Chile glacier protection legislation will move slowly

2020 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Environmental Protection ◽  
Economic Activity ◽  
Public Awareness ◽  
Mining Operations ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Prolonged Drought ◽  
Protection Legislation

Subject Glacier protection legislation in Chile. Significance A prolonged drought has heightened public awareness of the risks that climate change poses for Chile. However, a battle in Congress over glaciers illustrates the persistence of entrenched attitudes that view environmental protection and economic activity as inherently antagonistic. Impacts The government’s choice of the Mining Ministry to represent it in debating the bill suggests alignment with the mining lobby. The bill’s proponents will be up against the government’s powers to control the order of business in Congress. When covered with dust, as from mining operations, glaciers will melt more quickly because they cannot deflect the sun’s rays.

The signals of green governance on mitigation of climate change – evidence from Chinese firms

2015 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 154-171 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lopin Kuo ◽  
Hui-Cheng Yu ◽  
Bao-Guang Chang
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Environmental Protection ◽  
Steady Increase ◽  
Chinese Firms ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Carbon Reduction ◽  
Financing Cost ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Green Governance ◽  
Environmentally Sensitive

Purpose – This paper aims to examines whether Chinese firms’ signals of green governance, including environmental management, green innovation, and greenhouse gas (GHG) and pollution emission, vary significantly with their ownership structure and aim of being environmentally sensitive. Design/methodology/approach – From corporate social responsibility (CSR)-China website and CNINFO, a total of 781 CSR reports released during 2008-2010 were collected. The collected data were coded and analyzed using content analysis. Findings – In overall disclosure of environmental protection information (TotalEP), no significant difference existed between state-owned enterprises (SOEs) and privately owned enterprises (POEs). Chinese environmentally sensitive industries (ESIs) have a tendency to disclose significantly more information about their actions of environmental protection than their counterparts. Moreover, SOEs and ESIs scored higher than their counterparts on energy saving and carbon reduction and development of circular economy. A steady increase was also observed in the disclosure ratio for CO2 emission. During 2008-2010, SOEs and ESIs were relatively more committed to the disclosure of SO2 emission as compared to other emission items. Practical implications – Managers should disclose signals of green governance actively to avoid adverse selection caused by information asymmetry which further lower their financing cost. Originality/value – There is still a lack of evidence as to whether Chinese firms are implementing actions to slow down climate change. This paper endeavours to provide an insight into Chinese firms’ compliance with the green governance requirements of the Eleventh Five-Year Plan. The study hopes to fill the current gap in understanding the environmental behaviours of Chinese firms under pressure to alleviate climate change.

Measuring climate change on Twitter using Google’s algorithm: perception and events

2015 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 527-544 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmed Abdeen Hamed ◽  
Alexa A. Ayer ◽  
Eric M. Clark ◽  
Erin A. Irons ◽  
Grant T. Taylor ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Public Awareness ◽  
Ranking Algorithm ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Public ◽  
The Earth ◽  
Worldwide Population ◽  
Social Media Platforms ◽  
Earth Day

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to test the hypothesis of whether more complex and emergent hashtags can be sufficient pointers to climate change events. Human-induced climate change is one of this century’s greatest unbalancing forces to have affected our planet. Capturing the public awareness of climate change on Twitter has proven to be significant. In a previous research, it was demonstrated by the authors that public awareness is prominently expressed in the form of hashtags that uses more than one bigram (i.e. a climate change term). The research finding showed that this awareness is expressed by more complex terms (e.g. “climate change”). It was learned that the awareness was dominantly expressed using the hashtag: #ClimateChange. Design/methodology/approach – The methods demonstrated here use objective computational approaches [i.e. Google’s ranking algorithm and Information Retrieval measures (e.g. TFIDF)] to detect and rank the emerging events. Findings – The results shows a clear significant evidence for the events signaled using emergent hashtags and how globally influential they are. The research detected the Earth Day, 2015, which was signaled using the hashtag #EarthDay. Clearly, this is a day that is globally observed by the worldwide population. Originality/value – It was proven that these computational methods eliminate the subjectivity errors associated with humans and provide inexpensive solution for event detection on Twitter. Indeed, the approach used here can also be applicable to other types of event detections, beyond climate change, and surely applicable to other social media platforms that support the use of hashtags (e.g. Facebook). The paper explains, in great detail, the methods and all the numerous events detected.

Chile drought may prompt water management rethink

2015 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Water Management ◽  
Food Prices ◽  
Consumer Confidence ◽  
Southern Chile ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Mining Companies ◽  
Prolonged Drought ◽  
Almost All ◽  
The Impact

Subject The impact of the current drought on water management proposals. Significance Chile is divided as to whether a severe and prolonged drought that now extends to almost all the country is a result merely of the El Nino oscillation or also of climate change. However, it presages the latter's expected effects and has highlighted deficiencies in the management of water resources. Impacts Climate change forecasts suggest that rainfall in agricultural southern Chile could fall by 40% over the next 15 years. The drought's impact on food prices will hamper recovery of consumer confidence, currently at its lowest level since 2008-09. Conflicts over water use are likely to increase, particularly between farmers and mining companies in northern Chile.

