approach captures the dual dimensions of financial contagion. The sample period spans from January 2020 to June 2024, which encompasses the Russian-Ukrainian and the Israeli-Palestinian conflicts.Findings The connectedness analysis reveals several noteworthy findings. First, extreme quantiles display substantially higher total connectedness compared to the median quantile. Furthermore, the results highlight a pronounced asymmetry in connectedness, with spillover effects being more pronounced in the extreme upper quantile than in the extreme lower quantile. Second, under normal and bearish market conditions, short-term connectedness tends to dominate, whereas bullish markets are characterized by stronger long-term spillovers.Originality/value The manuscript offers a novel contribution by jointly exploring the connectedness between geopolitical risk, crude oil volatility, investor attention, and commodity markets using the advanced quantile-frequency connectedness approach of Chatziantoniou et al. (2022). This dual-dimensional framework, applied to two major recent conflicts (Russia-Ukraine and Israel-Palestine), adds originality, especially in capturing both the economic and psychological dimensions of market reactions across varying time horizons and market regimes.
Purpose This study examines how green artificial intelligence capability influences circular economy practices, green innovation strategy, and green innovation culture, and how these factors collectively enhance sustainable performance in manufacturing firms. It further explores how the alignment and imbalance between green innovation strategy and green innovation culture shape sustainability outcomes.Design/methodology/approach Survey data from 211 Vietnamese manufacturing firms were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling and response surface analysis to test the individual and interaction effects among variables.Findings Results reveal that green artificial intelligence capability significantly improves circular economy practices, green innovation strategy, and green innovation culture, highlighting its strategic role in green transformation. Circular economy practices indirectly enhance sustainable performance through innovation-oriented mechanisms rather than through direct effects. Furthermore, firms achieve the highest sustainability outcomes when green innovation strategy and green innovation culture are both high and aligned.Originality/value This research integrates digital, strategic, and cultural dimensions within a unified model, advancing the Dynamic Capabilities Theory and Natural Resource-Based View by explaining how AI-driven and innovation-based capabilities jointly foster sustainability. It offers practical guidance for managers and policymakers in emerging economies on aligning technological, strategic, and cultural enablers to accelerate green transformation.
Purpose Carbon-intensive growth in developing economies raises concerns about whether human capital development alone can meet climate targets. This study examines the mediating role of institutional quality in the relationship between human capital and research (HCR), business sophistication (BS), creative output (CO), and total greenhouse gas emissions (THE).Design/methodology/approach Using an augmented STIRPAT model with panel data from 91 developing countries (2011-2022), the study incorporates indicators from the World Development Indicators (WDI) and the Global Innovation Index. The analysis accounts for cross-sectional dependence and employs the CIPS unit root test and Westerlund cointegration test. Estimation techniques include Driscoll-Kraay standard errors, Method of Moments Quantile Regression, and Sobel mediation analysis.Findings Human capital and research contribute to higher emissions, especially in high-emitting economies. Meaning skills and knowledge currently support carbon-intensive growth. Business sophistication reduces emissions in less industrialised countries but raises them where production is already energy-intensive. Also, creative output has a modest effect in high-emission countries. Institutions consistently reduce emissions at all quantiles. The mediation analyses revealed that institutions counteract the environmental costs of business sophistication, underscoring their importance in directing innovation toward cleaner outcomes. The findings suggest that green skills development and business innovation must be aligned with institutional reforms to effectively decouple growth from carbon emissions, thereby advancing SDGs 4, 9, 12, and 13 across the Global South.Originality/value The study explores three different facets of human capital and highlights the distributional and mediating effects of innovation-related variables, positioning governance as the pivotal factor in greening economic upgrading. Theoretically, it extends the STIRPAT framework and Ecological Modernisation Theory (EMT). The study demonstrates that sustainability gains specifically from a creative and knowledge-based economy is institution-contingent and heterogeneously distributed across economies. It is recommended that policy interventions should prioritise investments in creative hubs that drive local ecological innovations, promote sustainable media ecosystems, and empower community-led technological solutions. Also, where digital industries and consumption are high, export credit guarantees and intellectual property protections could support the growth of low-emission creative sectors. These strategies align with the consistent positive impact of creative output on sustainability observed across all levels of analysis.
