scholarly journals Understanding Hazardous Waste Exports for Disposal in Europe: A Contribution to Sustainable Development

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (16) ◽  
pp. 8905
Author(s):  
Carmen Callao ◽  
M. Pilar Latorre ◽  
Margarita Martinez-Núñez

The concept of sustainable development was introduced in Europe by the Treaty of Amsterdam (1997) and was extended to waste management in the Waste Framework Directive. In order to achieve sustainable development, hazardous waste (HW) must be managed safely and in accordance with regulations. This also applies to worldwide HW transport, especially when HW is shipped for disposal. The United Nations, through the Basel Convention, aims to prevent the export of HW from developed countries to developing countries for disposal. In Europe, HW shipments are regulated by Regulation (EC) No. 1013/2006 of the European Parliament and by the Council of 14 June 2006 on shipments of waste. Additionally, all HW shipments must be in accordance with two principles contained in the Waste Framework Directive: proximity and self-sufficiency. Using data from 2014 and network analysis methodology, this paper fills the gaps in the scientific literature by looking at how shipments of HW travel for disposal in Europe, how the regulations affect these shipments and how GDP per capita influences the shipment of waste. The results show that countries with a high GDP per capita play an important role in the network (having the highest in-degree) and that the absence of landfill taxes for HW does not influence HW shipments for disposal. Therefore, countries in the EU act in accordance with the proximity and self-sufficiency principles.

2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 513
Author(s):  
Nikola Petrović ◽  
Nebojša Bojović ◽  
Marijana Petrović ◽  
Vesna Jovanović

In view of the European Union as one of the main polluters in the word and the fact that GDP per capita in the European Union is equivalent to the 282 percent of the world`s average, it is interesting to study the relationship between transport GHG emissions and the economic activity within the European Union. In the paper, the authors check the environment Kuznets curve hypothesis for members of the EU over the period 2000-2014. The analysis results show that an inverse-U relationship exists between transport GHG emissions and GDP per capita. At the same time, the results indicate that the change of economic structure has influenced the transport GHG emissions in the developed countries, that is, in the countries that record a higher level of GDP per capita.


2020 ◽  
Vol 185 (9-10) ◽  
pp. 4-14
Author(s):  
Oleksandr Sushchenko ◽  
◽  
Ievgen Volkovskyi ◽  
Viktor Fedosov ◽  
Nadiya Ryazanova ◽  
...  

The concept of sustainable development brought new constraints for the old-fashioned business models. At the same time, it created new opportunities for those who have a forward-looking strategy and strive to overcome «the limits to growth», in other words, to ensure a long-term blended value creation with economic and non-economic benefits. There are numerous sets of the sustainable development indicators and indices, but the weights of each particular component are different and need further clarification. Nowadays, the environmental risks in general and climate-related in particular are priced (e.g. environmental taxes) and have a strong impact on the social and economic relations by creating negative and positive externalities for our daily life. For this reason, economic agents are forced to become sustainable to the non-financial risks through switching to the new environmental and social business models. For this reason, better sustainable development indicators are crucial for an improved management of the non-financial risks and sustainable blended value creation. Hence, the aim of this paper is to examine the role of environmental risks in shaping sustainable development conditions on the macrolevel and to elaborate the ways for a better management of the non-financial risks (Environmental, Social and Governance - ESG). For this purpose, the impact of the most important environmental risks on the main economic and social indicators has been examined (e.g. Human Development Index and GDP per capita). Such an approach allowed us to identify the extent to which specific environmental factors influencing social and economic development can reshape the sustainable development conditions. In course of research, two sets of countries have been singled out to verify statistical significance of elaborated models. To achieve this goal, the authors have split an available dataset into two groups: EU and non-EU countries. The reason behind it is the fact that EU countries are among the leaders in the area of sustainable development and have already undertaken related environmental improvements in the last decades. Moreover, the above-mentioned countries are continuing such successful pathways today and with the new European Green Deal could go even far beyond this frontier. The results of current research suggest that existing indicators cannot fully encompass all the aspects of sustainable development and should be revised. Such findings relate both to the composition of the indicators and the weights attributed to each particular component. The application of regression analysis showed that such factors as water and air quality and biodiversity have the strongest explanatory power - 67% of the fluctuations in GDP per capita and 87% in case of HDI. The R -squared is ranging from 0.7 to 0.8 in both cases and confirms consistency of the elaborated models. To verify the results achieved, the similar models have been prepared only for the EU countries. As a result, all independent variables demonstrated the same significant impact on GDP per capita also for the EU countries. However, in this case the R -squared is only 0.27 due to the fact that ESG indicators within the EU area are rather homogenous. The impact of environmental factors on the level of HDI for the EU countries is much stronger comparing to GDP per capita. An overall explanatory power of the model for the EU countries exceeds 0.45 (R -squared). The most influential factor is the quality of water resources. Other important independent variables in the model for the EU member states are biodiversity and air quality. The authors argue that it is necessary to incorporate the above-mentioned environmental factors into the updated version of the Human Development Index as the most appropriate indicators of sustainable development. Consequently, the weights of the components should be recalculated to improve management of the non-financial risks on macrolevel, facilitating the blended value creation process.


