Journal of Environmental Management最新文献

Nitrogen and phosphorus depositions and global warming have continuously intensified, impacting soil respiration. However, the response mechanisms of soil respiration rate (R_s) and its temperature sensitivity (Q₁₀) to nitrogen and phosphorus depositions are still unclear, especially for riparian zones. Intact Fluvisols were collected at different water-level elevations (150, 160, 170, and 180 m) of the riparian zone of the Three Gorges Reservoir, China and incubated under 20 and 30 °C with additions of nitrogen (36 kg N ha^-1 yr^-1), phosphorus (0.24 kg P ha^-1 yr^-1), and the co-addition (36 kg N ha^-1 yr^-1+0.24 kg P ha^-1 yr^-1). Nitrogen addition and the co-addition reduced R_s by 29.67% and 26.67%, but phosphorus addition did not. Nitrogen and phosphorus additions did not change Q₁₀. Nitrogen addition increased nitrate, microbial biomass nitrogen, and dissolved organic nitrogen, and decreased metabolic quotient (P < 0.05). Distributions of R_s and Q₁₀ were 160 m > 180 m > 150, 170 m, and 160 m > 150, 180 m > 170 m, respectively (P < 0.05). Controlling factors of R_s were soil organic carbon (SOC), dissolved organic carbon, and microbial biomass carbon, and that of Q₁₀ were pH and SOC. Nitrogen additions and the co-additions reduced R_s by increasing microbial nitrogen assimilation and carbon utilization efficiency. R_s and Q₁₀ exhibited spatial heterogeneity due to soil property differences among the water-level elevations. The results indicated that the effects of nitrogen and phosphorus depositions and water-level elevations should be emphasized for evaluating, preventing, and controlling soil CO₂ release from the riparian zone.

Strengthening the rule of law is the cornerstone of ecological environmental protection. In the context of sustainable development, countries generally recognize the key role of the legal system in the protection of the ecological environment. Based on the perspectives of management, economics, and jurisprudence, this paper explores the impact and internal mechanism of the ecological legal system represented by the environmental protection court on the green innovation of enterprises. The study revealed that the ecological rule of law elevates enterprises' green innovation. The cost of environmental investment and enterprise strategy adjustment both reinforce the impact of the ecological rule of law on enterprises' green innovation. In the external environment of enterprises, the ecological rule of law on enterprises' green innovation has a more pronounced influence when Officials' appraisal pressure is high, and both the public and the government attach great importance to the environment. Within the internal environment of the enterprise, the ecological rule of law exerts a weaker force on the green innovation of the enterprise when the executives possess a low level of education, exhibits weak environmental awareness, and has a low shareholding ratio. The outcomes of this study might offer valuable insights for policymakers and enterprise managers in implementing environmental policies and in planning long-term green innovation for enterprises. Contribute to the strengthening of the legal system for ecological environmental protection in all countries.

Many refugee camps exist for decades but associated infrastructure needs are only planned for the very short term, including provision of power. This study advocates a shift in approach to sustainable electrification of essential services in refugee camps for lighting, refrigeration, health, water, education, alongside camp operations. Qualitative and quantitative surveys were conducted in refugee camps in Uganda and Bangladesh which assessed the electrical supply needs across such categories. A range of solar photovoltaic (PV) power systems (Solar Home Systems, AC/DC mini grids) and their emission mitigation potential were modelled based on survey data. Proposed designs were compared with presently-used diesel systems in terms of applicability, environmental impact and economics. Results indicate significant cost savings are achievable through the PV systems deployment for different areas in two major refugee camps. Estimated savings range from USD31,000-140,000 and USD166,000-653,000 for five-year and twenty-year project lifetimes respectively. These savings apply to sub-areas of much larger camps, with potential savings increasing substantially if scaled to the whole camp. Results indicate that PV-battery systems were more cost-effective than diesel, even for five-year projects, with investments recoverable in second year of operation. Furthermore, replacing the existing 50 kW diesel generator in Bidi-bidi camp with a 40kWp PV-battery system would result in a reduction of 2.4 MtCO₂e over a 20-year project lifetime. Adopting presented approaches will enhance humanitarian service provisions, reducing both cost and emissions. These findings are applicable to many refugee camps in Africa and Asia that have similar solar resource and lack of grid access.