Mining optimism may not be fulfilled in Peru

2017 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Foreign Investment ◽  
Mining Industry ◽  
Water Shortage ◽  
Mining Operations ◽  
Mining Sector ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Price Increases ◽  
Mining Investment ◽  
The Government

Subject Outlook for the mining sector. Significance Encouraged by this year’s price increases for most of Peru’s mineral exports, the government is seeking to push ahead with plans to attract much-needed foreign investment into the mining industry. This will involve politically contentious moves to deregulate some of the cumbersome procedures that affect investors. Impacts Next year’s growth target of 4% is probably over-optimistic. Social and environmental protests will add to the costs of mining investment in Peru. Once opposition has emerged to projects, it will prove difficult to reverse. Climate change will accentuate problems of water shortage for mining operations.

Attenuation of the effects of desertification through sustainable development of Great Green Wall in the Sahel of Africa

2017 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 279-289 ◽  
Author(s):  
Njidda Mamadu Gadzama
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Public Awareness ◽  
Global Environment Facility ◽  
Green Wall ◽  
Content Type ◽  
International Agencies ◽  
The People ◽  
Sand Dune Stabilization ◽  
Arid Agriculture ◽  
Collaborative Activities

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to develop the Great Green Wall (GGW) Project initially financed by the United Nation’s Global Environment Facility Trust Fund, is a Pan African proposal in greening the Sahel of Africa from West (Dakar) to the East (Djibouti). It aims at reducing poverty and soil degradation in this region, taking into account the effects of desertification and climate change on sustainability of livelihoods. Design/methodology/approach Several desertification attenuation projects in Nigeria are employing different methods for maximum benefits obtainable from the objectives of the particular projects. As noted above, however, the approach of GGW is to improve the alternative livelihoods of the people by their active participating in the implementation of the project. It is also noted that environmental impact assessment, community reconnaissance or needs assessments might be initial part of pre-project activities, thereby making the communities more aware and educated of the impending environmental problems. Findings Desertification has reached an alarming state in Nigeria. The frontline desert threatened States of Nigeria constitute 43 percent of the land mass of the country. With increased pressure of desertification, exacerbated by a period of prolonged drought of more than 20 years, climate change and human activities, it is becoming increasingly difficult to obtain sustainability in the management of the fragile lands and the region’s ecosystem. Strategic interventions in combating the problem of desertification in Nigeria have attenuated some of the detrimental social, economic and environmental impacts on the affected communities. Programmes and projects have strengthened the resilience of the people, participating in sand dune stabilization, the Great Green Wall Sahara Sahel Initiative, including shelterbelt developments. Government has sustained inputs in environmentally friendly agriculture and also encouraged synergetic collaborative activities with international and national NGOs, international agencies and local institutions. Originality/value These results/activities give evidence of the increased public awareness of environmental degradation due to desertification and climate change in Nigeria; the realization in environmental stabilization needs with ready participation of the communities for improved livelihoods in environmental activities and arid agriculture as supported by the National Great Green Wall (NAGGW) program of the country; resulting in internalization of these projects supporting livelihoods for sustainability in the Sahel of Nigeria.

Global and Brazilian Amazon pressures will rise

2020 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Environmental Policy ◽  
Environmental Protection ◽  
Climate Change Mitigation ◽  
Brazilian Amazon ◽  
Environmental Conservation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Foreign Governments ◽  
Domestic Companies ◽  
Change Mitigation

Significance In Amazonia, deforestation increased by 25% year-on-year in the first half of 2020. The situation has led large institutional investors, corporations and foreign governments to press Brazil to change its environmental policy. Domestic companies, including the country’s largest banks, have also increased calls for more environmental protection. Impacts Climate change mitigation internationally will be severely affected by fires in Amazonia. Environmental neglect will increasingly erode Brazil’s diplomatic influence. Lack of a clear commitment to environmental conservation in the coming years will undermine efforts to boost the economy.

How effective is government spending on environmental protection in a developing country?

2020 ◽  
Vol 47 (4) ◽  
pp. 789-803
Author(s):  
Saeed Moshiri ◽  
Arian Daneshmand
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Protection ◽  
Government Spending ◽  
Ecological Footprint ◽  
Time Series Data ◽  
Public Awareness ◽  
Institutional Quality ◽  
Empirical Literature ◽  
Series Data ◽  
Environmental Damage ◽  
Content Type