2008 ◽  
pp. 94-109 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Sorokin

The problem of the Russian economy’s growth rates is considered in the article in the context of Russia’s backwardness regarding GDP per capita in comparison with the developed countries. The author stresses the urgency of modernization of the real sector of the economy and the recovery of the country’s human capital. For reaching these goals short- or mid-term programs are not sufficient. Economic policy needs a long-term (15-20 years) strategy, otherwise Russia will be condemned to economic inertia and multiplying structural disproportions.


2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 44
Author(s):  
Alexander Baranovsky ◽  
Nataliia Tkachenko ◽  
Vladimer Glonti ◽  
Valentyna Levchenko ◽  
Kateryna Bogatyrova ◽  
...  

Traditionally, public procurement has been associated with the measurement of achieving savings. However, recent research shows that the economic impact of public procurement is not limited only to savings, but by measuring the impact of four capitals—natural, human, social, and economic—on sustainable well-being over time. Ukraine is a country with a very low gross domestic product (GDP) per capita, which exacerbates the problem of the impact of public procurement results on the population’s welfare. Ukrainian public procurement legislation allows customers to apply non-price criteria (the share of non-price criteria cannot be more than 70%), which, together, are taken into account in the formula of the quoted price. The studies show that the effect of the use of non-price criteria depends on the relevance of the method of the evaluation of non-price criteria. The most important non-price criteria for Ukrainian customers by product categories and the methods of their evaluation are analyzed according to the Bi.prozorro.org analytics module. Therefore, it is concluded that the quoted price method, which is used in Ukrainian practice, is not relevant in comparison with the method used in the EU. A survey of the government buyers on the practice of applying non-price criteria was conducted, and the areas of their use were identified.


2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 249-275
Author(s):  
Jake David Hoskins ◽  
Ryan Leick

Purpose This study aims to investigate a sharing economy context, where vacation rental units that are owned and operated by individuals throughout the world are rented out through a common website: vrbo.com. It is posited that gross domestic product (GDP) per capita, a common indicator of the level of economic development of a nation, will impact the likelihood that prospective travelers will choose to book accommodations in the sharing economy channel (vs traditional hotels). The role of online customer reviews in this process is investigated as well, building upon a significant body of extant research which shows their level of customer decision influence. Design/methodology/approach An empirical analysis is conducted using data from the website Vacation Rentals By Owner on 1,940 rental listings across 97 countries. Findings GDP per capita serves as risk deterrent to prospective travelers, making the sharing economy an acceptable alternative to traditional hotels for the average traveler. It is also found that the total number of online customer reviews (OCR volume) is a signal of popularity to prospective travelers, while the average star rating of those online customer reviews (OCR valence) is instead a signal of accommodation quality. Originality/value This study adds to a growing agenda of research investigating the effect of online customer reviews on consumer decisions, with a particularly focus on the burgeoning sharing economy. The findings help to explain when the sharing economy may serve as a stronger disruptive threat to incumbent offerings. It also provides the following key insights for managers: sharing economy rental units in developed nations are more successful in driving booking activity, managers should look to promote volume of online customer reviews and positive online customer reviews are particularly influential for sharing economy rental booking rates in less developed nations.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (14) ◽  
pp. 7650
Author(s):  
Astrida Miceikienė ◽  
Kristina Gesevičienė ◽  
Daiva Rimkuvienė