Waste pile substrates from Fe mining may carry potentially toxic elements (PTE). Rehabilitation efforts must maintain soil vegetation cover effectively, avoiding the dispersion of particulate matter and reducing the risk to the environment and human health. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the pseudo-total and extractable contents, perform chemical fractionation, and assess the bioaccessibility and risk of PTE in waste piles of Fe mining in the Eastern Amazon. Soils were sampled from waste piles in different stages of environmental rehabilitation and from non-rehabilitated and native forest areas. The waste materials exhibit mean pseudo-total concentrations of Zn, Ni, Cr, and Cu that exceed the Brazilian soil quality threshold. However, they do not surpass reference values for human health safety. In addition, these elements are predominantly associated with the residual fraction, suggesting low availability. Among the 11 PTE evaluated, only Al, Cu, Fe, Mn, and Zn presented concentrations that were bioaccessible to the gastrointestinal tract. At the same time, Al, Fe, and Mn showed lung bioaccessibility. Soil properties limiting PTE extractability and bioaccessibility include pH and base saturation. Considering only elements above threshold levels, no environmental risk was observed, and the human health risk was considered insignificant for adult oral and inhalation exposure routes. Finally, the results show that high pseudo-total PTE contents in the analyzed Fe waste piles do not necessarily indicate high risks. However, substrate properties should be monitored over time to better understand their potential impacts and the main factors influencing their bioavailability.

Plastic's incredible versatility drives its continuous production growth, contributing to 4.5% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. With an unsustainable 4% annual production growth rate, plastics' environmental impact is significant. Our study, using climate and economic models, assesses the effects of a voluntary plastic levy imposed on the top 100 resin producers. The results suggest a potential 70% reduction in global plastic production emissions by 2050, lowering emissions from business-as-usual levels to 1.62 Gt CO₂e. The proposed USD 82.5 billion levy over 25 years could fund recycling initiatives, increasing recycling rates by 73%. To align with the Paris Agreement target of 1.5 °C, plastic production growth would need to drop to approximately 2.9%-3.1% annually, achieving a 25% decrease by 2050. Implementing this levy could significantly enhance recycling and reduce emissions, mitigating climate change.

This study employs a novel biodiversity risk measure, developed through textual analysis, to examine how biodiversity risk affects socially responsible investment (SRI) and commodity markets. Biodiversity-related financial risks, arising from ecosystem degradation, represent an emerging and underexplored dimension of market risk, particularly for investors seeking sustainability-aligned portfolios. Our analysis reveals that both SRI equity and commodity indices consistently exhibit negative time-varying correlations with biodiversity risk, with correlations as low as -0.62 for the FTSE4Good US 100 and -0.53 for the FTSE4Good Global 100. Similarly, commodities like silver, gold, crude oil, and wheat also show negative correlations with biodiversity risk. These findings indicate that neither asset class serves as a reliable hedge against biodiversity-related shocks. Furthermore, biodiversity risk has a significant long-term spillover effect on SRI equity and commodity market returns. As biodiversity risk increases, it strengthens the connectedness between these markets, thereby amplifying the transmission of risk across them. These findings highlight the need for new risk management strategies and regulatory frameworks that account for biodiversity risk, opening new research pathways in finance and environmental sustainability.

