scholarly journals Race to the Bottom (of the Well): Groundwater in an Agricultural Production Treadmill

2018 ◽  
Vol 66 (3) ◽  
pp. 392-410 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew R Sanderson ◽  
Vivian Hughes
Keyword(s):  
Agricultural Production ◽  
Structural Model ◽  
Ecological Modernization ◽  
Groundwater Depletion ◽  
High Plains ◽  
Water Efficiency ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
Treadmill Of Production ◽  
Technological Modernization ◽  
Irrigation Technologies

Abstract Groundwater from the Ogallala-High Plains Aquifer supports one of the most productive agriculture regions in the world. Yet, despite nearly 40 years of policies designed to conserve and sustain this vital resource, the Aquifer continues to be depleted at an unsustainable rate. We integrate propositions from treadmill of production theory and ecological modernization theory to develop a structural model, focusing especially on the role of technological modernization as a key mechanism motivating depletion. A time-sequenced path analysis of all counties in the Ogallala Aquifer region reveals that groundwater depletion has a strong internal momentum characteristic of an agricultural production treadmill. Technological modernization promotes depletion through Jevon’s Paradox. Increases in water efficiency—more crop per drop—are associated with less groundwater consumption, but more extensive deployments of irrigation infrastructures overwhelm the beneficial effects of increased water efficiency. An income-subsidy mechanism supports the treadmill dynamic. Agricultural production and increased water efficiency do not influence incomes. Instead, incomes are influenced mainly by expansions of irrigation technologies, which generates subsidies, and this dynamic puts further “spin” on the treadmill. The implications of the findings for theory and policy are discussed.

Uneven Decoupling

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 410-427 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryan P. Thombs ◽  
Xiaorui Huang
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
Co2 Emissions ◽  
Ecological Modernization ◽  
Climate Mitigation ◽  
Data Limitations ◽  
Treadmill Of Production ◽  
Global North ◽  
Organization Of Production ◽  
Changes Over Time ◽  
Over Time

The macro-comparative decoupling literature has often sought to test the arguments made by the treadmill of production (TP) and ecological modernization (EM) theories. However, due to data limitations, these studies have been limited to analyzing the years after 1960. Given that both theories discuss historical processes operating before 1960, analyzing pre-1960 data is warranted to more comprehensively test the propositions made by both theories. We assess the long-term relationship between economic growth and CO2 emissions from 1870 to 2014 using a sample of global North nations. We use Prais-Winsten regression models with time interactions to assess whether, when, and how much CO2 emissions have decoupled from economic growth over time. We find that significant relative decoupling has occurred twice since 1870: during the last 30 years of the nineteenth century, the timing of which is contrary to what both the EM and TP theories might expect, and after 1970. We also observe that the relationship remained relatively stable from the turn of the twentieth century to approximately 1970, which aligns with the arguments made by the classical TP work. We conclude that shifts in the global organization of production have shaped the magnitude of the economic growth–CO2 emissions relationship and its changes over time, which has implications for climate mitigation policy.

Strategic Management as a Basis of Sustainable Development in Agricultural Production

2021 ◽  
Vol 27 (7) ◽  
pp. 523-529
Author(s):  
T. V. Simonyan ◽  
N. V. Shvydenko
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Strategic Management ◽  
Agricultural Production ◽  
Agricultural Sector ◽  
Structural Model ◽  
Innovation Policy ◽  
Cluster Structure ◽  
Industrial Complex ◽  
The Sustainable Development ◽  
Russian Economy