The reduction of GHG emissions is one of the priorities of the EU countries. The majority of studies show that financial support and environmental taxes are one of the most effective measures for the mitigation of the negative consequences of climate change. The EU countries employ different environmental support measures and environmental taxes to reduce GHG emissions. There is a shortage of new studies on these measures. The aim of the present study is to compare the effectiveness of the environmental support measures of the EU countries with the effectiveness of environmental taxes in relation to the reduction of GHG emissions. This study is characterized by the broad scope of its data analysis and its systematic approach to the EU’s environmental policy measures. An empirical study was performed for the EU countries with the aim of addressing this research problem and substantiating theoretical insights. A total of 27 EU member states from 2009 to 2018 were selected as research samples. The research is based on a cause-and-effect relationship, where the factors affecting environmental pollution (environmental taxes and subsidies) are the cause, and GHG emissions are the effect. Statistical research methods were used in the empirical study: descriptive statistics, the Shapiro–Wilk test, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), simple regression and cluster analysis. The results show that the older member countries of the EU, which had directed the financial measures of environmental policy towards a reduction in energy consumption, managed to achieve a greater reduction in GHG emissions compared to the countries which had not applied those measures. The Central and Eastern European countries are characterized by lower environmental taxes and lower expenditure allocated to environmental protection. The countries with a higher GDP per capita have greater GHG emissions that the countries with lower GDP per capita. This is associated with greater consumption, waste, and energy consumption. The study conducted gives rise to a discussion regarding data sufficiency in the assessment and forecasting of GHG emissions and their environmental consequences.


2012 ◽  
Vol 59 (3) ◽  
pp. 293-310 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gordan Stojic

There are several divisions of countries and regions in the world. Besides geo-political divisions, there also are economic divisions. The most common economic division is the that on developed countries and the poor ones. These divisions are a consequence of the level of: GDP, GDP per capita, unemployment rate, industrial growth, and so on. The question is how to define a mathematical model based on which the following will be assessed: who is rich and who is poor, or who is economically developed and who is not? How the boundaries of transition from one category to another can be defined? This paper presents a model for evaluating the level of economic development of countries and regions using "fuzzy" logic. The model was tested on a sample of 19 EU member countries and aspirants for membership.


2021 ◽  
Vol 36 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
A Lass ◽  
G Lass

Abstract Study question Are there any correlations between a country’s wealth determined by GDP per capita and its total fertility rate (TFR) and utilisation of ART in Europe? Summary answer There is strong correlation across Europe between GDP and utilisation of ART. This correlation does not exist when only investigating the European Economic Area (EEA) What is known already The number of documented ART cycles has increased significantly from 203,893 cycles in 1997 (first European report) to 918,159 in 2016. During the same period, growth was observed in European GDP and, to a lesser extent, TFR following a significant and prolonged decline. Global data suggest that utilisation rate is higher in developed countries, speculated to be due to either generous reimbursement systems or higher affordability for patients paying out of pocket. This study analysed for the first time the relationships between national GDP, TFR and utilisation in Europe both as a whole, and specifically the more affluent EEA Study design, size, duration This study was an analysis of publicly available primary international reports: total cycles in the European IVF-monitoring Consortium (EIM) and TFR, GDP and population size from the World Bank indicators (https://data.worldbank.org/indicator). The period studied ranged from the first EIM report for 1997 (published in 1999) to the 20th report for 2016 (published in 2020). Participants/materials, setting, methods TFR was described as births per women (BPW) and country wealth was presented as GDP per capita in US Dollars. Utilisation rate was defined as the total national number of cycles (fresh IVF and ICSI, and frozen embryo transfer) divided per population, and presented as cycles per million (CPM). When utilisation was not reported, total cycles were projected by proportional calculation. Pearson Correlations were calculated using Sigmaplot for utilisation, GDP and TFR in 2016 Main results and the role of chance Forty countries were included in the EIM report for 2016, of which 18 reported in full. The median utilisation rate was 1280 CPM (range 162 - 3,156) and median TFR was 1.6 BPW (range 1.26 - 2.73); only one country, Kazakhstan, had a TFR above the natural fertility replacement level of 2.1 BPW. Mean GDP was $31604 per capita (range $10,610 - $110,650). There was no correlation between TFR and utilisation or between TFR and GDP, however there was a significant positive correlation between GDP and CPM (correlation coefficient = 0.428; P = 0.00661). Compared to Europe as a whole, analysis of only the EEA countries – EU member states plus Norway, Iceland, and Switzerland – revealed a similar median TFR (1.59), but a 27% increase in the utilisation rate to 1629 CPM (range: 317 – 3157) and 24% rise in GDP per capita to $39,300 (range: $19,885- $110,650). For the EEA, no significant correlations were observed, including between GDP and utilisation (correlation coefficient = 0.131; P = 0.507). Additionally, there was no significant correlation between TFR and GDP in the EU for the period of 1997 – 2016. Limitations, reasons for caution The data is a snapshot of a single year, but we observed similar outcomes in previous years. Projection calculation of utilisation in partially reporting countries may cause bias, however, with a reporting level of 92% (1347 of 1467 clinics), this bias is probably very limited. Wider implications of the findings: Findings of this study confirm that there are strong disparities in the availability of ART even in Europe. This difference does not exist in the more affluent countries in Europe suggesting that the reason for lower utilisation in lower-income countries being reduced affordability. Trial registration number NA