Climate change profoundly affects water resource allocation by disrupting the availability, distribution, and quality of water across various regions. Optimal allocation of water resources represents a comprehensive strategy for water resource management by addressing the intricate connections between water allocation systems and their repercussions on the environment, society, and economy. In this study, an Optimal Water Resources Management (OWRM) framework was developed, focusing on the optimal allocation of water resources and crop planting structures across various sectors. The Munneru river basin, located in the lower Krishna River region of India, was selected as the study area to validate the proposed framework. Five distinct water-demanding sectors-irrigation, domestic, livestock, industrial, and irrigation water requirements for major agricultural seasons-were identified in the study area, and their sectoral water demands were calculated at the basin level. The crop water and irrigation water requirements for various crops were estimated using the CROPWAT tool, while the framework also optimized crop planting structures to maximize returns and resource efficiency. The Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm-II (NSGA-II) was applied, with two objectives focused on equity and economic value. Superior solutions were then identified using the Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS). The OWRM framework was applied after identifying critical cases of water availability in future periods under climate change scenarios. Through this integrated approach, an average annual increase of 52.6% in agricultural sector returns was achieved for the simulation period (2016-17 to 2022-23). For a condition of providing at least 90% water supply to each sector, the optimal crop patterns led to revenue increases of 136.4%, 59.2%, and 74.7% compared to actual revenues for the water years 2020-21, 2021-22 and 2022-23 respectively. The developed OWRM methodology can be applied to other basins across the world that are impacted by climate change.

Much of the existing literature on environmental performance has focused on human capital and intangible assets such as environmental policies and strategies, the role of intellectual capital has largely been overlooked. This study aims to investigate the impact of intellectual capital on environmental performance at the firm level, specifically in the electrical and electronics (E&E) sector in China. By considering human, relational, and structural capital as integral elements of intellectual capital, we assess their direct influence on environmental performance and explore how these components interact with other factors in driving environmental outcomes. We also examine the role of environmental related absorptive capacity in this relationship. The data is collected from 113 firms in the E&E sector, and PLS-SEM is applied to analyse the relationship between intellectual capital and environmental performance. Our findings reveal a significant and positive impact of intellectual capital on environmental performance, highlighting its critical role in promoting sustainable business practices. Managers and policymakers are urged to integrate sustainability-focused training, strengthen inter-organizational networks, and embed environmental management systems to achieve dual goals of improved environmental and economic performance.

Glaciers provide multiple ecosystem services (ES) to human society. Due to the continued global warming, the valuation of glacier ES is of urgent importance because this knowledge can support the protection of glaciers. However, a systematic valuation of glacier ES is still lacking, particularly from the perspective of ES contributors. In this study, we introduce the concept of emergy to establish a methodological framework for accounting glacier ES values, and take the Tibetan Plateau (TP) as a case study to comprehensively evaluate the spatiotemporal characteristics of glacier ES during the early 21st century. The results show that the total glacier ES values on the TP increased from 2.36E+24 sej/yr in the 2000s to 2.40E+24 sej/yr in the 2010s, with an overall growth rate of 1.6%. The values of the various services in the 2010s are ranked in descending order: climate regulation (1.59E+24 sej/yr, 66.1%), runoff regulation (4.40E+23 sej/yr, 18.4%), hydropower generation (1.88E+23 sej/yr, 7.8%). Significantly higher glacier ES values were recorded in the marginal TP than in the endorheic area. With the exception of climate regulation and carbon sequestration, all other service values increased during the study period, partially cultural services, which have experienced rapid growth in tandem with social development. The results of this study will help establish the methodological basis for the assessment of regional and global glacier ES, as well as a scientific basis for the regional protection of glacier resources.

Balancing the forest protection with local economic development is a pressing challenge and a key focus of current environmental policies. Ecological compensation programs (ECPs) are often employed in natural-resource dependent communities to address this dilemma. However, the impacts of ECP on local livelihoods remain controversial, and the mechanisms driving these outcomes are not fully understood. We investigate the impacts of an ECP on the livelihoods of rural residents, drawing on survey data collected from forest communities in Zhejiang, China. Using the propensity score matching (PSM) method to address potential self-selection bias, our findings reveal that ECP has significant and positive impacts on local livelihoods. This improvement is primarily attributed to increased income from forestry and gardening, alongside greater livelihood diversification. While non-agricultural livelihoods are increasingly important, agriculture remains a vital source of household's income. Additionally, the benefits of ECP are disproportionately enjoyed by wealthier and younger residents as well as those who are not left behind, suggesting a potential exacerbation of inequality among household groups. In light of these findings, we recommend implementing tailored financial assistance, enhancing training opportunities, and creating specialized employment roles for vulnerable groups, thereby supporting their livelihood transitions, advancing social equality and fostering the sustainable conservation of forest ecosystems.