Aim. The presented study aims to substantiate a structural model for developing a sustainable development strategy in agricultural production, making allowance for changes in the level of impact of environmental factors.Tasks. The authors determine the reasons why the Russian agro-industrial complex (AIC) is lagging; identify the specific aspects of forming a strategy for the sustainable development of regional AICs; formulate urgent problems of sustainable development for the agri-food sector of the Russian economy at the federal, regional, and enterprise levels.Methods. This study uses a reasonable and objective approach to the problem of applying strategic management as a foundation for the sustainable development of agricultural production based on the knowledge of the laws of development of socio-ecological and economic systems and a study of multidirectional factors of the external and internal environment. The methodological basis for the sustainable development of agricultural production includes the concept of sustainable development as a priority at the macroeconomic level; strategy as a planning tool based on consistency with programs implemented at the federal, regional and municipal levels of public administration; methods and tools of strategic management at AIC enterprises.Results. The key aspects of the institutional-synergetic approach to the sustainable development of the AIC include the need to coordinate all factors by forming coherent goals not only among economic and financial institutions, but also for technopolises that combine scientific, industrial, financial, and entrepreneurial capital into one system cluster structure. The authors formulate the stages of implementing a strategy for the sustainable development of regional AICs, making it possible to come up with measures aimed at reorganizing the structure of the agricultural sector and to overcome the negative manifestations of crises in the Russian economy, thus minimizing their consequences.Conclusions. During the development of a strategy for the sustainable development of regional AICs, a multiplicative effect arises, making it possible to activate innovation policy and boost the development of other sectors of the economy, improving the population’s quality of life. When developing a strategy at the microeconomic level, it is necessary to make allowance for the specifics of the industry and the mission of a modern agro-industrial enterprise and to focus on solving problems formulated based on the trinity of goals of social, environmental, and economic long-term sustainable development.

scholarly journals Environmental Expertise as Group Belonging

2018 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 309-331 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rolf Lidskog ◽  
Göran Sundqvist
Keyword(s):  
Science And Technology Studies ◽  
Professional Socialization ◽  
Environmental Sociology ◽  
Social Recognition ◽  
Risk Society ◽  
Ecological Modernization ◽  
General View ◽  
Production Risk ◽  
Treadmill Of Production ◽  
Group Belonging

What is environmental expertise? The background to this question is that many scholars consider environmental expertise crucial for discovering, diagnosing, and solving environmental problems but do not discuss in any depth what constitutes expertise. By investigating the meaning and use of the concept of expertise in three general theories within environmental sociology—the treadmill of production, risk society, and ecological modernization— and findings from science and technology studies (STS), this article develops a sociological understanding of environmental expertise: what it is and how it is acquired. Environmental expertise is namely about group belonging and professional socialization around specialized skills; that is, it concerns both substantial competence and social recognition. The implications of this general view on expertise are then used to enrich theories in environmental sociology.

scholarly journals Growing farms and groundwater depletion in the Kansas High Plains

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yufei Z. Ao ◽  
Nathan P. Hendricks ◽  
Landon T. Marston
Keyword(s):  
Groundwater Depletion ◽  
High Plains

World trends in agricultural engineering and the direction of technical and technological modernization of crop production in the Republic of Belarus

2020 ◽  
pp. 22-39
Author(s):  
I. L. Kovalev
Keyword(s):  
Agricultural Production ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Agricultural Sector ◽  
Global Trends ◽  
Agricultural Engineering ◽  
The Past ◽  
Current State ◽  
Technological Modernization ◽  
The Republic ◽  
State Programs

Some basic directions in the global development of agricultural machinery and global trends in the dig-ital transformation of agriculture are reviewed and identified based on analysis of reports and articles by well-known expert organizations in this field. The analysis of the technical re-equipment of the Belarusian crop production over the past decade has been carried out, the directions of digitalization of agricultural production of the republic identified by the current State programs in the agricultural sector and Decree of the President of the Republic of Belarus No. 8 "On the Development of the Digital Economy" have been determined.

World trends in agricultural engineering and the direction of technical and technological modernization of crop production in the republic of Belarus

2020 ◽  
pp. 28-44
Author(s):  
I.L. Kovalev
Keyword(s):  
Agricultural Production ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Agricultural Sector ◽  
Global Trends ◽  
Agricultural Engineering ◽  
The Past ◽  
Current State ◽  
Technological Modernization ◽  
The Republic ◽  
State Programs

Some basic directions in the global development of agricultural machinery and global trends in the digital transformation of agriculture are reviewed and identified based on analysis of reports and articles by well-known expert organizations in this field. The analysis of the technical re-equipment of the Belarusian crop production over the past decade has been carried out, the directions of digitalization of agricultural production of the republic identified by the current State programs in the agricultural sector and Decree of the President of the Republic of Belarus No. 8 “On the Development of the Digital Economy” have been determined.