Author(s):  
Andrea Molocchi

- The relation describes the European strategy on energy and climate under the UNFCCC process for the post Kyoto period (after 2012), by which on march 2007 the EU Council adopted general targets at 2020 for a 20%/30% emission reduction, 20% renewables and 20% energy saving. Furthermore it highlights the main features of the legislative proposals published by the European Commission (EC) to implement the strategy on the 23rd January 2008, soon after the Bali COP13 (so called "energy and climate package"). The package contains proposals to implement the 20% emission reduction through EU level defined caps in the ETS sectors and by national targets differentiation in the non-ETS sectors (respectively under the "ETS revision directive" and "Effort Sharing Decision") and a further directive proposal to implement the 20% target for renewables through national target differentiation as well. The burden sharing criteria applied by EC in the energy package proposals are based on GDP per capita and they do not consider any environmental efficiency criteria, such as carbon intensity or potential for renewable sources based on land availability. As the Impact Assessment produced by the Commission itself shows, the way the "solidariety criteria" has been applied produced estimated costs on GDP highly differentiated between Member States and non-coherent with the GDP per capita distribution. Nevertheless, these burden sharings have not been timely corrected by the EC to bring optimisation with GDP per capita rankings in the UE. In addition, the EC package does not contain legislative proposals aimed to implement the 20% energy saving target. Recent disclosure of information by EC consultants (NTUA - Primes Model) shows that the implicit energy saving potential of the proposed package is limited to 7%, thus far away from the announced 20%. Due to these lackings, the EC package and related burden sharings may not be considered coherent to the EU Council spring 2007 mandate. European Parliament or Council emendments aimed at a higher efficiency and fairness for the whole package are deemed necessary by the author, even if politically difficult to be introduced.Key words: Energy & climate package, GHGs, energy efficiency, renewable sources, European policy.


Author(s):  
Everson J. Peters

A sustainable development path is critical to most small island developing states, which are often environmentally fragile and have little natural resources. For decades, the small Grenadine islands in the Eastern Caribbean have depended on rainwater harvesting (RWH) for water supply. The RWH systems have improved from the use of household drums and communal cisterns to individual cisterns such that water per capita use at some households is at a similar level to that of developed countries. This improvement was brought about through self-financed projects and the use of local construction know-how. A small project to promote RWH in Green St. Vincent was reviewed to procure an appreciation of the diffusion process. The RWH experiences in these islands as they relate to quality, design, and cost can be relevant to the regional efforts of promoting RWH. The chapter proposes a framework for enhancing the promotion of RWH. The chapter recognizes the importance of RWH in disaster management in the islands.


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