Purpose Biochar (BC), a high-carbon substance produced by thermally treating biomass, has emerged as a desirable, sustainable adsorbent for environmental clean-up, particularly for wastewater treatment. This review is an exhaustive survey of the literature, covering recent progress in biochar preparation, characterization and performance compared with traditional adsorbents such as activated carbon.Design/methodology/approach The structural and physicochemical properties of biochars, including pH, surface area, porosity and functional groups, which influence their capacity to adsorb pollutants, are given special attention. The discussion includes a sustainability evaluation via life cycle assessment (LCA) and carbon footprint analysis to demonstrate the potential for biochar systems to be carbon-negative and environmentally beneficial when produced from waste biomass.Findings Additionally, the study focuses on how BC can be recycled and regenerated across various treatment cycles, thereby increasing its lifespan. Cost-benefit analysis is used to assess the economic scalability of BC filters, especially in rural communities. Lastly, the possibility of incorporating BC into decentralized wastewater treatment units in off-grid, resource-constrained communities is described.Originality/value In general, this research highlights the triple role of BC in pollution removal, climate change mitigation and sustainable sanitation, making it a promising tool for the circular economy and rural environmental governance.
Purpose This study evaluates the economic and environmental impacts of electric vehicle adoption in Chile, examining how different policy scenarios could influence battery electric vehicle market penetration, energy demand, emissions and consumer costs through 2050. The research addresses the critical need to understand the viability of electromobility in an emerging market with unique characteristics, including abundant lithium resources and a renewable-dominated energy matrix.Design/methodology/approach Three scenarios (sustainable, conservative and non-sustainable) for 2025-2050 were developed using machine learning models (Extreme Gradient Boosting regression and ExtraTrees) and international subsidy frameworks adapted to Chilean conditions, with Gross Domestic Product-adjusted factors. The methodology integrates vehicle demand projections, energy consumption calculations accounting for Chile's cold climate heating requirements, emissions analysis considering the national energy mix and lithium extraction impacts, and cost assessments for consumers.Findings Aggressive policy intervention (25% purchase subsidies and expanded charging infrastructure) could achieve 100% battery electric vehicle sales by 2035, reducing transportation carbon dioxide emissions by 28%. Chile's renewable-dominated grid can support full electrification with only 4% of national generation capacity. Despite a 25% energy penalty from heating in cold climates, conventional vehicles produce 184% higher emissions than battery electric vehicles and annual costs are 18% lower under supportive policies.Originality/value This represents the first systemic scenario-based electric vehicle adoption analysis specifically adapted to Chilean conditions, quantifying the impact of cold climate on electric vehicle efficiency and developing an integrated modelling approach for policy impact assessment in emerging markets with renewable energy advantages.
Purpose This study investigates the direct and interrelated impacts of Industry 5.0 pillars - Sustainability, Resilience, and Human-centricity - on three integral E-waste mitigation drivers: Collection and Recycling; Segregation and Repurposing; Generation Reduction and Material Recovery. Additionally, the moderating effect of Environmental Policy Stringency is explored.Design/methodology/approach A mixed-methods approach combines Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) and Necessary Condition Analysis (NCA) on macro-level indicators from 113 countries with micro-level insights from a two-round Delphi, triangulating statistical evidence with practitioner judgement.Findings The PLS-SEM results reveal that Sustainability exerts the strongest influence on Generation Reduction and Material Recovery, while Resilience significantly enhances Collection and Recycling. Environmental Policy Stringency positively amplifies the relationships. Notably, Human-centricity shows a modest direct effect that becomes substantial under high Environmental Policy Stringency. Complementing that, NCA uncovers key necessity and sufficiency thresholds for each Industry 5.0 pillar. Finally, Delphi provides practical insights across five refined dimensions: Technological integration; Human-centric approaches; Sustainability and circular economy; Regulatory and policy framework; Stakeholder collaboration and knowledge sharing.Practical implications The findings guide decision-makers on prioritized thresholds for resource allocation and policy design to improve E-waste outcomes across different country archetypes. Also, practical Environmental Social Governance actions for E-waste stakeholders are elaborated.Originality/value This study advances literature on sustainable E waste management in Industry 5.0 era by developing an empirically grounded mixed methods framework that integrates macro level data with micro level expert insights.
