Reactive improvement of environmental policies: lessons from the Mariana and Brumadinho disasters

The State is not always able to proactively improve environmental policies. Eventually, policy improvements are a result of disasters that expose pre-existing problems. This situation is reflected in the state of Minas Gerais (Brazil), where, after the failures of the Fundão and B1 tailings dam, in Mariana and Brumadinho, several problems in dam safety and emergency policies were exposed. This study had a twofold objective: 1) to identify the mechanisms used by the government of Minas Gerais to improve environmental policies, and 2) to understand how the Mariana and Brumadinho’s disasters affected dam safety and emergency policies. Based on semi-structured interviews and regulatory analysis, the study revealed that the state government of Minas Gerais has been predominantly reactive in controlling environmental policies. Additionally, it was observed that the disasters catalysed a learning process that culminated in potentially better dam safety policies.

Green Management Policies for Corporate Success

The concept arising from the relationship between organization, society, and environment is green management. Ensuring sustainability by redesigning business processes is a fundamental activity based on constantly and rapidly changing environmental conditions in an open system with the effect of globalization. Thus, designing future organizations will strengthen by applying environmental policies. One of the conditions to achieve corporate success is green management policies. Putting green management policies into practice is essential and valuable for the future vision of an organization. The organization will set its corporate goals and subgoals in line with this vision. Moreover, the organization will be able to increase competitive capacity by standing out amongst the competitors in favor of performance arising from these policy implementations. This study, for this purpose, scrutinized the contributions of green management policies to the success of organizations.

Geodiversity, Geoconservation, and Geotourism in Central America

Central America is located in a dynamic region where tectonics and volcanism together with the tropical climate and its diverse vegetation have shaped the landscapes. Our main objective is to review the status of the geodiversity, geoconservation, and geotourism in Central America. We will identify the region’s geomorphic environments and geodiversity using classic regional geomorphology mapping techniques. Likewise, using touristic maps and webpages, we identify the most prominent geosites of different origin in Central America. Moreover, we will explore the national environmental policies, natural conservation systems, and tourism initiatives to promote their national geoheritage through geotourism. We found that volcanic, coastal, karstic, glacial, and fluvial geomorphic environments are the most common in the region. In addition, we identified 393 geosites of volcanic, coastal, karstic, glacial, fluvial, and archeological origin in Central America. The promotion of geoheritage, geodiversity, geoconservation, and thus the development of geoparks are excellent opportunities to promote sustainable development, sustainable lifestyles, appreciation of natural and cultural diversity, and the promotion of peace. These results may prove important to spread information about geoscience widely to decision makers on geotourism and conservation in each country and the stakeholders of the region. Geoheritage studies in tropical and developing countries such as those in Central America should be improved, and priority should be given to the geomorphological dynamics and strong anthropic pressures on their geo- and biodiversity to increase their income through geotourism, especially among the less favored communities and avoid affecting their already threatened natural resources.

Environmental policies, bases for territorial planning. An approximation to the study of the environmental policies of the European Union. Challenges and future perspectives

This work is aimed at analysing the functioning of the environmental policies of the European Union in order to address the use of these policies as well as the instruments to implement them, observing their efficacy to protect and preserve the environment in general and their particular social and human implications. First we will analyse international environmental policy, focusing on its consolidation through the creation of international organizations and treaties and on its theoretical background. Then, we will move forward to the development of environmental policy within the European Union, focusing on the functioning of this policy emphasizing its legal foundations on European Treaties. For this purpose we will analyse the principle of integration as well as the effectiveness of implementation regarding transposition of European law into national policy. We will also focus on the current situation of environmental policy within the Union going through the main innovations of the recent European Green Deal. Finally, some case studies will show us the reality of the European environmental policy and some of the challenges it will have to overcome in the near future. Through this work we will approach the repercussions the development of environmental policy has in international relations, paying special attention to its implications at supranational, national and regional scope within the European Union.

Environmental policy stringency and comparative advantage of environmental sensitive goods: a study of textile exports in G20 countries

PurposeTextile, listed as one of the highly environmentally sensitive goods, its trade is susceptible to be influenced by the implementation of stringent environmental policies. This paper aims to investigate the long-run relationship between revealed comparative advantage (RCA) and Environmental Policy Stringency Index (EPSI) for textile exports of G20 countries in panel data setup.Design/methodology/approachApart from trend analysis, the authors have employed Pedroni and Westerlund panel cointegration method and fully modified ordinary least square (FMOLS) method to study the long-run relationship between RCA and EPSI in presence of cross-sectional dependence.FindingsA strong link between trade and environmental stringency is observed for textile in the present study. For G20 countries, slight evidence of the Pollution Haven Hypothesis has also been witnessed in the study. Correspondingly, the results reveal the presence of long-run association between the variables under study, implying that stringent environmental policies reduce RCA for some countries, whereas some countries witness the Porter hypothesis.Research limitations/implicationsThe results imply that policy formulation should not aim at limiting the efforts of connecting RCA to environmental stringency but to set trade policies in a wider framework, considering environmental concerns, as these are inseparable subjects. However, this study also provides relevant real-world implications that can support further research.Practical implicationsThe present study has important implications for textile exporters such as green innovations. The Porter hypothesis can be a beneficial tool for G20 exporters in enhancing their export performance, especially for the ones dealing in environmentally sensitive goods. This study offers relevant policy implications and provides directions for future research on global trade and environment nexus.Originality/valueThis study deals in a debatable area of research that evaluates the interlinkages between environmental stringency and global trade flows in the G20 countries. An important observation of the study is the asymmetrical nature of policy stringency across different countries and its impact on trade. The unavailability of updated data is the limitation of the present study.

Pesticides Use and Impaired Lung Function Among Male Agricultural Farmers in Rural Sindh, Pakistan

Use of pesticides implicated in decrement in lung function, manifested as restrictive or obstructive dysfunction or both. Using comparative cross-sectional study design, authors conducted the study to determine an association of pesticide use with impairment in lung function (restrictive/obstructive pattern of lung function) among agricultural farmers. The data were collected using modified American Thoracic Society Division of Lung Disease (ATS-DLD-78A) questionnaire and spirometer measurements. Using multinomial logistic regression, the risk of both restrictive and obstructive lung dysfunction was found to be almost twice among pesticides users with each increasing year of exposure to pesticides (1.92 and 1.95, respectively) after adjusting for other covariates. There is a need for reliable monitoring and reporting procedures along with appropriate environmental policies and regulations for handling of pesticides. Interventional studies are needed where farmers could be trained on the proper use of personal protective equipment (PPE) to limit the exposure to pesticides.