scholarly journals High Plains Aquifer–State of Affairs of Irrigated Agriculture and Role of Irrigation in the Sustainability Paradigm

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (9) ◽  
pp. 3714 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ali Ajaz ◽  
Sumon Datta ◽  
Scott Stoodley
Keyword(s):  
Irrigation Management ◽  
Irrigation Scheduling ◽  
Irrigated Agriculture ◽  
Groundwater Depletion ◽  
High Plains ◽  
High Plains Aquifer ◽  
Soil Moisture Sensors ◽  
Pumping Rates ◽  
Subsurface Drip ◽  
State Of Affairs

Groundwater depletion is a serious issue in the southern and central parts of the High Plains Aquifer (HPA), USA. A considerable imbalance exists between the recharge process and groundwater extractions in these areas, which threatens the long-term sustainability of the aquifer. Irrigated agriculture has a major share in the economy, and it requires high pumping rates in regions vulnerable to large groundwater level declines. A literature review has been conducted to understand the state of affairs of irrigated agriculture in the HPA, along with the dynamics of groundwater decline and recharge using statistical and remote-sensing based datasets. Also, three irrigation management and technology-based approaches have been discussed from the perspective of sustainability. The southern and central parts of the HPA consist mostly of non-renewable groundwater formations, and the natural water storage is prone to exhaustion. Moreover, the aforementioned regions have comparatively higher crop water requirement due to the climate, and irrigating crops in these regions puts stringent pressure on the aquifer. The upper threshold of irrigation application efficiency (IAE) is high in the HPA, and could reach up to 95%; however, considerable room for improvement in irrigation water management exists. In general, the practices of irrigation scheduling used in the HPA are conventional and a small proportion of growers use modern methods to decide about irrigation timing. Among numerous ways to promote sustainable groundwater use in the HPA, deficit irrigation, use of soil moisture sensors, and subsurface drip irrigation can be considered as potential ways to attain higher lifespans in susceptible parts of the aquifer.

scholarly journals Ecological Modernization and the Global Economy

2002 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 92-115 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arthur P. J. Mol
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Effects ◽  
Research Agenda ◽  
Global Economy ◽  
Environmental Movement ◽  
Global Capitalism ◽  
Ecological Modernization ◽  
The World ◽  
Treadmill Of Production ◽  
Countervailing Powers ◽  
Environmental Reform

This paper explores what an ecological modernization perspective has to offer in an era marked by globalization. Globalization processes and dynamics are mostly seen as detrimental to the environment. The point that an ecological modernization perspective puts on the research agenda is that, although global capitalism has not been beaten and continues to show its devastating environmental effects in all corners of the world, we are moving beyond the era of a global treadmill of production that only further degrades the environment. More or less powerful, reflexive, countervailing powers are beginning to move towards environmental reform. And these powers are no longer limited to a small environmental movement that only reacts to the constant undermining of society's sustenance base. In analyzing these countervailing forces, the paper also explores the consequences of globalization processes for ecological modernization ideas and perspectives.

scholarly journals Environmental Concern in a Capitalist Economy: Climate Change Perception Among U.S. Specialty-Crop Producers

2020 ◽  
pp. 108602661989754 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yetkin Borlu ◽  
Leland Glenna
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Natural Resource ◽  
Water Availability ◽  
Agricultural Sector ◽  
Environmental Concern ◽  
Ecological Modernization ◽  
Positive Role ◽  
Specialty Crop ◽  
Industrial Sectors ◽  
Treadmill Of Production

The agricultural sector offers a unique opportunity to examine the topic of climate change because agriculture is more susceptible to climate disruptions than many other industrial sectors. Based on the analysis of the survey data and in-depth interviews with specialty-crop producers in California, New York, Pennsylvania, and Washington, we test the capacity of ecological modernization and treadmill of production perspectives to explain how resource-intensive producers recognize water availability and climate change as threats to their operation’s economic viability. We find that producers in capitalist markets recognize natural resource problems; however, they fail to respond to climate change beyond natural resource problems. We also find that local markets play a positive role in raising environmental awareness of producers. Finally, our finding on the association between the perceptions of water availability and climate change goes beyond the treadmill of production dualism that only theorizes the impacts of economic factors on the environment.

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