PurposeThis study examines an emerging energy paradox in which large-scale renewable electricity expansion coexists with rising energy demand and uneven system-level decarbonization outcomes.Design/methodology/approachThe study adopts a comparative, system-level analytical approach, focusing on contrasting policy-led and market-led transition pathways in California and Texas. It analyzes renewable electricity growth, energy demand trajectories, carbon intensity, and system coordination to assess how institutional design conditions decarbonization outcomes.FindingsThe results show that policy-led and market-led systems can converge on similar levels of renewable electricity generation, yet diverge substantially in demand restraint, fossil fuel displacement, and infrastructure integration. Market-led pathways enable rapid renewable deployment but often coexist with rising demand and weaker system coordination, whereas policy-led pathways more effectively align renewable expansion with demand management and emissions reduction.Originality/valueBy moving beyond deployment metrics, this study highlights the limits of supply-side expansion alone and demonstrates how institutional design shapes the environmental effectiveness of renewable growth. The findings contribute to energy transition research by clarifying how similar renewable outcomes can produce divergent sustainability trajectories under different governance logics.
PurposeThis paper aims to examine the inter-links among remittances, renewable energy consumption (EC), non-renewable EC, financial development, carbon emissions and economic growth in Pakistan from 1991 to 2022. Design/methodology/approachJohansen cointegration test and the VECM Granger causality test are employed to scrutinize dynamic relationships among variables while fully modified OLS is used to estimate long-run variables. FindingsResults confirm a bidirectional causality between non-renewable EC and economic growth. Short-run estimates indicated that labor force, CO2e emissions and non-renewable EC drive growth, while economic growth drives capital formation. Most importantly, remittances and renewable energy positively affect long-run economic growth, underscoring their crucial role in advancing Pakistan's economic growth. Practical implicationsFindings call for expanding remittances. The Pakistani government should adopt appropriate measures to dedicate these funds to helpful activities with a view to boosting economic growth and people's well-being. Further renewable energy should be increased to stimulate economic growth. Originality/valuePrevious studies ignore multidimensional effects of disaggregated EC and remittances on economic growth. Given their inextricable link, this study aims to fill a gap in the literature.
Purpose-The present research aims to evaluate climate variability at a micro-regional level to aid agricultural planning in Pantnagar, Uttarakhand. With 58 years (1961-2018) of observational data, rainfall variability, mean maximum and minimum temperatures and rainy days were evaluated at an annual and seasonal level. Design/methodology/approach-Significant and drastic trends were evaluated using the Mann-Kendall test and Sen's slope estimator, respectively. Statistical downscaling was performed using multiple linear regression models calibrated with NCEP-NCAR reanalysis data and validated using historical station observations and calibrated with CanESM2 (CMIP5) GCM outputs under RCP4.5. Downscale projections from 2011 to 2100 were split into three-time intervals: 2020s, 2050s and 2080s. Findings-The analysis revealed that rainfall trends were generally insignificant, whereas the mean minimum temperature exhibited a systematic and significant upward trend across the seasons. The anticipated temperature increase presents probable threats to agricultural productivity and water supply. Originality/value-The present research emphasizes the significance of high-resolution projections of climate to ensure climate-resilient planning of agriculture in the Himalayan foothill area.
PurposeThe objective of this study is to measure the impact of environmental, social and governance (ESG) disclosure and green innovation initiatives on carbon emission efficiency (CEE) and firm valuation among companies operating in energy-intensive and heavy polluting industries. Design/methodology/approachThe sample comprised ESG reporting data disclosed to London Stock Exchange Group Asset 4 Database (previously Refinitiv). Our final sample included 326 companies and comprised 3,260 firm-year observations. Feasible generalised least squares (FGLS) and Driscoll–Kraay standard errors techniques were utilised. All analyses were conducted using Stata 17. FindingsThe results confirm that companies integrating ESG initiatives to business models enhanced their CEE. Green innovation initiatives did not have significant impact on CEE performance. On the contrary of ESG literature, the results suggest that ESG investments and green innovation initiatives have significant but negative impact on firm valuation. Overall, this study underlines the significant role of ESG investments in energy-intensive heavy polluting industries in enhancing CEE performance and reaching global carbon goals on a micro level; it further pinpoints the relevance for the construction of strategic regulatory adaptation of risk mitigation initiatives and financial incentives on an industry basis. Originality/valueThe results imply that the long-term nature of sustainability projects and high financial costs force companies to use external financial leverage which added to sector-specific mandatory governance requirements that act as a financial burden for companies operating in energy-intensive sectors prolonging the positive effect on the valuation of firms.