PurposeThe objective of this paper is twofold as follows: first, it explores the relationship between economic growth and the environment in the context of the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) in Iran, as a semi-industrialized and largest developing economy in the Middle East. Second, it investigates the effectiveness of government spending on environmental protection.Design/methodology/approachThe paper uses the ecological footprint data and an ARDL model to gauge the income and government spending effects on environmental improvement. This method avoids the problems associated with using the regression including a squared income.FindingsThe results find no evidence for a turning point in the income–pollution relationship and no significant impact of government spending on reducing footprint. We conjecture that the structure of the economy and the weak institutional quality may explain the results.Research limitations/implicationsThis includes limited time series data on institutional quality indices and their small variations over time.Practical implicationsCreating an environmental fund using the oil windfall and applying environmental tax/subsidies policies will help address increasing environmental challenges in energy-rich developing countries. Education and public awareness about environmental problems and their impacts on the standard of living are also nonexpensive but effective ways to increase citizen's engagement towards improving environment.Social implicationsThe EKC may take different forms in various countries depending on their economic structure and institution qualities.Originality/valueThe paper uses the ARDL method rather than a commonly used regression with a squared income to estimate the EKC. It also uses ecological footprint as a measure of environmental damage. Exploring government effectiveness in managing public good is also novel in the empirical literature.

scholarly journals Adult protection in Scotland in 1857 and in 2015: what have we learned?

2016 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 96-108 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Campbell
Keyword(s):  
At Risk ◽  
Public Awareness ◽  
Ecological Factors ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Annual Reports ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Recent Developments ◽  
Protection Legislation ◽  
Adult Protection

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to compare recent developments in adult protection legislation, policy and practice in Scotland in 2015 with the first attempts at protection of adults at risk of harm, in 1857-1862, with a particular focus on people with learning disabilities. Design/methodology/approach – The paper uses comparative historical research, drawing on primary archive material from 1857 to 1862 in the form of Annual Reports of the General Board of Commissioners in Lunacy for Scotland and associated papers. Findings – Growing public awareness of the extent of neglect and abuse, and the need for overarching legislation were common factors in the development of both the “The Lunacy Act” of 1857 and the Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Act of 2007. Both pieces of legislation also had the common aim of “asylum”, and shared some other objectives. Practical implications – Total prevention of abuse of vulnerable adults is an aspiration in law and in policy. There is an evidence base of effectiveness, however, in protecting adults at risk of harm from abuse. Some ecological factors recur as challenges to effective safeguarding activity. These include problems of definition, uncovering abuse, enforcing legislation, evaluating impact and protection of people who are not a risk of harm to others. Originality/value – This paper compares common themes and common challenges in two separate time periods to investigate what can be learned about the development of legislation and practice in adult protection.

Long Chile drought raises profile of climate impacts

2019 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Drinking Water ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Public Awareness ◽  
Climate Impacts ◽  
Energy Matrix ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Irrigation Projects ◽  
The Future ◽  
Impacts Of Climate Change

Subject Drought and agriculture. Significance In the last three months, emergency decrees prompted by lack of water have been issued in more than one-third of the country’s 16 regions as a result of the ten-year drought, which has worsened in 2019. The emergency decrees are focused on ensuring access to drinking water for people in rural areas, providing fodder and water for livestock, and implementing irrigation projects for small and medium-sized farms. Impacts Hydropower represents about 30% of Chile’s energy matrix but there is sufficient backup from other sources to avoid outages. The drought has raised public awareness on the future impacts of climate change on Chile. A warmer and drier future may lead to migration to the country’s south in the longer term.

Determinants of climate change disclosures in the Turkish banking industry

2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (3) ◽  
pp. 901-926 ◽  
Author(s):  
Merve Kılıç ◽  
Cemil Kuzey
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Regression Analysis ◽  
Financial Institutions ◽  
Banking Sector ◽  
Banking Industry ◽  
Public Awareness ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Business Practices ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Reporting Practices

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the extent of voluntary climate change disclosures in the Turkish banking industry and explore the factors explaining the extent of such disclosures.Design/methodology/approachThe research sample is based upon 24 banks that had been continuously operating in Turkey over the seven-year period from 2010 to 2016. The study uses a disclosure index to investigate the extent of voluntary climate change-related disclosures made in their annual and sustainability reports by banks. The study also investigates factors impacting the extent of disclosures by using multiple regression and fractional regression analysis.FindingsThe findings of the research reveal that while the number of banks providing voluntary information on their climate change-related practices substantially increased from 2010 to 2016, there remains a significant number of banks that have not incorporated climate change-related issues into their lending policies or corporate strategies. Further, with regard to the regression analysis, the study documents the significant and positive impacts of bank size, profitability, bank age and listing status upon the extent of the climate change disclosures, in line with political cost and legitimacy theory.Practical implicationsThe banking sector crucially impacts climate change indirectly, since banks provide financial backing to companies operating in environmentally sensitive industries. This paper presents empirical evidence of the factors impacting the extent of climate change disclosures by these banks, which might then be referred to by regulatory bodies when developing policies to promote environmentally responsible business practices within the banking industry.Social implicationsSeveral parties, which include governments, companies, financial institutions and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) must work together to fight climate change. In this sense, the NGOs and green activists have a crucial role in raising public awareness about climate change, which might then inspire financial institutions to incorporate climate change-related issues into their policies, operations and strategies.Originality/valueThe study extends the prior literature in two ways. This study has concentrated on environmental reporting practices in the banking sector which have been investigated in very few prior studies. Since prior research has focused on developed countries, this paper adds to the current literature by examining the environmental disclosure practices of commercial banks operating in Turkey, which is a rapidly developing country.

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